Studies On Rotifera (Monogononta) In Congo Basin

Results are presented on a study of the species diversity of Rotifera in Congo Basin. A total of162taxa with146identified Monogonont Rotifera from more than170samples collected on May2010and June2012, are reported. These taxa belong to2orders,18families,40genera.9species are new to science.8of them are classified in3genera of Lepadellidae, viz. Colurella asymmetrica n.sp., Lepadella hanneloreae n.sp., L.jingruae n.sp., L. weijiai n.sp., L.wilungulai n.sp., L. Yangambi n.sp., Squatinella curviseta n.sp., S. longipila n.sp., One new species,Asciaporrecta desmeti n.sp., lives in tested amoeba belongs to genus Asciaporrecta. The genus Asciaporrecta and the family Asciaporrectidae are first records in Africa. Discussion of relationship between rotifers and tested amoebae is also made. Another species Pulchritia dorsicornuta (Van Oye,1926) comb. nov. for Monostyla dorsicornuta. A reappraisal of the genera of Trichotriidae (Rotifera:Monogononta) is reviewed, with the description of Pulchritia new genus. We propose the genus to accommodate Pulchritia dorsicornuta and Macrochaetus kostei Jose de Paggi, Branco&Kozlowsky-Suzuki,2010. Measurements, drawings and pictures were made to the new species and rare species. More than600permanent rotifer slides were also made, Which established a reference collection of these organisms from Congo Basin.The rotifer fauna of Congo Basin as reported here consists mostly of members of43Lecane(29.45%),24Lepadella(16.44%) and14Trichocerca(9.59%). Majority of fully identified rotifer species recorded here are Cosmopolitan,19(13.01%) are new to the Africa fauna;13(8.9%)are endemic to Africa;11(7.5%)are Paleotropical species and5(3.4%) are reported both in Africa and America. Ten species are dominant in Congo Basin, viz. Lecane bulla, Monommata grandis, Beauchampiella eudactylota, Lecane hamata, Trichocerca similis, Lecane lunaris, Lepadella vandenbrandei, Platyias quadricornis, Testudinella emarginula, Lecane unguitata.The geographical analysis of Lecane, which is the most abundant group from Congo Basin, is made. Among43Lecane,35are widely distributed(81.4%):19of them(44.2%) are Cosmopolitan(sensu stictu),;12of them are(25.6%);3of them are (7%); L. climacois occurs both in South America and Africa. Another7Lecane have ranges encompassing the Oriental and African regions(16.3%). Just L. sylviae appears to be endemic to Africa (2.3%). The thesis discussed the endemism and invasion of rotifers.