taxonID	type	description	language	source
03818788FFFFFFEFFF023BDD7CDDFB4F.taxon	description	urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: 5 CC 43126 - CABC- 4444 - BE 82 - 80 D 42 FDEAA 8 F Figures 4 – 9	en	Atherton, Sarah (2025): A new species of Sisubiotus (Tardigrada: Macrobiotidae) from northern Sweden with a key to the genus. Zootaxa 5679 (3): 399-418, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5679.3.5, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5360.3.8
03818788FFFFFFEFFF023BDD7CDDFB4F.taxon	etymology	Etymology. Derived from the Latin splendidus: splendid, due to the beauty of the species and its eggs.	en	Atherton, Sarah (2025): A new species of Sisubiotus (Tardigrada: Macrobiotidae) from northern Sweden with a key to the genus. Zootaxa 5679 (3): 399-418, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5679.3.5, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5360.3.8
03818788FFFFFFEFFF023BDD7CDDFB4F.taxon	materials_examined	Material Examined. A total of 21 animals and 22 eggs. Specimens mounted on microscope slides in Hoyer’s medium (16 a + 19 e) or processed for DNA sequencing (5 a + 3 e). Type repositories: Type materials are deposited in the invertebrate collection of the Swedish Museum of Natural History (Frescativägen 40, Stockholm, Sweden) Type Materials. Holotype: Animal preserved in Hoyer’s medium. Slide no. SMNH-Type- 9994 Paratypes: 15 animals and 19 eggs preserved in Hoyer’s medium. Slides nos. SMNH-Type- 9995 – 10003	en	Atherton, Sarah (2025): A new species of Sisubiotus (Tardigrada: Macrobiotidae) from northern Sweden with a key to the genus. Zootaxa 5679 (3): 399-418, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5679.3.5, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5360.3.8
03818788FFFFFFEFFF023BDD7CDDFB4F.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Species of Sisubiotus, whitish to transparent under LM with black eyespots present anteriorly in living animals (Figure 4). Leg granulation present on legs II – IV (Figures 5 C – G). OCA with three bands of teeth (Figure 6): the first consisting of numerous small granules at the base of peribuccal lamellae; the second positioned posterior to the ring fold and consisting of an anterior row of longitudinal elongated teeth followed by 3 – 5 irregular rows of medium granules; the third anterior to the buccal tube opening and consisting of three dorsal and three ventral transversal crests and one or two additional mucrones. Claws of legs I – III with smooth lunules (Figures 5 A – D), of legs IV with dentate lunules (Figures 6 F – G). Eggs 140 – 188 µm full diameter, 86 – 118 µm bare diameter, with 9 – 11 processes on the circumference (Figure 8). Processes mostly smooth without labyrinthine layer clearly visible in LM (Figures 8 C – G). Each process surrounded by 10 – 12 deep areolae, present in a “ 1 + 3 ” pattern of a single areola between two neighboring processes and three areolae at the junction of three processes (Figure 9). Egg chorion and areolae surfaces evenly reticulated with small mesh.	en	Atherton, Sarah (2025): A new species of Sisubiotus (Tardigrada: Macrobiotidae) from northern Sweden with a key to the genus. Zootaxa 5679 (3): 399-418, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5679.3.5, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5360.3.8
03818788FFFFFFEFFF023BDD7CDDFB4F.taxon	description	Description. The morphometric measurements for animals and eggs are summarized in Table 2 and 3, respectively, and were not Thorpe’s normalized. Results from Thorpe’s normalization found that all of the measured characters for the species were isometric with respect to the length of the buccal tube. The raw morphometric data is provided in supplemental material S 6, and the Thorpe’s normalized data is provided in supplemental material S 7. Living animal whitish; transparent after fixation in Hoyer’s medium; 199 – 621 µm long (Figure 4). Anteriorly positioned eyes present in living animals, not always visible after fixation in Hoyer’s medium. Cuticle without sculpturing, gibbosities, spines, papillae, or pores. Small patches of fine granulation present on the external surfaces beside the claws of legs II and III (Figures 5 C – D) as well as dorsal and surrounding the claws of legs IV (Figures 5 E – F). Granulation on legs I absent. A cuticular bulge (pulvinus) is present on the