First record of cladocerans from the headwaters of the Cerrado–Amazon boundary, central Brazil

Abstract

Protected spring areas harbour great potential as natural shelters for endemic and endangered species and those springs located in higher plateaus are naturally protected due to their catchment basins receiving only precipitation. This study monitored the protective capacities of streams in a protected area within the Cerrado–Amazon boundary and it was developed in the Parque Estadual da Serra de Ricardo Franco, central Brazil. It presents the first record of nine cladocerans: Bosmina longirostris, Acroperus tupinamba, Alona dentifera, A. iheringi, Alonella dadayi, Anthalona sp., Chydorus sphaericus, Leydigiopsis brevirostris and Picripleuroxus similis. Cladocerans are small crustaceans commonly found in most freshwater habitats, including lakes, ponds, streams and rivers. It was noted in early studies that there was a higher level of cladoceran species richness in water bodies within heterogeneous habitats. Ecological aspects, which include habitats and feeding, as well as distribution of the species are documented in this paper.

• Keywords
• Brazilian Savanna
• cladoceran distribution
• highland areas
• new registers
• priority conservation
• protected areas

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the CNPQ (National Council for Scientific and Technological Development) under grant (Research Network of Cerrado’s Biota, RBPCerrado3).