Abstract

GARITANO-ZAVALA B., Alvaro. Effect of microambiental humidity and the altitude, on the MossTardigradifauna (Phylum Tardigrada) distribution, in the “Cordillera Real de los Andes” occidental basin (La Paz, Bolivia). Ecología en Bolivia [online]. 1996, n.26, pp.1-48.  Epub Jan 30, 1996. ISSN 1605-2528.

120 quantitative moss samples from 3 localities of the “Cordillera Real de los Andes” occidental basin, La Paz, Bolivia (between 3800 to 4700 m a.s.l.) were examined. 24 species and morphospecies of tardigrades, belonging to 5 families, were found, including five morphospecies probably new for Science.

The frequency, abundance and habitat preference were established for each species, in respect to altitude above sea level, and microambiental humidity. An analysis of variance of the number of species, and a comparison of the quantitative similarity between samples, determined the iníluence of the two variables upon the tardigradifauna distribution. Discussions on the zoogeographical relationships of the tardigrade species of the Bolivian Andes, in respect to their ecological amplitude, are presented.

Keywords : Tardigrada; moss fauna; distribution; Bolivia.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )