Juan M. Fuentes-Reinés

A new species of Leberis Smirnov, 1989 (Cladocera: Chydoridae) from Colombia.

A new species of Leberis Smirnov 1989 (Cladocera: Chydoridae) is described based on the material from Ciénaga El Convento (Atlántico Department), Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta (Magdalena Department), and Laguna Navío Quebrado (La Guajira Department), Colombia. In the Neotropics, Leberis colombiensis sp. nov. could be confused with L. davidi Richard, 1985. But the former differs from the latter in: (1) smaller size; (2) smaller post-pore distance; (3) gonopore region on male postabdomen un-inflated, not overhanging base of postabdominal claw; (4) shorter postanal portion of male postabdomen. Diversity of the genus worldwide is underestimated yet. We believe that more species of Leberis will be described in the future, i.e. after molecular genetic studies.

A new species of Leydigia Kurz, 1875 (Cladocera: Chydoridae) from Colombia

A new species of Leydigia Kurz, 1875 (Cladocera: Chydoridae) is described based on the material from Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta, Magdalena Department, Colombia. L. lourdesae sp. nov. is a member of the subgenus Leydigia (Neoleydigia) Kotov, 2009, having all diagnostic characters of the latter. It could be the closest relative to L. iberica Kotov & Alonso, 2010, having five setae on exopodite III, a unique for the genus character. But new taxon differs from the latter in a series of characters of the head pores, armature of valve ventral margin, postabdomen, antenna I and II, and limbs I-III. We believe that the basal taxa of L. (Neoleydigia) (including L. lourdesae sp. nov.) are remains of an antique pan-continental group, probably of Mesozoic age, partly survived after the mass extinction and represented now by a series of locally distributed taxa in very distant localities of the planet.

New additions to the cladoceran fauna of Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta and Colombia

Nine species of cladocerans are newly recorded from the Cienaga Grande de Santa Marta Magdalena Department and of these, five of them are new to Colombia ( Dunhevedia crassa , Simocephalus vetuloides , Ilyocriptus paranaensis paranaensis , Nicsmirnovius fitzpatricki and Coronatella monacantha ). The known number of Cladocera (45 species) in Cienaga Grande de Santa Marta represents about the half of reported species in Colombia. Brief descriptions and illustrations of species, including distribution, are given.

A new subspecies of Nitokra affinis Gurney, 1927 (Copepoda, Harpacticoida) from the Caribbean coast of Colombia

Abstract Plankton samples from Laguna Navio Quebrado, La Guajira, northern Colombia, yielded male and female specimens of an harpacticoid copepod that was first identified as the widely distributed species Nitokra affinis Gurney, 1927 for which at least four subspecies have been described from different geographic areas. A more detailed examination of the Colombian specimens revealed that it differs from the other morphs so far considered as subspecies. The Colombian specimens differ from the other four known subspecies in the following aspects: (1) rostrum with long projection, (2) relatively long exopod of P1, almost as long as first endopodal segment, (3) endopodal and exopodal rami of P2 equally long, (4) a reduced number of endopodal setal elements of the male P5. It also differs from N. a. californica Lang in details of the ornamentation of the urosomites. Descriptions and illustrations of this new subspecies, the first one described from the Neotropical region, are presented together with a key to the five known subspecies of Nitokra affinis. As in many other cases of presumedly widespread species of harpacticoids, it is possible that N. affinis represents a species complex with more restricted distributional patterns, a notion that certainly deserves further study.

Occurence of Elaphoidella grandidieri (Guerne and Richard, 1893) (Crustacea: Copepoda: Harpacticoida) in Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta, Colombia

The occurrence of Elaphoidella grandidieri (Guerne and Richard 1893) in Cienaga Grande de Santa Marta, Colombia, is reported for the first time. The specimens are described and compared with literature data. The Colombian specimens are similar to those of previously described from Japanese populations, presenting strong spinulation of P2 exopod and absent inner seta on the first endopodal segment of P4. Nevertheless, this species presents some differences with the previous report. The present observations support the theory that Elaphoidella grandidieri might be a complex of species, reinforcing the necessity of a revision of the species.

