Main Content

The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Ref ID : 1847

C.H. Fernando and Nora P. -Zankai; The rotifera of Malaysia and Singapore with remarks on some species. Hydrobiologia 78:205-219, 1981

Reprint

In File

Notes

An intensive and extensive sampling of all types of Malaysian and Singaporean freshwater for zooplankton gave 165 species, sub-species and varieties of Rotifera, mainly belonging to the Monogononta. Bdelloida were rarely identified. The present records bring Malaysia and Singapore in line with other well studied tropical countries as far as Rotifera records are concerned. 7 new genera and over 50 species, subspecies, varieties and forms have been added to the Malaysian and Singaporean Rotifera records and interesting and marked morphological and size variation is species from previous records, have been noted. The richest (in species) fauna of Rotifera occurs in rice fields and ponds which have a seasonal succession of dry and wet conditions and vegetation which shelters the rotifers. The Malaysian and Singaporean Rotifera fauna is typically tropical with a dominance to the genus Brachionus over temperate genera like Keratella. Also very rare or missing are typical temperate genera like Ploesoma, Notholca and Syncaeta. The dominance of Brachionus in Malaysia is less evident than expected because only a very small proportion or samples were taken in limnetic situations where Brachionus clearly dominates in the tropics.