The Clam Shrimps (Crustacea: Conchostraca) of Southern Africa

Compiled by L. Brendonck

Laboratory for Aquatic Ecology, Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

© Copyright of this page belongs to the author.
Yours is the access since 1st January 2000

INTRODUCTION

Clam shrimps are known from the Devonian, and are represented by five families and nineteen extant genera. Southern African species are found in temporary pools and pans, and are primarily benthic filter feeders, eating algae and detritus. Some species are parthenogenetic, and eggs are generally brooded. A great deal remains to be learned about their biology, and more information can be found in Brendock (1999).

Species with green markers are found in South Africa; those with yellow markers are not. Synonyms are flagged with red markers, but synonymies are not exhaustive.

Order: CONCHOSTRACA

Family: LYNCEIDAE

1. Genus: Lynceus O.F. Müller, 1776
   1. L. bicarinatus Barnard, 1924

      Free State, to Namibia

      
      
   2. L. pachydactylus Barnard, 1929

      Gauteng, ENDEMIC

      
      
   3. L. triangularis Wolf, in litt. 1927

      Eastern Cape, ENDEMIC

      
      
   4. L. truncatus Barnard, 1924

      KwaZulu-Natal, to Namibia

      
      
   5. L. lobatsianus Barnard, 1929

      Botswana

      
      
   
   

Family: LIMNADIIDAE

1. Genus: Eulimnadia Packard, 1874
   1. E. alluaudi Daday, 1926

      Northern Cape, to Botswana

      
      
   2. E. africana (Brauer, 1877)

      Gauteng, Northern Cape, to Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe

      
      
   
   

Family: CYCLESTHERIIDAE

1. Genus: Cyclestheria
   1. C. hislopi (Baird, 1859)

      = Eulimnadia victoriae Brady 1913
      Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, pantropical, temporary and permanent water

      
      
   
   

Family: CYZICIDAE

1. Genus: Cyzicus Audouin, 1837
   1. C. australis (Loven, 1847)

      Caenestheriella australis Loven, 1847

      = Cyzicus vidua Daday 1914

      = Cyzicus joubini Daday 1914

      = Cyzicus elizabethae Daday 1914
      Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, Northwest Province, Northern Cape, to Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe

      
      
   
   
2. Genus: Eocyzicus Daday, 1913
   1. E. obliquus (Sars, 1906)

      Eastern Cape, Northwest Province, ENDEMIC

      
      
   2. E. dentatus Barnard, 1929

      Eastern Cape, ENDEMIC

      
      
   3. E. gigas Barnard, 1924

      Namibia

      
      
   
   

Family: LEPTESTHERIIDAE

1. Genus: Leptestheria Sars, 1898
   1. L. brevirostris Barnard, 1924

      Namibia

      
      
   2. L. rubidgei (Baird, 1862)

      Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Lesotho, Gauteng, Northern Cape, to Namibia, Botswana

      
      
   3. L. striatoconcha Barnard, 1924

      Guateng, Namibia

      
      
   
   
2. Genus: Leptestheriella Daday, 1913
   1. L. calcarata Daday, 1923

      Namibia, Botswana

      
      
   2. L. inermis Barnard, 1929

      Northern Cape, ENDEMIC

      
      
   3. L. setosa Barnard, 1935

      Botswana

      
      
   
   

REFERENCES

Brendonck, L. 1999.

Conchostraca. Pp. 59-80. 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.