Corresponding author: Oleksandr Holovachov (
Academic editor: Vlada Peneva
We present an updated list of terrestrial and freshwater nematodes from all regions of the Arctic, for which records of properly identified nematode species are available: Svalbard, Jan Mayen, Iceland, Greenland, Nunavut, Northwest territories, Alaska, Lena River estuary, Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya and Novaya Zemlya. The list includes 391 species belonging to 146 genera, 54 families and 10 orders of the phylum
Nematodes are one of the most numerous and abundant multicellular organisms on the planet in general and in the Arctic in particular. There are over 70 research papers published which include data on the fauna and distribution of nematodes in the region. Few faunistic overviews of the Arctic nematodes exist in the literature. The "Catalogue of free-living soil and fresh-water nematodes of Arctic and Subarctic" (
The species list has been compiled based on literature data and refers to the area of the Arctic (Fig.
Taxa identified in the literature to the genus level only were not considered in the review for the following reasons: 1) It is impossible to make sure how many actual species were considered by the author – just one, or if s/he had treated multiple species together in the same unit. 2) Taxa identified only to the genus level have limited usefulness when analyzing distribution, endemism and other aspects of biogeography. Nematode systematics is continuously improving.
General classification and classification of the orders Chromadorida,
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Jan Mayen (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Jan Mayen (
Svalbard (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Novaya Zemlya and Vaigach island, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Svalbard (
Nunavut, Canada (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Northwest territories, Canada (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Nunavut, Canada (
Greenland (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Lena River estuary, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Lena River estuary, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Lena River estuary, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Lena River estuary, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Lena River estuary, Russia (
Northwest territories, Canada (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Northwest territories, Canada (
Lena River estuary, Russia (
Nunavut, Canada (
Novaya Zemlya and Vaigach island, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Lena River estuary, Russia (
Lena River estuary, Russia (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Novaya Zemlya and Vaigach island, Russia (
Svalbard (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Svalbard (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Alaska (
Alaska (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Novaya Zemlya and Vaigach island, Russia (
Alaska (
Greenland (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Northwest territories, Canada (
Greenland (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Novaya Zemlya and Vaigach island, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Svalbard (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Greenland (
Northwest territories, Canada (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Northwest territories, Canada (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Lena River estuary, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Jan Mayen (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Svalbard (
Jan Mayen (
Jan Mayen (
Greenland (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Svalbard (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Jan Mayen (
Jan Mayen (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Lena River estuary, Russia (
Alaska (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Jan Mayen (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Jan Mayen (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Alaska (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Jan Mayen (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Greenland (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Svalbard (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, (
Nunavut, Canada (
Svalbard (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Svalbard (
Alaska (
Nunavut, Canada (
Svalbard (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Svalbard (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Svalbard (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Lena River estuary, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Northwest territories, Canada (
Nunavut, Canada (
Northwest territories, Canada (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Northwest territories, Canada (
Northwest territories, Canada (
Nunavut, Canada (
Novaya Zemlya and Vaigach island, Russia (
Svalbard (
Nunavut, Canada (
Lena River estuary, Russia (
Greenland (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Jan Mayen (
Nunavut, Canada (
Northwest territories, Canada (
Alaska (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Greenland (
Novaya Zemlya and Vaigach island, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Northwest territories, Canada (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Alaska (
Novaya Zemlya and Vaigach island, Russia (
Lena River estuary, Russia (
Novaya Zemlya and Vaigach island, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Nunavut, Canada (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Greenland (
