Abstract

Two readily distinguishable species of Chydorus sphaericus sens. lat. occur in Salmon Lake, Montana, differing from each other in size and shape of rostrum, headpore configuration, frequency of doubling of teeth on the postabdomen, pattern of reticulation of the shell, and morphology of the mature male, especially the postabdomen, postabdominal claws, copulatory hooks, and rostrum. In any such comparisons, individual specimens are not sufficient; populations are needed to sort out morphological characters associated with instar and sex and character's that change with increasing body size. Comparison of population structure and stage of reproduction can be accomplished by a size-frequency distribution and by specific morphological characters that enable the three male instars to be recognized individually.

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