Dumont 1990

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Hydrobiologia 281: 51-64, 1994.

0 1994 Kluwer Academic Publishers. Printed in Belgium. 51

Alona alsafadii n. sp. from Yemen, a primitive, groundwater-dwelling


member of the A. karua-group

Henri J. Dumont ’ & Anton Brancelj *


‘Laboratory for Ecology, University of Ghent, Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000-Gent, Belgium;
2 Institute of Biology, University of Ljubljana, Karlovska 9, p.p. 141, 61001 -Ljubljana. Slovenia

Received 14 February 1993; in revised form 14 August 1993; accepted 14 August 1993

Key words: cladocera, chydoridae, groundwater, Arabia, Yemen

Abstract

Alona alsafadii n. sp. is described from the groundwater of river gravels in the Wadi Surdud, Yemen.
It presents many characters of A. karua, but has lost its eye, has a somewhat reduced ocellus, valves
which lack the fine striations between the main striae, a smallest basal spine of the postabdomen
composed of c. 6 incompletely fused pectinal spinules, and some minute differences in the fine struc-
ture of the trunk limbs. It is argued that A. alsafadii has preserved some primitive characters, which throw
a new light on the origin of the basal spine of the postabdomen and of the spines along the lower pos-
terior corner of the valves.

Introduction Material examined

The number of groundwater and cave-dwelling Forty-five oviparous females without eggs, 1
Cladocera has greatly expanded in recent years ephippial female, 3 ephippia (1 with egg, 2 empty),
(Dumont, 1983, 1987; Sabater, 1988; Brancelj & 34 juveniles.
Sket, 1990; Brancelj, 1990, 1992). Most of the
species involved are chydorids, with the genus Type material
Alona particularly prominent. The impression one
gets is that the subject has hardly been touched, Holotype. An adult oviparous female (total length
and that further studies will reveal a wealth of as 0.37 mm, height 0.24 mm) mounted on a slide in
yet undisclosed taxa. As an illustration of this glycerol sealed with glyceel, and deposited at the
point, we here describe a well-characterised spe- Royal Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels
cies that was discovered in the groundwater of the (KBIN). Accession number I.G. 27.936a.
river-gravels of a permanent Oued, the Wadi Paratypes (all specimens in 4% formaldehyde so-
Surdud, in the Republic of Yemen. lution, with a drop of glycerol added).

- One oviparous female, one ephippial female, 1


adult female without eggs, 1 epipphium at the
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KBIN Brussels. Accession number: I.G. efforts for improving our knowledge of the fauna
27.936b. of South Arabia.
- Two oviparous females, one adult female with-
out eggs at the Smithsonian Institute, Wash-
ington, USA. Diagnosis
- Two oviparous females, one adult female with-
out eggs at the Institute of Biology University Diagnosis. An Alona karua-like species (two main
of Ljubljana, Slovenia. headpores connected, lateral headpores present,
- One oviparous female, one adult female postero-dorsal corner of valves with denticles),
without eggs, at the Hungarian Natural His- with an ocellus but without an eye; basal spine of
tory Museum, Budapest. Accession number: postabdominal claw small, and consisting of 6
II-63 1. incompletely fused pectinal spinules. No fine
striations between the main striae of the valves.
Other material. The remaining specimens, includ-
ing two dissected females mounted on slides, and Full description of parthenogenetic female
ten oviparous females mounted on stubs for SEM
microscopy, are deposited at the laboratory for Size. Average total length 0.35 mm (n = 25); range
animal Ecology, University of Gent, Belgium. 0.31-0.41 mm. Length of smallest juvenile
0.27 mm. Average length-width ratio of adult
Male. Unknown. females 1.47 (n= 13); range 1.34-1.56. Shape
somewhat elongate, length about 1.5 times maxi-
Type locality. Gravely bed of the Wadi Surdud mum height. Head slightly depressed. Dorsal
(or Sourdoud), about 20 km upstream of the city margin of valves evenly rounded. Ventral margin
of Bani Saad, Yemen Arab Republic. The type rather straight; ventro anterior and posterior
locality is ca 150 m downstream of the site where angles broadly rounded. Valves with a series of
a waterfall pertaining to a side-stream joins the chitinous crests running obliquely down from the
main valley, which is considerably constricting at dorso-anterior to the ventro-posterior zone. Some
that point. Numerous Garra sp.(Pisces: Cyprin- cross-connections in the ventro-posterior portion.
idae) were seen browsing the periphyton of the No fine striations in between the chitinous ridges
rocky wadi shores. The sample was collected by (Figs 1, 12,22). Ventral margin of valves adorned
digging a hole in the gravel, and scooping up and with setae throughout, differentiated in three main
filtering about 50 1. of water through a 100 pm zones (Figs 10, 24). The anteriormost begins with
plankton net. Date of collection 12 February one short seta, situated high up the bend, and is
1993. Approximate coordinates: 15” 17’ N, followed by about 9 long setae spanning a dis-
43” 38’ E. tance of 50-60 pm. The second zone, spanning
again about 50 pm, consists of lo-12 short setae
Etymology. The species is named for Dr M. M. (each about l/3 the length of the anterior group),
Al-Safadi of Sana’a University, as a tribute to his and is followed, slightly before mid-length of the

