Anthalona, Van Damme, Sinev & Dumont, 2011

DAMME, KAY VAN, SINEV, ARTEM YU & DUMONT, HENRI J., 2011, Separation of Anthalona gen. n. from Alona Baird, 1843 (Branchiopoda: Cladocera: Anomopoda): morphology and evolution of scraping stenothermic alonines, Zootaxa 2875 (1), pp. 1-64 : 48-51

Synonyms and Anthalona incertae sedis

Together with Alona verrucosa , we move a few taxa from Alona to Anthalona gen. n. We cannot decide on the identity behind these names because of poor original descriptions and the absence of type material. A denticle on We reproduce the original drawings of these taxa in Figure 25 , compared to drawings of Anthalona verrucosa ( Sars, 1901) , of which paralectotypes exist ( Figs 22D–L ). Comments on these species included in Alona checklist in Van Damme et al. (2010).

1. Alona alonopsiformis Brehm, 1933 = Anthalona alonopsiformis ( Brehm, 1933) comb. nov. ( Figs 25E–F ). Type locality: “Dagiangan, Indo-Malaysia”, this is likely Mindanao Island, South-Philippines. No type material exists. A. alonopsiformis is too briefly described by Brehm to allow identification with Anthalona species described here. But, Brehm (1933) shows a postabdomen with all characters of Anthalona . Dumont et al. (1984) considered this animal correctly as member of the A. verrucosa- complex, but transferred the name to Africa. A. alonopsiformis is unlikely to occur on latter continent, replaced by A. harti n. sp. We do not want to dismiss Brehm’s name until material from the Philippines can be investigated. Without it, decisions on synonymy cannot be made. It is uncertain if the species described herein, from Borneo ( Anthalona obtusa n. sp.), is identical, but latter may differ mainly in having a blunt denticle on the labral keel.

2. Alona verrucosa lineolata Chen & Li, 1991 = Anthalona lineolata (Chen & Li, 1991) comb.nov. ( Figs 25G– J ) =? Alona mediterranea ( Yalim, 2005) . Type locality: reservoir in Dongshan Village, Huarong County, Hunan Province; collected by Yi Zhong in August 12, 1989 ( Chen et al. 1991). Type material deposited in the Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China (Holotype: parthenogenetic female, Paratypes: two parthenogenetic females) ( Chen, Zhang, Yi & Guo, 1991). Identity uncertain, type material could not be examined. Definitely a member of Anthalona and certainly NOT A. verrucosa ( Sars, 1901) . A. lineolata has: 1) fine striation on the carapace ( Fig. 25G ); 2) elongate body shape with high posterior corner ( Fig. 25G ); and 3) round posterior margin and relatively long denticles on the postabdomen ( Fig. 25H ). These are all typical characters of Anthalona mediterranea . There is a strong possibility that Anthalona mediterranea ( Yalim, 2005) , redescribed herein, may be identical to A. lineolata ( Chen et al., 1991) . Until re-study of the Chinese taxon, we cannot make a decision on its identity. There may be also differences with A. mediterranea . According to Chen et al. (1991), Anthalona lineolata has a denticle on the labral keel ( Fig. 25J ), lateral pores are very close to the main head pores ( Fig. 25I ) and one seta is presumably (needs to be checked) absent in the second antenna (according to description; antennal formula exo/endo 003/013), present in A. mediterranea . If both are identical, the nomenclatural situation should be examined.

3. Biapertura pseudoverrucosa pseudoverrucosa Smirnov, 1971 = Alona rectangula Sars, 1861 sensu Daday , pseudoverrucosa pseudoverrucosa Smirnov, 1971 as opposed to Biapertura pseudoverrucosa verrucosa . Daday’s (1905) figures of A. rectangula show a clear Anthalona and the author notes several differences with A. verrucosa . No type material exists (see Forró & Frey, 1982 for Daday’s Cladocera collection). The figures of Daday (1905) are not realistic; his drawing style contains over-enthusiastic curves and characters may be exaggerated, others ignored. However, the name by Smirnov (1971) was not correct, as the older name verrucosa cannot be a subspecies of the younger pseudoverrucosa , and both do not belong in Biapertura (= A. affinis group). Also the major character of distinction, presence or absence of the tubercles ( Smirnov, 1971), is invalid as we observed this variable in the same stock of A. verrucosa verrucosa (see Figs 27A–B ). We regard Biapertura pseudoverrucosa Smirnov, 1971 here as a junior synonym of Alona verrucosa Sars, 1901 .

