Two new Cypridopsinae Kaufmann, 1900 (Crustacea, Ostracoda) from southern Africa

Two new Cypridopsinae ostracods, Potamocypris meissnerisp. nov. and Sarscypridopsis harundinetisp. nov. are described. Both were found only as asexual (all-female) populations in temporary waters of southern Africa. Potamocypris meissneri was collected from a small pan in the North-West Province of South Africa. It is approximately 0.5 mm long and belongs to the species group with long swimming setae on the second antennae. However, the species has a somewhat isolated position in the genus owing to the conspicuously reticulated carapace, which is furthermore densely covered by prominent conuli with normal pores carrying long sensilla, as well as to the wide anterior and posterior flanges on the left valve. To allow identification of the new species in relation to its closest congeners, a key to the species of the genus Potamocypris Brady, 1870 from southern Africa is provided. The genus Sarscypridopsis McKenzie, 1977 mostly has an Afrotropical distribution with only few species occurring in other regions. Sarscypridopsis harundineti was collected from floodplains of the outskirts of the Okavango Delta in Botswana. It is approximately 0.4 mm long and can be distinguished from congeners mainly by the smaller and more oval-shaped valves. We conclude that southern African Cypridopsinae urgently need integrated taxonomic revision, by means of both morphological characters and DNA-sequence data.

First record of the Clam Shrimp Leptestheria venezuelica Daday, 1923 (Crustacea: Brachiopoda: Spinicaudata) from the North of Colombia

Large branchiopods has been distributed in temporary waters around the world, but the knowledge about these organisms in Colombia is poorly known, especially leptesteriids, we report a new record of the Clam Shrimp Leptestheria venezuelica Daday, 1923 from the north of Colombia.

The use of environmental data in detailing the hydroregime of a temporary pond

<p>Temporary waters span both terrestrial and aquatic environments, though the terrestrial phase is typically understudied. A key component in the ecology of these water bodies is the length of the hydroperiod. To date, hydroperiod length in temporary waters is determined largely by site visits and camera traps. These methods of determination however, are taxing on resources at fine temporal resolutions (daily). While water level loggers are able to determine hydroperiod length, they are relatively expensive and peak at 50°C, preventing the collection of terrestrial data, particularly within the tropics.</p><p>Here we propose an alternative low-cost method for the determination of a temporary pond’s hydroperiod length using anchored HOBO pendant dataloggers of temperature and light intensity. By analysing the environmental data collected at fine temporal resolution across dry and wet seasons - corroborated by daily rainfall collection and frequent site visits - the determination of phase, whether aquatic or terrestrial, using this method was possible. This then extended to the determination of the length of the hydroperiod.</p><p>In addition to determining hydroperiod length, this method also provided data on the diurnal temperature dynamics, photoperiod and irradiation intensity of the aquatic and terrestrial phases. Trends in pond drying were also detectable using these data. In the terrestrial phase, the method provided data on soil surface temperatures, which was particularly lacking for the Caribbean. These data are important in understanding environmental stress regimes among aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, with applications in agriculture, conservation and infrastructure.</p>

Phyllodiaptomus (Phyllodiaptomus) roietensis, a new diaptomid copepod (Copepoda, Calanoida) from temporary waters in Thailand and Cambodia, with a key to the species

Phyllodiaptomus (Phyllodiaptomus) roietensissp. nov. was collected from temporary water bodies in Roi Et and Nakhon Ratchasima provinces in northeastern Thailand and Kampong Thom Province in central Cambodia. The new species is closely related to Phyllodiaptomus (P.) surinensis Sanoamuang & Yindee, 2001 in that it shares common morphological characters in the males: urosomites 2–3, P5 intercoxal sclerite, right P5 Exp-2, and left P5 Exp. Minor differences on the right antennule, right caudal ramus, P5 basis and Enp exist. The females differ in their Pdg 5, genital double-somite, and P5. An updated key to the species of the genus Phyllodiaptomus Kiefer, 1936 is provided.

Key environmental factors for the conservation of large branchiopods in farmland vernal pools — a case from a Central European diversity hotspot

Large branchiopod crustaceans are among the most threatened freshwater invertebrates of the world. They are regarded as a flagship group in the conservation of temporary waters, and knowledge of their ecology and conservation has developed rapidly in recent years, especially in the Mediterranean region. Little is known, however, about population functioning in species associated with vernal pools in cooler temperate areas, despite recent data showing a significant decline in their localities. The present study was conducted in western Poland, on a cluster of vernal pools known to host a Central European diversity hotspot of large branchiopods. We collected data on water and sediment quality, as well as hydroperiod length, to determine their effect on the occurrence of four large branchiopod species present in the ponds during our samplings: Eubranchipus grubii (Anostraca), Lynceus brachyurus (Laevicaudata), Cyzicus tetracerus (Spinicaudata) and Lepidurus apus (Notostraca). According to the statistical analyses, the presence or absence of particular species was affected by hydroperiod length, heavy metal content in the sediments of the marginal zone of the pond, total water phosphorus content, and pH value. Since previous studies show that deep and relatively small kettle-hole ponds seem to be the most vulnerable to human-induced changes in water nutrient contents and acidification, large branchiopod populations of this type of pools should be the first target for monitoring and active forms of protection, with the aim of maintaining the good water quality. Shallow shore-bursting type ponds are subject to increased heavy metal contamination and require activities reducing the influx of these elements from their agricultural catchment. Possible forms of protection are suggested, and the use of large branchiopods as an umbrella group in temporary waters of temperate climate is also discussed.

Occurrence of the large ostracod, Chlamydotheca unispinosa (Baird, 1862), in temporary waters of Montserrat, Lesser Antilles

Four populations of the large freshwater ostracod,Chlamydothecaunispinosa(Baird, 1862), were discovered on the Caribbean island of Montserrat. These are the first records of the species on Montserrat and extend its known distribution approximately 113 km northwest and 63 km southeast of the closest known populations on Îles des Saintes (Guadeloupe) and Nevis, respectively. We provide the first DNA barcode forC.unispinosa, a 686 bp fragment of the COI gene which may be used for future comparative studies of this widely distributed species.