A new subspecies of Ovalona setulosa (Megard, 1967) (Cladocera: Anomopoda: Chydoridae) from the Caribbean coast of Colombia

A new subspecies of Ovalona setulosa (Megard, 1967) (Cladocera: Anomopoda: Chydoridae) is described based on material from Laguna Navío Quebrado (La Guajira Department), Colombia. Ovalona setulosa arangureni ssp. nov. differs from the nominative subspecies in: (1) major head pores position on head shield; (2) posterior margin of labral keel without clusters of short setules; (3) more elongated postabdomen, with length/height ratio about 2.7-3; (4) male postabdomen with straight dorsal margin in whole distal portion. In outer morphology and morphology of postabdomen, O. setulosa arangureni ssp. nov. can be confused with O. glabra (Sars, 1901), but, like nominative subspecies, differs from it by interrupted connection between major head pores. Our data suggest that diversity of Aloninae species with limited distribution areas in South America is underestimated yet, and areas north and south of Amazon basin can have different local species.

Occurrence of Guernella raphaelis Richard, 1892 (Crustacea: Cladocera: Macrothricidae) in Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta, Colombia

The occurrence of Guernella raphaelis Richard, 1892 in Cienaga Grande de Santa Marta, Colombia, is reported. The specimens are briefly described and compared with literature data. The Colombian specimens are very similar to previously described Brazilian and Argentinean populations, presenting four setae on the inner distal lobe of trunk limb I and ciliated lamella on postabdominal claws. On the other hand, they differ from New Guinean specimens which present three setae on the inner lobe of trunk limb I. The present observations support the idea that Guernella raphaelis could be a complex of species, reinforcing the necessity of a revision of this genus.

An annotated checklist of the Cladocera (Crustacea: Branchiopoda) of Colombia.

Based on the revision of available literature on the Colombian Cladocera (Crustacea: Branchiopoda), we present an annotated checklist, with taxonomical comments for all taxa recorded since the start of research on this group in the country in 1913. We have listed 101 valid taxa, of which most records belong to the Caribbean region of Colombia. The situation in Colombian Cladocera taxonomy is, at present, unfavorable for any realistic conclusions on biodiversity, ecology and biogeography.

A new species of Mesochra (Copepoda: Harpacticoida: Canthocamptidae) from a coastal system of northern Colombia with a key to the American species

Plankton samples obtained from the Laguna Navio Quebrado, La Guajira, northern Colombia, yielded the first record of the genus Mesochra Boeck, 1865 for Colombia. It is represented by an undescribed species, M. huysi sp. nov., which appears to be closely related to M. parva Thomson, 1946 and M. pseudoparva Gómez & Fiers, 1997. However, the new species can be distinguished from these two species by the insertion point of the inner seta of P1 ENP1, the length/width ratio of P1ENP, the inner seta of P1ENP2, the relative length of P3 and P4 ENP, by details of elements of P5 EXP female, the structure of the anal operculum, the remarkable ornamentation of the male P3 EXP1-2, the apophysis of the male P3 ENP2, and the claw-like or flame-shaped element of male P3 ENP3. This is the third record of a species of the genus from the Caribbean. A key to the 11 species of Mesochra known from the Americas is provided. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:02DD40CD-ECBA-4A5D-AE80-14D185376272

First record of the freshwater copepod Eucyclops titicacae Kiefer, 1957, new rank (Copepoda, Cyclopoida) in Colombia

El copepodo ciclopoide de agua dulce Eucyclops titicacaeKiefer, 1957, nuevo rango, se conocia previamente como una subespecie de E. neumani (Pesta, 1927). Se habia registrado solamente en los lagos Titicaca en Peru y Valencia en Venezuela. Esta especie se registra ahora en la Laguna Navio Quebrado, La Guajira, norte de Colombia. Este es el primer reporte de E. titicacae en Colombia y la tercera localidad en cual esta especie ha sido reportada. Se ofrece informacion comparativa sobre la morfologia de este copepodo. Los especimenes de Colombia tiene la combinacion de caracteres diagnosticos de E. neumani titicacae como se presentaron en la descripcion original y en trabajos taxonomicos subsecuentes, incluyendo: 1) las espinulas de la rama caudal no alcanzan la mitad del margen externo, 2) la relacion largo/ancho de la rama caudal = 6.0, 3) la relacion longitud/ancho del tercer segmento endopodal de la cuarta pata = 1.66, 4) la espina interna de la quinta pata es mas corta que las dos setas adyacentes. Las consistentes diferencias morfologicas y el aislamiento de E. neumani titicacae con respecto a E. neumani neumani, que se distribuyen en subregiones biogeograficas distintas en America del Sur, apoyan la idea de que se tratan de dos especies separadas, E. neumani y E. titicacae. Considerando esta interesante adicion, el numero de especies de Eucyclops conocidas para Colombia se incrementa a 8; se proporciona una clave para la identificacion de estas especies.