Gastrotricha Mečnikow, 1865 from Copenhagen Palm House – contribution to the knowledge of Lepidodermella intermedia Kånneby, Todaro & Jondelius, 2012 (Chaetonotida, Gastrotricha)

Gastrotricha Mečnikow, 1865 compose a cosmopolitan phylum of aquatic and semi-aquatic invertebrates comprising over 850 described species, that are known to inhabit various aquatic ecosystems from all over the world where they often show high density and diversity. Up to now Gastrotricha have been studied in artificial habitats, such as greenhouses only in the Poznań Palm House (Poland). In May 2013 a preliminary study was conducted in the Copenhagen Palm House (Denmark) to provide additional evidence of the presence of gastrotrichs in anthropogenic water bodies in greenhouses. Five species were found: Ichthydium podura Müller, 1773, Lepidodermella intermedia Kånneby, Todaro & Jondelius, 2012, Chaetonotus (Hystricochaetonotus) macrochaetus Zelinka, 1889, Chaetonotus (Hystricochaetonotus) sp., and Chaetonotus (Chaetonotus) sp. Lepidodermella intermedia is new to Danish fauna and constitutes the second record of this species. Detailed taxonomic and morphological remarks are provided for this newly recorded species.