Two others names in the lump genus Alona Baird, 1843 , cannot be assigned unambiguously to Anthalona gen. n. These taxa may be better grouped as incertae sedis under Coronatella . First is Alona anodonta Daday, 1905 from Paraguay. Tuberculate valves, lacks a proximal denticle in the labral keel ( Daday, 1905). In the same publication and from the same samples, Daday (1905) lists Alona verrucosa and Alona rectangula (see above under Anthalona pseudoverrucosa ( Smirnov 1971)) , now respectively Anthalona verrucosa and Coronatella rectangula . Alona anodonta Daday, 1905 has the general body shape and postabdomen of these genera. Tubercles may appear in both. In a later publication, Daday considers his own species, A. anodonta , synonym of A. rectangula (Daday 1910) . We think that A. anodonta may be a Coronatella indeed. Details and status unknown, types absent. Smirnov (1971) lists A. anodonta as tuberculate form of Alona pseudoanodonta Brehm, 1933 , but both have very different origins. Rajapaksa & Fernando (1982) depict an Alona cf. anodonta from Sri Lanka. From their figures, this is clearly a Coronatella species. It shows the amount of confusion in these smaller Aloninae ... The second, Alona pseudoanodonta Brehm, 1933 , may be also be a member of Coronatella . Description and drawings in Brehm (1933) do not allow a decision on its identity.

Figures

FIGURE 22. Anthalona verrucosa verrucosa (Sars, 1901) comb. nov. = Alona verrucosa Sars, 1901. Parthenogenetic females from temporary dune pools at the Lençóis Maranhenses, Brazil, culture from dried mud. A. First maxilla. B. First limb, anterior

FIGURE 25. Three Anthalona taxa with uncertain identity versus Anthalona verrucosa (Sars, 1901). A.–B. Type species of the genus, Anthalona verrucosa (Sars, 1901) from São Paulo, Brazi (Sars 1901). No holotypes or paratypes were selected by Sars, paralectotypes were selected later by Valdivia-Villar, see Fig. 22. Drawings after Sars (1901; as Alona verrucosa). C.–D. Alona rectangula sensu Daday (1905) = Biapertura pseudoverrucosa pseudoverrucosa (Smirnov, 1971) from Paraguay (Daday 1905). We regard it here as a synonym of A. verrucosa, but more than one species may yet be found in the Neotropics. Drawings after Daday (1905). E.–F. Alona alonopsiformis Brehm, 1933 from Philippines. Identity of this taxon is unknown, no types exist. Drawings after Brehm (1933). G.–J. Alona verrucosa lineolata Chen & Li, 1991 from China. Identity unknown, body shape and striation as Anthalona mediterranea, which may be identical. Drawings after Chen et al. (1991). Habitus of parthenogenetic females (A, C, E, G), postabdomen (B, D, F, H), head pores (I) and labrum (J).

FIGURE 27. Neotropical species of Anthalona gen. n. A. Anthalona verrucosa verrucosa (Sars, 1901), Lençóis Maranhenses, NE–Brazil, from culture (without tubercles on valves), Leg. K. Van Damme. B. Anthalona verrucosa verrucosa (Sars, 1901), Lençóis Maranhenses, NE-Brazil, from sample, same population as in A but with tubercles on valves, Leg. K. Van Damme. C. Anthalona verrucosa ssp. (Sars, 1901) from Fra Bartelomeo de las Casas, Guatemala, Leg. H.J. Dumont. D. Anthalona verru-