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Tardigrades (phylum Tardigrada Doyère, 1840) are obligate aquatic, microscopic animals that inhabit marine and freshwater habitats, as well as the terrestrial environment. They occur in limnoterrestrial settings including soil and in association with mosses, lichens, and leaf litter. Tardigrades are best known for their ability to survive challenging environmental conditions, as demonstrated in the terrestrial environment by their presence on all continents and in all biomes. Despite this ubiquity, tardigrades have been poorly known in Ireland. The sparse information relating to Irish tardigrades was scattered and to a great extent, taxonomically outdated. The status of the phylum in Ireland required a thorough evaluation. All previous records of Tardigrada from the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland were compiled and reviewed. A new record for Echiniscus quadrispinosus quadrispinosus Richters, 1902 was also added from County Clare. Resultingly, a Checklist of Irish Tardigrade Species that included 16 heterotardigrades and 35 eutardigrades was established. Most pre-existing records for Irish tardigrades originated from the work of James Murray as part of the original Clare Island Survey (1909–1911). The tardigrades of Clare Island were reinvestigated through participation in the New Survey of Clare Island. In the time between surveys the presence of many morphologically similar species complexes within Tardigrada had been reported. The importance of recognising such complexes was apparent as the original survey recorded the single taxon Macrobiotus hufelandi C.A.S. Schultze, 1834 as the most frequently occurring in samples, while the new survey found that nine morphotypes of the M. hufelandi species complex were present among its Clare Island samples. Ten other tardigrade species, including two not previously known from Ireland, Dianea sattleri (Richters, 1902) and Notahypsibius pallidoides (Pilato, Kiosya, Lisi, Inshina and Biserov, 2011), were also recorded by the New Clare Island Survey. Following these foundational studies, a new islandwide survey of Tardigrada, The All-Ireland Tardigrade Survey (AITS) was designed and launched with the objectives to characterise the Irish tardigrade fauna, evaluate its diversity, and collect habitat data using newly established standardised protocols for sample collection and processing. Five broad- scale Irish habitat types of the terrestrial environment were included: bog, built land, exposed rock, semi-natural grassland, and semi-natural woodland. A subset of AITS samples was used to demonstrate analyses for evaluating and comparing diversity between tardigrade communities including estimations of species richness, sample completeness, sample coverage, and evenness. Taxa representing multiple new records for Ireland were present within the samples comprising the selected subset. Two AITS samples from limestone pavement in Ireland’s Burren region contained specimens that were targeted for detailed taxonomic analyses involving intensive light (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with the addition of morphometric and limited phylogenetic results. This work facilitated the description of two new species, Bryodelphax pucapetricolus DeMilio, Tumanov, Lawton, Kristensen & Hansen, 2022 and B. wallacearthuri DeMilio, Tumanov, Lawton, Kristensen & Hansen, 2022 and a revision of morphological characters important in that genus and with relevance to other heterotardigrade genera. The diagnoses of Bryodelphax Thulin, 1928 and Bryochoerus Marcus, 1936 were thereupon emended. Further recommendations, including for the revision of some related species and increased inclusion of the morphometric values of gonopore diameter and gonopore to anus distance and details of the anus morphology in the descriptions of limnoterrestrial heterotardigrade genera were made. The genus Parechiniscus Cuénot, 1926 was recorded from Ireland for the first time, as were two other heterotardigrades, Echiniscus spiniger Richters, 1904 and Testechiniscus spitsbergensis spitsbergensis (Scourfield, 1897). Detailed LM and SEM analyses of Irish Parechiniscus specimens led to a new interpretation of the configuration of the dorsal cuticular plates and the first accounts of tertiary clavae in that genus and new information on the Parechiniscus sexual system. These observations warranted a new emendation to the genus diagnosis. Leaf litter as a habitat for tardigrades was explored in Ireland and Scotland for the first time with 25 taxa encountered, including multiple new records for each country. The Irish Checklist of Species was further updated to include all newly obtained data for a total of 25 heterotardigrades and 52 eutardigrades, a 54% increase of known Irish species. The presented body of research thereby progressed the characterisation of the Irish tardigrade fauna, made contributions to the field of tardigrade taxonomy, and offered an approach to the study of tardigrade habitat ecology.

The findings of an investigation of the tardigrade fauna associated with beech (Fagus sylvatica) leaf litter in the Republic of Ireland and Scotland are reported. The present study is the first to specifically target this microhabitat in either country. Tardigrades were extracted from 16 samples of leaf litter obtained from seven locations (one in Ireland and six in Scotland). Twenty five tardigrade taxa were encountered including seven that represent new records for the Republic of Ireland (Pseudechiniscus sp. nov., Diphascon pingue group sp., Hypsibius cf. convergens, Hypsibius cf. scabropygus, Itaquascon cf. globuliferum, Ursulinius sp. nov., and Minibiotus sp. nov.) and four for Scotland (Bertolanius weglarskae, Hypsibius cf. scabropygus, Adropion belgicae and Pilatobius ramazzottii). The collection of several taxa that either represent new records or undescribed species within a small number of samples demonstrates the importance for researchers to include leaf litter when assessing and reporting the tardigrade biodiversity of an area.

Order: Arthrotardigrada Marcus, 1927 Family: Anisonychidae M��bjerg, J��rgensen & Kristensen, 2019, Published as part of P��rez-Pech, Wilbert Andr��s, Jes��s-Navarrate, Alberto De, Demilio, Erica, Anguas-Escalante, Abril & Hansen, Jesper Guldberg, 2020, Marine Tardigrada from the Mexican Caribbean with the description of Styraconyx robertoi sp. nov. (Arthrotardigrada: Styraconyxidae), pp. 492-508 in Zootaxa 4731 (4) on page 494, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4731.4.3, http://zenodo.org/record/3661944, {"references":["Marcus, E. (1927) Zur Anatomie und Okologie mariner Tardigraden. Zoologische Jahrbucher. Abteilung fur Systematik, Okologie und Geographie der Tiere, 53, 487 - 588.","Mobjerg, N., Jorgensen, A. & Kristensen, R. M. (2019). Ongoing revision of Echiniscoididae (Heterotardigrada: Echiniscoidea), with the description of a new interstitial species and genus with unique anal structures. Zoological Journal of Linnean Society, 181, 1 - 18. https: // doi. org / 10.1093 / zoolinnean / zlz 122"]}

