Premium
The diversity and distribution of Lepadellidae (Rotifera: Eurotatoria: Monogononta) of India
Author(s) -
Sharma Bhushan Kumar,
Sharma Sumita
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
international review of hydrobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.524
H-Index - 52
eISSN - 1522-2632
pISSN - 1434-2944
DOI - 10.1002/iroh.201401739
Subject(s) - species richness , taxon , endemism , biogeography , biodiversity , ecology , cosmopolitan distribution , biology , geography
The status of diversity of Lepadellidae of India is reviewed based on our studies and the published literature and 42 valid species are reported. These comprise ∼26.0 and 71.0% of the richness of the family known globally and from the Oriental region, respectively, and nearly 10.3% of the Indian Rotifera. One species is new to India and one species is new to northeast India (NEI). The interesting taxa include one Oriental endemic, two Indian endemics, and four Paleotropical species, while several species exhibit regional distributional importance. Low endemicity and richness of cosmopolitan species (∼76.0%) are characteristics of the Indian Lepadellidae. This taxon is relatively more known from certain states of northeast, east, and south India but remains poorly studied from rest of this country. An update on Lepadellidae from India, and the Himalayan region and Western Ghats “hot‐spots” in particular; and analysis of cryptic diversity in Colurella adriatica – colurus , C. obtusa , C. uncinata , Lepadella acuminata , L. ovalis , and L. patella merit further interest for the rotifer biodiversity and biogeography.