Habitat destruction in wetland affects Ostracoda (Crustacea) species occurrence patterns amid different aquatic habitats.

To outline influence of anthropogenic activities on natural aquatic habitats such as wetlands, we sampled ostracods along with measuring several different aquatic variables at four different aquatic bodies between 2019 and 2020 in the Hidirseyhler Village (Bolu, Turkey). We found 15 living and 10 subfossil ostracods. Species with high tolerances (Eucypris virens) and/or with swimming abilities (Cypria ophtalmica) were reported from the canal and wetland. Non-swimmer ostracods (e.g., Prionocypris zenkeri) were only found from the creek. Ostracod Watch Model illustrated some species with stenochronal and eurychronal (e.g., Heterocypris incongruens) occurrences per site. CCA results displayed that water temperature and electrical conductivity were the most important explanatory variables on species. Unbiased diversity indices revealed the highest diversity in the canal followed by the creek, wetland, and trough. Wetland diversity exhibited positive and negative correlations with the canal and the creek, respectively. Tukey's pairwise test supported the significant comparisons between the trough, canal, and wetland (p < 0.01). The ratio of tolerant species per station was slightly higher in the canal than the wetland, trough, and creek. This suggests the fact that species encountered from the creek seem to be habitat specific and may be considered more vulnerable to changes in aquatic conditions. Frequency of species encountered in three habitats (wetland, canal, and trough) was significantly changed after the construction (digging and converting the wetland) activities began in August 2019. This activity was a negative impact on species diversity and richness in the wetland area where the diversity sharply dropped down and did not recover during the study. In contrast, this was probably advantage for some cosmoecious species.

New ostracod species (Cypridopsis schwartzi n. sp.) from Texas, with discussion on the taxonomic status of Cypridopsis species in the USA.

A total of 39 taxa (19 living species, 20 subfossils) were collected from 59 different shallow aquatic bodies in Texas during April to June 2017. Cypridopsis schwartzi n. sp. is proposed as a new species collected from a cattle pond at Freeman Ranch near San Marcos, Texas. The species has several characteristics separating it from other species, including carapace shape, presence of a curved z3-seta on the second antenna, number of setae on the vibratory plate of the first thoracic leg, shape of hemipenis, numbers of whorls on the Zenker organ, and several other differences. With the new species, there are now 12 species in the genus Cypridopsis recorded for Texas, and Cypridopsis schwartzi n. sp. is the fifth species of the genus in Texas showing sexual reproduction. The new species was compared with other species of the genus in Texas and the taxonomic relationships are discussed.

Comments on "Is emCopytus/em Skogsberg, 1939 (Crustacea: Ostracoda) a neocytherideid? With description of a new family and two new species" by Coimbra, Bergue amp; Ramos (2020).

Most recently, Coimbra et al. (2020) published an article in this journal (Zootaxa, 4729 (2): 177-194) questioning the taxonomic position of the genus Copytus Skogsberg, 1939 (Crustacea, Ostracoda) along with proposing it as the type genus of their new family (Copytidae Coimbra et al., 2020), and erecting two new species that were listed by previous authors as Copytus sp. 1 and Copytus sp. 2. The main diagnostic characteristics of their new proposed family (and the genus Copytus) are the hinge type and muscle scars on the carapace and/or valves (see lines 6-8 from the bottom, p. 179 in Coimbra et al. 2020). They also underlined that (p. 179) "...this study is based exclusively on the morphology of the animals' hard parts". While the authors considered another genus (Neocopytus) proposed by Külköylüoglu, Colin Kiliç (2007) of the family Neocytherididae as invalid, they interestingly transferred some species of Neocopytus to Copytus as species of their new family (Coimbra et al. 2020). Herein, my point with the comments listed below is to clarify that, when possible, both soft and hard parts should be considered in taxonomy, and such an integrated approach clearly indicates that Neocopytus is a valid and taxonomically useful genus.

Do Reproductive Modes and Swimming Ability Influence Occurrence of Non-Marine Ostracod (Crustacea) Species among Aquatic Habitats?