internal surface of leg pairs I – III, clearly visible when the leg is fully extended (Figures 5 A – B, D). Mouth antero-ventral. Bucco-pharyngeal apparatus Macrobiotus - type (Pilato & Binda, 2010) with ten peribuccal lamellae and ventral lamina present. The OCA with three well developed bands of teeth, clearly visible with DIC (Figure 6). The first is a wide band of numerous small granules situated at the base of the peribuccal lamellae that, though still visible, may be difficult to detect in smaller animals. The second band is situated just posterior to the ring fold and includes 3 – 5 rows of medium sized granules, with the teeth in the most anterior row of the second band distinctly larger and more longitudinally elongated than the teeth of the other rows. The third band is present anterior to the buccal tube opening and is divided into a dorsal and ventral part. The dorsal part is composed of a rectangular median transverse ridge and two lateral ridges that thin slightly towards the external margins (Figures 6 A, C, E). The ventral part comprises paired lateral ridges, a median ridge that is thicker and less wide than the dorsal median ridge, and one or two additional mucrons that are medium or small granules situated just posterior to the median ridge (Figures 6 B, D, F). Rigid buccal tube with 26 – 48 µm (pt 65.7 – 70.5) long ventral lamina. Stylet supports insert 29 – 54 µm (pt 13.9 – 20.8) from the anterior and lead to typical stylet system. Posterior end of the buccal tube terminates in a distinct thickening and within the pharyngeal bulb. Pharyngeal bulb globular, with triangular apophyses and rows of two macroplacoids and a single microplacoid (Figure 7). In the frontal view (Figures 7 A – B), the first macroplacoid has a distinct and complex shape: the anterior half has a pointed end, slightly narrows before expanding out to form a pair of bulbous wings towards the midpoint; a distinct constriction is directly posterior to the wings at the midpoint; and a rectangular posterior half terminates with a bluntly rounded end. The second macroplacoid has a nearly rectangular anterior part with a blunt end and very slight constrictions towards the first third and just prior to the posterior end, which expands out into a pair of thicker rounded bulbs. Macroplacoid row length 16 – 42 µm (pt 41.1 – 59.3), and placoid row length 20 – 50 µm (pt 53.1 – 72.3). Length sequence 2 <1, with length of first macroplacoid 9 – 21 µm (pt 25.4 – 33.6), second macroplacoid 6 – 17 µm (pt 15.6 – 24.6). Microplacoid heart-shaped, 3 – 8 µm (pt 8.5 – 12) long and situated closely posterior to the second macroplacoid (Figure 7 B). Double claws of the hufelandi type, slender with a long common tract and evident accessory points on the primary branch (Figure 5). Claws generally increasing in length posteriorly, with the claws of legs IV distinctly larger and with larger lunules than those of the other legs. Lunules of claws of legs I – III smooth (Figure 5 B) and of legs IV weakly dentate (Figure 5 F). A single, continuous cuticular bar present on each of legs I – III below the lunules (Figures 5 B, D). Single ovary located dorso-caudal to the intestine, occasionally with one or two eggs present (Figure 4 C). Testes, seminal vesicles and seminal receptacles not seen. Globular eggs laid freely, ornamented with clear, large conical processes, occasionally with frayed or bifurcated tips (Figure 8). Egg diameter including processes 86 – 118 µm; 9 – 11 processes on the circumference (Figure 8 A). Processes surrounded by 10 – 12 deep areolae, present in an alternating pattern of a single, large areola between two neighboring processes and three smaller areolae located at the junction of three processes (Figures 8 B, 9). Areolae surface reticulated with a small mesh that appears as many dots or small wrinkles under LM (Figure 8 E). Processes transparent with bubbles sometimes present near the apices (Figure 8 C, F), mostly smooth but with occasional, irregularly distributed wrinkles or dots (Figures 8 F – G). A labyrinthine layer between the process walls not distinguishable under LM.	en	Atherton, Sarah (2025): A new species of Sisubiotus (Tardigrada: Macrobiotidae) from northern Sweden with a key to the genus. Zootaxa 5679 (3): 399-418, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5679.3.5, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5360.3.8
