Abstract
Bdelloids inhabit many different environments. The entire taxon is an order belonging to the phylum Rotifera. In spite of its wide distribution, it has a very uniform morphology, suggesting that natural selection has had almost no effect on its morphological characteristics.
This paper reviews the geographical and ecological distributions of bdelloids and their ability to tolerate different conditions is discussed. Two characteristics account for the wide distribution of bdelloids, parthenogenetic reproduction and their ability to withstand unfavorable conditions through anhydrobiosis. The former is an apomictic thelytoky which may ensure genetic homogeneity within clones. However, evidence which suggests variability among and within parthenogenetic clones is discussed. Some recent experimental evidence indicates that anhydrobiosis does not affect the life history of the surviving individuals. The effects of anhydrobiosis on bdelloid populations are considered.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Atchley, W. R., 1977. Evolutionary consequences of parthenogenesis: Evidence from the Warramaba virgo complex. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 74: 1130–1134.
Badino, G. & C. Robotti, 1975. Selection in parthenogenetic lines of Asplanchna sieboldi (Rotatoria). Experientia 31: 298–299.
Bartoš, E., 1951. The Czechoslovak Rotatoria of the Order Bdelloidea. Věstník Čs. Zool. spol. 15: 241–500.
Beranek, A. P. & R. J. Berry, 1974. Inherited changes in enzyme patterns within parthogenetic clones of Aphis fabae. J. Entomol. (Sez. A) 48: 141–147.
Berzins, B., 1978. Rotatoria. In: Illies, J. (ed.). Limnofauna Europaea. 2nd ed. Fisher, Stuttgart: 54–91.
Berzins, B., 1984. Some rotifers from North America: a reminiscence. Limnol. Institutionen Lunds Universitet. 15 pp.
Birky, C. W. & J. J. Gilbert, 1971. Parthenogenesis in rotifers: the control of sexual and asexual reproduction. Am. Zool. 11: 245–266.
Burger, A., 1948. Studies on the moss dwelling bdelloids (Rotifera) of Eastern Massachusetts. Trans. am. microsc. Soc. 67: 111–142.
Chengalath, R., 1984. Bibliographia Invertebratorum Aquaticorum Canadensium. Vol. 3. Rotifera. National Museums of Canada. 102 pp.
Crowe, J., L. Crowe & D. Chapman, 1984. Preservation of membranes in anhydrobiotic organisms: the role of trehalose. Science 223: 701–703.
Cuellar, O., 1977. Animal Parthenogenesis. Science 197: 837–843.
De Ridder, M., 1981. Some considerations on the geographical distribution of rotifers. Hydrobiologia 85: 209–225.
Dickson, M. & E. Mercer, 1967. Fine structural changes accompanying desiccation in Philodina roseola (Rotifera). J. Micr. 6: 331–348.
Dobers, E., 1915. Über die Biologie der Bdelloidea. Int. Revue ges. Hydrobiol. Hydrol. Suppl. zu Bd. 7: 1–128.
Donner, J., 1953. Einige Fälle von Reduktion der Zehen zu einer Haftscheibe bei bdelloiden Rotatorien des Bodens. Österr. Zool. Ztschr. 4: 346–353.
Donner, J., 1956. Über die Mikrofauna, besonders die Rotatorienfauna des Bodens. VI Congrès Int Science du Sol. III, 20: 121–124.
Donner, J., 1964. Die Rotatorien. — Synusien submerser Makrophyten der Donau bei Wien und mehrer Alpenbäche. Arch. Hydrobiol. Suppl. 27: 227–324.
Donner, J., 1965. Ordnung Bdelloidea. Akademie Verlag. 297 pp.
Donner, J., 1970. Die Rädertierbestände submerser Moose der Salzach und anderer Wasser-Biotope des Flussgebietes. Arch. Hydrobiol. Suppl. 34: 109–254.
Donner, J., 1972. Die Rädertierbestände submerser Moose und weiterer Merotope im Bereich der Staueräume der Donau an der deutsch-österreichischen Landesgrense. Arch. Hydrobiol. Suppl. 36: 109–254.
