Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Use of morphological characters for species separation within the genus Artemia (Crustacea, Branchiopoda)

  • Published:
Hydrobiologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Doubts have been raised about the use of morphological characters as criteria for species separation within the genus Artemia because of their relative validity. The characters considered to date, i.e. morphology of the frontal knobs of the male and the presence/absence of a spine-like projection on the basal part of the penis, are only partly efficacious, since they allow us to reliably distinguish only the Mediterranean species, Artemia salina, from the other bisexual species. While A. salina is characterized by subconical frontal knobs and the absence of the spine-like projection, the other species present subspherical frontal knobs and the spine-like projections. There is no information about the aspect of the frontal knobs in the Asian bisexual species. The aim of the present study is to clarify the situation by means of SEM observations of characters not considered in detail (ornamentation of the apical part of the spine-like projections) and by examination of the frontal knobs in the Asian species, which were not described at the time of the first studies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abreu-Grobois, F. A., 1987. A review of the genetics of Artemia. In Sorgeloos, P., D. A. Bengston, W. Decleir & E. Jaspers (eds), Artemia research and its applications, Universa Press, Wetteren Vol. 1: 61–99.

    Google Scholar 

  • Amat, F., 1980. Differentiation in Artemia strains from Spain. In Persoon, P., P. Sorgeloos, O. Roels & E. Jaspers (eds), The brine shrimp Artemia, Universa Press, Wetteren Vol. 1: 19–39.

    Google Scholar 

  • Amat, F., F. Hontoria, J. Navarro & I. Varò, 1995. Biogeography of the genus Artemia in Spain. International Journal of Salt Lake Research 3: 175–190.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barigozzi, C., 1974. Artemia: a survey of its significance in genetic problems. Evolutionary Biology 7: 221–252.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barigozzi, C., 1989. Cytogenetics and speciation of the brine shrimp Artemia. Atti dell’Accademia Nazionali dei Lincei 19: 57–97.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beardmore, J. A. & F. A. Abreu-Grobois, 1983. Taxonomy and evolution in the brine shrimp Artemia. In Oxford, G. S. & D. Rollinson (eds), Protein polymorphism: adaptative and taxonomic significance. Academic Press, London. Vol. 24: 153–164.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brendonck, L., 1995. An updated diagnosis of the branchiopodid genera (Branchiopoda: Anostraca: Branchipodidae) with reflections on the genus concept by Dubois (1988) and importance of genital morphology in anostracan taxonomy. Archiv fuer Hydrobiologie/Suppl. 107: 149–186.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brendonck, L. and D. Belk, 1997. On potentials and relevance of the use of copulatory structures in anostracan taxonomy. Hydrobiologia 359: 83–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Los Rios, P. & O. Zuñiga, 2000. Comparación biométrica del lòbulo frontal en poblaciones americanas de Artemia (Anostraca, Artemiidae). Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 73: 31–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Geddes, M. C. & W. D. Williams, 1987. Comments on Artemia introductions and the need for conservation. In Sorgeloos, P., D. A. Bengtson, W. Decleir & E. Jaspers (eds), Artemia research and its applications, Universa Press, Wetteren, Vol. 3: 19–27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hontoria, F. & F. Amat, 1992. Morhological characterization of adult Artemia (Crustacea, Branchiopoda) from different geographical origins. American populations. Journal of Plankton Research 14: 1461–1471.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mayer, R., 2002. Morphology and biometry of three populations of Artemia (Branchiopoda: Anostraca) from the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. Hydrobiologia 486: 29–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mura, G., 1990. Artemia salina (Linnaeus 1758) from Lymington, England: frontal knob morphology by scanning electron microscopy. Journal of Crustacean Biology 10(2): 364–368.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mura, G., 1991. Scanning electron microscopic study of the molar surfaces of the mandibles of Chirocephalus diaphanus Prévost (Anostraca). Crustaceana 60: 178–185.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mura, G., L. Del Caldo & A. Fanfani, 1989a. Sibling species of Artemia: a light and electron microscopic survey on the morphology of frontal knobs Part I. Journal of Crustacean Biology 9: 414–419

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mura, G., A. Fanfani & L. Del Caldo, 1989b. Sibling species of Artemia: a light and electron microscopic survey of the morphology of the frontal knobs Part II. Journal of Crustacean Biology 9: 420–424.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piccinelli, M. & T. Prosdocimi, 1968. Descrizione tassonomica delle sue specie Artemia salina L. e Artemia persimilis n. sp. Rendiconti dell’Istituto Lombardo di Scienze e Lettere 102: 113–118.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thiéry, R. & F. Robert, 1992. Bisexual populations of the brine shrimp Artemia in Sète-Villeroi and Villeneuve saltworks (Languedoc, France). International Journal of Salt Lake Research 1: 47: 63.

    Google Scholar 

  • Torrentera, L. & D. Belk, 2002. New penis characters to distinguish between two American Artemia species. Hydrobiologia 470: 149–156.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Torrentera, L. & S. I. Dodson, 1995. Morphological diversity of populations of Artemia in Yucatan. Journal of Crustacean Biology 15: 86–102.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Triantaphyllidis, G. V., G. R. J. Criel, T. J. Abatzopoulos & P. Sorgeloos, 1997a. International study on Artemia. LVII. Morphological study of Artemia with emphasis to Old World strains. I. Bisexual populations. Hydrobiologia 357: 139–153.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Triantaphyllidis, G. V., G. R. J. Criel, T. J. Abatzopoulos, K. M. Thomas, J. Peleman, J. A. Beardmore & P. Sorgeloos, 1997b. International study on Artemia. LVII. Morphological and molecular characters suggest conspecificity of all bisexual European and North African Artemia populations. Marine Biology 129: 477–487.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wolfe, F. A., 1980. A light and electron microscopic study of the frontal knob of Artemia (Crustacea, Branchiopoda). In Persoon, G., P. Sorgeloos, O. Roels & E. Jaspers (eds), The brine shrimp Artemia, Vol. 1: 117-130

  • Zuñiga, O., R. Wilson, F. Amat & F. Hontoria, 1999. Distribution and characterization of Chilean population of the brine shrimp Artemia (Crustacea, Branchiopoda, Anostraca). International Journal of Salt Lake Research 3: 25–40.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal & Human Biology, University La Sapienza, Viale Dell’Universita 32, 00185, Roma, Italy

    G. Mura & B. Brecciaroli

Authors
  1. G. Mura
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. B. Brecciaroli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Mura, G., Brecciaroli, B. Use of morphological characters for species separation within the genus Artemia (Crustacea, Branchiopoda). Hydrobiologia 520, 179–183 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:HYDR.0000027721.85736.05

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:HYDR.0000027721.85736.05

Search

Navigation