Zoogeography of the Copepoda and Rotifera of the Seychelles

• Main Authors: Maas, S., Segers, H.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 1993
• Subjects: Biogeography; Distribution records; Copepoda [copepods]; Halicyclops thermophilus spinifer; Rotifera; ISW; Seychelles; Copepods; Rotifer
• Online Access: https://www.vliz.be/imisdocs/publications/386380.pdf

The copepod and rotifer fauna present in some samples from the Islands of Mahé, Praslin and La Digue of the Seychelles is reported and discussed. No Copepoda or Rotifera were previously known from the islands. Five species of Copepoda and 34 of Rotifera are recorded, none of which is of special taxonomic importance. Only the record of Halicyclops thermophilus spinifer Kiefer is remarkable, as it extends the known area of this species from India and Iran to the archipelago. The rotifer fauna of the Seychelles is closer to that of the Comoro Islands than to that of Madagascar (Sorensen similarity : 0.58 versus 0.27). The presence of a species hitherto known from Iran and India, together with the apparent affinity of the zooplankton of the Seychelles with that of the Comoro Islands confirms existing knowledge on the origin and history of the archipelago.