ZOOPLANKTON OF A HIGHLY SALINE WATER BODY, NEAR HYDERABAD, SINDH

• Main Authors: W. A. Baloch, A. N. Soomro, S. I. H. Jafri
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Faculty of Natural Science, University of Sindh Jamshoro 2004
• Subjects: Zooplankton; hyper saline water; Hyderabad; Copepods; Rotifer
• Online Access: https://sujo.usindh.edu.pk/index.php/SURJ/article/view/6915

Qualitative studies of zooplankton of a highly saline temporary water body near Rajputana Hospital, Hyderabad, Sindh, were carried out. Zooplankton occurred in March 1999, April and October 2000 when the salinity was 19.8, 25.0 and 2.5 ppt, respectively, but did not appear in July 1999 at a salinity of 30.0 ppt. Taxanomic identifications revealed that a cyclopoid copepod Apocyclops sp. and a rotifer Brachionus plicatilis were abundant zooplankter of the community in March. In October however, higher population of another cyclopoid copepod Mesocyclops leuckarti was recorded. The other zooplankton, among copepods were one harpacticoid, Onychocamptus mohammed and a calanoid copepod species, while the only cladoceran, Moina brachiata was very scarsely present. Among rotifers B. quadridentatus, B. rubens, Lecane luna, Monostyla lunaris, Euchlanis sp., Mytilina sp., and Polyarthra trigla also contributed to the community.