Tardigrada are a phylum of microscopic animals inhabiting a variety of ecosystems, both aquatic and terrestrial, being recognised for their remarkable abilities to withstand tough environmental conditions. The order Apochela groups exclusively carnivorous species, with the vast majority representing the genus Milnesium Doyère, 1840. Representatives of this genus are characterised by simplified morphology, therefore possessing an extremely limited set of taxonomically meaningful morphological traits. Nevertheless, the taxonomy of Milnesium is mostly based on classical data: observations and measurements in light microscopy with the majority of descriptions lacking integrative data, most importantly DNA barcodes, but also scanning electron microscopy photographs and developmental variability analysis. Hence, re-descriptions that include novel integrative data are urgently needed. In this contribution, we provide new taxonomic data for two species described from Central Asia, Milnesium almatyense (a single population) and Milnesium reductum Tumanov, 2006 (five populations): morphometrics, DNA barcodes, SEM observations and description of developmental variability. As a result, we amend the description of both species and reveal phylogenetic relationships of those species and other sequenced congeners. The integrative data confirm the validity of the two species and include them in the growing set of Milnesium species associated with DNA sequences.

中文翻译：

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来自中亚的两个 Milnesium Doyère，1840（Tardigrada：Apochela）物种的新综合数据

缓步动物是居住在各种水生和陆生生态系统中的微型动物门，它们以出色的承受恶劣环境条件的能力而闻名。Apochela 目只属于肉食性物种，绝大多数代表 Milnesium Doyère 属，1840 年。该属的代表以简化的形态为特征，因此拥有极其有限的一组具有分类意义的形态学特征。尽管如此，Milnesium 的分类学主要基于经典数据：光学显微镜下的观察和测量，大多数描述缺乏综合数据，最重要的是 DNA 条形码，但也缺乏扫描电子显微镜照片和发育变异性分析。因此，迫切需要包含新的综合数据的重新描述。在此贡献中，我们提供了来自中亚的两个物种的新分类数据，即 Milnesium almatyense（单一种群）和 Milnesium reductum Tumanov，2006（五个种群）：形态测量学、DNA 条形码、SEM 观察和发育变异性描述。因此，我们修改了两个物种的描述，并揭示了这些物种和其他已测序同源物的系统发育关系。综合数据证实了这两个物种的有效性，并将它们包括在与 DNA 序列相关的不断增长的 Milnesium 物种集中。2006（五个种群）：形态测量学、DNA 条形码、SEM 观察和发育变异性描述。因此，我们修改了两个物种的描述，并揭示了这些物种和其他已测序同源物的系统发育关系。综合数据证实了这两个物种的有效性，并将它们包括在与 DNA 序列相关的不断增长的 Milnesium 物种集中。2006（五个种群）：形态测量学、DNA 条形码、SEM 观察和发育变异性描述。因此，我们修改了两个物种的描述，并揭示了这些物种和其他已测序同源物的系统发育关系。综合数据证实了这两个物种的有效性，并将它们包括在与 DNA 序列相关的不断增长的 Milnesium 物种集中。