The plankton copepod fauna of the Pollino National Park (South Italy) were studied for the first time. The length of adult specimens was measured to investigate the body size variability. Copepods were present in the plankton of the 5 ponds studied with a total of 10 species, belonging to different genera. Only one species was found in all the 5 ponds. In ponds studied for one year, two species were perennial (with adults present ion all the periods sampled). All of the species showed females larger than relative males. Winter-spring adults were generally larger than summer-autumn ones. In the single case of the species present in all the ponds, the body size of the population in the unstable pond showed a wider variability than that of population in the stable pond.
Copepod fauna (Calanoida and Cyclopoida) in small ponds of the Pollino National Park (South Italy), with notes on seasonality and biometry of species.
BELMONTE, Genuario;ALFONSO, GIUSEPPE;MOSCATELLO, Salvatore
2006-01-01
Abstract
The plankton copepod fauna of the Pollino National Park (South Italy) were studied for the first time. The length of adult specimens was measured to investigate the body size variability. Copepods were present in the plankton of the 5 ponds studied with a total of 10 species, belonging to different genera. Only one species was found in all the 5 ponds. In ponds studied for one year, two species were perennial (with adults present ion all the periods sampled). All of the species showed females larger than relative males. Winter-spring adults were generally larger than summer-autumn ones. In the single case of the species present in all the ponds, the body size of the population in the unstable pond showed a wider variability than that of population in the stable pond.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