Halechiniscidae sp. Material examined: 1 specimen (ML: 1 indeterminable gender) Remarks: The single specimen exhibits a peculiar combination of characteristics of both of the genera Halechiniscus Richters, 1908 and Paradoxipus Kristensen & Higgins, 1989. All digits of leg I are of the Paradoxipus - type (i.e. each digit with a proximal suction disc and a distal claw), while the digits of legs II���IV are of the Halechiniscus - type (i.e. each digit bears only a distal claws). This complex pedal morphology places the specimen outside of any known genus. No further evidence as to whether the specimen belongs within Halechiniscinae Thulin, 1928 or Orzeliscinae Schulz, 1963 can be gathered due to unfavorable orientation and unsatisfactory preservation of the slide-mounted specimen., Published as part of P��rez-Pech, Wilbert Andr��s, Jes��s-Navarrate, Alberto De, Demilio, Erica, Anguas-Escalante, Abril & Hansen, Jesper Guldberg, 2020, Marine Tardigrada from the Mexican Caribbean with the description of Styraconyx robertoi sp. nov. (Arthrotardigrada: Styraconyxidae), pp. 492-508 in Zootaxa 4731 (4) on page 496, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4731.4.3, http://zenodo.org/record/3661944, {"references":["Richters, F. (1908) Marine Tardigraden. Zoologischer Anzeiger, 33, 77 - 85.","Kristensen, R. M. & Higgins, R. P. (1989) Marine Tardigrada from the Southeastern United States coastal waters. I. Paradoxipus orzeliscoides n. gen., n. sp. (Arthrotardigrada: Halechiniscidae). Transactions of the American Microscopical Society, 108, 262 - 282. https: // doi. org / 10.2307 / 3226344","Thulin, G. (1928) Uber die Phylogenie und das System der Tardigraden. Hereditas Genetiskt Arkiv, 11, 207 - 266. https: // doi. org / 10.1111 / j. 1601 - 5223.1928. tb 02488. x","Schulz, E. (1963) Uber die Tardigraden. Zoologischer Anzeiger, 171, 3 - 12."]}

Paratanarctus sp. 1 specimen (PM: 1 female) Remarks: In comparison to the only described species of the genus, P. kristenseni D���Addabbo Gallo, de Zio Grimaldi, Morone De Lucia & Troccoli, 1992 the collected specimen is of similar body dimensions (body length 124 ��m, body width 52 ��m vs. body length 125 ��m, body width 55 ��m in P. kristenseni female holotype). Both taxa have a lance-shaped tarsus and with pretarsus. However, the Mexican specimen is clearly not P. kristenseni as demonstrated by the presence of brown eyes, completely spherical vesicles of the seminal receptacles, the absence of proximal pads, and the leg IV sense organ being in the form of a large enveloped papilla. As Paratanarctus is monotypic, the significance of other characters should be evaluated by comparison to the type material of P. kristenseni. However, the type material of this species is currently unavailable (D���Addabbo Gallo, personal communication)., Published as part of P��rez-Pech, Wilbert Andr��s, Jes��s-Navarrate, Alberto De, Demilio, Erica, Anguas-Escalante, Abril & Hansen, Jesper Guldberg, 2020, Marine Tardigrada from the Mexican Caribbean with the description of Styraconyx robertoi sp. nov. (Arthrotardigrada: Styraconyxidae), pp. 492-508 in Zootaxa 4731 (4) on page 498, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4731.4.3, http://zenodo.org/record/3661944, {"references":["D'Addabbo Gallo, M., de Zio Grimaldi, S., Morone De Lucia, R. M. & Troccoli, A. (1992) Halechiniscidae and Echiniscoididae from the Western Mediterranean Sea (Tardigrada: Heterotardigrada). Cahiers de Biologie Marine, 33, 299 - 318."]}

Wingstrandarctus corallinus Kristensen, 1984 3 specimens (PM: 2 female, 1 male) Comparative material: 1 specimen reported as Wingstrandarctus by P��rez-Pech et al. (2018) (ML: 1 female) Remarks: Analysis of all three collected specimens and a re-examination of the single Wingstrandarctus of P��rez- Pech et al. (2018) determined that all four individuals represent the species W. corallinus. The set of characters that define the species as determined by Kristensen (1984) are evident including: the presence of cephalic bacterial vesicles, a small, almost circular caudal ala, dorsal mammilliform cuticular sculpture, and the specific shape of the lateral alae., Published as part of P��rez-Pech, Wilbert Andr��s, Jes��s-Navarrate, Alberto De, Demilio, Erica, Anguas-Escalante, Abril & Hansen, Jesper Guldberg, 2020, Marine Tardigrada from the Mexican Caribbean with the description of Styraconyx robertoi sp. nov. (Arthrotardigrada: Styraconyxidae), pp. 492-508 in Zootaxa 4731 (4) on page 497, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4731.4.3, http://zenodo.org/record/3661944, {"references":["Perez-Pech, W. A., Anguas-Escalante A., de Jesus-Navarrete A. & Hansen J. G. (2018) Primer registro generico de tardigrados marinos en costas de Quintana Roo, Mexico. Academia Journals, 4 (10), 1909 - 1912."]}

Dipodarctus sp. 1 specimen (PM: 1 indeterminable gender) Comparative material: 36 specimens reported as Dipodarctus by P��rez-Pech et al. (2018) (ML: gender determinations not attempted) Remarks: The single specimen from Puerto Morelos displays a set of characters that are typical of the genus including: the primary clavae much longer than, and ventral to the lateral cirri; innermost digit (digit 1) on legs I���III slightly shorter than the other digits; and digit 3 slightly longer than the other digits. The specimen is distinguished from all described members of the genus by a set of dorsolateral wing-like structures. The nature of these unique structures requires further investigation pending the recovery of more specimens. The single specimen was determined not to represent the same taxon as those used to establish the generic record of Dipodarctus by Perez-Pech et al. (2018) for Mexico. Re-examination of the latter specimens found that these should be regarded as Halechiniscus cf. perfectus Schulz, 1955 because they correspond to the limited description of that species but digit 3 on leg pairs I���III is slightly longer than the other digits. This digit pattern is characteristic of Dipodarctus as opposed to Halechiniscus, hence the confusion regarding the assignment of the specimens to the former genus by P��rez-Pech et al. (2018). Therefore, only one record for ��� Dipodarctus sp.���, i.e. the present, should be considered as valid for Mexico., Published as part of P��rez-Pech, Wilbert Andr��s, Jes��s-Navarrate, Alberto De, Demilio, Erica, Anguas-Escalante, Abril & Hansen, Jesper Guldberg, 2020, Marine Tardigrada from the Mexican Caribbean with the description of Styraconyx robertoi sp. nov. (Arthrotardigrada: Styraconyxidae), pp. 492-508 in Zootaxa 4731 (4) on page 496, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4731.4.3, http://zenodo.org/record/3661944, {"references":["Perez-Pech, W. A., Anguas-Escalante A., de Jesus-Navarrete A. & Hansen J. G. (2018) Primer registro generico de tardigrados marinos en costas de Quintana Roo, Mexico. Academia Journals, 4 (10), 1909 - 1912.","Schulz, E. (1955) Studien an marinen Tardigraden. Kieler Meeresforschungen, 11, 73 - 79."]}

