Bdelloid rotifers (Rotifera, Bdelloidea) of China: diversity and new records

By

Zeng, Yue
Wei, Nan
Wang, Qing
Iakovenko, Nataliia
Li, Ying
Yang, Yufeng

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2020

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

941

Pages

1--23

Subjects

bdelloids , Biogeography , morphospecies , Oriental region , taxonomy

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.941.50465

 

Abstract

Bdelloid rotifers are a group of microscopic invertebrates known for their obligate parthenogenesis and exceptional resistance to extreme environments. Their diversity and distributions are poorly studied in Asia, especially in China. In order to better understand the species distribution and diversity of bdelloid rotifers in China, a scientific surveys of habitats was conducted with 61 samples (both terrestrial and aquatic habitats) from 11 provinces and regions of China, ranging from tropics to subtropics with a specific focus on poorly sampled areas (Oriental) during September 2017 to October 2018. A total of 59 morphospecies (including subspecies) were found, of which, thirty-nine morphospecies (including one genus) are new records for China, almost doubling the number of previous records. Four rare morphospecies (Adineta cf. acuticornis Haigh, A. beysunae Örstan, Habrotrocha ligula loxoglotta De Koning and H. serpens Donner) are depicted and redescribed, and an updated checklist of Chinese bdelloids with their location and ecological information is presented. This study provides new data from a large region of China, enriching the knowledge of bdelloid biodiversity, and their global biogeography.