The freshwater fauna of Macquarie Island, including a redescription of the endemic water-flea Daphnia gelida (Brady) (Anomopoda: Crustacea)

Abstract

The freshwater invertebrate fauna (excluding the Protozoa) of Macquarie Island is collated. This includes two Platyhelminthes, two Gastrotricha, three tardigrada, 41 rotifera, at least eight Nematoda, nine Annelida, and 21 Arthropoda. The latter comprises six species of Anomopoda, two Copepoda, two Ostracoda, an Isopoda, five Acarina, and at least five species of Insecta with aquatic or semi-aquatic larvae. The freshwater Anomopoda (Cladocera) of Macquarie Island are re-evaluated, six species are now recognized and the largest, identified as Daphnia gelida (Brady), is redescribed. The records of both Alona weinecki Studer and Pleuroxus macquariensis Frey are confirmed, while that of Macrothrix hirsuticornis Norman and Brady is accepted with some reservations. Alona quadrangularis (O.F. Muller) is re-instated and records of Chydorus sphaericus O.F. Mu ller ascribed to C. patagonicus Ekman.