Rare and interesting monogonont rotifers (Rotifera, Eurotatoria) from North-Eastern India

Abstract

Eighteen species of monogonont rotifers (Rotifera: Eurotatoria), belonging to eight genera and seven families, are documented presently from North-Eastern India. Among these, seven species namely Brachionus kostei, Lepadella biloba, L. quinquecostata, Lecane thailandensis, L. superaculeata, Macrochaetus danneeli and Filinia brachiata are new to the Indian subcontinent, Filinia saltator and Lepadella costatoides are new records from N.E. India and Trichocerca abilioi represents second record from the Oriental region. The occurrence of four Australasian elements i.e., Brachionus kostei, B. dichotomus reductus, Macrochaetus danneeli and Lecane batillifer illustrates an interesting link between the rotifer faunas of the North-Eastern India, southeast Asia and Australia. In addition, Keratella edmondsoni, Lecane thailandensis, L. superaculeata and L. blachei are the Oriental species. Other reported species include the palaeotropical Testudinella greeni; the pantropical Lepadella lindaui and L. minoruoides; the cosmotropical Filinia camasecla, and the cosmopolitan F. saltator and Lepadella biloba. A majority of the documented species are rare in the examined material.