Megastygarctides sp. 21 specimens (PM: 8 females, 9 males, 4 indeterminable gender) Remarks: A sufficient number of specimens were recovered for both light microscopy (LM) and SEM studies enabling the new species status of these specimens to be confirmed. This taxon will be described in a separate paper together with another undescribed Megastygarctides species recovered during a concurrent study (in prep.) in the same region., Published as part of P��rez-Pech, Wilbert Andr��s, Jes��s-Navarrate, Alberto De, Demilio, Erica, Anguas-Escalante, Abril & Hansen, Jesper Guldberg, 2020, Marine Tardigrada from the Mexican Caribbean with the description of Styraconyx robertoi sp. nov. (Arthrotardigrada: Styraconyxidae), pp. 492-508 in Zootaxa 4731 (4) on page 497, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4731.4.3, http://zenodo.org/record/3661944

Marine tardigrades were sampled at three sites on Mexico’s Caribbean coast. Eleven taxa were collected, one of which is described as a new species. Styraconyx robertoi sp. nov. is characterized by: asymmetric primary clavae; dorsal cuticle with a grid-like sculpture; claws with reduced accessory hooks; females with peduncles on only two digits (the external) of legs I–IV; males with peduncles only on the external digits of legs I–III and peduncles on all four digits of leg IV. Styraconyx robertoi sp. nov. is most similar to S. craticuliformis Chang & Rho, 1998 and S. kristenseni Renaud-Mornant, 1981 by having asymmetric primary clavae but differs from S. craticuliformis mainly by the number of peduncles and from S. kristenseni mainly by the presence of a grid-like dorsal sculpture. Additionally, a comparison of material collected from the same region, but reported previously only as genus level records, was carried out in order to produce a refined list of the known Mexican marine tardigrade species.

