Studies on Large Branchiopod Biology and Conservation

This volume is a collection of papers concerning the biology of large branchiopod crustaceans: Anostraca, Conchostraca, and Notostraca. Many of the individual papers were first presented at the Third International Large Branchiopod Symposium (ILBS-3) held at the University of San Diego, CA, USA, July 15-18, 1996. Contributions on additional topics from participants at the symposium, and from colleagues not able to join us in San Diego, are also included. In addition, there is a supplement to the 1995 `Checklist of the Anostraca'.
The theme of the ILBS-3 was `understanding and conserving large branchiopod diversity'. Researchers from around the world presented papers on a variety of topics related to conservation of large branchiopods, with contributions ranging from alpha-taxonomy and zoogeography to community structure and studies of ecology and evolution. One important issue developed in many of the papers in this volume is the need to advance our understanding of basic aspects of branchiopod biology throughout the world in order to enhance our efforts to conserve them. Although we have made important strides in understanding the biology of large branchiopods, we have, with few notable exceptions, made little progress in assuring the conservation of their diversity. We hope this volume will supply the reader with new ideas, and generate enthusiasm for research and public education efforts on behalf of branchiopod conservation.

Regional Faunas and Community Assemblages.- Distribution, diversity and conservation of Anostraca (Crustacea: Branchiopoda) in southern Africa.- Distribution and phenology of large branchipods in Austria.- Community structure of branchiopods (Anostraca, Notostraca and Conchostraca) in the Banat province in Yugoslavia.- The status of Anostraca, Notostraca and Conchostraca (Crustacea: Branchiopoda) in Yugoslavia.- On the presence of the genus Branchipus Schaeffer, 1766 (Crustacea: Anostraca) in Macedonia.- Large branchiopod assemblages common to Mexico and the United States.- New records of large branchiopods (Branchiopoda: Anostraca, Notostraca and Spinicaudata) in Mexico.- Large branchiopod Crustacea (Anostraca, Notostraca, Spinicaudata) of the Barents Region of Russia.- New records and observations on the anostracan genus Eubranchipus in California.- Taxonomy and Systematics.- On potentials and relevance of the use of copulatory structures in anostracan taxonomy.- Branchinella maduraiensis Raj (Crustacea, Branchiopoda, Anostraca) shown by new evidence to be a valid species.- Chirocephalus ponticus n. sp. (Crustacea: Anostraca) and its affinities to the other Turkish species of the genus.- Observations on the identification of California anostracan cysts.- Genetics and Evolution.- Reproductive isolation and genetic differentiation in North American species of Triops (Crustacea: Branchiopoda: Notostraca).- Population genetic structure of a California endemic branchiopod, Branchinecta sandiegonensis.- Extraction of DNA from anostracan cysts (Crustacea, Branchiopoda) for use in RAPD-PCR analysis.- Gynandromorphism in Anostraca: multiple mechanisms of origin?.- Anatomical evidence for androdioecy in the clam shrimp Eulimnadia texana.- Ecology.- Horizontal distribution and abundance of cysts of several large branchiopods in temporary pool and ditch sediments.- Notes on the life history of the clam shrimp, Eulimnadia texana.- Resilience of anostracan cysts to fire.- Anostracans in dark sections of Saudi Arabian caves.- Feeding strategy of two sympatric anostracan species (Crustacea).- The effects of pond duration on the life history traits of an ephemeral pond crustacean, Eulimnadia texana.- Aquaculture.- Intra- and interspecific variation in the chitin content of some anostracans.- Evaluation of the fatty acid profiles of two fairy shrimp species, Branchipus pasai Cottarelli, 1969 and Chirocephalus kerkyrensis Pesta, 1936 (Crustacea, Anostraca) fed different diets.- Biochemical (fatty acid profile) diversity in anostracan species of the genus Chirocephalus Prévost.- Checklist.- Supplement to 'Checklist of the Anostraca'.