Tropodiaptomus signatus Kiefer, 1982, a little-known species from Loktak Lake, Manipur State, India (Copepoda, Calanoida, Diaptomidae)

Abstract

Tropodiaptomus signatus Kiefer, 1982, is a rare, little-known Indian species. Nothing is known about its type locality/distribution or about its morphological variation. This species is now being reported from Loktak Lake in Manipur state (northeastern India). The original account of this species is supplemented with a special emphasis on the wide morphological variation observed in the male fifth pair of legs. Further, it has now been recognised that this species has closest morphological and biogeographical affinities with its north Indian congener, Tropodiaptomus mutatus Kiefer, 1936.