Styraconyx robertoi sp. nov. zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 8F5B8021-6DC8-420C-AD49-2D7FCE95B7CD Material examined: 20 specimens (PM: 1 female, 1 male, 2 indeterminable gender; ML: 1 indeterminable gender; XK: 10 females, 3 males, 2 indeterminable gender) Remarks: The population occurring at Xcalak is designated as the type population. See Description of the New Species Description of the New Species Styraconyx robertoi sp. nov Type Material: Female holotype and 13 paratypes (8 females, 2 males, 3 larvae). Morphometric values for the type population are given in Table 2. Type Locality: reef lagoon, 0.2–1.0 m depth, subtidal zone, Xcalak, Quintana Roo, Mexico Diagnosis: Styraconyx with subterminal mouth cone, pigmented eyespots present. Asymmetric primary clavae and lateral cirri with common pedestal and surrounded basally by common membrane. Lateral cirri not segmented and with asymmetrically expanded base. Lenticular secondary clavae. Cephalic cirri composed of scapus and tubular, flagellar part only, cirrophore and protruding flagellum absent. Peduncles present only on external digits and reaching claw base, internal digits with proximal pads. In males, internal digits with peduncles present only on leg pair IV. Three-pointed claws with strong primary hook, thinner secondary and accessory hook. Claw sheath not covering tip of claw hooks. Sense organs of first leg two-parted, unsegmented spines on second and third leg. Asymmetric papilla with broad base and terminal spine on fourth leg. Dorsal cuticle with grid-like sculpture and fine punctuation. Holotype description. Female (Figs. 2; 3B,D; 4 A–C; 7) with roughly cylindrical body form (139 μm in length) broadest between leg pairs II and III (46 μm) and distinctly narrower (36 μm) at the point of the insertion of cirri E. Eye spots (Figs. 3A,E) visible as congregations of brown pigment granules on each side of the pharyngeal bulb slightly posterior to the pedestals bearing the primary clavae. Pillars highly conspicuous in the dorsal cuticle and to a lesser degree in the ventral cuticle. Twenty-two ribs traverse the dorsal surface at right angles to eight equally spaced longitudinal ribs forming a distinct grid-like pattern (Figs. 2A,B; 7), beginning just posterior to the pedestals bearing the primary clavae and extending to a position slightly anterior to the cirri E. Distinct dorso-caudal region without grid-like sculpture. Instead, two longitudinal ribs occur which originate on either side of the median line and curve slightly toward the lateral sides (Fig. 7). The subterminal mouth cone is short and ends in a smooth, annular dome with a central mouth opening. The buccal tube (16 μm x 2 μm) has a pair of lateral apophyses on each side (Fig. 3E) and stylet supports with a distal swelling. Stylets are long (20 μm) with strong furcae. Pharyngeal bulb (15 μm) with three placoids of equal length (11 μm). Primary clavae, secondary clavae, and a full set of cephalic cirri are present. The primary clava (10 μm) is highly asymmetric and the form appears different depending on the angle in which it is observed (Figs. 4D,F; 5A). Primary clava and lateral cirrus inserted on a common pedestal and surrounded basally by a short, common membrane. Primary clavae with van der Land’s body present at the base. The lateral cirrus (28 μm) is not segmented and has an asymmetrically expanded base, which is fused to the proximal end of the primary clava (Figs. 4D; 5A,B). Ventral lenticular secondary clava (12 μm) inserted antero-laterally to the external cirrus close to the anterior margin of the head (Figs. 3E; 4E,F; 7). The median cirrus (9 μm) is placed dorsally (Figs. 4A; 6A), well back from the ante- rior margin of the head. Internal cirri (13 μm) are dorsal (Figs. 4B; 6B) and more medial than the ventrally inserted external cirri (12 μm) (Figs. 4C; 6C). Except for the lateral cirri, all cephalic cirri (Figs.4 A–C; 6A–C) are two-parted (which can be difficult to recognize in LM) and each composed of a conical scapus and a tapering, flagellar part with a terminal pore. The flagellum is strictly internal and evident in all cephalic cirri except for the lateral cirri. Sense organs present on all legs and inserted coxally. Sense organs of leg pair I (9 μm) two-parted and similar to the cephalic cirri having a conical scapus and a tapering, flagellar part with a terminal pore (Figs. 4G; 6D). On leg pairs II and III the sense organs are simple, without any recognizable segmentation, and resemble the shape of curved spines (Figs. 6E,F). Sense organ of leg pair IV (Figs. 4H,I) consists of a smooth papilla (7 μm) with terminal spine (6 μm), which has a terminal pore. The papilla is asymmetrical, having the postero-lateral portion less curved than the antero-lateral portion. It is inserted with a broad base on a short pedestal and appears hemispherical rather than spherical. Dorso-lateral cirrus E (Figs. 4H,I) inserted on a prominent pedestal. It consists of a short (3 μm), oversized cirrophore (Figs. 4I; 7) and a long, tapering spine (23 μm) without evident accordion-pleated portion. Each leg with evident coxa, femur, tibia and tarsus. Tarsus of all legs bearing four digits of different length with external digits being shorter than internal digits. Peduncles (Figs. 3B) present only inside the external digits and are of the same type as Styraconyx craticulus (Pollock, 1983) reaching the claw bases (see Kristensen & Higgins, 1984). They have a strongly curved basal portion and an enlarged medial portion with two small lateral points (Fig. 8A). The internal digits have thin, proximal pads. All digits bearing three-pointed claws (Figs. 3D,F; 5C) with primary hook, secondary and accessory hook. The primary hook is the strongest. The secondary hook is thinner but slightly longer than primary hook, and accessory hook is the shortest. The tips of all three hooks are free of the claw sheath (Fig. 8A). Seminal receptacles are not evident. The gonopore (Figs. 2C; 5D) is relatively large (6 μm) and consists of a rosette of six cells situated close to the anus. The anus is an undulating slit and composed of two larger lateral lobes and a small anterior lobe (Figs. 2C; 5D). Males. Only 2 males were found. The smaller one measures 112 μm in body length, the larger measures 154 μm. Both males display a peculiar combination of digit characters in having only two peduncles on each foot of leg pairs I–III (similar to the females) and four peduncles on each foot of leg pair IV. On leg pair IV the peduncles of internal digits are rod-shaped and extend from the base of the digits, through the proximal pads, to the claw bases (Fig. 8B). The testes are not evident. The male gonopore is a simple, oval opening situated close to the anus. No other differences between males and females were observed. Larvae. Three larvae were found, all with four claws on each foot and with body lengths of 95 μm, 112 μm and 114 μm. The specimens display larval characters in the shape and size of the primary clava and in the overall body form (Fig. 3C). The primary clavae are asymmetric but shorter (6–8 μm) and less slender than in adults. The head is not well-differentiated from the trunk and the frontal margin appears blunt, whereas in adults it is protruded (Fig. 3A). One of the specimens has four peduncles on the digits of leg pair IV and so is considered to be a male larva. Scanning electron microscopy. The SEM observations of a single specimen confirmed most of the diagnostic features of this species and aided to a better understanding of their true nature. In LM, the claws, and especially their hooks, can look very different depending on their orientation in the preparation (Figs. 3D,F), whereas the three-dimensional SEM image leaves no mistake of interpretation. This applies also to the sense organs where segmentation and terminal pores can be difficult to recognise by LM, but clearly evident with SEM. In this case where both the primary clava and the base of the lateral cirrus are asymmetric, their true shape is only recognizable with SEM (Figs. 5A,B). Not visible in LM but revealed by SEM is a pair of large pores (Fig. 5D) posterior to the gonopore. While their function is unknown, the position close to the gonopore suggests that they are openings of the seminal receptacles. Differential diagnosis. The 14 previously described taxa (13 species and 1 subspecies) of the genus Styraconyx can generally be divided into two major groups (Kristensen & Higgins 1984; D’Addabbo Gallo et al. 1989; Chang & Rho 1998; Bartels et al. 2015); the S. hallasi group and the S. sargassi group. Species in the S. hallasi group have peduncles on two digits (the external) of each leg and claws with reduced accessory hooks, while species in the S. sargassi group (including the type species S. haplocerus Thulin, 1942) have peduncles on all four digits and claws with three hooks of nearly equal size. While females of Styraconyx robertoi sp. nov. should be placed within the S. hallasi group due to the presence of peduncles only on the external digits of legs I–IV and claws with reduced accessory hooks, the unusual digit configuration of the males, i.e. peduncles only on the external digits of legs I–III and peduncles on all four digits of leg IV, complicates the assignment of the new species to either of the two groups. Within the S. hallasi group only Styraconyx kristenseni sensu lato Renaud-Mornant, 1981 has asymmetric primary clavae that are similar to those of the new species. However, S. kristenseni differs from S. robertoi sp. nov. in hav- ing equal sized claw hooks, slender papilla on leg IV with evident cirrophore, and by lacking secondary clavae and the characteristic grid-like dorsal sculpture. Interestingly, the grid-like sculpture of the dorsal cuticle of S. robertoi sp. nov. bears an immediate resemblance to that of S. craticulus and S. craticuliformis Chang & Rho, 1998, both of which belong to the S. sargassi group. This sculpture is the main decisive character differentiating these three species from all other Styraconyx. S. craticuliformis and the new species both differ from S. craticulus by having reduced accessory hooks, a thin common membrane at the base of the primary clavae and lateral cirri, asymmetric primary clavae, and a smooth papilla on leg IV. In summary, Styraconyx robertoi sp. nov. is most similar to S. craticuliformis but can be readily distinguished from it by the number of peduncles, the presence of distinct secondary clavae, and the shape of the papilla on leg IV, which in S. craticuliformis is more spherical. Type Repositories: Holotype (NHMD-633434) and seven paratypes (2 females NHMD-633435–633436, 2 males NHMD-633437–633438, 3 larvae NHMD-633439–633441) are deposited in the Tardigrada collection of the NHMD, Copenhagen. Six paratypes are deposited in the collection at ECOSUR, Quintana Roo, Mexico. Etymology: The species is dedicated to our valued friend, Dr. Roberto Guidetti of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy in recognition of his remarkable contributions to the study of tardigrades.