To gain a better understanding of the effect of reproductive modes and swimming ability on ostracod distribution, we visited 111 randomly selected aquatic sites in Kirsehir province. A total of 35 ostracods were newly reported for the area. The number of species with and without swimming setae was not statistically different, but numbers of sexual species was significantly lower than parthenogenetics. Species without setae did not show a significant difference between sexual and parthenogenetic forms. Numbers of species with (out) setae were not significant among different elevational ranges. Distribution of parthenogenetic species was common in all 11 habitat types when sexual species were only found from three different types located from 690 to ca. 1400 m of elevational ranges. Numbers of parthenogenetic species with or without setae did not show a difference among the ranges, but sexual species without setae exhibited wider distributional ranges (690-1289 m) than species with swimming setae (690-1089 m). Species' co-occurrence revealed two positive, five negative, and 44 random pairs of co-occurrences. Wards cluster analyses portrayed three main clustering groups. While group I includes parthenogenetic and sexual species, group II covers mostly parthenogenetic species with and without setae. Group III consists of species without setae. CCA results displayed three environmental variables (water temperature, pH and elevation) effective on species distribution. Species distributed in all elevational ranges tend to show lower optimum and wider ecological tolerances. Parthenogenetic species with swimming setae and with relatively higher tolerance ranges were dominant over sexual species. The present results suggest that swimming mode has a greater effect on species distribution among the habitats than reproductive modes.

Sieve-type pore canals in the Timiriaseviinae-A contribution to the comparative morphology and the systematics of the Limnocytheridae (Ostracoda, Crustacea).

Examination of normal pore canals, especially sieve-type pore canals, in living and fossil representatives of ten genera of the family Limnocytheridae, subfamily Timiriaseviinae, has revealed important diversity of structure. These complex pore canals have been studied via high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (the Cartographic Method) and analysed via the application of newly devised indices to assess patterns of consistency and variation in both detailed structure of individual pores and of their distribution on the calcified valve. The timiriaseviine taxa are compared with species of the genera Limnocythere, sub-family Limnocytherinae and Cyprideis (family Cytherideidae). The relationship between the living animal and its aquatic environment is discussed in the light of previous studies and of new evidence herein. The importance of normal pore canals for systematics is highlighted by the recognition and definition of the new tribe Gomphodellini Danielopol, Cabral Lord nov. tribe, subfamily Timiriaseviinae, family Limnocytheridae.

Effect of mining site seepage and copper plant waste water on the water quality and epilithic diatom communities in Maden Stream (Elazig-Turkey).

The present study investigated the effect of pollution caused by mining site seepage, copper plant flotation and domestic wastewaters on the water quality and epilithic diatom communities in the Maden Stream, Elazig (Turkey). Maden Stream's epilithic diatoms, water chemistry and physical variables were examined between January 2008- December 2008 which identified 4 stream sites taken the samples of montly periods. During the study, a total of 77 diatom taxa belonging to 24 genera were identified. Three of which Cymbella, Navicula, and Nitzschia included the highest number of species. Species dominancy was changed among the stations where the most common species found from first, second, third, and fourth stations were Cymbella affinis, Ulnaria ulna, Achnanthes minutissima and Surirella angustata, and Gomphonema parvulum, respectively. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) explained 82.6% of the correlation between 66 species and 12 environmental variables among which EC, pH, DO, and Mn, were the most explanatory variables for species occurrence. Individual species showed different ecological tolerance and optimum levels. Among the species with cosmopolitan characteristics, eight of them (C. cistula, U. ulna, Nitzscia palea, N. sigmoida, G. parvulum, Achnanthes laceolatum, Navicula pupula, and Diatoma tenuis) were the most common species with relatively high tolerance levels to those environmental variables measured.

Lacrimacandona n. gen. (Crustacea: Ostracoda: Candonidae) from the Edwards Aquifer, Texas (USA).

Lacrimacandona n. gen. with its type species Lacrimacandona wisei n. sp. from the San Marcos artesian well on the Texas State University campus (Hays County, Texas, USA) is proposed as a new genus of the subfamily Candoninae. The new species is sexually dimorphic, and so far no congeneric species have been found. The new genus has the following distinguishing characters: subtriangular carapace tapering posteriorly, uropod with a claw-like anterior seta and two short claws, one long "a" setae on male maxilliped, very large asymmetric clasping organs in males, unique shape and size of hemipenis, and unique occurrence of setae on segments.

Cypria lacrima sp. nov. A New Ostracoda (Candonidae, Crustacea) Species from Texas, U.S.A.

