The Journal of The Brazilian Crustacean Society

NAUPLIUS | VOLUME 22 | NUMBER 02 | 2014 | ISSN 0104-6497

Nauplius 22(2): 67-73, 2014 67

Leydigia (Neoleydigia) cf. striata Birabén, 1939 (Crustacea:

Cladocera: Chydoridae) from Colombia and its differentiation
from L. (N.) cf. ipojucae (Brehm, 1938)
Juan Manuel Fuentes-Reinés

Universidad del Magdalena, Grupo de investigación en Biodiversidad y Ecología Aplicada. A.A 731
Santa Marta, Magdalena, Colombia. E-mail: juanmanuelfuentesreines@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT - This paper concerns the chydorid cladoceran Leydigia

(Neoleydigia) cf. striata Birabén, 1939 in plankton samples from Ciénaga El
Convento, Colombia. The specimen from Colombia bears the diagnostic features
of L (N) cf. striata as redescribed by Kotov and Elías-Gutiérrez (2003), Kotov et
al. (2004), and Kotov, (2009). However, this particular specimen shows some
subtle differences in the morphology of basal spine of claw, spine-like setules
on first and second endopod segments of antenna II, and striation on valve. In
the Neotropics, L. (N.) cf. striata Birabén, 1939 most closely resembles L. (N.)
cf. ipojucae Brehm, 1938 in the structure of thoracic limb II and postabdominal
claw, but can be separated from the latter by differences in setules in lateral
fascicles on labrum, postpore distance (PP), shape of postabdomen, preanal margin
of the postabdomen, and seta 2 of thoracic limb III.

