Hyalella, Rogers & Cruz-Rivera, 2021

Rogers, D. Christopher & Cruz-Rivera, Edwin, 2021, A preliminary survey of the inland aquatic macroinvertebrate biodiversity of St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, Journal of Natural History 55 (13 - 14), pp. 799-850 : 813

Hyalella ‘ azteca ’ (Saussure, 1858)

This taxon seems to be a species complex that is widespread in North America. It was originally collected from a cistern in Mexico and reported from Puerto Rico as early as 1933 ( Shoemaker 1933, 1935). We collected material, identified using Baldinger’s key (2004), in St. Thomas from Turpentine Run ghut, Cats and Chickens ghut, the impoundments on Mahogany Run ghut, and from Dorothea turtle pond. We expect that H. ‘ azteca ’ was introduced with ornamental aquatic plants. This is the first record from the Virgin Islands.