![]() ![]() ![]() Despite harsh conditions such as low temperature and high UV irradiation, many organisms are well-adapted to the snow environment, and they are represented by primary producers (snow algae and cyanobacteria), microbial heterotrophs (ciliates and fungi), and consumers (invertebrates) 2, 3, 4, 5. Seasonal snow in mountains is an ephemeral cold environment that melts completely by end of the summer 1. Furthermore, our study contributes to the understanding subfamily Hypsibiinae showing that on its own the morphology of specimens belonging to convergens- pallidus group is insufficient in establishing a true systematic position of specimens. Our study shows that microinvertebrates associated with snow are poorly known and the assumption that snow might be inhabited by snow-requiring tardigrade taxa cannot be ruled out. identified by morphology as convergens-pallidus group, showed its affinity to the Hypsibiidae family and it is placed as a sister clade to all species in the Hypsibiinae subfamily. Additionally, phylogenetic multilocus (COI, 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA) analysis of the second taxon, Hypsibius sp. which differs from other similar species by granular, polygonal sculpture on the dorsal cuticle and by the presence of cuticular bars next to the internal claws. By morphology, light (PCM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and morphometry we described Hypsibius nivalis sp. In this study, we used morphological and molecular approaches to identify two tardigrade species found in green snow patches of Mt. It is true especially for micrometazoans appearing in snow algae blooming areas. Although snow is considered to be one of the most unique, and at the same time a disappearing habitat, knowledge of its taxonomic diversity is still limited. Snow ecosystems are an important component of polar and mountainous regions, influencing water regime, biogeochemical cycles and supporting snow specific taxa. ![]()
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