Faunistic Survey of Freshwater Microcrustacean Zooplankton of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao Islands: New Locality Records and Updated Species Accounts

Abstract

This paper updates the taxonomy and distribution of microcrustacean zooplankton belonging to Cladocera and Copepoda from selected freshwater bodies of Luzon Island, Panay Island and South Cotabato, Mindanao Island in the Philippines whose zooplankton fauna have remained undocumented to date. A total of 31 sampling sites were visited including 11 ponds, 5 lakes, 12 rivers, 1 man-made dam, and 2 streams. Zooplankton samples were collected using 80mesh size plankton nets, and processed and identified in the laboratory. Morphological characteristics were examined under light compound, dissecting, and phase-contrast microscopes for taxonomic identification. Results showed that 13 species were present from the different sampling sites with 7 cladocerana and 6 copepods. Further analyses revealed new locality records for Mesocyclops ogunnus in Lake Taal and Arctodiaptomus dorsalis in Lake Lahit. All species from Lake Holon are new locality records. Results from this study contributed much needed information to make a thorough analysis on the distribution of microcrustacean zooplankton taxa in the Philippines as well as provide the first accounts of microcrustacean zooplankton from Panay Island.