Archechiniscus bahamanensis Bartels, Fontoura & Nelson, 2018 2 specimens (PM: 1 female; XK: 1 female) Comparative material: 1 specimen reported as Archechiniscus by P��rez-Pech et al. (2018) (XK: 1 male) Remarks: All three specimens match the description of the species by Bartels et al. (2018) including the unique gonopore anatomy and the long cirri A (>10 um) and E (>20 um). The recent description of A. bahamanensis by Bartels et al. (2018) includes all modern taxonomic characters enabling a confident identification of the specimens., Published as part of P��rez-Pech, Wilbert Andr��s, Jes��s-Navarrate, Alberto De, Demilio, Erica, Anguas-Escalante, Abril & Hansen, Jesper Guldberg, 2020, Marine Tardigrada from the Mexican Caribbean with the description of Styraconyx robertoi sp. nov. (Arthrotardigrada: Styraconyxidae), pp. 492-508 in Zootaxa 4731 (4) on page 495, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4731.4.3, http://zenodo.org/record/3661944, {"references":["Bartels, P. J., Fontoura, P. & Nelson, D. R. (2018) Marine tardigrades of the Bahamas with the description of two new species and updated keys to the species of Anisonyches and Archechiniscus. Zootaxa, 4420 (1), 43 - 70. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 4420.1.3","Perez-Pech, W. A., Anguas-Escalante A., de Jesus-Navarrete A. & Hansen J. G. (2018) Primer registro generico de tardigrados marinos en costas de Quintana Roo, Mexico. Academia Journals, 4 (10), 1909 - 1912."]}