Okan Külköylüoglu, Derya Akdemir, Mehmet Yavuzatmaca, Benjamin F. Schwartz, and Benjamin T. Hutchins (2017) A new ostracod species, Cypria lacrima sp. nov. (Cyclocypridinae) is proposed from an artesian well in Hays County, Texas, U.S.A. The species differs from its conspecies with the following characteristics: unique shape and pit ornamentation on carapace, absence of "e" and "g" setae on both walking and cleaning legs, long gamma seta on Mandibular palp, asymmetric clasping organs and differences in the shape and size of other cheatotaxial parts. A detailed comparison among the species of the genus is provided along with ecological implications. This report increases the geographic distribution of the genus in the southern USA.

Gomphocythere besni n. sp. (Crustacea, Ostracoda) from a man-made pool (Adiyaman, Turkey).

We describe a new species (Gomphocythere besni n. sp.) from the Tavas man-made pool in Besni town (Adiyaman, Turkey). The species has several differences from its congeners in furcal structures (forked organ, seta of caudal ramus), numbers of setae on maxillula and maxillular palp, particular ornamentation with up to eight fossae in each mesh of the reticulation and in the presence of two types of lateral pore-canals (single pore opening with a sensillum and sieve plates) on the carapace. The finding of the new species extends the known geographical distribution of the living forms of the genus further to the North. The new species was found from relatively cool (16.6 ºC) and medium oxygenated waters (7.36 mg/L) in a mixture of sand and gravel substrate. Details about its ecology and taxonomic status are also compared and discussed with other species of the same genus.

Distribution of sexual and asexual Ostracoda (Crustacea) from different altitudinal ranges in the Ordu region of Turkey: testing the Rapoport Rule.

We evaluated Rapoport's rule which states a negative correlation between species richness and altitude. To understand the relationship between altitude and reproductive modes (a/sexual) of non-marine ostracods, 166 aquatic bodies in Ordu region, Turkey were randomly sampled from July 11 to July 16, 2010. A total of 26 species of ostracods were found from 133 out of 166 sites. Except for one species (Heterocypris incongruens), the other 25 species were new reports for the region. Candona improvisa was also a new report for Turkish ostracod fauna. Three species (Psychrodromus olivaceus, H. incongruens, and C. neglecta) occurred most frequently as 43, 46, and 76 times, respectively. Canonical correspondence analyses exhibited two variables [Habitat type (p=0.014; F=2.171) and water temperature (p=0.018; F=2.248)] as having the most effect on species. Correlation of species' reproductive modes to those of environmental variables measured was not significant. UPGMA dendrogram displayed 15 most frequently occurring species into four clusters where most species (11) were asexual. Although a small group (asexual species without swimming setae) showed a tendency to habitat type and electrical conductivity, such variables are believed to play secondary role on species distribution. Highest species diversity (13 species) was observed at the range of 1200 and 1400 m (a.s.l.), where numbers of stations sampled was not the highest (22). Numbers of asexual species (19) were higher than the sexual (11) but there were no significant differences (p>0.05) between the frequencies of their occurrences at different altitudinal ranges. Accordingly, our findings do not support the Rapoport Rule. Results yield that reproductive modes of species (sexual and asexual) was not directly correlated to altitude or any environmental variables measured during this study. A better explanation of ostracod diversity appears to be suitability of habitats.

Research note: modeling of the water quality of Büyüksu Stream, Bolu, Turkey.

The QUAL2E model was applied to the Büyüksu Stream, Bolu, Turkey, to predict the effect of conventional and industrial pollutant sources on stream quality. The model parameters were conditioned using data from eight sampling stations on a 24-km stretch of the stream during a steady-state period between May 2003 and June 2004. The higher biochemical oxygen demand (> 50 mg/L) and lower dissolved oxygen concentrations measured (< 4.0 mg/L), with their expected values, indicated that the water quality of the Büyüksu Stream was threatened by industrial and domestic pollution. The oxygen-sag curves obtained by the model calculations proved that discharges of the Bolu City wastewater and wood-processing plant effluent were the two primary pollutant sources affecting the stream. Results suggested that the conditioned model can be used as a tool to show the effects of pollutant sources on the Büyüksu Stream and to assess improvements expected by reducing the contribution of pollutant sources.