Figs 1 -I 1. Alona alsafadii sp. n. - female: interstitial; Wadi Surdud, Bani Saad, Yemen (all scale bars 100 pm).
1 - habitus of adult female (holotype). 7 - rostrum and first antennae from below (adult).
2 - second antenna (adult). 8 - headpores (adult).
3 - labrum (adult). 9 - mandibles (adult).
4 - postabdomen (holotype). 10 - ventral part of valve (adult).
5 - female from above (adult). 11 - posterior part of valve (adult).
6 - first antenna (adult).
59

I -I
60

valves, by 22-26 setae of intermediate length, spinulated long seta (arrow on Fig. 25). IDL with
spanning ca 120 pm. At the implant of each of two long, serrated setae, and a third, short, naked
these, ca 3-5 short spinules occur. The distal zone seta.
of the valve, as far as its upcurving section, is Trunk limb II (Fig. 19). Exopodite with eight
adorned by 3-5 ‘spines’. These appear to be scraping spines, of which l-3 with robust den-
modified plumose setae, modified by shortening. titles, 4-8 with smaller denticles. These scrapers
Between each of them, series of progressively increasing in length from l-5, but 6 shorter than
shortening setules are found. The last of the 5 and 7-8.
‘spines’ marks the site where a continuous series Gnathobase with a filtercomb composed of 5
of long setae detaches from the valve rim and runs long and two short setae and with four marginal
up the inner valve surface to the valve junction. spines. Of these, the external two are short, and
Although somewhat irregular in length, these the middle one longer. One is distinctly denticu-
setules shorten to spinule size in three main steps lated.
(Figs 11, 29-3 1). Trunk limb III (Fig. 20). Exopodite with 6
Head shield terminating anteriorly in a broadly setae, of which l-2 shortest and equally long.
rounded rostrum (Fig. 5). Two median head pores Endopodite with an external row of 7 spines, of
connected (Figs 823). Two small lateral head- which the distal two are distinctly spinulated, and
pores, circular. Ocellus small. Eye absent (Figs all others setulated. Inner row formed of 4 setae.
12, 15). Antenulla with nine terminal aethetes, and Gnathobase with a filter comb composed of 7
lateral seta situated at about l/3 of its tip. One filtering setae, and of three apical setae, the long-
lateral series of setules, and one series of spinules est of which is distinctly angulated.
seen (Fig. 2). Trunk limb IV (Fig. 21). Exopodite with 5
Antenna: O(l), 0, 3(l) / 1, 1, 3(l) (Fig. 6). A setae, subequal in length. Endopodite adorned
small basal spine on the antenna1 coxa between with an inner row of three setae, and an outer row
the endo- and exopodite. All spines on antenna composed of one denticulated seta, plus three
short and thick. Labrum with rather obtuse tip; sensilla.
anterior part notched or slightly wavy (Fig. 3). Gnathobase with five filtering seta in its filter
Mandibles as for genus (Fig. 9). comb, and a bifid apical seta, the longer branch
Trunk limb I (Figs 18,25). Ventral edge of which arches over the sensilla of the en-
adorned with five rows of hair-like setae, and nu- dopodite, and is unlaterally set with spiniform
merous rows of spinules. Distal margin with pro- setae.
truding lobe with four strong setae: three are sub- Trunk limb V. Indistinguishable of A. karua.
equal in size, one accessory seta is more strongly
built. Central zone with three setae of which
ventralmost shortest, and middle one largest. The Postabdomen (Figs 4, 17,26-28)
two longer ones serrated and with few conspicu-
ous, long, fine spinules on their basal third. Two Ventral margin straight, no rows of spinules. Dor-
dorsal setae spinulated. One, isolated, dorsal seta sal margin sinuous, with pre- and postanal angles
spinulated, not backturned. ODL with a single, weakly indicated. Anal groove concave. Postanal

Figs 12-21. Alona alsafadii sp. n.