Styraconyx robertoi sp. nov. zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 8F5B8021-6DC8-420C-AD49-2D7FCE95B7CD Material examined: 20 specimens (PM: 1 female, 1 male, 2 indeterminable gender; ML: 1 indeterminable gender; XK: 10 females, 3 males, 2 indeterminable gender) Remarks: The population occurring at Xcalak is designated as the type population. See Description of the New Species Description of the New Species Styraconyx robertoi sp. nov Type Material: Female holotype and 13 paratypes (8 females, 2 males, 3 larvae). Morphometric values for the type population are given in Table 2. Type Locality: reef lagoon, 0.2���1.0 m depth, subtidal zone, Xcalak, Quintana Roo, Mexico Diagnosis: Styraconyx with subterminal mouth cone, pigmented eyespots present. Asymmetric primary clavae and lateral cirri with common pedestal and surrounded basally by common membrane. Lateral cirri not segmented and with asymmetrically expanded base. Lenticular secondary clavae. Cephalic cirri composed of scapus and tubular, flagellar part only, cirrophore and protruding flagellum absent. Peduncles present only on external digits and reaching claw base, internal digits with proximal pads. In males, internal digits with peduncles present only on leg pair IV. Three-pointed claws with strong primary hook, thinner secondary and accessory hook. Claw sheath not covering tip of claw hooks. Sense organs of first leg two-parted, unsegmented spines on second and third leg. Asymmetric papilla with broad base and terminal spine on fourth leg. Dorsal cuticle with grid-like sculpture and fine punctuation. Holotype description. Female (Figs. 2; 3B,D; 4 A���C; 7) with roughly cylindrical body form (139 ��m in length) broadest between leg pairs II and III (46 ��m) and distinctly narrower (36 ��m) at the point of the insertion of cirri E. Eye spots (Figs. 3A,E) visible as congregations of brown pigment granules on each side of the pharyngeal bulb slightly posterior to the pedestals bearing the primary clavae. Pillars highly conspicuous in the dorsal cuticle and to a lesser degree in the ventral cuticle. Twenty-two ribs traverse the dorsal surface at right angles to eight equally spaced longitudinal ribs forming a distinct grid-like pattern (Figs. 2A,B; 7), beginning just posterior to the pedestals bearing the primary clavae and extending to a position slightly anterior to the cirri E. Distinct dorso-caudal region without grid-like sculpture. Instead, two longitudinal ribs occur which originate on either side of the median line and curve slightly toward the lateral sides (Fig. 7). The subterminal mouth cone is short and ends in a smooth, annular dome with a central mouth opening. The buccal tube (16 ��m x 2 ��m) has a pair of lateral apophyses on each side (Fig. 3E) and stylet supports with a distal swelling. Stylets are long (20 ��m) with strong furcae. Pharyngeal bulb (15 ��m) with three placoids of equal length (11 ��m). Primary clavae, secondary clavae, and a full set of cephalic cirri are present. The primary clava (10 ��m) is highly asymmetric and the form appears different depending on the angle in which it is observed (Figs. 4D,F; 5A). Primary clava and lateral cirrus inserted on a common pedestal and surrounded basally by a short, common membrane. Primary clavae with van der Land���s body present at the base. The lateral cirrus (28 ��m) is not segmented and has an asymmetrically expanded base, which is fused to the proximal end of the primary clava (Figs. 4D; 5A,B). Ventral lenticular secondary clava (12 ��m) inserted antero-laterally to the external cirrus close to the anterior margin of the head (Figs. 3E; 4E,F; 7). The median cirrus (9 ��m) is placed dorsally (Figs. 4A; 6A), well back from the ante- rior margin of the head. Internal cirri (13 ��m) are dorsal (Figs. 4B; 6B) and more medial than the ventrally inserted external cirri (12 ��m) (Figs. 4C; 6C). Except for the lateral cirri, all cephalic cirri (Figs.4 A���C; 6A���C) are two-parted (which can be difficult to recognize in LM) and each composed of a conical scapus and a tapering, flagellar part with a terminal pore. The flagellum is strictly internal and evident in all cephalic cirri except for the lateral cirri. Sense organs present on all legs and inserted coxally. Sense organs of leg pair I (9 ��m) two-parted and similar to the cephalic cirri having a conical scapus and a tapering, flagellar part with a terminal pore (Figs. 4G; 6D). On leg pairs II and III the sense organs are simple, without any recognizable segmentation, and resemble the shape of curved spines (Figs. 6E,F). Sense organ of leg pair IV (Figs. 4H,I) consists of a smooth papilla (7 ��m) with terminal spine (6 ��m), which has a terminal pore. The papilla is asymmetrical, having the postero-lateral portion less curved than the antero-lateral portion. It is inserted with a broad base on a short pedestal and appears hemispherical rather than spherical. Dorso-lateral cirrus E (Figs. 4H,I) inserted on a prominent pedestal. It consists of a short (3 ��m), oversized cirrophore (Figs. 4I; 7) and a long, tapering spine (23 ��m) without evident accordion-pleated portion. Each leg with evident coxa, femur, tibia and tarsus. Tarsus of all legs bearing four digits of different length with external digits being shorter than internal digits. Peduncles (Figs. 3B) present only inside the external digits and are of the same type as Styraconyx craticulus (Pollock, 1983) reaching the claw bases (see Kristensen & Higgins, 1984). They have a strongly curved basal portion and an enlarged medial portion with two small lateral points (Fig. 8A). The internal digits have thin, proximal pads. All digits bearing three-pointed claws (Figs. 3D,F; 5C) with primary hook, secondary and accessory hook. The primary hook is the strongest. The secondary hook is thinner but slightly longer than primary hook, and accessory hook is the shortest. The tips of all three hooks are free of the claw sheath (Fig. 8A). Seminal receptacles are not evident. The gonopore (Figs. 2C; 5D) is relatively large (6 ��m) and consists of a rosette of six cells situated close to the anus. The anus is an undulating slit and composed of two larger lateral lobes and a small anterior lobe (Figs. 2C; 5D). Males. Only 2 males were found. The smaller one measures 112 ��m in body length, the larger measures 154 ��m. Both males display a peculiar combination of digit characters in having only two peduncles on each foot of leg pairs I���III (similar to the females) and four peduncles on each foot of leg pair IV. On leg pair IV the peduncles of internal digits are rod-shaped and extend from the base of the digits, through the proximal pads, to the claw bases (Fig. 8B). The testes are not evident. The male gonopore is a simple, oval opening situated close to the anus. No other differences between males and females were observed. Larvae. Three larvae were found, all with four claws on each foot and with body lengths of 95 ��m, 112 ��m and 114 ��m. The specimens display larval characters in the shape and size of the primary clava and in the overall body form (Fig. 3C). The primary clavae are asymmetric but shorter (6���8 ��m) and less slender than in adults. The head is not well-differentiated from the trunk and the frontal margin appears blunt, whereas in adults it is protruded (Fig. 3A). One of the specimens has four peduncles on the digits of leg pair IV and so is considered to be a male larva. Scanning electron microscopy. The SEM observations of a single specimen confirmed most of the diagnostic features of this species and aided to a better understanding of their true nature. In LM, the claws, and especially their hooks, can look very different depending on their orientation in the preparation (Figs. 3D,F), whereas the three-dimensional SEM image leaves no mistake of interpretation. This applies also to the sense organs where segmentation and terminal pores can be difficult to recognise by LM, but clearly evident with SEM. In this case where both the primary clava and the base of the lateral cirrus are asymmetric, their true shape is only recognizable with SEM (Figs. 5A,B). Not visible in LM but revealed by SEM is a pair of large pores (Fig. 5D) posterior to the gonopore. While their function is unknown, the position close to the gonopore suggests that they are openings of the seminal receptacles. Differential diagnosis. The 14 previously described taxa (13 species and 1 subspecies) of the genus Styraconyx can generally be divided into two major groups (Kristensen & Higgins 1984; D���Addabbo Gallo et al. 1989; Chang & Rho 1998; Bartels et al. 2015); the S. hallasi group and the S. sargassi group. Species in the S. hallasi group have peduncles on two digits (the external) of each leg and claws with reduced accessory hooks, while species in the S. sargassi group (including the type species S. haplocerus Thulin, 1942) have peduncles on all four digits and claws with three hooks of nearly equal size. While females of Styraconyx robertoi sp. nov. should be placed within the S. hallasi group due to the presence of peduncles only on the external digits of legs I���IV and claws with reduced accessory hooks, the unusual digit configuration of the males, i.e. peduncles only on the external digits of legs I���III and peduncles on all four digits of leg IV, complicates the assignment of the new species to either of the two groups. Within the S. hallasi group only Styraconyx kristenseni sensu lato Renaud-Mornant, 1981 has asymmetric primary clavae that are similar to those of the new species. However, S. kristenseni differs from S. robertoi sp. nov. in hav- ing equal sized claw hooks, slender papilla on leg IV with evident cirrophore, and by lacking secondary clavae and the characteristic grid-like dorsal sculpture. Interestingly, the grid-like sculpture of the dorsal cuticle of S. robertoi sp. nov. bears an immediate resemblance to that of S. craticulus and S. craticuliformis Chang & Rho, 1998, both of which belong to the S. sargassi group. This sculpture is the main decisive character differentiating these three species from all other Styraconyx. S. craticuliformis and the new species both differ from S. craticulus by having reduced accessory hooks, a thin common membrane at the base of the primary clavae and lateral cirri, asymmetric primary clavae, and a smooth papilla on leg IV. In summary, Styraconyx robertoi sp. nov. is most similar to S. craticuliformis but can be readily distinguished from it by the number of peduncles, the presence of distinct secondary clavae, and the shape of the papilla on leg IV, which in S. craticuliformis is more spherical. Type Repositories: Holotype (NHMD-633434) and seven paratypes (2 females NHMD-633435���633436, 2 males NHMD-633437���633438, 3 larvae NHMD-633439���633441) are deposited in the Tardigrada collection of the NHMD, Copenhagen. Six paratypes are deposited in the collection at ECOSUR, Quintana Roo, Mexico. Etymology: The species is dedicated to our valued friend, Dr. Roberto Guidetti of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy in recognition of his remarkable contributions to the study of tardigrades., Published as part of P��rez-Pech, Wilbert Andr��s, Jes��s-Navarrate, Alberto De, Demilio, Erica, Anguas-Escalante, Abril & Hansen, Jesper Guldberg, 2020, Marine Tardigrada from the Mexican Caribbean with the description of Styraconyx robertoi sp. nov. (Arthrotardigrada: Styraconyxidae), pp. 492-508 in Zootaxa 4731 (4) on pages 498-504, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4731.4.3, http://zenodo.org/record/3661944, {"references":["Pollock, L. W. (1983) A closer look at some marine Heterotardigrada. II: The morphology and taxonomy of Bathyechiniscus with a description of B. craticulus n. sp. from the Caribbean. The Bulletin of Marine Science, 33, 109 - 117.","Kristensen, R. M. & Higgins, R. P. (1984) Revision of Styraconyx (Tardigrada: Halechiniscidae) with description of two new species from Disko Bay, West Greenland. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, 391, 1 - 40. https: // doi. org / 10.5479 / si. 00810282.391","D'Addabbo Gallo, M., Morone De Lucia, M. R. & de Zio Grimaldi, S. (1989) Two new species of the genus Styraconyx (Tardigrada: Heterotardigrada). Cahiers de Biologie Marine, 30, 17 - 33.","Chang, C. Y. & Rho, H. S. (1998) Three new tardigrade species associated with barnacles from the Thai coast of Andaman Sea. Korean Journal of Biological Sciences, 2, 323 - 331. https: // doi. org / 10.1080 / 12265071.1998.9647426","Bartels, P. J., Fontoura, P. & Nelson, D. R. (2015) New records of marine tardigrades from Moorea, French Polynesia, with the description of Styraconyx turbinarium sp. nov. (Arthrotardigrada, Halechiniscidae). Zootaxa, 3955 (3), 389 - 402. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 3955.3.6","Thulin, G. (1942) Ein neuer mariner Tardigrad. Meddelanden fran Goteborgs Musei Zoologiska Avdeling, 99, 1 - 10.","Renaud-Mornant, J. (1981) Tardigrades marins (Arthrotardigrada) du Pacifique Sud. Bulletin du Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, Serie 4 e, Section A, 3, 799 - 813."]}

