Alekseev V.R.1, Sanoamuang La-orsi2. 2007. Biodiversity of cyclopoid copepods in Thailand — with a description of Afrocyclops henrii sp.n. // Arthropoda Selecta. Vol.15 (for 2006). No.4: 277–290 [in English].
1 Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Science, Saint-Petersburg, 199034 Russia.
2 Khon Kaen University, Thailand.
KEY WORDS: Cyclopoida, Thailand, systematics, biogeography, Afrocyclops henrii sp.n.
Abstract. A series of samples of littoral zooplankton collected in different parts of Thailand contained 43 species and subspecies of Cyclopids. 26 among these are new records to the fauna of Thailand that significantly increased previous list of 16 species known in the country. Afrocyclops henrii sp.n. from cold water mountain stream in Southeast Thailand is described. Fauna of Cyclopids in Thailand presents a mix of elements with different geographical origin. Afrocyclops henrii sp.n., Eucyclops euacanthus (G.O. Sars, 1909), Tropocyclops tenellus (G.O. Sars, 1909), T.confinis (Kiefer, 1930), Mesocyclops ogunnus Onabamiro, 1957 represent Africain elements in the fauna. Eucyclops microdenticulatus Lindberg, 1940 and Thermocyclops maheensis Lindberg, 1941 represent Indo-Iranian fauna. Eucyclops arcanus Alekseev, 1990, E. pacificus Ishida, 2000, Ectocyclops polyspinosus Harada, 1930 had been known from Central and Far East Asia. Macrocyclops neuter Kiefer, 1931, seems like the only endemic of Southeast Asia. Cryptocyclops linjanticus (Kiefer, 1928) is widely distributed in south of Eurasia and North Africa. Macrocyclops albidus (Jurine, 1820), M. fuscus (Jurine, 1820), Tropocyclops prasinus (Fischer, 1860), E. serrulatus (Fischer, 1851) and T. crassus (Fischer, 1851) described at first in Europe, are close to be named as cosmopolites. In Thailand meanwhile they are differed in small details from the type descriptions and their true zoogeographical status have to be studied. We define the continental Cyclopoid fauna in Thailand as a fusion of Afro-Indo-Eurasian elements. This faunistic mixture possibly reflects the hydrological and geological history of this territory and presents additional difficulties for taxonomists. Updated keys for freshwater cyclopids of Thailand and adjacent territories are supplemented.