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A new species of the genus Hebesuncus from the Antarctic nunataks, Dronning Maud Land

I n t r o d u c t i o n Ice-free areas of continental Antarctica situated far from sea-shores are characterized by particularly harsh climatic and edaphic conditions. Consequently, these remote ice-surrounded outcrops of rock, known as nunataks are inhabited by a limited number of plants and animals. To such animal groups belong tardigrades or water-bears, able to survive in extreme habitats. For the first time tardigrades have been reported from the western Dronning Maud Land during the biological survey of the Robertskollen nunataks in the austral summer of 1987-88. The survey was conducted from the South African station (SANAE) located on the Jelbard Ice Shelf. The preliminary results of those studies, including geological and ecological characteristics, are summarized in Ryan et al. (1989) and Ryan and Watkins (1989). At that time two new tardigrades were discovered in lichen samples and described by Dastych et al (1990). The continuation of the survey in recent years accumulated additional tardigrade material which originated meanly from the Vesletskarvet nunatak, where another research base (SANAE III) had been estabilished. Numerous tardigrades were extracted from samples of seem­ ingly lifeless gravel and poorly developed mineral soil (lithosol) which were without bryophytes, lichens and macroalges. Here was found another new tardigrade which is described below. ©Zoologisches Museum Hamburg, www.zobodat.at