Turkish Journal of Zoology Turk J Zool (2016) 40: 433-437 http://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/zoology/ © TÜBİTAK Short Communication doi:10.3906/zoo-1510-20
Interesting rotifers (Rotifera: Eurotatoria) from a subtropical wetland of Meghalaya, Northeast India: new records
Bhushan Kumar SHARMA* Freshwater Biology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong , Meghalaya, India
Received: 07.10.2015 Accepted/Published Online: 17.12.2015 Final Version: 07.04.2016
Abstract: The plankton and semiplankton samples examined from a subtropical wetland of Shillong, Meghalaya, Northeast India (NEI), revealed seven new records of rotifers belonging to six genera and six families. These include five species new to the Indian Rotifera and two species new to the rotifer fauna of NEI, thus meriting interest in terms of biodiversity and distribution. All the species are illustrated to warrant validation. While a detailed account of the rich rotifer diversity of the wetland is continuing, this interim report raises the total tally of Rotifera known from Meghalaya to 141 species belonging to 41 genera and 20 families.
Key words: Biodiversity, distribution, interesting taxa, urban wetland
The phylum Rotifera is an important component of microscope; the rotifers were isolated and mounted in freshwater microinvertebrate communities and an integral polyvinyl alcohol-lactophenol and were observed with a link of aquatic food webs. The faunal diversity of the phylum Leica DM 1000 stereoscopic phase-contrast microscope from the hill state of Meghalaya, Northeast India (NEI), fitted with an image analyzer. Various taxa were identified was documented by Sharma and Sharma (1999) and that following Koste (1978), Koste and Shiel (1989), Segers was followed by certain additions subsequently by Sharma (1995), and Trinh Dang et al. (2015). (2006, 2008, 2010) and Sharma and Sharma (2011). This The variations (ranges, mean ± SD) of the recorded interim report on seven new records, part of a more detailed abiotic parameters of the sampled wetland are indicated analysis of the rich rotifer diversity of a subtropical wetland in the Table. of Meghalaya, is an attempt to update the biodiversity Seven new records of Rotifera belonging to six genera status of the taxa from this state. All recorded species are and six families are reported. These include five species new illustrated for validation and comments are made on their to the Indian Rotifera, namely Colurella tesselata (Figure taxonomy and distribution. 2), Lecane stichaea (Figure 3), Gastropus minor (Figure This report is a part of limnological reconnaissance 4), Stephanoceros fimbriatus (Figure 5), and Dissotrocha of a subtropical wetland (25°36′32.8″N to 25°36′36.3″N, aculeata (Figure 6), while Lecane dorysimilis (Figure 7) 91°53′46.9″E to 91°54′01.5″E; alt. 1400 m a.s.l.) located and Cupelopagis vorax (Figures 8 and 9) are new additions at the campus of North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, to the rotifer fauna of NEI. the capital city of the Meghalaya state of NEI (Figure 1). Systematic list of the recorded Rotifera taxa Sampling was done monthly between August 2014 and July 2015. Water samples were collected for basic abiotic Phylum: Rotifera parameters. Water temperature, specific conductivity, and Class: Eurotatoria pH were recorded by field probes; dissolved oxygen was Subclass: Monogononta estimated by Winkler’s method and free carbon dioxide, Order: Ploima alkalinity, hardness, calcium, and chloride were analyzed Family: Lepadellidae following APHA protocols (1992). 1. Colurella tesselata (Glascott, 1893) The qualitative plankton and littoral periphytonic Family: Lecanidae samples were collected by towing a Nylobolt plankton net 2. Lecane stichaea Harring, 1913 (#50 µm) and preserved in 5% formalin. All collections 3. Lecane dorysimilis Trinh Dang, Segers & were screened with a Wild stereoscopic binocular Sanoamuang, 2015 * Correspondence: [email protected] 433 SHARMA / Turk J Zool
A B Figure 1. A) Map of India showing Meghalaya state; B) District map of Meghalaya showing Shillong (East Khasi hills district).
Table. Variations in some basic abiotic parameters.
Parameters Range Mean ± SD Water temperature (°C) 12.0–22.5 17.4 ± 3.2 pH 6.02–6.99 6.59 ± 0.19 Specific conductivity (µs/cm) 31.0–51.0 37.4 ± 5.4 Dissolved oxygen (mg/L) 5.6–7.6 6.7 ± 0.5 Free carbon dioxide (mg/L) 6.0–22.0 11.3 ± 4.3 Total alkalinity (mg/L) 18.0–30.0 24.0 ± 3.5 Total hardness (mg/L) 20.0–32.0 26.3 ± 3.4 Calcium (mg/L) 8.4–23.1 14.4 ± 4.6 Chloride (mg/L) 25.0–38.0 32.5 ± 4.1
Family: Gastropodidae of the water body in the ‘Class I’ category of trophic 4. Gastropus minor (Rousselet, 1892) classification according to Talling and Talling (1965). The Order: Flosculariaceae chloride content indicated certain influence of human Family: Floscularidae impact in this seepage and rainwater-fed ecosystem. 5. Stephanoceros fimbriatus (Goldfusz, 1820) The present study revealed seven new records of rotifers Order: Collothecaceae belonging to six genera and six families. Of these, Colurella Family: Atrochidae tesselata, Lecane stichaea, Gastropus minor, Stephanoceros 6. Cupelopagis vorax (Leidy, 1857) fimbriatus, and Dissotrocha aculeata are new to the Indian Subclass: Bdelloidea Rotifera while Lecane dorysimilis and Cupelopagis vorax Family: Philodinidae are new additions to the fauna of NEI. This report merits 7. Dissotrocha aculeata (Ehrenberg, 1832) interest in terms of biodiversity and distribution interest The wetland is characterized by its subtropical, slightly and has raised the total tally of Rotifera known from acidic-circumneutral, soft, well-oxygenated, and calcium- Meghalaya to 141 species belonging to 41 genera and 20 poor waters with low free carbon dioxide and low ionic families. Furthermore, the majority of these taxa, except concentrations; the last salient feature warranted inclusion Dissotrocha aculeata, are rare in the studied collections.
