A new species of Chirocephalus (Crustacea: Anostraca) from Iran.

Chirocephalus soulukliensis, an insular new species of fairy shrimp, is described from the Soulukli Wetland in Golestan National Park in northeastern Iran. The new species shares several characters with the loosely organized "Pristicephalus" group. It is readily separated from all congeners by the short, monolamellar form of the antennal appendage, which is un-armed, the distally expanded form of the apophyses, and the sinuate form of the second antennal distal antennomere.

Annotated Checklist of the large branchiopod crustaceans of Idaho, Oregon and Washington, USA, with the "rediscovery" of a new species of Branchinecta (Anostraca: Branchinectidae).

We present a checklist of the large branchiopod crustaceans of Idaho, Oregon and Washington, USA. New distributional records are presented for most species, including the first records of Branchinecta constricta Rogers, 2006 and Lepidurus cryptus Rogers, 2001 from Idaho, the first record of B. oriena Belk & Rogers 2002 from Oregon, the first record of B. mackini Dexter, 1956 and Artemiafranciscana Kellogg, 1906 co-occurring, and the first record of L. cryptus from Washington. Furthermore, we present the first record of Eulimnadia diversa Mattox, 1937 from west of the continental divide, which we interpret as an accidental introduction. In 1959, Lynch collected a new fairy shrimp species from Washington, deposited that material in the US National Museum, labeled "muddy fairy shrimp, Branchinecta lutulenta", but never described it. Numerous efforts have been made to rediscover extant populations since 1999. We rediscovered this species in 2011, from two small pools from the vicinity of Lynch's original collection site, which appears to have been destroyed. Branchinecta lutulenta sp. nov. is most closely related to B. lindahli Packard, 1883 and B. oterosanvicentei Obregón-Barboza et al., 2002. Branchinecta lutulenta sp. nov. is readily separable from all other Branchinecta species by the form of the male second antennal distal antennomere and the ornamentation of the female dorsum.

A new fairy shrimp Phallocryptus tserensodnomi (Branchiopoda: Anostraca) from Mongolia.

A new species of Phallocryptus Biraben 1951 (Branchiopoda, Anostraca) from Mongolia is described. Phallocryptus tserensodnomi sp. nov. is close to P. spinosa (Milne-Edwards 1840), but both morphological and molecular analyses (Cytochrome Oxidase I, COI) indicate that they represent separate species. Most relevant differential features of the new species include: (1) frontal appendage provided with small ventral conical outgrowths; (2) second antennamere evenly curved, sickle-shaped; (3) distal fleshy process on labrum evenly curved forwards and tapering; (4) short stout acute spine-like projections present at each side of basal portion of gonopods; (5) female second antennae shorter and wider than in P. spinosa, tapering. Based on morphological comparisons the new species appears to be a Mongolian endemic, although some genotypes of presumed P spinosa from Africa are similar to the new species, suggesting P. tserensodnomi might have a wider distribution.

Tanymastigites lusitanica sp. nov. (Crustacea: Branchiopoda: Anostraca) from Portugal, first representative of the genus in Europe.

Tanymastigites lusitanica sp. nov., a new species of fairy shrimp, is described from puddles in unpaved roads in the Alentejo region, Portugal. The males of Tanymastigites lusitanica sp. nov. are readily separated from the rest of the species of the genus by the morphology of antennae, antennal appendages and penes. T. lusitanica sp. nov. is closely related to T. perrieri but differs from it by the presence of a proximal ventrolateral short ridge in the distal segment of the antenna, and by the absence of a big thorn-like outgrowth in the distal lateral "lip" of the basal part of the penis. T. lusitanica sp. nov. presents a simple lateral branch in the antennal appendage of males, instead of the bifurcated lateral branch present in T. brteki, T. cyrenaica and T. mzabica. The finding of this new species represents the first citation of this genus in Europe. An identification key is provided to separate the males of the different species of the genus.

Linderiella jebalae sp. nov. (Crustacea: Branchiopoda: Anostraca), a new species from the Rif mountains (northern Morocco).

A new species of fairy shrimp, Linderiella jebalae sp. nov., was found in temporary ponds located in the Rif region of northern Morocco. Morphological characters of females, such as the basal long warty outgrowth of the antennae, the highly developed cuticular papillae in the second genital segment, and the presence of a keel-shaped process directed posteriorly in dorsal side of the brood pouch, clearly distinguish this species from the others of the genus. In the case of males, the basiomedial antennal outgrowth and the distal segment of the antenna are diagnostic features for the species. Cyst ornamentation, characterized by thick, blunt and sometimes truncated spines, also separate this species. This is the fourth known Palaearctic Linderiella species, all of them described recently (from 1980s onwards) and located in a restricted area, from south-eastern France to Iberian Peninsula and Morocco.