Donner, J., 1975. Randbiotope von Fliessgewässern als orte der Anpassung von Wasserorganismen an Bodenbedingungen, gezeigt an Rotatorien der Donau und Nebenflüsse. Verh. Ges. Ökol.: 231–234.
Donner, J., 1978. Material zur saprobiologischen Beurteilung mehrerer Gewässer des Donau-Systems bei Wallsee und in der Lobau, Österreich, mit besonderer Berücksichtigung der litoralen Rotatorien. Arch. Hydrobiol. Suppl. 52: 117–228.
Dumont, H. J., 1983. Biogeography of rotifers. Hydrobiologia 104: 19–30.
Everitt, D. A., 1981. An ecological study of an Antarctic freshwater pool with particular reference to Tardigrada and Rotifera. Hydrobiologia 83: 225–237.
Francez, A. J., 1980. Quelques Bdelloides (Rotifères) des tourbieres d'Auvergne. Rev. Sc. Nat. d'Auvergne 46: 21–26.
Gerritsen, J., 1980. Sex and parthenogenesis in sparse populations. Am. Nat. 115: 718–742.
Gilbert, J. J., 1974. Dormancy in rotifers. Trans. am. Microsc. Soc. 93: 490–513.
Gillard, A., 1957. Katalog der Radertieren van Belgish Kongo. Natuurwet. Tijdschr. 38: 113–141.
Green, J., 1972. Latitudinal variations in associations of planktonic rotifera. J. Zool., Lond. 167: 31–39.
Haigh, S. B., 1963. The Bdelloid Rotifers of New Zealand. Part 1. J. Quekett micr. Club 29: 161–170.
Haigh, S. B., 1965. The Bdelloid Rotifers of New Zealand. Part 2. J. Quekett micr. Club 30: 7–13; 36–41.
Haigh, S. B., 1966. The Bdelloid Rotifers of New Zealand, Part 3. J. Quekett micr. Club 30: 193–201.
Haigh, S. B., 1968. The Bdelloid Rotifers of New Zealand, Part 4. Microscopy 31: 33–41.
Haigh, S. B., 1970. The Bdelloid Rotifers of New Zealand. Part 5. Microscopy 31: 326–330.
Hebert, R D. N. & T. J. Crease, 1983. Clonal diversity in populations of Daphnia pulex reproducing by obligate parthenogenesis. Heredity 51: 353–369.
Hickernell, L. M., 1917. A study on desiccation in the rotifer Philodina roseola, with special reference to cytological changes accompanying desiccation. Biol. Bull. 32: 343–407.
Hsu, W. S., 1956a. Oogenesis in the Bdelloidea rotifer Philodina roseola. La Cellule 57: 283–296.
Hsu, W S., 1956b. Oogenesis in Habrotrocha bidens. Biol. Bull. 111: 364–374.
International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, 1985. Published for the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature, London.
Jacobs, M., 1909. The effects of desiccation on the rotifer Philodina roseola. J. Exp. Zool. 6: 207–263.
Jennings, H. S., 1901. Synopsis of North-American Invertebrates. XVII The Rotatoria. Am. Nat. 35: 725–777.
José de Paggi, S. & W. Koste, 1984. Checklist of the rotifers recorded from Antarctic and Subantarctic areas. Senckenbergiana biol. 65: 169–178.
King, C. E., 1972. Adaptation of rotifers to seasonal variations. Ecology 53: 404–418.
Klimowicz, H., 1972. Rotifers of the near bottom zone of lakes Mikolajskie and Taltowisko. Pol. Arch. Hydrobiol. 19: 167–178.
Koste, W., 1970. Das Rädertier-Porträt. Macrotachela quadricornifera, ein moosbewohnendes bdelloides Rädertier. Mikrokosmos 59: 328–332.
Koste, W., 1976. Über die Rädertierbestände (Rotatoria) der oberen und mittleren Hase in den Jahren 1966–1969. Osnabrücker Naturw. Mitt. 4: 191–263.
Lansing, A. I., 1954. A nongenic factor in the longevity of Rotifers. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 57: 455–464.
Lynch, M., 1984. Destabilizing hybridation, general-purpose genotypes and geographic parthenogenesis. Quat. Rev. Biol. 59: 257–290.
