First Record of Branchinecta Campestris (Anostraca) from California and Casual Observations of Males of Artemia Clasping Females of Branchinecta

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ABSTRACT Brachinectacampestris Lynch, 1960, is added as the eighteenth species of Anostraca (Branchiopoda) recorded from California. Males of Artemia franciscana Kellogg, 1906, were observed to clasp females of B. campestris and maintain amplexus in all but one instance despite attempts by the females to dislodge them. The latter observation suggests that males of Artemia may have more control over mating than males of other anostracans, where studies indicate that females frequently free themselves from amplecting males and select males on the basis of morphological characters. This apparent difference in control over mate selection by males of Artemia may, if true, help explain the low degree of morphologic divergence observed among males of sibling species in this genus.