Latonopsis australis Sars, 1888

Pascual, Jhaydee Ann F., Rizo, Eric Zeus C., Han, Boping, Dumont, Henri J. & Papa, Rey Donne S., 2014, Taxonomy and distribution of four Cladoceran families (Branchiopoda: Cladocera: Moinidae, Bosminidae, Chydoridae and Sididae) in Philippine inland waters, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 62, pp. 771-794 : 788

Latonopsis australis Sars, 1888

Specimen examined. Six parthenogenic female.One mounted specimens (UST-ZRC 0120-Lake Malbato, Palawan). Four were not mounted due to rarity of specimens collected. One specimen was damaged beyond repair.

Description. Contrary to previous records, the species is rare and very few individuals were observed in the collected samples. It is easily identified by its body structure where its head is not clearly delimited from the body. Its eye positioned near the dorsal side of the head. Sensory seta of the antennule of L. australis is longer than its basipodite. Its post abdomen is relatively small with few anal spines and has terminal claws with two basal spines. It is also a poorly described species composed of several sub species. They are found mainly in the littoral zone of lakes and reservoirs, in ponds, swamps, and other temporary water bodies ( Fig. 30 ).

Distribution. Cagayan: Lake Calig; Oriental Mindoro: Lake Naujan; Leyte: Lake Danao ( Fig. 23 )

Remarks. L. australis are also found in tropical and subtropical Australia, Asia, Africa and America. Temperate localities have also been reported in Italy, Yugoslavia Bulgaria and Northern America. They are found in littoral zones of lakes, reservoirs, and other water bodies with good vegetation. They also thrive in the limnetic zones of pools but prefer bottom sediments for its habitat. It is a poorly described species with a possibility of being a species group.

Figures

Fig. 30. Latonopsis australis parthenogenic female. A, habitus; B, postero-ventral valve margin; C, antennule; D, distal part of second segment of upper 2-segmented antennal branch; E, postabdomen.

Fig. 23. Distribution of family Sididae based on recently collected samples (2013) and stored samples in the UST ZRC.