Neoarctus primigenius

Neoarctus primigenius is a species of tardigrade. It is the only species in the genus Neoarctus, which is the only genus in the family Neoarctidae.^[1] The genus and species were first described and named by Grimaldi de Zio, D'Addabbo Gallo and Morone De Lucia in 1992. The authors first placed the genus in the family Stygarctidae,^[2] but it was moved to a separate family in 1998.^[3]

Neoarctus primigenius
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Tardigrada
Class:	Heterotardigrada
Order:	Arthrotardigrada
Family:	Neoarctidae (Grimaldi de Zio, D'Addabbo Gallo & Morone De Lucia, 1992)
Genus:	Neoarctus Grimaldi de Zio, D'Addabbo Gallo & Morone De Lucia, 1992
Species:	N. primigenius
Binomial name
Neoarctus primigenius Grimaldi de Zio, D'Addabbo Gallo & Morone De Lucia, 1992

Description

The female holotype is 99 μm long and 36 μm wide.^[2]

Distribution

The species has been found at 38 metres depth on the east coast of the island of Sardinia, in the Gulf of Orosei which is part of the Tyrrhenian Sea.^[2]