Calanoida (Crustacea: Copepoda) of the Italian fauna: a review

• Main Author: Genuario Belmonte
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2018-01-01
• Series: The European Zoological Journal
• Subjects: Zooplankton; biogeography; Italian fauna; Calanoida
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/24750263.2018.1488005

The present paper presents a faunal study of Calanoida in both fresh and marine waters, considering both planktonic and benthic species, for the first time specifically devoted to a national territory (Italy). A total of 270 Calanoida species belonging to 34 families are found in Italy, including 34% of European freshwater species and 61% of Mediterranean marine species. Six species, all from coastal environments, are endemic. One freshwater species and three found in coastal brackish waters have been recognised as recently introduced (non-indigenous). Calanoida are abundant and always present in any marine plankton sample, while they are present in only half of the strictly freshwater bodies. The data collected confirm the general low level of adaptation of Calanoida to fresh water, notwithstanding the high adaptability of the single family Diaptomidae. Finally, due to the geographical position of Italy in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, the Italian Calanoida fauna can be considered highly representative of both the Mediterranean Sea and the European continent.