Record of Pleopis schmackeri (Poppe) (Branchiopoda, Onychopoda) in the Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Abstract

ABSTRACT. A frrst record of Pleopis schmackeri (Poppe, 1889) (Branchiopoda, Onychopoda) in the Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is described. This marine cladoceran species occurred in zooplanktonic samples obtained on June 26, 2000, with densities =: 4.0 ind.m-3 Its presence may be related with inflow of coastal waters to the bay. KEY WORDS. Cladocera, Pleopis schmackeri, zooplankton, Guanabara Bay, Brazil Cladocerans are small crustaceans that mainly inhabit fresh water, with only eight truly marine species (ONBÉ 1999). As compared with the rest of eladoceran species, the ecological characteristics of Pleopis schmackeri (Poppe, 1889) are unknown. This is probably due to its very rare presence and low abundance in temperate and tropical waters . Its occurrence has been described mainly in waters from the South China Sea through northern Honshu (Japan); and sporadic records from the Agaba Bay (Red Sea) and Madagascar (lndian Ocean). According to these reports, P. schmackeri may be considered warm water, coastal and oceanic species.ln Brazilian waters, a single record was made by ROCHA (1985) in the coastal waters of São Paulo (24°27'S-47°05 ' W), on 24 th June 1983.The presence of P. schmackeri in the Guanabara Bay is an unexpected fact, because this eladoceran species had never been recorded before in spite of intense investigations in previous decades . This fact suggests that P. schmackeri does not participate in the zooplanktonic community of this bay. Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil (22°41' -23°56' S and 43°02' -43°18'W), has been elassified as a coastal estuary with shallow and partially mixed waters.The occurrence of P. schmackeri was observed during research about the dynamics of planktonic communities of the Guanabara Bay. The zooplanktonic samples were obtained in surface water, at a fixed station on the entrance of the bay. ln a time series of sampling (from February 2 to August 1, 2000 with 3-4 day intervals), P. schmackeri was detected only in the triplicate samples taken on June 26, with mean densities == 4.0 ind.m-3 . Water temperature and salinity were 21 .6°C and 35.2 respectively. Population was composing by parthenogenetic females only. Mean body length and fecundity of individuaIs were 420 Ilm and five embryos.female-1 respectively . On that day, a strong intrusion of clearer and more saline

Introduction of a new Indo-Pacific marine cladoceran to the Mediterranean Sea

“…Almost a century later, P. schmackeri was found near the Rio Una do Prelado River on the Brazilian coast (Rocha, 1985). It became established in this region and spread from Guanabara Bay to Rio Grande do Sul (Resgalla & Montú, 1993;Marazzo, 2002;Domingos-Nunes & Resgalla, 2012;Monteiro-Ribas et al, 2012). Moreover, sporadic records are reported in Aqaba Bay (Red Sea), in Madagascar (Indian Ocean) (Onbe, 1999) and in Port Tawfiq at the southern entrance to the Suez Canal (Gurney, 1927).…”

Record of Pleopis schmackeri (Poppe) Branchiopoda in Rio das Ostras, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

“…Temperature ranged from 23.99 to 24.05°C and salinity ranged from 33.74 to 34.69. Marazzo (2002), a survey in the Guanabara Bay, the mean body length of parthenogenetic females was 420µm. Water temperature and salinity were 21.6 and 35.2°C, respectively.…”

“…The Pleopis schmackeri (Poppe 1889) species has unknown ecological characteristics, due to low abundance and rare presence in tropical and coastal and tropical waters (MARAZZO, 2002). Its incidence has been described in waters from the South China Sea to the Northeast of Honshu (Japan) and there are sporadic records for Aqaba Bay (Red Sea) and Madagascar (Indian Ocean).…”

“…Its incidence has been described in waters from the South China Sea to the Northeast of Honshu (Japan) and there are sporadic records for Aqaba Bay (Red Sea) and Madagascar (Indian Ocean). In Brazilian waters, some records were made: by Rocha (1985) in the coast of Sao Paulo; by Resgalla Jr. and Montú (1993) in the Southern coast; by Marazzo (2002); in the Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro; by Resgalla Jr. (2008;2011) in the coast of Santa Catarina and in the Southern coast among other works.…”

“…One assumes that Pleopsis schmacheri is a marine cladoceran from the Brazilian current, which gets closer to the coast on Winter (MARAZZO, 2002). There is also the hypothesis that this species is introduced through ballast water, whether in a planktonic form or as diapause eggs associated to sediments from the ballast tanks of ships (LOPES, 2004).…”