Importance of male and ephippial female characters for differentiating three Palaearctic species of Macrothrix Baird, 1843 (Cladocera: Anomopoda), with a redescription of Macrothrix dadayi Behning, 1941

Abstract

I examined ephippial females and males of the Palaearctic Macrothrix hirsuticornis Norman & Brady, 1867 and M. tripectinata Weisig, 1934 (Cladocera: Anomopoda: Macrothricidae). Parthenogenetic and ephippial females, and males of a third species, M. dadayi Behning, 1941, are redescribed on material from the Ciscaucasian coast of the Black Sea (Russia). A series of male characters, useful for species discrimination was found. Ephippia of M. tripectinata and M. dadayi are covered with small spinules, a unique synapomorphy of these species. Recent progress in Macrothrix systematics allows us to predict that the taxonomy will improve as more males and ephippial females (currently known only in half the species), yet especially valuable for systematics, are described