Nunavut, Canada (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Nunavut, Canada (
Lena River estuary, Russia (
Nunavut, Canada (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Lena River estuary, Russia (
Novaya Zemlya and Vaigach island, Russia (
Jan Mayen (
Novaya Zemlya and Vaigach island, Russia (
Novaya Zemlya and Vaigach island, Russia (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Novaya Zemlya and Vaigach island, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Greenland (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Novaya Zemlya and Vaigach island, Russia (
Svalbard (
Novaya Zemlya and Vaigach island, Russia (
Nunavut, Canada (
Svalbard (
Jan Mayen (
Novaya Zemlya and Vaigach island, Russia (
Svalbard (
Jan Mayen (
Novaya Zemlya and Vaigach island, Russia (
Novaya Zemlya and Vaigach island, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Svalbard (
Greenland (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Alaska (
Nunavut, Canada (
Alaska (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Nunavut, Canada (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Nunavut, Canada (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Lena River estuary, Russia (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Iceland (
Lena River estuary, Russia (
Iceland (
Svalbard (
Jan Mayen (
Svalbard (
Nunavut, Canada (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Svalbard (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Svalbard (
Nunavut, Canada (
Svalbard (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Svalbard (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Jan Mayen (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Svalbard (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Svalbard (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Svalbard (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Lena River estuary, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Jan Mayen (
Nunavut, Canada (
Jan Mayen (
Novaya Zemlya and Vaigach island, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Greenland (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Nunavut, Canada (
Lena River estuary, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Greenland (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Greenland (
Nunavut, Canada (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Greenland (
Greenland (
Greenland (
Svalbard (
Lena River estuary, Russia (
Svalbard (
Nunavut, Canada (
Svalbard (
Nunavut, Canada (
Nunavut, Canada (
Nunavut, Canada (
Svalbard (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Nunavut, Canada (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Nunavut, Canada (
Alaska (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Svalbard (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Nunavut, Canada (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Greenland (
Svalbard (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Greenland (
Svalbard (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Svalbard (
Svalbard (
Jan Mayen (
Svalbard (
Novaya Zemlya and Vaigach island, Russia (
Svalbard (
Jan Mayen (
Greenland (
Nunavut, Canada (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Greenland (
Nunavut, Canada (
Greenland (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Nunavut, Canada (
Nunavut, Canada (
Nunavut, Canada (
Nunavut, Canada (
Nunavut, Canada (
Nunavut, Canada (
Nunavut, Canada (
Greenland (
Novaya Zemlya and Vaigach island, Russia (
Svalbard (
Lena River estuary, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Lena River estuary, Russia (
Lena River estuary, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Jan Mayen (
Jan Mayen (
Jan Mayen (
Inquirenda et incertae sedis. Svalbard (
Inquirenda et incertae sedis. Jan Mayen (
Inquirenda et incertae sedis. Jan Mayen (
Inquirenda et incertae sedis. Jan Mayen (
Inquirenda et incertae sedis. Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Inquirenda et incertae sedis. Taymyr and Severnaya Zemlya, Russia (
Nomen nudum. Novaya Zemlia and Vaigach island, Russia (
Despite of more than 130 years of research, our knowledge on the diversity and distribution of Arctic nematodes is still very incomplete and limited to only few relatively small areas of the region. The first studies of Arctic nematodes date back to 1883, when the first nematode was described from Spitzbergen (
Most of the nematological research in the Iceland was focused in southern and western part of the island (
Nematode fauna of the Arctic regions of Canada is studied comparatively better. The research was focused in several localities in the Nunavut province including Bathhurst, Ellef Ringnes, Ellesmere and Somerset islands (
Fauna of the Russian part of the Arctic lists the largest number of nematode species, including many typical freshwater nematodes, but known from only three distinct geographic regions: Novaya Zemlya archipelago together with Vaygach island, Taymyr peninsula together with Severnaya Zemlya, and the Lena River estuary. So far, only 37 species of freshwater nematodes are know from the Lena River estuary (
In summary, 391 species, belonging to 146 genera, 54 families, and 10 orders of the phylum
This project was in part supported by two grants from the Swedish Taxonomy Initiative: "Taxonomy and distribution of free-living nematodes of the order
Known localities in the Arctic for which detailed information about nematode fauna (identified to species level) is available in the literature.