03818788FFFFFFEFFF023BDD7CDDFB4F.taxon	biology_ecology	DNA Sequences. Sequences for Sis. splendidus sp. nov. were obtained for all three markers from two animals and one egg. The 28 S was represented by one haplotype; 18 S was represented by two haplotypes (uncorrected p-value between haplotypes 0.06 %); and COI was represented by two haplotypes (uncorrected p-value between haplotypes 0.33 %): - 28 S: 831 bp; GenBank accession number PV 744341 - 18 S haplotype 1: specimens 24 - 426, 24 - 430; 1690 bp; GenBank accession number PV 744336 - 18 S haplotype 2: specimen 24 - 411; 1690 bp; GenBank accession number PV 744335 - COI haplotype 1: specimens 24 - 411, 24 - 430; 612 bp; GenBank accession number PV 746802 - COI haplotype 2: specimen 24 - 426, 612 bp; GenBank accession number PV 746803	en	Atherton, Sarah (2025): A new species of Sisubiotus (Tardigrada: Macrobiotidae) from northern Sweden with a key to the genus. Zootaxa 5679 (3): 399-418, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5679.3.5, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5360.3.8
03818788FFFFFFEFFF023BDD7CDDFB4F.taxon	diagnosis	Morphological differentiation. All five species of Sisubiotus, including the new species, are very similar morphologically with only few differentiating characters present in the adult animals or eggs. Nevertheless, Sisubiotus splendidus sp. nov. is most easily distinguished from all others of the genus by the dentate lunulae of the claws of legs IV (the other species have only smooth lunulae) and the leg granulation that is present only on legs II – IV (Sis. spectabilis, Sis. grandis and Sis. hakaiensis have granulation present on all legs, while Sis. wuyishanensis lacks leg granulation). More cautiously (see discussion on the eggshells of Sis. spectabilis below), the eggs of Sis. splendidus sp. nov. exhibit a distinct “ 1 + 3 ” areolae pattern (Figure 9) rather than the double row of areolae that surrounds the processes of the other species (excepting Sis. wuyishanensis, which purportedly lacks egg areolae entirely — but see Stec et al. 2021). Additionally, Sis. splendidus sp. nov. differs from: 1. Sisubiotus spectabilis (following the description of Stec et al., 2021) by a longer ventral lamina (pt 65.7 – 70.5 in the new species vs 54.8 – 64.8 in Sis. spectabilis) and smaller claws (e. g. external claw of leg II pt 18.6 – 24.2 vs. 24.3 – 36.8; posterior claw of leg IV pt 26.3 – 29.7 vs. 29.8 – 38.8); 2. Sisubiotus grandis (following the description of Maucci & Pilato, 1974) by the location of the eyespots in living animals (anterior in the new species vs. posterior in Sis. grandis), the more numerous teeth in the second band of the OCA, and the reticulation of the entire egg areolae (the center of the egg areolae is smooth in Sis. grandis); 3. Sisubiotus hakaiensis by the smaller eggs (bare diameter 86.0 – 117.5 µm vs. 126.0 – 134.0 µm) that labyrinthine layer in the process walls not visible with LM; 4. Sisubiotus wuyishanensis (species inquirenda) by the smaller claws on leg I (primary branch of external claw pt 18.6 – 22.5 in the new species vs. pt 23.7 – 27.1 in Sis. wuyishanensis) and leg II (pt 18.6 – 24.2 vs pt 23.3 – 26.8) and by the smaller number of processes on the egg circumference (9 – 11 vs. 13) with wider bases (20.7 – 31.3 µm vs 20.5 µm).	en	Atherton, Sarah (2025): A new species of Sisubiotus (Tardigrada: Macrobiotidae) from northern Sweden with a key to the genus. Zootaxa 5679 (3): 399-418, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5679.3.5, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5360.3.8
03818788FFF6FFF1FF023CE5798FFDA9.taxon	discussion	Below is a key to the genus. Please note, Sisubiotus wuyishanensis species inquirenda has been included in the key as originally presented by Zhang & Sun (2014), but considerable uncertainty remains concerning the morphology and validity of the species. Most importantly, this includes questions about the purported lack of egg areolation that was included as the primary character distinguishing this species from its congeners (Stec et al., 2021).	en	Atherton, Sarah (2025): A new species of Sisubiotus (Tardigrada: Macrobiotidae) from northern Sweden with a key to the genus. Zootaxa 5679 (3): 399-418, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5679.3.5, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5360.3.8
