Hydrobiologia 298: 233-237, 1995.
D. Belk, H. J. Dumont & G. Maier (eds), Studies on Large Branchiopod Biology and Aquaculture 1I.
© 1995 Kluwer Academic Publishers.
233
Contribution to the taxonomy of species of the diaphanus group within the
genus Chirocephalus Prevost, 1803 (Anostraca, Crustacea)
Magdalena Marincek & Brigita Petrov
Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 16, 11000 Belgrade, Yugoslavia
Key words: comparative morphological analysis, populations, Chirocephalus diaphanus, morphological peculiarities, taxonomic position
Abstract
Comparative morphological analysis of different populations of Chirocephalus diaphanus Prevost, 1803 found in
Yugoslavia has shown that the population from Ratari exhibits some morphological peculiarities and differs from
all known subspecies. Our investigations contribute to a better understanding of the taxonomic position of this form
and of the phylogenetic relations within the diaphanus group.
Introduction
The genus Chirocephalus has a wide distribution; there
are about 40 different species. Currently two species
of this genus are known in Yugoslavia (Petrov &
Marincek, 1991): Chirocephalus brevipalpis (Orghidan, 1953) and Chirocephalus diaphanus Prevost,
1803. Ch. brevipalpis was found in a few localities
(Becmen, Perlez, Petrovcic; Region 11 according to
Illies, 1978) in the southern part of the Pannonian Plain,
north of the Sava river. These populations are somewhat different from the typical form. Ch. diaphanus
was observed in a few localities in Serbia south of the
Sava river (near Ratari in the vicinity of Mladenovac,
at Osipaonica, Pozarevac and Presevo), as well as in
Montenegro (near Vilusi and at Mt. Durmitor). All
these localities are situated in the Dinaric West Balkans (Region 5 of Illies, 1978) except for one (Presevo)
which is in the area of the Hellenic West Balkans
(Region 6 of Illies, 1978).
According to the literature, Ch. brevipalpis was
found in Yugoslavia near Kupinovo, north of the Sava
river (Petkovski, 1991) and Ch. diaphanus was found
in Montenegro (Daday, 1910a). This species has been
also observed in Croatia (Daday, 191Oa) and Macedonia (Brtek, 1976).
Within the species Chirocephalus diaphanus,
three subspecies have been described untill now:
Ch. diaphanus carinatus Daday, 1910, Ch. diaphanus
salinus (Daday, 1910) and Ch. diaphanus pentheri Pesta, 1921. The subspecies Ch. diaphanus carinatus was
described by Daday (1910) on the basis of material
from Greece. He supposed that populations from the
suroundings of Gospic - Siroka Kula (Croatia) and
from Vrhovina (Croatia or Bosnia l ) also belonged to
this subspecies.
Ch. diaphanus salinus has also been described by
Daday (1910) on the basis of a population from France.
Later, Cottarelli & Mura (1973) have found this form
in Italy (Sardinia) and considered it a species level
taxon. Pesta (1921) discovered Ch. diaphynus pentheri
in a single locality in Albania. This subspecies was
insufficiently described; its taxonomic position should
be studied.
Investigations within the genus Chirocephalus,
have shown great variability within individual species
as well as subspecies which exhibit different geographical and ecological forms. For example, there
are morphological differences between the populations
of Ch. diaphanus from Bulgaria (Brtek reports this is
the location for the illustrations in Brtek, 1962; not
Czechoslovakia) and Roumania (Botnariuc & Orghidan, 1953). There are also certain morphological differences between the population of Ch. diaphanus carinatus from Greece described by Daday and populations
of the same subspecies found in Turkey by Cottarelli &
1 There are three places with this name; one in Croatia and the
other two are in Bosnia
D. Belk, H. J. Dumont & G. Maier (eds), Studies on Large Branchiopod Biology and Aquaculture 1I.
© 1995 Kluwer Academic Publishers.
233
Contribution to the taxonomy of species of the diaphanus group within the
genus Chirocephalus Prevost, 1803 (Anostraca, Crustacea)
Magdalena Marincek & Brigita Petrov
Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 16, 11000 Belgrade, Yugoslavia
Key words: comparative morphological analysis, populations, Chirocephalus diaphanus, morphological peculiarities, taxonomic position
Abstract
Comparative morphological analysis of different populations of Chirocephalus diaphanus Prevost, 1803 found in
Yugoslavia has shown that the population from Ratari exhibits some morphological peculiarities and differs from
all known subspecies. Our investigations contribute to a better understanding of the taxonomic position of this form
and of the phylogenetic relations within the diaphanus group.
Introduction
The genus Chirocephalus has a wide distribution; there
are about 40 different species. Currently two species
of this genus are known in Yugoslavia (Petrov &
Marincek, 1991): Chirocephalus brevipalpis (Orghidan, 1953) and Chirocephalus diaphanus Prevost,
1803. Ch. brevipalpis was found in a few localities
(Becmen, Perlez, Petrovcic; Region 11 according to
Illies, 1978) in the southern part of the Pannonian Plain,
north of the Sava river. These populations are somewhat different from the typical form. Ch. diaphanus
was observed in a few localities in Serbia south of the
Sava river (near Ratari in the vicinity of Mladenovac,
at Osipaonica, Pozarevac and Presevo), as well as in
Montenegro (near Vilusi and at Mt. Durmitor). All
these localities are situated in the Dinaric West Balkans (Region 5 of Illies, 1978) except for one (Presevo)
which is in the area of the Hellenic West Balkans
(Region 6 of Illies, 1978).
According to the literature, Ch. brevipalpis was
found in Yugoslavia near Kupinovo, north of the Sava
river (Petkovski, 1991) and Ch. diaphanus was found
in Montenegro (Daday, 1910a). This species has been
also observed in Croatia (Daday, 191Oa) and Macedonia (Brtek, 1976).
Within the species Chirocephalus diaphanus,
three subspecies have been described untill now:
Ch. diaphanus carinatus Daday, 1910, Ch. diaphanus
salinus (Daday, 1910) and Ch. diaphanus pentheri Pesta, 1921. The subspecies Ch. diaphanus carinatus was
described by Daday (1910) on the basis of material
from Greece. He supposed that populations from the
suroundings of Gospic - Siroka Kula (Croatia) and
from Vrhovina (Croatia or Bosnia l ) also belonged to
this subspecies.
Ch. diaphanus salinus has also been described by
Daday (1910) on the basis of a population from France.
Later, Cottarelli & Mura (1973) have found this form
in Italy (Sardinia) and considered it a species level
taxon. Pesta (1921) discovered Ch. diaphynus pentheri
in a single locality in Albania. This subspecies was
insufficiently described; its taxonomic position should
be studied.
Investigations within the genus Chirocephalus,
have shown great variability within individual species
as well as subspecies which exhibit different geographical and ecological forms. For example, there
are morphological differences between the populations
of Ch. diaphanus from Bulgaria (Brtek reports this is
the location for the illustrations in Brtek, 1962; not
Czechoslovakia) and Roumania (Botnariuc & Orghidan, 1953). There are also certain morphological differences between the population of Ch. diaphanus carinatus from Greece described by Daday and populations
of the same subspecies found in Turkey by Cottarelli &
1 There are three places with this name; one in Croatia and the
other two are in Bosnia