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2 3 4
7 5 6
8 9
Figures 2–9. 2- Colurella tesselata (Glascott) (lateral view); 3- Lecane stichaea Harring (ventral view); 4- Gastropus minor (Rousselet) (lateral view); 5- Stephanoceros fimbriatus (Goldfusz) (lateral view); 6- Dissotrocha aculeata (Ehrenberg) (lateral view); 7- Lecane dorysimilis Trinh Dang, Segers & Sanoamuang (dorsal view); 8- Cupelopagis vorax (Leidy) (lateral view); 9- Cupelopagis vorax (Leidy) (trophi).
Colurella tesselata, a new record from India, is from African, Australian, Nearctic, Palearctic, Neotropical, characterized by its dorsal keel and facet-like pattern of ribs and Oriental regions (Segers, 2007). It is reported from on the lorica (Koste and Shiel, 1989). This species is known the Oriental region from Thailand (Sa-Ardrit et al., 2013)
435 SHARMA / Turk J Zool and Vietnam (Trinh Dang et al., 2013); the present report Further, it cooccurred with L. doryssa but differed from extended its distribution within that region to the Indian it in several attributes. Trinh Dang et al. (2015), however, sub-subcontinent. The lecanid L. stichaea, another new commented on incorrectly identified illustrated records of addition to the Indian Rotifera, is differentiated from its L. doryssa pertaining to L. dorysimilis and thus confirmed congeners L. haliclysta, L. stichoclysta, and L. verecunda the presence of the latter species from China (Wang, 1961) by its toes bearing pseudoclaws. The examined specimens and India (Sarma, 1988). This lecanid even cooccurred are assigned to L. stichaea following Segers (1995). This with L. doryssa in the sampled wetland but the present cosmopolitan species is known from the Oriental region report affirmed its littoral-periphytonic character. This from Thailand (Sa-Ardrit et al., 2013) and the current study extended its distribution range within India to NEI report extended its distribution to the Indian subregion. and thus affirmed its regional distribution. L. dorysimilis is This study provided the first ‘validated record’ of currently designated as an Indo-Chinese element pending Gastropus minor from India; earlier unverifiable reports further knowledge of its biogeography; it is expected to be of the taxon from Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, more widely distributed in NEI than just the report from Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh lack any validation Meghalaya. (characters, figures, drawings, etc.) and hence they are Cupelopagis vorax is distributed in the Australian, considered dubious unless warranted. This dogma of Nearctic, Palearctic, Neotropical, and Oriental regions ‘indiscriminate unverifiable reports of the rotifer taxa’ (Segers, 2007). This predaceous rotifer is validly known in several ‘ad hoc routine faunal lists without taxonomic from India from Kashmir (Edmonson and Hutchinson, expertise’ is seriously impairing the progress of knowledge 1934) and Chandigarh (Vasisht and Dawar, 1968), while its of the biodiversity of the Indian Rotifera (Sharma and unverifiable reports from Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and West Sharma, 2014a, 2014b, 2015) and needs the attention of Bengal are still questionable. The present report, further future workers. extending its occurrence to NEI, is of regional distribution The sessile Stephanoceros fimbriatus is another new interest. record from India. This rotifer is known elsewhere from the This biodiversity update on the rotifer fauna of Australian, Nearctic, Neotropical, Palearctic, and Oriental Meghalaya indicated an emphasis on analysis of samples regions (Segers, 2007); it is reported from the Oriental region from more diverse aquatic biotopes, especially from from Thailand (Sa-Ardrit et al., 2013) and its distribution the subtropical wetlands of NEI, which are as of yet is now extended to the Indian subregion. The cosmopolitan underexplored. The records of five species restricted to bdelloid Dissotrocha aculeata is rather common in various NEI and the extension of the distribution ranges of two samples, though invariably contracted, but identifiable. species to this region are of biogeographical value. This species is known from the Oriental region from Thailand (Sa-Ardrit et al., 2013) and the present record Acknowledgments has extended its distribution to the Indian subcontinent. Thanks are due to the Head of the Department of Zoology, Trinh Dang et al. (2015) recently described L. North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, for laboratory dorysimilis sp. nov. from the hygropsammon of Bau facilities and to KR Sounii Pou for collecting the samples. Thiem Lake, Thua Thien Hue Province of Vietnam, and The author is thankful to three anonymous reviewers for considered it to be a psammophilous or even psammoxene their useful comments. littoral taxon rather than a psammobiontic species.
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