The Water fleas (Crustacea: Cladocera) of Southern Africa

Compiled by M.T. Seaman, D.J. Kok & M. Watson

Department of Zoology and Entomology, and Centre for Environmental Management, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa

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INTRODUCTION

Water fleas are found in freshwater ponds and pans. Some families are associated with sediments or vegetation, while others are pelagic. They may reach over 4mm in length, and feed on filtered algae and detritus. Reproduction is parthenogenetic in most species. Although cyclomorphosis is not known in Southern Africa, the morphology of many species is very variable. More information can be found in Seaman et al. (1999).

This list should not be interpreted as a checklist. It covers reliable records, and synonymies, but taxa may well have wider distributions. Synonyms are flagged with red markers.

Order: CLADOCERA

Suborder: CTENOPODA

Superfamily: SIDOIDEA

Family: SIDIDAE

  1. Genus: Diaphanosoma
    1. D. excisum Sars, 1886
      South Africa, cosmopolitan

    2. D. perarmatum Brehm, 1933
      Namibia



Suborder: ANOMOPODA

Family: BOSMINIDAE

  1. Genus: Bosmina

      Subgenus: Bosmina

    1. B. longirostris
      South Africa, cosmopolitan



Family: CHYDORIDAE

  1. Genus: Eurycercus
    1. Eurycercus sp.
      A member of the lamellatus group
      South Africa


  2. Genus: Monospilus
    1. M. dispar Sars, 1861
      South Africa


  3. Genus: Camptocercus
    1. Camptocercus sp.
      Probably C. australis
      South Africa


  4. Genus: Tretocephala
    1. T. colletti (Sars, 1895)
      South Africa


  5. Genus: Euryalona
    1. E. orientalis (Daday, 1898)
      South Africa


  6. Genus: Acroperus
    1. Acroperus sp.
      A member of the harpae group
      South Africa


  7. Genus: Graptoleberis
    1. Graptoleberis sp.
      A member of the testudinaria group
      South Africa


  8. Genus: Leydigia Kurz, 1874
    1. Leydigia sp.
      Possibly L. macrodonta, L. microps, L. propinqua or L. africana


  9. Genus: Oxyurella
    1. Oxyurella cf. tenuicaudis
      South Africa


  10. Genus: Alona Baird, 1850
    1. Alona sp.
      Possibly a member of the affinis, diaphana, intermedia, karua or pulchella groups
      South Africa


  11. Genus: Dunhevedia
    1. Dunhevedia sp.
      A member of the crassa group
      South Africa


  12. Genus: Alonella Sars, 1862
    1. Alonella sp.
      Possibly a member of the excisa or hamulata groups
      South Africa


  13. Genus: Pleuroxus Baird, 1843
    1. Pleuroxus sp.
      Possibly a member of the aduncus or laevis groups
      South Africa


  14. Genus: Pseudochydorus
    1. Pseudochydorus sp.
      A member of the globosus group
      South Africa


  15. Genus: Ephemeroporus
    1. Ephemeroporus sp.
      Possibly a member of the barrosi group
      South Africa


  16. Genus: Chydorus Leach, 1843
    1. Chydorus sp.
      Possibly C. pubescens or a member of the sphaericus or piger groups
      South Africa



Family: DAPHNIIDAE

  1. Genus: Megafenestra
    1. M. aurita (Fischer, 1849)
      South Africa, cosmopolitan


  2. Genus: Scapholeberis
    1. S. kingi Sars, 1903
      South Africa, cosmopolitan


  3. Genus: Daphnia
    1. D. magna Strauss, 1820
      South Africa, cosmopolitan
      in temperate ponds

    2. D. lumholtzi Sars, 1885
      South Africa, tropical Africa, Asia and Australia

    3. D. barbata Weltner, 1897
      South Africa, widespread within Africa

    4. D. coronata Sars, 1916
      South Africa (Highveld), cosmopolitan
      in organically-enriched pans

    5. D. carinata King, 1853
      South Africa (Highveld), Southeast Asia
      in impoundments

    6. D. dolichocephala Sars, 1895
      South Africa, Africa

    7. D. similis Claus, 1976
      South Africa, cosmopolitan

    8. D. longispina O.F. Muller, 1785
      South Africa, Europe and Asia
      limnetic

    9. D. laevis Birge, 1887
      South Africa, Africa, New World

    10. D. obtusa Kurz, 1874
      South Africa, southern Africa, Europe, Asia, New World

    11. D. pulex Leydig, 1860
      South Africa, cosmopolitan
      limnetic


  4. Genus: Simocephalus
    1. S. exspinosus (Koch, 1841)
      South Africa, cosmopolitan
      littoral

    2. S. vetulus Schodler, 1858
      South Africa, cosmopolitan
      littoral

    3. S. serrulatus (Koch, 1841)
      South Africa, cosmopolitan
      in ponds


  5. Genus: Ceriodaphnia
    1. C. rigaudi Richard, 1894
      South Africa, cosmopolitan
      in ponds

    2. C. laticaudata P.E. Muller, 1867
      South Africa, cosmopolitan
      in ponds

    3. C. producta Sars, 1896
      Western Cape
      in ponds

    4. C. reticulata (Jurine, 1820)
      South Africa, cosmopolitan
      in impoundments, limnetic

    5. C. quadrangula (O.F. Muller, 1785)
      South Africa, cosmopolitan
      in ponds

    6. C. dubia Richard, 1895
      South Africa, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand
      in ponds



Family: MOINIDAE

  1. Genus: Moina
    1. M. belli Gurney, 1904
      South Africa, Africa, Middle East
      in temporary water

    2. M. tenuicornis Sars,1896
      South Africa, Australia
      in ponds

    3. M. brachiata (Jurine, 1820)
      South Africa, Africa, Europe, Asia
      in ponds

    4. M. micrura Kurz, 1874
      South Africa, cosmopolitan
      in ponds, impoundments and temporary waters



Family: MACROTHRICIDAE

  1. Genus: Ilyocryptus
    1. I. sordidus (Lieven, 1848)
      South Africa, cosmopolitan
      benthic

    2. I. acutifrons Sars, 1862
      South Africa, Africa, Europe, Asia, North America


  2. Genus: Echinisca Liéven, 1848
    1. Echinisca sp.
      Western Cape


  3. Genus: Macrothrix
    1. M. propinqua Sars, 1909
      Western Cape, South Georgia, Falklands, Australia

    2. M. spinosa King, 1852
      South Africa, Australia, South America


REFERENCES

Seaman, M.T., Kok, D.J. & Watson, M. 1999.
Cladocera. Pp. 81-110 In: Day, J.A., Stewart, B.A., de Moor, I.J. & Louw, A.E. (eds.) Freshwater Inverebrates of Southern Africa. Crustacea I: Notostraca, Anostraca, Conchostraca and Cladocera. Water Research Commission Report TT 121/00, Pretoria.
This part of A Catalogue of South African Aquatic Arthropods revised: