Phallocryptus spinosa (Milne­Edwards, 1840) Milne-Edwards, 1840

Rogers, D. Christopher, 2003, Revision of the thamnocephalid Genus Phallocryptus (Crustacea; Branchiopoda; Anostraca), Zootaxa 257, pp. 1-14 : 7-10

Phallocryptus spinosa (Milne­Edwards, 1840) new combination

( Figure 1 c, 4a­h)

Brendonck & Riddoch, 1997; Brtek & Thiéry, 1995; Daday, 1910; Gauthier, 1933; Hamer, 1994, 1999; Linder, 1941; Margalef, 1947; Moscatello et al., 2002; Mura, 1985; 1987; 1999; 2001; Mura et al., 1999; Mura & Del Cado, 1992;Mura & Hadjistephanou, 1987; Mura & Takami, 2000; Saadi, 1983; Thiéry, 1987; Thiéry & Puente, 2002; Thiéry & Puff, 1998; Vekhov, 1993; Thiéry, 1996; Vekhov & Vekhova, 1990.

Branchinella media Pesta, 1921

“ Branchinema aculeata ” Wolf (undescribed types deposited at Zoological Museum of Berlin (fide Forró & Brtek 1984)

Diagnosis: Male: Cephalic appendage short, less than one third the length of the second antennal basal segment, situated anteromedially between bases of second antennae. Cephalic projection projecting ventrally, apex bifurcated into two short, truncate branches. First antennae three times as long as eye plus stalk. Second antennal proximal segment subequal in length to first antennae, subcylindrical, medial surface smooth. Second antennal distal segment twice the length of the proximal segment, arcuate, curving posteriorly, and tapering to an acute apex. Praeepipodite entire. Ventral surface of first genital segment smooth. Second genital segment with a distolateral, sub­conical, tubercle directed posteriorly. First abdominal segment (first post­genital segment) with a pair of large, medial­ventral, ventrally directed, acute, spines and a single ventrolateral, posterioventrally directed spines on the distal margin of the segment. Each abdominal segment with a large ventrolateral spine, directed ventro­laterally, distally. Abdominal segments I, II and sometimes III with distal margin bearing a small pair of ventrally directed spines.

Female. First antennae as long as eye plus stalk. Second antennae joined basal­medially, produced medially. Brood pouch sub­cylindrical, tapering posteriorly to apex. Apex projecting half way along second abdominal segment. Gonopore produced ventro­distally, with dorsal “lip” longer than ventral lip. Abdomen smooth.

Resting cyst: Sub­spherical with shallow angular depressions separated by thin ridges. Each depression “pinched” in middle by ridges. Micrograph of cyst in Brendonck & Riddoch (1997).

Type Locality. Ukraine, Odessa, Hadjibe Salt Lake.

Type. The types are apparently lost.

Distribution. Ukraine, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan (Daday, 1910a; Linder, 1941; Vekhov, 1993; Brtek & Thiéry, 1995), Iran ( Mura & Takami, 2000), south to Oman ( Thiéry, 1996) west to the Iberian Peninsula ( Alonso, 1985, 1996), through the Mediterranean Basin ( Brtek & Thiéry, 1995; Thiéry, 1987; Mura & Hadjistephanou, 1987; Mura, 1985; 1987; 1999; 2001; Mura et al., 1999; Thiéry & Puff, 1998; Abatzopoulos et al., 1999), north Africa ( Thiéry, 1987; Hamer, 1994), south to Botswana ( Hamer, 1994, 1999; Brendonck & Riddoch,1997).

Habitat. Permanent saline lakes and temporary saline pools (Mura & Hadjistephanou, 1987; Hamer, 1994; Brendonck & Riddoch, 1997). Vekhov & Vekhova (1990) reported P. spinosa in waters with 5­35% salinity. Vekhov (1993) reports that Russian populations occur in habitats on ‘marigenous sand­clay saline soils’ that were formed by the retreat of ancient warm seas.

Activity Period. February through April north of the equator, September through November south of the equator.

Comments. Co­occurs with Artemia sp. ( Gauthier, 1933; Margalef, 1947; Cottarelli & Mura, 1974; Saadi, 1983; Mura & Hadjistephanou, 1987; Mura, 1985; 1987; 1999; Mura et al., 1999; Thièry & Puff, 1998), Streptocephalus sp. ( Brendonck & Riddoch, 1997), and material at the USNM is mixed with Branchinectella media Schmankewitsch, 1873 (USNM­ 102320).

The molar surface described by Mura & Del Cado (1992).

Conservation status. This species is sufficiently widespread, with no known immediate threats and is designated here as a species of “Least concern” (IUCN, 2000).

Material examined: ALGERIA: Djelfa: Boughzoul, 20?20?, 2 November 1991, L. Beladjal, DCR­298. BOTSWANA: Bechuanaland: Makarikari Salt Pan, 3?5?, 1 May 1957, D. H. Eccles, USNM­ 102320.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Phallocryptus, male genitalia: A) P. w r i g h t i; B) P. sublettei; C) P. s p i n o s a.