Taxonomic Catalog of the Brazilian Fauna: Superorder Cladocera (Crustacea: Branchiopoda), taxonomic history, diversity and distribution

ABSTRACT

The Taxonomic Catalog of the Brazilian Fauna (CTFB) is an initiative involving the effort of hundreds of researchers in several institutions, including international partners. Its main objective is to make public and give free access to a checklist of valid species occurring in Brazil. This catalog includes information on Cladocera, a group of microcrustaceans that occupy inland water and marine ecosystems. In this study, we evaluated the Cladocera part of the Brazilian Fauna Catalog. Among the taxa described or reported, we observed 155 valid species (37 endemic) and 61 genera (2 endemic) distributed in 11 families. European researchers represented 50% of all the authors involved in descriptions of species, and European collections keep most primary types, although many species have types that have been lost or not designed. Brazilian researchers were involved with a large number of descriptions, especially in the last 15 years. Our findings indicated that Cladocera taxa were observed in all hydrographic regions (Paraná with 119 species), biomes (Atlantic Forest with 126 species) and states, except state of Rondônia. The catalogue of Brazilian cladoceran fauna should be improved, as there are still large geographic ranges to be sampled in Brazil.

KEY WORDS:
Biodiversity; Chydoridae; Europe; Neotropics; Taxonomy; Zooplankton