Tardigrada of the Caribbean island of Dominica (West Indies)

Abstract

In June 2009 we surveyed the terrestrial Tardigrada of Dominica, the most northerly of the Windward islands of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean sea. Out of 112 moss, lichen, liverwort and leaf litter samples, 35 had tardigrades, representing 10 genera and 25 species or species groups. This survey increases the number of species reported from Dominica from 3 to 25, more than the total recorded from any other West Indian island. Twelve species found in Dominica are cosmopolitan or belong to cosmopolitan species groups. Eight species are new to the fauna of the West Indies, one is new to the fauna of the Americas, and at least one is endemic to Dominica.

Keywords

• Caribbean fauna, tardigrades, West Indies, water bears, biogeography