Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 3, 2026
09:44
Magnetic Stirrer Method for the Detection of Trichinella Larvae in Muscle Samples
Published on: March 3, 2017
31.0K
Fauna Europaea: Gastrotricha
Maria Balsamo1, Jean-Loup D Hondt2, Jacek Kisielewski3
1Università di Urbino, Urbino, Italy.
Biodiversity Data Journal
|September 18, 2015
Summary
The Fauna Europaea database documents European freshwater gastrotrichs, detailing 224 species. European gastrotrich fauna is well-documented globally, yet knowledge gaps persist in Eastern and Southern regions.
Area of Science:
- Zoology
- Biodiversity Informatics
- Invertebrate Zoology
Background:
- Fauna Europaea is a comprehensive web service indexing European land and freshwater animal scientific names and distributions.
- It encompasses over 230,000 taxonomic names, representing a significant collaborative effort by European specialists.
- Gastrotricha, a phylum of microinvertebrates, includes 813 known species, with 339 inhabiting European fresh and brackish waters.
Purpose of the Study:
- To document the European freshwater gastrotrich fauna.
- To summarize current knowledge on gastrotrich biology and ecology.
- To identify knowledge gaps in European gastrotrich distribution and diversity.
Main Methods:
- Compilation and analysis of data from the Fauna Europaea database.
- Inclusion of recently described species not yet in the database.
- Literature review for biological and ecological information and key references.
Main Results:
- The Fauna Europaea database contains 214 species of freshwater gastrotrichs (Chaetonotida and Macrodasyida).
- This paper focuses on 224 European freshwater gastrotrich species, including 9 newly described species.
- The European gastrotrich fauna is the most extensively studied globally.
Conclusions:
- European freshwater gastrotrich fauna is relatively well-known compared to other continents.
- Significant knowledge gaps remain, particularly in the Eastern and Southern regions of Europe.
- Further research is needed to fully understand the distribution and diversity of European gastrotrichs.
Related Concept Videos
01:15Diversity of Protists I
2.2K
Excavata is a diverse group of protists that includes both chemoorganotrophic and phototrophic species, with some thriving in anaerobic environments. Among the key groups within Excavata are diplomonads and parabasalids, which are flagellated protists that lack mitochondria and chloroplasts. These microorganisms typically inhabit anoxic environments, such as the intestines of animals, where they exist either symbiotically or as parasites, relying on fermentation for energy production. Some...
2.2K
01:50What is Monogastric Digestion?
79.2K
The human body contains a monogastric digestive system. In a monogastric digestive system, the stomach only contains one chamber in which it digests food. Several other animal species also have monogastric digestive systems, including pigs, horses, dogs, and birds. This chapter, however, focuses on the human digestive system.
79.2K
01:27Microbiota of the Large Intestine
50
The large intestine hosts the most densely populated microbial ecosystem in the human body. This complex community primarily consists of anaerobic bacteria, with Bacillota (formerly Firmicutes) and Bacteroidota (formerly Bacteroidetes) as the predominant groups. The distribution of these microbes varies along different sections of the large intestine, influenced by local environmental factors such as oxygen availability and nutrient composition.The cecum, located at the beginning of the large...
50
01:27Diversity of Protists IV
2.1K
Amoebozoa represent a diverse group of terrestrial and aquatic protists that utilize lobe-shaped pseudopodia for locomotion and feeding. This characteristic differentiates them from the Rhizaria, which possess threadlike pseudopodia. The primary classifications within Amoebozoa include gymnamoebas, entamoebas, and the plasmodial and cellular slime molds. Phylogenetic evidence indicates that Amoebozoa diverged from a lineage that ultimately gave rise to fungi and animals.Gymnamoebas and...
2.1K
01:27Diversity of Protists III
2.0K
Rhizaria are a diverse group of unicellular protists characterized by their threadlike cytoplasmic extensions known as pseudopodia. These structures aid in both locomotion and feeding, giving Rhizaria an amoeboid appearance. Their amoeboid morphology once led to taxonomic confusion, but molecular phylogenetics has clarified their evolutionary placement and emphasized their shared use of pseudopodia despite divergent lineages.This clade comprises diverse lineages such as Chlorarachniophyta,...
2.0K
01:27Diversity of Protists II
2.2K
Alveolates are a group of organisms recognized by the presence of alveoli, which are cytoplasmic sacs located beneath the cell membrane. While their function remains uncertain, alveoli may help regulate water balance by controlling how much water enters and leaves the cell. In dinoflagellates, these structures may serve as armor plates. There are three major types of alveolates: ciliates, which move using cilia; dinoflagellates, which use flagella for movement; and apicomplexans, which are...
2.2K