Key words: Ciénaga El Convento, cladoceran, distribution, Leydigia, taxonomy

INTRODUCTION Colombia (Birabén, 1939; Elmoor-Loureiro,

The genus Leydigia Kurz, 1875 (Cladocera: 1997; Hollwedel et al., 2003; Elías-Gutiérrez
Chydoridae) has a wide distribution, it is et al., 2008; Zoppi and Lopez, 2008; Kotov
present everywhere with the exception of and Fuentes-Reinés, 2014). In Colombia,
the Pacific Oceanic Islands and Antarctic the knowledge on the composition of this
(Alonso, 1996; Kotov et al., 2013). This genus remains inadequate. Up to now, the
genus has been divided in two subgenera: L. only recorded species of the genus is L. (N.)
Leydigia (Leydigia) Kurz, 1875 and L. Leydigia lourdesae Kotov and Fuentes-Reinés, 2014.
(Neoleydigia) Kotov, 2009. The subgenus The aim of this paper is to describe
Leydigia (Neoleydigia) contains 12 species L. (N.) cf. striata for Colombia, expanding
worldwide: Leydigia (N.) acanthocercoides its distributional range and discuss some
(Fischer, 1854), L. (N.) australis Sars, 1885, L. morphological differences from its congener L.
(N.) propinqua Sars, 1903, L. (N.) microps Sars, (N.) cf. ipojucae.
1916, L. (N.). macrodonta Sars, 1916, L. (N.)
laevis Gurney, 1927, L. (N.) cf. ipojucae Brehm,
1939, L. (N.) ciliata Gauthier, 1939, L. (N.) MATERIAL AND METHODS
cf. striata Birabén, 1939, L. (N.) iberica Kotov The samples were collected in the littoral zone
and Alonso, 2010, L. (N.) korovchinskyi Kotov of Ciénaga El Convento, Atlantic, Colombia
and Alonso, 2010, and L. (N) lourdesae Kotov covered by floating vegetation by filtering the
and Fuentes-Reinés, 2014. In the Americas, water through a plankton net (45 μm) and
the majority of records of Leydigia come from immediately preserving with 70% alcohol.
Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela, Perú and Specimens were selected from samples under
c Published by Brazilian Crustacean Society, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil - December 2014
68
a binocular stereoscopic microscope, and
studied under a compound optical microscope
in a drop of a glycerol-formaldehyde mixture in
toto. A single adult and a single juvenile female
were dissected under a stereoscopic microscope
for the study of appendages and postabdomen.
Images were taken using a Kodak Easy Share
C140 digital camera attached to a compound
Olympus CX22 microscope. The taxonomic
identification of the genus and species recorded
herein followed Kotov et al. (2003), Kotov and
Elías-Gutiérrez (2004), and Kotov (2009).
These specimens were deposited at the Museo
de Colecciones Biológicas at the Universidad
del Atlántico (UARC), Colombia. For
explanation of the system of seta numeration
on the thoracic limbs see Smirnov and Kotov
(2010).
RESULTS
Order Anomopoda Sars, 1865
Family Chydoridae Dybowski and
Grochowski, 1894 emend. Frey, 1967
Subfamily Aloninae Dybowski and
Grochowski, 1894 emend. Frey, 1967
Genus Leydigia Kurz, 1875
Subgenus Leydigia (Neoleydigia) Kotov, 2009
Leydigia (Neoleydigia) cf. striata Birabén,
1939
(Figs. 1 – 3)
Material examined. One adult female
and one juvenile female dissected from Ciénaga
El Convento, Colombia (10º 38’″N 74º 55’
W), collected in July 2014, and preserved on
semi-permanent slides mounted in glycerine,
UARC 201M- UARC 209M.
Description. Parthenogenetic female.
General. In lateral view, body subovoid,
maximum height in posterior half, height/
length = 0.55 in adult (Fig. 1A), and 0.67 in
juvenile. Dorsal margin slightly and regularly
convex, postero-dorsal angle rounded, although
expressed. Postero-ventral angle broadly
rounded; ventral margin regularly convex. In
both the adult and juvenile specimens, a coarse
large striation and dots on valve were not
Fuentes-Reinés: Cladocera from Colombia
observed. Eye smaller than ocelus. Head shield
wide, covered by fine striation (Fig. 1B, arrow),
PP = 0.45, lateral head pore at level of central
major pore at distance 0.3 IP from midline
(Fig. 1B-C). Labral keel triangular-ovoid,
posterior and anterior margin with bunch of
setules (Fig. 1D-E). Valves large, subovoid,
with numerous setae on ventral margin, small
setules between them were seen (Fig. 1A, F).
Postabdomen robust, with maximum
height in middle, height/length ratio = 2.2
ventral margin straight (Fig. 1G). Preanal
margin (Fig. 1G, arrow) somewhat shorter
than anus, with 4 hillocks (Fig. 1H); distal
portion with setae regularly decreasing from
marginalmost to medialmost ones. Anus
ornamented with tiny denticles (Fig. 1I),
numerous fascicles (15) of lateral setules on
proximal half of postanal and anal margin (Fig.
2A). Postabdominal seta (Fig. 1G) about two
times longer than anal plus preanal margin.
Postabdominal claw almost straight, about 1.8
as long as the anal, on lateral side with fine
pecten (Figure 2B, arrow). Basal spine was not
observed (Figs. 1G, 2B)
Antenna I not reaching tip of rostrum,
with transverse rows of long setules on anterior
face (Fig. 2C). Antenna II with 4 spine-like
setules on first and second endopod segments.
Spine on proximal segment of exopod very
long, projecting beyond middle of apical
segment, but antennal formula, setae 0-0-3/1-
1-3, spines 1-0-1/0-0-1 like in other species
(Fig. 2D).
Thoracic limb I: ODL robust and
elongated, bearing a single seta (not illustrated),
proximal portion of IDL with short setules,
distal portion bearing three long setae, endite 1
with 4 setae, endite 2 with robust setae, endite
3 with one small and two long setae (Fig. 2E-
F).
Thoracic limb II: typical for the genus,
exopodite small, rounded. Inner portion of
limb II with eight scrapers (Fig. 3A), distalmost
scraper (1) very large, with numerous setules
on its basal segment (Fig. 3B, arrow). Filter
plate of gnathobase with seven setae.
Thoracic limb III: exopodite rectangular,
elongated, supplied with three setae (Fig. 3C):
seta 1 with proximal segment unilaterally
Nauplius 22(2): 67-73, 2014 69

Figure 1: Leydigia (Neoleydigia) striata, parthenogenetic female from Ciénaga El Convento. (A) Lateral view. (B) Posteror portion of
head shield. (C) Dorsal head pores. (D-E) Labrum. (F) Setae at ventral margin of valve. (G-H) Postabdomen and its prenal margin.
(I) Anus. Scale bars: A, G = 100 μm; B, D, H, I, F = 20 μm; C, E =10 μm.

