Abstract
Cladocera occur in various types of groundwater, but are most common in the underflow of rivers. Numerous surface water species occasionally venture into groundwater; some chydorids are more common in groundwaters than in surface waters; at least three groups within Alona, finally, have evolved exclusive groundwater species. The latter show few obvious adaptations to the subterranean habitat, except loss of an eye or total blindness. Some, however, have conserved an array of primitive characters (e.g. on the end-claw of the postabdomen, and the setation of the valve rims) which suggest that the physical protection and relative constancy of the hyporheic has permitted the survival of some ancient taxa.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Beladjal, L., J. Mertens & H. J. Dumont, 1992. A simple basket trap for estimating relative abundances of some components of hyporheic faunas: application to the Cladocera. Stygologia 7: 193–195.
Brancelj, A., 1990. Alona hercegovinae n. sp. (Cladocera: Chydoridae), a blind cave-inhabiting cladoceran from Hercegovina (Yugoslavia). Hydrobiologia 199: 7–16.
Brancelj, A., 1992. Alona sketi sp. n. (Cladocera: Chydoridae), the second cave-inhabiting cladoceran from former Yugoslavia. Hydrobiologia 248: 105–114.
Brancelj, A. & B. Sket, 1990. Occurrence of Cladocera (Crustacea) in subterranean waters in Yugoslavia. Hydrobiologia 199: 17–20.
Dumont, H. J., 1983. Discovery of groundwater-inhabiting Chydoridae (Crustacea: Cladocera) with the description of two new species. Hydrobiologia 106: 97–106.
Dumont, H. J., 1987. Groundwater Cladocem. A synopsis. Hydrobiologia 145 (Dev. Hydrobiol. 35): 169–173.
Dumont, H. J. & A. Brancelj, 1994. Alona alsafadii n. sp. from Yemen, a primitive groundwater-dwelling member of the A. karua-group. Hydrobiologia 281: 57–64.
Frey, D. G., 1976. Redescription of Chydorus pigroides Lilljeborg, 1900 and allocation to Pleuroxus (Cladocera, Chydoridae). Crustaceana 30: 89–97.
Frey, G. D., 1993. Subdivision of the genus Pleuroxus (Anomopoda, Chydoridae) into subgenera worldwide. Hydrobiologia 262: 133–144.
Fryer, G., 1968. Evolution and adaptive radiation in the Chydoridae (Crustacea: Cladocera). A study in comparative functional morphology and ecology. Phil. Trans. r. Soc. B 254: 221–335.
Hazelton, M., 1974. Hypogean fauna recorded from Ireland 1952–1971. Trans. Cave Res. Group Great Britain 15: 225–252.
Husmann, S. & D. Teschner, 1970. Subterrane Wassermilben aus Schweden. Arch. Hydrobiol. 67: 242–267.
Motas, C. & T. Orghidan, 1948. Quelques Cladocères recueillis dans l'eau phreatique. Notat. biol. Bucarest 6: 123–129.
Pacaud, A., 1952. Remarque sur la systématique du genre Moina Baird (Cladocères) et sur sa distribution autour du bassin occidental de la Méditerrannée. Vie Milieu 3: 68–76.
Petkovski, T. K. & D. Flössner, 1972. Eine neue Alona-Art (Crustacea: Cladocera) aus dem Ohridsee. Fragm. Balc. Mus. mated. Sci. Nat. 9: 97–106.
Sabater, F., 1987. On the interstitial Cladocem of the River Ter (Catalonia, NE Spain), with a description of the male of Alona phreatica. Hydrobiologia 144: 51–62.
Schmidt, C. M., 1994. Distribution in space and time of Cladocera (Crustacea) in the alluvial sediments of the river Rhône (France). Hydrobiologia 291: 131–140.
Schminke, H. K., 1986. Syncarida. In L. Botosaneanu (ed.), Stygofauna Mundi. Brill., Leiden: 389–404.
Things, G. & G. Proudlove, 1986. Pisces. In L. Botosaneanu (ed.), Stygofauna Mundi. Brill., Leiden: 709–733.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dumont, H.J. The evolution of groundwater Cladocera. Hydrobiologia 307, 69–74 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00031998
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00031998