Eulimnadia chaperi ( Simon, 1886 )

Rabet, Nicolas, 2010, Revision of the egg morphology of Eulimnadia (Crustacea, Branchiopoda, Spinicaudata), Zoosystema 32 (3), pp. 373-391 : 378-380

Eulimnadia chaperi ( Simon, 1886) ( Fig. 2 E-I)

Limnadia chaperi Simon, 1886: 455 , tab. 7, fig. 3. Eulimnadia compressa – Daday de Deés 1926: 558, fig. 140.

TYPE LOCALITY. — Vajra Karur near Bellary in Karnataka state, India.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — India. “Wagra Karour” (Vajra Karur) near Bellary , Chaper,> 100 eggs (MNHN-Bp326) ;> 100 eggs (MNHN-Bp327) ;> 100 eggs (MNHN-Bp329).

RANGE. — This species is known from the type locality only.

EGG MORPHOLOGY

Spherical with approximately pentagonal, broad, flat depressions separated by high ridges. Ridge interconnections with spiniform projections. The depression bottoms are ornamented by more or less defined holes: one at the centre and one in each angle of the pentagon. In some cases, furrows joined holes. At high magnification the surface of the egg is perforated by very small pores ( Fig. 2H, I ). The immature eggs have a similar shape but only the central depression is partially visible (compare Figure 2E with Figure 2F ). Average mature egg diameter is 218,4 µm (n = 9, SD = 10.9 µm).

REMARKS

Simon (1886) described this species using these specimens stored in MNHN. Daday de Deés (1926) later considered this species a synonym of E. compressa . However the egg morphology of the E. compressa type specimen are unknown and it seems that the specimen identified by Daday de Deés as E. compressa has a different egg morphology. Indeed, the general description of the egg “Ova membrana reticulata, reticulis magnis, in angulis aculeate secta” and drawings are compatible with the two populations stored in the MNHN collection. However, using SEM, the depression bottoms differ (compare Figure 2H and Figure 3F ). The eggs of E. magdalensis (Rossler 1990; Pereira & Garcia 2001 and specimens from Cambodia) have a similar general shape. However the depression bottom is not ornamented with holes or furrows, as is in these specimens. Following Sars (1896, 1900) and Daday de Deés (1926), E. dahli , E. garreti and E. similis , respectively indicated from Australia, French Polynesia and India, also seem to have this egg morphology. However SEM is necessary to confirm the similarities, especially the occurrence of holes or furrows in the depression bottoms.

Figures

FIG. 2.— Eggs morphology:A-D, Eulimnadia alluaudi Daday de Deés,1926,eggs from the type specimen;E-I, Eulimnadia chaperi (Simon, 1886), eggs from the type specimen; E, immature egg; F-I, mature eggs. Scale bars: A-C, E, F, 100 μm; D, G, H, 20 μm; I, 5 μm.

FIG. 3. — Eggs morphology: A-C, Eulimnadia geayi Daday de Deés, 1926, eggs from the type specimen; D-F, Eulimnadia magdalensis Roessler,1990 from Cambodia;G-I, Eulimnadia mauritiana (Guérin,1837),eggs from the type specimen.Scale bars:A-D,G-I, 100 μm; E, F, 10 μm.