Anisonyches sp. 1 specimen (ML: 1 indeterminable gender) Remarks: The single specimen possesses primary and secondary clavae, median cirrus, eyes, and accessory hooks only on the internal claws. It belongs to the group of Anisonyches species that possess primary clavae (A. diakidius Pollock, 1975; A. mauritianus Grimaldi de Zio, D���Addabbo Gallo, Morone De Lucia & D���Addabbo, 1987; A. eleutherensis Bartels, Fontoura & Nelson, 2018). Yet, the elongated dome shape of the primary clavae is unique among all described Anisonyches. In addition, the scapus of the internal and external cirri is short, bulbous and nearly spherical. The claws are of the mauritianus - type with basal spurs narrowly diverging from each other. Of the four claws on legs I���III, the outermost internal claw is the longest and the innermost external claw is the shortest, being less than half the length of the internal claws. These characters indicate that the specimen represents an undescribed species but the presence or absence of leg sense organs cannot be determined with certainty. Consequently, a formal description awaits the finding of further specimens., Published as part of P��rez-Pech, Wilbert Andr��s, Jes��s-Navarrate, Alberto De, Demilio, Erica, Anguas-Escalante, Abril & Hansen, Jesper Guldberg, 2020, Marine Tardigrada from the Mexican Caribbean with the description of Styraconyx robertoi sp. nov. (Arthrotardigrada: Styraconyxidae), pp. 492-508 in Zootaxa 4731 (4) on page 494, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4731.4.3, http://zenodo.org/record/3661944, {"references":["Pollock, L. W. (1975) Observations on marine Heterotardigrada including a new genus from the western Atlantic Ocean. Cahiers de Biologie Marine, 16, 121 - 132.","Grimaldi de Zio, S., D'Addabbo Gallo, M., Morone de Lucia, R. & D'Addabo, L. (1987) Marine Arthrotardigrada and Echiniscoidea (Tardigrada, Heterotardigrada) from the Indian Ocean. Bollettino di Zoologia, 54 (4), 347 - 357. https: // doi. org / 10.1080 / 11250008709355608","Bartels, P. J., Fontoura, P. & Nelson, D. R. (2018) Marine tardigrades of the Bahamas with the description of two new species and updated keys to the species of Anisonyches and Archechiniscus. Zootaxa, 4420 (1), 43 - 70. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 4420.1.3"]}

Batillipes sp. 1 specimen (ML: 1 indeterminable gender) Comparative material: 1 specimen reported as Batillipes by P��rez-Pech et al. (2018) (ML: 1 indeterminable gen- der) Remarks: Neither specimen is mounted in a position to allow for proper observation of the toe pattern, which is crucial for species determination (Pollock 1970; Kristensten & Mackness 2000; Santos et al. 2018). The more evident characters shared by both specimens include: a swollen, rounded caudal region; a prominent, round lateral projection between the head and leg pair I and between leg pairs I and II; and a prominent, triangular, lateral projection between leg pairs II and III and between III and IV, the latter of which points posteriorly. The commonality of these characters and the location of collection between the specimens collected by P��rez-Pech et al. (2018) and the present study indicates that they represent the same Batillipes sp.., Published as part of P��rez-Pech, Wilbert Andr��s, Jes��s-Navarrate, Alberto De, Demilio, Erica, Anguas-Escalante, Abril & Hansen, Jesper Guldberg, 2020, Marine Tardigrada from the Mexican Caribbean with the description of Styraconyx robertoi sp. nov. (Arthrotardigrada: Styraconyxidae), pp. 492-508 in Zootaxa 4731 (4) on page 496, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4731.4.3, http://zenodo.org/record/3661944, {"references":["Perez-Pech, W. A., Anguas-Escalante A., de Jesus-Navarrete A. & Hansen J. G. (2018) Primer registro generico de tardigrados marinos en costas de Quintana Roo, Mexico. Academia Journals, 4 (10), 1909 - 1912.","Pollock, L. W. (1970) Batillipes dicrocercus n. sp., Stygarctus granulatus n. sp. and other Tardigrada from Woods Hole, Massachusetts, U. S. A. Transactions of the American Microscopical Society, 89 (1), 38 - 52. https: // doi. org / 10.2307 / 3224613","Santos, E., Rubal, M., Veiga, P., da Rocha, C. M. C. & Fontoura, P. (2018) Batillipes (Tardigrada, Arthrotardigrada) from the Portuguese coast with the description of two new species and a new dichotomous key for all species. European Journal of Taxonomy, 425, 1 - 32. https: // doi. org / 10.5852 / ejt. 2018.425"]}