armed by long setules and distal segment
bearing long setules, seta 2 specially long, with
naked proximal segment and distal segment
armed by few long, robust setules, seta 3 very
small. Distal endite with three stiff setae, seta
1 especially long and stiff, seta 2 with short
setules distally and seta 3 armed distally by
longer setules (Fig. 3D). Epipodite large and
ovoid (Fig. 3E)
Limbs IV-V: undistinguishable from
description of Kotov (2009).
Distribution and ecology: According to
Kotov et al. (2013), this species is considered
Neotropical. It has been reported from
Paraguay (Daday, 1905), Argentina (Biraben,
1939), Perú (Harding 1955), Venezuela
(Infante, 1980; Zoppi and Lopez, 2008),
70 Fuentes-Reinés: Cladocera from Colombia

Figure 2: Leydigia (Neoleydigia) striada, parthenogenetic female from Ciénaga El Convento. (A) Proximal portion of postanal margin.
(B) Postabdominal claws. (C) Antena I. (D) Antena II. (E) Limb I. (F) Basis of IDL. Scale bars: A, C, F = 10 μm; D = 50 μm; B, E
= 20 μm.

Brazil (Elmoor-Loureiro, 1997; Hollwedel (Eichhornia crassipes Mart & Solms). In

et al., 2003), Mexico (Kotov and Elías-
Gutiérrez, 2004; Elías-Gutiérrez et al., 2006;
Elías-Gutiérrez et al., 2008) and Cuba (Elías-
Gutiérrez and Varela, 2009).This is the first
record for the Ciénaga El Convento and
Colombia.
Members of genus Leydigia are truly
benthic (Kotov, 2006) and in the survey, L.
(N.) cf. stirata was found among vegetation
Ciénaga El Convento, floating aquatic
vegetation is abundant, represented by patches
of Eichhornia crassipes and Nelumbo nucifera
(Gaertn.). This small (surface area of 250 Ha)
lagoon system is a shallow water body (depth
0.3-0.8 m), whose temperature varies over
the seasons in the range of 27.5–30 ºC; pH
values during sampling measured 8.6 and
conductivity measured 2828 μS.cm-1.
Nauplius 22(2): 67-73, 2014 71

Figure 3: Leydigia (Neoleydigia) striata, parthenogenetic female from Ciénaga El Convento. (A) Limb II. (B) Scraper 1 of Limb II.
(C) Limb III. (D) inner portion of limb III. (E) Epipodite of Limb III. Scale bars: A, B, C = 20 μm; E = 10 μm.

