First description of an Arctic Loricifera - a new Rugiloricus-species from the Laptev Sea

This is the first description of Loricifera-species from the Arctic Ocean. Rugiloricus polaris sp. n. was discovered along with other species of the genus in samples from the Laptev Sea (Arctica). The new species is described from clayish deep-sea bottoms at 1,2 10 m depth. Apart from of a single adult male two Higgins-larvae have been found. The adult of Rugiloricus polaris sp. n. is characterized e.g. by its small rounded distally blunt mouth cone; four small oral valves around the terminal mouth opening; broad clavoscalids with round bases and ventral jags distally; strongly transformed and spiny ventral pair of clavoscalids, type B scalids of fourth row with serrated claw-tips; two types of trichoscalids differing in length but not in structure. The Higgins-larvae differ from others e.g. by hook-like type B scalids with double hook-tips; extremely short toes; long anterior setae with fine setules scattered along their dorsal and ventral margins.