Lynch, M., 1985. Spontaneous mutations for life-history characters in an obligate parthenogen. Evolution 39: 804–818.
Madaliński, K., 1961. Moss dwelling Rotifers of Tatra streams. Pol. Arch. Hydrobiol. 9: 243–263.
Maynard-Smith, J., 1978. The evolution of sex. Cambridge University Press, 222 pp.
Mayr, E., 1954. Change of genetic environment and evolution. In: Huxley, J., A. C. Hardy & E. B. Ford (eds), Evolution as a process. Allen & Unwin, London: 157–180.
Milne, W., 1916a. On the bdelloid Rotifera of South Africa. Part I. J. Quekett Micr. Club 13: 47–83.
Milne, W., 1916b. On the bdelloid Rotifera of South Africa. Part II. J. Quekett Micr. Club 13: 149–184.
Murray, J., 1908. Some African Rotifers. J. r. microsc. Soc. 28: 665–670.
Murray, J., 1911a. Some African Rotifers: Bdelloidea of Tropical Africa. J. r. microsc. Soc. 31: 1–18.
Murray, J., 1911b. Bdelloid Rotifera of South Africa. Ann. Transvaal Mus. 3: 1–19.
Pax, F. & K. Wulfert, 1941. Die Rädertiere der deutschen Thermen. Lotos 88: 246–262.
Plasota, K. & M. Plasota, 1980. The determination of the chromosome number of Habrotrocha rosa Donner. Hydrobiologia 73: 43–44.
Pejler, B., 1977. General problems on rotifer taxonomy and global distribution. Arch. Hydrobiol. Beih. 8: 212–220.
Ricci, C., 1980. Rotiferi bdelloidei da muschi dell'Uganda. In Ricerche Zoologiche in Uganda. Accad. Naz. Lincei, quad. n. 250: 17–21.
Ricci, C., 1983. Life histories of some species of Rotifera Bdelloidea. Hydrobiologia 104: 175–180.
Ricci, C., 1984a. Culturing of some bdelloid rotifers. Hydrobiologia 112: 45–52.
Ricci, C., 1984b. Variabilità in popolazioni clonali a riproduzione partenogenetica. Boll. Zool. Atti XLX Convegno UZI 51: 93.
Ricci, C. & D. Bombonati, 1985. Ciclo vitale e produttività in Macrotrachela quadricornifera. S.IT.E. Atti, 5: 259–262.
Ricci, C. & G. Melone, 1984. Macrotrachela quadricornifera (Rotifera, Bdelloidea); a SEM study on active and cryptobiotic animals. Zoologica Scripta 13: 195–200.
Robotti, C., 1987. Chromosome number of some Bdelloidea rotifer species. Hydrobiologia, this volume.
Saura, A., J. Lokki, P. Lankinen & E. Suomalainen, 1976. Genetic polymorphism and evolution in parthenogenetic animals. III. Tetraploid Otiorrhynchus scaber (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Hereditas 82: 79–100.
Shiel, R. J. & W. Koste, 1979. Rotifera recorded from Australia. Trans. r. soc. South Australia 103: 57–68.
Slàdecek, V., 1983. Rotifers as indicators of water quality. Hydrobiologia 100: 169–201.
Stoddard, J. A., 1983. The accumulation of genetic variation in a parthenogenetic snail. Evolution 37: 546–554.
Suomalainen, E. & S. Saura, 1973. Genetic polymorphism and evolution in parthenogenetic animals. I. Polyploid Curculionidae. Genetics 74: 489–508.
Suomalainen, E., A. Saura & J. Lokki, 1976. Evolution of parthenogenetic insects. Evol. Biol. 9: 209–257.
Wulfert, K., 1960. Die Rädertiere saurer Gewässer der Dübener Heide. Arch. Hydrobiol. 56: 311–333.
Zullini, A. & C. Ricci, 1980. Bdelloid rotifers and nematodes in a small Italian stream. Freshwat. Biol. 10: 67–72.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ricci, C.N. Ecology of bdelloids: how to be successful. Hydrobiologia 147, 117–127 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00025734
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00025734