DISCUSSION acanthocercoides (Fischer, 1854), L. (N.) ciliata

At present, eight species and one subspecies of
Leydigia have been recorded from the Americas
(Leydigia acanthocercoides, L. fimbriata, L.
glabra, L. ipojucae, L. leydigi, L. louisi louisi, L.
louisi mexicana, L. schubarti, L. cf. striata, and
L. lourdesae). Within the subgenus Leydigia
(Neoleydiga), the Leydigia (N.) acanthocercoides-
group is the most species rich, having five taxa
in the Americas: Leydigia (N.) laevis Gurney,
1927, L. (N.) cf. ipojucae Brehm, 1939, L. (N.)
Gauthier, 1939 and L. (N.) cf. striata Birabén,
1939.
According to Kotov (2009), L. cf.
striata can be easily differentiated from
acanthocercoides-like species by a whole of
characteristics such us: 1) the postabdomen
of the female is the most narrowest among
all species, 2) setules in marginal membrane
are minute, 3) setules in lateral fascicles on
labral keel are fine, 4) has preanal margin with
72
relatively high hillocks, 5) has distal scraper
of limb II with fully setose proximal segment.
These five distinctive traits are characteristic
for the specimens from Colombia also.
The specimens from Colombia bears
the diagnostic features of L. (N.) cf. striata
as redescribed by Kotov and Elías-Gutiérrez
(2003), Kotov et al. (2004), and Kotov (2009),
but some fine-scale differences were observed
in our specimens:
1) the basal spine is fully absent in
Colombia specimens, while it is present in the
populations from Mexico, Paraguay, Brazil and
Argentina in rudimentary state or as a smooth
hillock (Kotov et al., 2003, fig. 90; Kotov and
Elías-Gutiérrez, 2004, figs. 13-14; Kotov,
2009, page 7).
2) Colombian specimens have four
spine-like setules on first and second endopod
segments of antenna II, while in Mexican
population there are only two setules (Kotov
and Elías-Gutiérrez, 2004, fig. 18); Paraguay,
Perú and Brazil populations also have four
setules (Kotov et al., 2003, page 192).
3) Coarse striation on valves in the
Colombia specimen was not observed while
it is present in the populations from Mexico,
Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina (Kotov et al.,
2003, fig 91; Kotov and Elías-Gutiérrez, 2004,
figs 1; Kotov, 2009, figs. 376-377).
But I do not regard such differences as
signs of a separate status of the Colombian
populations. According to Kotov (2009)
striation on valve and basal spine are good
traits for discriminating the two subgenera
of Leydiga. Nevertheless, striation on valve
is subject of a significant variability, for
example, young female of Leydigia cf. striata
has no large-scale striation (Kotov and Elías-
Gutiérrez, 2004).
In South America L. (N.) cf. striata could
be confused with L. (N.) ciliata (Infante, 1980;
Harding, 1955; Elmoor-Loureiro, 1997).
However, they are distinct species (see Kotov et
al., 2003). In the Neotropics, L. (N.) cf. striata
Birabén, 1939 most closely resembles L. (N.)
cf. ipojucae Brehm, 1938 in thoracic limb II
and postabdominal claw but these species can
be separated by the following characters:
Fuentes-Reinés: Cladocera from Colombia
1) setules in lateral fascicles on labrum
are shorter or of the same size as marginal setae
in L. (N.) cf. striata (present paper, Fig. 1C-
D, Kotov et al., 2003, figs. 67, 74, Kotov and
Elías-Gutiérrez, 2004, figs. 5-6); while they are
longer in L. (N.) cf ipojucae (Kotov, 2009, figs.
344-345)
2) post-pore distance (PP) in the L. (N.)
cf. striata is about 4-6 (Present paper, Fig. 1B;
Kotov et al., 2003, figs. 65-66; Kotov and
Elías-Gutiérrez, 2004, fig. 3; Kotov, 2009,
page, 71) while PP is 7-8 in L. (N.) cf. ipojucae
from Brazil (Kotov, 2009, figs. 341-343).
3) postabdomen in L. (N.) cf. striata is
narrow (present paper, Fig. 1F; Kotov et al.,
2003, figs. 77, 80; Kotov, 2009, page 71),
while in L. (N.) cf. ipojucae it is broad (Kotov,
2009, figs. 350-352);
4) preanal margin of the postabdomen
of L. (N.) cf. striata has distinct hillocks
(present paper, Fig. 1G; Kotov et al., 2003, fig
77; Kotov and Elías-Gutiérrez, 2004, fig. 12)
while in L. (N.) cf. ipojucae hillocks are smooth
(Kotov, 2009, figs. 353-354);
5) seta 2 on inner portion of thoracic
limb III of L. (N.) cf. striata bears relative long
setules (present paper, Fig 3C; Kotov et al.,
2003, figs. 84-85; Kotov and Elías-Gutiérrez,
2004, fig. 24; Kotov, 2009, page 71) while
in L. (N.) cf. ipojucae it has short setules of
different lengths (Kotov, 2009, figs. 369-370);
6) spine-like setules on endopod of
antenna II projecting beyond middle of next
segment in L. (N.) cf. striata (present paper,
Fig 2E; Kotov and Elías-Gutiérrez, 2004, fig.
18) while in L. (N.) cf. ipojucae they reach
middle portion of the next segment (Kotov,
2009, fig. 363).
The number of Neotropical species
recognized by Kotov et al. (2013) was 4 and it
remained unchanged until the recent finding
of L. lourdesae from Colombia (Kotov and
Fuentes-Reinés et al., 2014). The diversity
of the genus in the Neotropics could be
underestimated and certainly deserves further
investigations.
Nauplius 22(2): 67-73, 2014 73

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS - I want to thank to Dr. Zoppi de Roa, E. and C. López. 2008. An updated
Romi Burks for reviewing the final English manuscript checklist of inland Cladocera (Crustacea: Orders
and Dr. Alexey Kotov for his comments in the text. I Ctenopoda and Anomopoda) from Venezuela.
also thank to Valery Vallejo for his help in the field. Zootaxa, 1919: 45-57.

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