Thamnocephalus chacosaltensis, a new species of Anostraca (Crustacea: Branchiopoda) from Salta province (Argentina).

Thamnocephalus chacosaltensis, a new species of fairy shrimp, was found in a temporary turbid pond in the Rivadavia Department, Salta province, Argentina (24º13'19.3''S; 62º 52'14.3''W), belonging to the Chaco salteño. The males present a well developed frontal appendage. Their First (FB) and Third (TB) branches show features diagnostic for the species. FB shows three sub-branches; the most proximal one is coiled, lacks spines all along, gradually thins in distal direction and flattens in the distal half; distally, the flattened portion is folded and ends blunt, bearing a small spine at the tip. TB is a broad-based triangular, thin, much flattened and folded outgrowth, with a small spine at the apex. Male genital and abdominal segments lack medio-ventral spines near their posterior margins. Comparisons with the other species of the genus are established.

The complete mitogenome of the fairy shrimp Phallocryptus tserensodnomi (Crustacea: Anostraca: Thamnocephalidae).

The sequence of the mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of the fairy shrimp Phallocryptus tserensodnomi Alonso & Ventura 2013 (Crustacea: Anostraca: Thamnocephalidae) has been determined. It is 16,493 bp with an AT-content of 65.4%, which encodes information of the typical 37 genes as all other metazoan mitogenomes. Both AT-content and putative control region of the genome show moderate values among all mitogenomes of the Branchiopoda sequenced to date. The mitochondrial gene order shows the same arrangement with the Artemiidae which is different from the pancrustacean ancestral pattern, due to translocation and inversion of two tRNA genes. Our results will provide important materials for not only phylogenetic but also biogeographic studies of the Anostraca.

The complete mitogenome of the freshwater fairy shrimp Streptocephalus sirindhornae (Crustacea: Anostraca: Streptocephalidae).

In this study, we amplified, sequenced and analyzed the complete mitogenome of the freshwater fairy shrimp Streptocephalus sirindhornae (Crustacea: Anostraca: Streptocephalidae). The full-length of the S. sirindhornae mitogenome is a circular molecule of 16,887 bp in size with an A + T content of 64.5%. It has the largest putative control region (2794 bp) with the lowest A + T content (62.6%) for all determined branchiopod mitogenomes. The genome consisted of 37 genes that are involved in the respiration chain as well as the mitochondrial translation system. The S. sirindhornae mitogenome exhibits an identical gene arrangement as the Artemia pattern, which shows translocation and inversion of two transfer-RNA genes compared to the pancrustacean ancestral pattern. This is by far the first determined mitogenome of a freshwater fairy shrimp. The results of our study will provide significant data for reconstructing the consensus Branchiopoda tree of life.

Morphometric and preliminary genetic characteristics of Branchinecta orientalis populations from Iran (Crustacea: Anostraca).

Branchinecta orientalis is a fairy shrimp endemic to the Palearctic region, from Mongolia to Spain. The patchy nature of its habitat is thought to result in a high degree of subdivision among populations, potentially promoting speciation. We combined morphometric characteristics with molecular phylogeny of cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) to test whether B. orientalis could be a species complex and whether there is any correlation between the genetic variation, morphometric characteristics and geographical variables. We studied six populations from Iran based on the comparison of morphometric and molecular datasets, we confirmed that the Aigher Goli (AIG) population is biometrically well separated from the Akh Gol, Hassar, Rashakan, Khaslou and Garagojanlou populations in northwestern Iran. The relatively high genetic divergence in the AIG from the other populations and its congruence with morphometric data were observed in B. orientalis populations. However, as these results were generated using a small sample size and on a limited sampling range, they should be considered as preliminary.

Large branchiopod (Crustacea: Branchiopoda) egg morphology of Western Ghats, Maharashtra, India.

The eggs of many large branchiopods have taxonomic value and are commonly used as traits in species and/or generic descriptions. In this paper we present detailed descriptions and SEMs of resting eggs of seven of the eight species of large branchiopods found in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra, India. We highlight the inter- and intrapopulation egg morphological variation in Streptocephalus.

A new species of Branchinecta (Crustacea: Anostraca) from Uruguay.

