First account on Loricifera from New Zealand: A new species of Pliciloricus, and a Shira larva with postlarva representing the new genus and species Patuloricus tangaroa gen. et sp. nov

The present contribution provides the first exploration of the Loricifera fauna in New Zealand. A new species, Pliciloricus apteryx sp. nov. and a new species and genus, Patuloricus tangaroa gen. et sp. nov., are described from Bay of Plenty at North Island. The latter species is represented by a Shira larva containing a different larval stage. This is only the second loriciferan species with a Shira larva, and the first reporting of the life cycle stage following the Shira larva. This new life cycle stage is interpreted as a postlarva, and is characterized by a large globular head without external appendages, and a slender, highly muscular trunk. Both species descriptions are based on combined imaging from light microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy. The latter has never previously been applied to any taxonomic studies of Loricifera, but proved extremely useful resulting in the detection of structures that otherwise would have passed unnoticed. Likewise, 3D reconstructions of Z-stacks enabled a more precise interpretation of spatial arrangements of introvert and trunk appendages.