12 - ephippial female. 17 - postabdomen (young specimen).
13 - ephippium. 18a, b - trunk limb I (adult).
14 - empty case of ephippium. 19 - trunk limb II (adult).
15 - habitus (young specimen). 20 - trunk limb III (adult).
16 - labrum (young specimen). 21 - trunk limb IV (adult).
61

13
62
63

zone convex. Margin of preanal zone slightly on the postero-ventral rim of the valves, likewise,
S-shaped, naked. Dorsal margin of postanal zone are much longer and more slender in alsafadii
with 7-9 groups of 2-3 denticles, the distal one than in karua, where they are true spines, fused
the larger. Anal margin with 3-4 zones of den- to the valves, not half seta-like, as in alsafadii. In
titles; the rows sometimes confluent, but not addition, small but probably significant differ-
aligned with the distal groups. Flanks of postab- ences are found in the trunk limbs, where in P,,
domen with 11-12 fans of setules, linearly re- the spine on the IDL in alsafadii is naked, and on
gressing in length from the distalmost onwards. P, scraper 5 is shortened and the marginal spines
Each of the fans composed of lo-14 setules, ex- of the gnathobase present a unique configuration.
cept the last three ones, which have only 7-8 On P,, the relative length of the setae on the
setules. exopodite is different from its relatives, and on
Postabdomen claw rather slender and evenly P,, the exopodite has only 5 setae (its relatives
curved. Basal spine preceded by 4 spinules form- have 6), and the marginal four spines of the en-
ing a fan. Spine itself extremely small, and com- dopodite are modified. The significance of the last
posed of 6 incompletely fused spinules. The dis- characters as adaptations to a groundwater mode
talmost spinule is the stronger of the group; the of life is not immediately clear, but others (ab-
other ones shaped as the spinules of the external sence of an eye) obviously are. The incomplete
postabdominal pecten. fusion of the spinules that give rise to the basal
External pecten weakly differentiated in two spine, finally, sheds a new light on the origin of
subpectens, the basal one the stronger. At about this structure, which is clearly derived from a basal
l/6 from the tip, this pecten curves inwards, to portion of the internal pecten of the endclaw. The
join the internal pecten. Internal pecten composed most primitive character state of the endclaw
of rather strong spinules, which abruptly decline would thus seem to be a uniform linear suite of
in size on the proximal half of the claw. Some spinules. Likewise, the setae adorning the ventral
upcurved setae along the ventral margin of the margin of the valves, and continuing up the inner
claw. rim of their posterior margin may primitively have
been a uniform series of setules. Even the poste-
rior spines appear to be nothing else than modi-
Dl@evential diagnosis and relationship fied setae, which eventually became heavily scle-
rotized and fully merged to the chitin of the valves.
While distinctly a member of the A. kauua-group, A. alsafadii therefore represents an unusually
with which it shares its general shape, ventral and primitive Alona, which apparently survived in the
distal adornment of the valves, headpores, and shelter of the subterranean environment.
postabdomen structure, A. alsafadii differs from
A. kavua (Sars), and the related A. iberica Alonso
& Pretus, by the absence of an eye, absence of Acknowledgements
fine striae on the valves, and reduction of the
basal spine of the postabdomal claw to a series of We thank Dr M. M. Al Safadi and Dr J. Mertens
incompletely fused spinules. The series of spinules for assistance in the field. The junior author

Figs 22-31.
22 - habitus of adult female. 28 - lateral view of part of the postabdomen, showing the
23 - head pores (arrow indicates lateral pore). lateral fascicles of setae (numbered) and the dorsal
24 - setae on anterioventral part of valve. groups of spinules.
25 - trunk limb I (arrow indicates spine on outer distal lobe). 29 - inner side of ventroposterior part of valve, with four teeth.
26 - endclaw. 30 - enlarged single posterior spine on valves.
27 - endclaw, basal spinules. 31 - inner side of posterior part of valve.
64

thanks the EEC for a Tempus scholarship held at Brancelj, A. & B. Sket, 1990. Occurrence of Cladocera (Crus-
the laboratory for Animal Ecology, University of tacea) in subterranean waters in Yugoslavia. Hydrobiologia
199: 17-20.
Ghent. Dumont, H. J., 1983. Discovery of groundwater-inhabiting
Chydoridae (Crustacea: Cladocera) with the description of
two new species. Hydrobiologia 106: 97-106.
References Dumont, H. J., 1987. Groundwater Cladocera. A Synopsis.
Hydrobiologia 145 (Dev. Hydrobiol. 35): 169-173.
Frey, D. G., 1980. The non-swimming chydorid Cladocera of
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wet forests, with descriptions of a new genus and two new
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species. Int. Rev. ges. Hydrobiol. 65: 613-641.
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Petkovski, T. K. & D. Fliissner, 1972. Eine neue Alona-Art
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(Crustacea: Cladocera) aus dem Ohridsee. Fragm. bale.
Brancelj, A., 1990. Alona hercegovinae n. sp. (Cladocera: Chy-
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govina (Yugoslavia). Hydrobiologia 199: 7-16. Sabater, F., 1987. On the interstitial Cladocera of the River
Ter (Catalonia, NE Spain), with a description of the male
Brancelj, A., 1992. Alonasketi sp. n. (Cladocera: Chydoridae),
of Alona phveatica. Hydrobiologia 144: 51-62.
the second cave-inhabiting cladoceran from former Yugo-
slavia. Hydrobiologia 248: 104-l 14.

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