Dipodarctus cf. subterraneus (Renaud-Debyser, 1959) 3 specimens (PM: 1 female; ML: 2 indeterminable gender) Remarks: All three specimens display digits of almost equal length on legs I���III with digit 3 only slightly longer than the others. They generally fall within the limits of the species descriptions of both D. subterraneus and D. anaholensis Pollock, 1995. A precise identification is hindered by the poorly defined diagnoses of these two taxa (see J��rgensen et al. 2014 and Bartels et al. 2018). As the type location of D. subterraneus is adjacent to the Caribbean (Bahamas) the specimens are considered as Dipodarctus cf. subterraneus pending a revision of the species., Published as part of P��rez-Pech, Wilbert Andr��s, Jes��s-Navarrate, Alberto De, Demilio, Erica, Anguas-Escalante, Abril & Hansen, Jesper Guldberg, 2020, Marine Tardigrada from the Mexican Caribbean with the description of Styraconyx robertoi sp. nov. (Arthrotardigrada: Styraconyxidae), pp. 492-508 in Zootaxa 4731 (4) on page 497, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4731.4.3, http://zenodo.org/record/3661944, {"references":["Renaud-Debyser, J. (1959) Etudes sur la faune interstitielle des Iles Bahamas. III. Tardigrades. Vie et Milieu, 10, 296 - 302.","Pollock, L. W. (1995) New marine tardigrades from Hawaiian beach sand and phylogeny of the family Halechiniscidae. Invertebrate Biology, 114 (3), 220 - 235. https: // doi. org / 10.2307 / 3226877","Jorgensen, A., Boesgaard, T. M., Mobjerg, N. & Kristensen, R. M. (2014) The tardigrade fauna of Australian marine caves: With descriptions of nine new species of Arthrotardigrada. Zootaxa, 3802 (4), 401 - 443. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 3802.4.1","Bartels, P. J., Fontoura, P. & Nelson, D. R. (2018) Marine tardigrades of the Bahamas with the description of two new species and updated keys to the species of Anisonyches and Archechiniscus. Zootaxa, 4420 (1), 43 - 70. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 4420.1.3"]}

Subfamily: Florarctinae Renaud-Mornant, 1982 Genus: incertae genus, Published as part of P��rez-Pech, Wilbert Andr��s, Jes��s-Navarrate, Alberto De, Demilio, Erica, Anguas-Escalante, Abril & Hansen, Jesper Guldberg, 2020, Marine Tardigrada from the Mexican Caribbean with the description of Styraconyx robertoi sp. nov. (Arthrotardigrada: Styraconyxidae), pp. 492-508 in Zootaxa 4731 (4) on page 497, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4731.4.3, http://zenodo.org/record/3661944, {"references":["Renaud-Mornant, J. (1982) Sous-famille et genre nouveaux de Tardigrades marins (Arthrotardigrada). Bulletin du Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, Serie 4 e, Section A, 1 - 2, 89 - 94."]}

Florarctus yucatanensis sp. nov. is described from the subtidal zone of a reef lagoon located on the Mexican coast of the Yucatán Peninsula. The new species exhibits a wrinkled dorsal cuticle, sculptured alae, and continuous caestus with projections of characteristic position and morphology, by which it is clearly differentiated from all known congeners. Florarctus yucatanensis sp. nov. presents the first observations of a continuous granulated sculpture of the alae, distinct from the typical punctuations formed by cuticular pillars seen among all Florarctus species.

The phylum Tardigrada was not recorded in Ireland until the Clare Island Survey of 1909–1911, with only rare subsequent reports on Irish tardigrade species. In recent decades, significant taxonomic revision has occurred within Tardigrada. This has resulted in the need for a review of all known historical records from Ireland and Northern Ireland in order to produce an updated checklist of valid taxa. The new checklist includes fifty-one tardigrade species and subspecies including a new addition to the Irish fauna reported herein, Echiniscus quadrispinosus quadrispinosus Richters, 1902 from Newtown, Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare.

Periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage is a serious problem in the premature infant, and is often associated with poor neurological outcome. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on the origin, etiology, and incidence of PVH-IVH, to discuss current methods of diagnosis and prevention, and to discuss the neurological outcome of the survivors. Suggestions for additional research are presented.

Teen courts are on the increase throughout the United States. These courts provide an opportunity for youth offenders to receive sentences from their adolescent peers rather than from an adult panel or judge. Yet, we know t very little about the teen jurors' perspective or whether their sentences reflect restorative justice principles. In more than 100 youth juror surveys, t teens describe their experiences as they develop sentences consistent with restorative justice tenets. Through their participation, youth jurors gain practical knowledge about and respect for the judicial system. The efficacy of the sentences is validated by high offender sentence completion.

Inducible cAMP Early Repressor (ICER) is a leucine zipper protein, a product of the cAMP Responsive Element Modulator (CREM) gene. ICER functions as a transcriptional repressor and its expression is abnormal in certain types of cancer where ICER acts as a tumor repressor. ICER binds to cAMP Responsive Elements (CRE's) found in the promoter sequences of genes involved in cellular growth. It also binds to the four CRE sites on its own promoter, thereby regulating its own expression. These four sites located on the CREM gene promoter are designated CARE-1 through CARE-4, and each one consists of 8 to 9 bases. On the basis of the presence of four CRE sites, we hypothesize that ICER may autoregulate its expression by cooperative binding to its own promoter. To test this hypothesis, we are performing titrations of purified ICER with double stranded DNA that is labeled with a fluorophore-quencher pair and monitor the binding by measuring the change in fluorescence due to an increase in resonance energy transfer upon a decrease in fluorophore-quencher distance. The dsDNA contains one or more of the CARE sites. We are determining the dissociation constant of ICER for each of the four CARE sites as well as examine the potential for cooperative binding between multiple CARE sites. Experiments on dsDNA (35 bp) with CARE-1 and/or CARE-2 have each yielded a dissociation constants of kd = 0.16 ± 0.02 μM, and no obvious evidence for cooperative binding between CARE-1 and CARE-2 has yet been observed. Analysis of dsDNA with CARE-3 and CARE-4 as well as for the entire promoter region with all four CARE sites will be presented and a model for binding of ICER to its own promoter will be discussed.

The possible prognostic value of the position of the breakpoint within the M-BCR in patients with Phl+ CML is still being debated. We analyzed the DNA rearrangements and the transcript types of 244 patients and tried to correlate the data obtained with prognostic features, defined according to Sokal's risk index, and with chronic phase and/or survival duration. The exact location of the breakpoint, either 5' or 3' to the Hind III restriction site within the M-BCR was identified. Moreover, the exact M-BCR subregion was also identified. As a whole, 150 pts were rearranged in the 5' part and 94 in the 3' part of the M-BCR. No correlation was observed between the site of rearrangement on the one hand and the Sokal's prognostic index and survival, on the other. Transcript analysis was performed in 130 patients; 59 carried an a2b2 and 69 an a2b3 pattern. Two patients carried both transcripts. Of the patients rearranged in the 5' area, according to Southern blotting, 29.2% showed an a2b3 transcript. Therefore, R...

Mc 2009. Microscopy Conference, Graz, Austria. 30 August - 4 September 2009. First Joint Meeting Of Dreiländertagung And Multinational Congress On Microscopy.