Two new species of the genus Doyère, 1840 (Tardigrada, Apochela, Milnesiidae) from Madagascar.

The knowledge of the diversity and distribution of tardigrades on Madagascar is rather poor. To date, only 13 tardigrade taxa have been reported from this region (including one species). We examined 46 specimens belonging to two new-to-science species of the genus described herein using an integrative approach, including classical morphology and molecular marker (COI, ITS-2 and 28S rRNA) analysis. The species were found in two moss and lichen samples collected in the Ivohibory forest in Fianarantsoa Province. , with claw configuration [3-3]-[3-3] and rather wide buccal tube, morphologically is most similar to: Roszkowska, Ostrowska & Kaczmarek, 2015, Bartels, Nelson, Kaczmarek & Michalczyk, 2014, Maucci, 1991, Meyer, 2015 and Pilato, Sabella & Lisi, 2016; however, it differs from these by morphometric characteristics. , by the presence of four points on secondary branches of claws IV, is most similar to Nederström, 1919. However, differs from by claw configuration ([4-4]-[4-4] in vs. [3-3]-[4-4] in ), but also by the position of the fourth points on secondary branches of claws IV, which are located near the base of the claw in the new species and near the top of the claw in . Genotypic analysis showed that is most similar to sp. (28S rRNA), (COI) and (ITS-2) while is most similar to sp. (28S rRNA), (COI) and (ITS-2). Five taxa are recorded from the African region, including the two new species from Madagascar reported in this study.