Morphological analyses allow to separate Branchipus species (Branchiopoda, Anostraca) from different geographic regions

Abstract

In Serbia, Branchipus Schaeffer, 1766 is especially common in the Pannonian lowlands, where Branchipus schaefferi and Branchipus serbicus were previously reported. In the southern parts of the country, at the foothills of the Stara Planina Mountains, a Branchipus intermedius population is reported to occur. We used multivariate analysis to assess the degree of morphological variability between Branchipus populations currently ascribed to different species. Morphometric characters contributed the most to the morphological differentiation. Populations were better defined on the basis of male morphometric characters. Our results indicate that individuals from the southeastern, mountainous part of the country had the highest level of differentiation. We confirmed that this population belongs to B. intermedius. The individuals of the presumed species B. serbicus exhibited a fairly lower level of morphological differentiation in the present study, and grouped together with other lowland Serbian populations ascribed to B. schaefferi. According to this study, B. serbicus is a junior synonym of B. schaefferi.