Crustaceana 90 (6) 673-683
STREPTOCEPHALUS SANGOENSIS N. SP. (ANOSTRACA,
STREPTOCEPHALIDAE), A NEW LARGE BRANCHIOPOD SPECIES
FOR SOUTHERN AFRICA
BY
TAMUKA NHIWATIWA
1,4
), TATENDA DALU
2
) and LUC BRENDONCK
3
)
1
) Department of Biological Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, P.O. Box MP167, Mount Pleasant,
Harare, Zimbabwe
2
) Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, P.O. Box 94, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa
3
) Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, KU Leuven, Charles
Deberiotstraat 32, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
ABSTRACT
Recent collections from the south-eastern Lowveld of Zimbabwe yielded an undescribed species
of the freshwater branchiopod genus Streptocephalus. The species was formerly published as
Streptocephalus cf. bidentatus by Brendonck & Riddoch (1997), indicating that more research was
needed to prove its valid species status, distinct from S. bidentatus sensu stricto. The new species
can be distinguished from S. bidentatus sensu stricto, mainly by its cercopods. The cercopods of
S. bidentatus sensu stricto have spines in the distal third region of the furcal rami, while those of
S. sangoensis n. sp. are setiferous up to the tips. All other morphological features are the same.
The occurrence of the two species in syntopy further validates that they are different species. As
with S. bidentatus sensu stricto, the new species S. sangoensis n. sp. was collected from ephemeral
habitats. This region is a hotspot of large branchiopod diversity with a total of 16 known species
occurring there.
Key words. — Anostraca, branchiopod, invertebrates, new records, Streptocephalidae, Strepto-
cephalus
RÉSUMÉ
Des collectes récentes dans le Lowveld sud-oriental du Zimbabwe ont fourni une espèce non
encore décrite du genre de Branchiopode d’eau douce Streptocephalus. L’espèce a été précédemment
publiée comme Streptocephalus cf. bidentatus par Brendonck & Riddoch (1997), les auteurs
indiquant que de plus amples recherches étaient nécessaires pour prouver son statut spécifique,
distinct de S. bidentatus sensu stricto. La nouvelle espèce peut être distinguée de S. bidentatus sensu
stricto, principalement par ses cercopodes. Les cercopodes de S. bidentatus sensu stricto possèdent
des épines au tiers distal des rames furcales, tandis que ceux de S. sangoensis n. sp. ont des soies
4
) Corresponding author; e-mail: drtnhiwatiwa@gmail.com
© Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2017 DOI 10.1163/15685403-00003699