Branchinecta uruguayensis, a new species of fairy shrimp, is described from a single seasonally astatic aquatic habitat in coastal Uruguay. This is the first record of an anostracan from the nation of Uruguay. Male B. uruguayensis n. sp. are separated from other Branchinecta species by the form of the second antennae. Branchinecta uruguayensis n. sp. share the distal antennomere lobiform projection with B. papillata Rogers, De los Rios, & Zúñiga, 2008 and B. achalensis César, 1985. Branchinecta uruguayensis n. sp. females are readily separated from all other Branchinecta by the presence of posteriolateral thoracic spines and lateral crenulations on the first abdomen segment margins. A key is provided to the Branchinectidae of South America.

Morphological variation in males of Dendrocephalus orientalis (Anostraca: Thamnocephalidae): Implications for species identification.

The genus Dendrocephalus Daday, 1908 consists of 17 described species. The morphology of the frontal appendage and the first pairs of thoracopods of males are the main characteristics used for species identification. The objectives of this study were to increase knowledge of the morphology of Dendrocephalus orientalis and to propose a new identification key for the species occurring in Brazil. Specimens were collected in temporary ponds within the conservation unit Monument Natural Grota do Angico (MNGA), which straddles the borders of the municipalities of Poço Redondo and Canindé de São Francisco, State of Sergipe, Brazil. During the study period, 560 male individuals of D. orientalis were sampled. The specimens showed variations in the number of spines on the eyes and the proximal surface of the male frontal appendage. On the eye, the number of spines ranged from 0 to 2; morphotypes with 1 and 2 spines predominated in the samples, with 50.5% and 46.2%, respectively. The number of spines on each eye was the same within each individual. On the proximal surface of the males frontal appendage the following numbers of spines on each arm were recorded: 1 and 1 (57.86%); 2 and 1 (30.89%); 2 and 2 (9.46%); 1 and 0 (1.25%); 3 and 2 (0.36%); 2 and 0 (0.18%). Based on these variations, we conclude that the number of spines on the eyes and the frontal appendage arms cannot be used as a diagnostic character for species identification. On the other hand, the first pairs of thoracopods and sub-branches 1V and 2A of the frontal appendage should be included in keys, since these structures did not show significant intraspecific morphological variation. 

Anostracan (Crustacea: Branchiopoda) zoogeography III. Australian bioregions .

Anostracan bioregions were identified for Australia. These regions were quantitatively defined using species distributions compared through Jaccard's Coefficient of Community Similarity, and qualitatively defined using regional soils data. Community assemblages are quantified using Fager's Index of Recurring Species Groups. Substrate geochemistry was used to investigate additional relationships, but was limited by the constraints of available data. However, the highly salinized soils directly relate to Australia bearing the highest diversity of halophilic anostracan taxa. Three anostracan biogeographical regions are defined for Australia: Western, Eastern and Southern. 

Phylogenetic analysis of anostracans (Branchiopoda: Anostraca) inferred from nuclear 18S ribosomal DNA (18S rDNA) sequences.

The nuclear small subunit ribosomal DNA (18S rDNA) of 27 anostracans (Branchiopoda: Anostraca) belonging to 14 genera and eight out of nine traditionally recognized families has been sequenced and used for phylogenetic analysis. The 18S rDNA phylogeny shows that the anostracans are monophyletic. The taxa under examination form two clades of subordinal level and eight clades of family level. Two families the Polyartemiidae and Linderiellidae are suppressed and merged with the Chirocephalidae, of which together they form a subfamily. In contrast, the Parartemiinae are removed from the Branchipodidae, raised to family level (Parartemiidae) and cluster as a sister group to the Artemiidae in a clade defined here as the Artemiina (new suborder). A number of morphological traits support this new suborder. The Branchipodidae are separated into two families, the Branchipodidae and Tanymastigidae (new family). The relationship between Dendrocephalus and Thamnocephalus requires further study and needs the addition of Branchinella sequences to decide whether the Thamnocephalidae are monophyletic. Surprisingly, Polyartemiella hazeni and Polyartemia forcipata ("Family" Polyartemiidae), with 17 and 19 thoracic segments and pairs of trunk limb as opposed to all other anostracans with only 11 pairs, do not cluster but are separated by Linderiella santarosae ("Family" Linderiellidae), which has 11 pairs of trunk limbs. All appear to be part of the Chirocephalidae and share one morphological character: double pre-epipodites on at least part of their legs. That Linderiella is part of the Polyartemiinae suggests that multiplication of the number of limbs occurred once, but was lost again in Linderiella. Within Chirocephalidae, we found two further clades, the Eubranchipus-Pristicephalus clade and the Chirocephalus clade. Pristicephalus is reinstated as a genus.