Karina Battes, Mirela Cîmpean
A new calanoid copepod species for Romanian fauna was identified in aquatic invertebrate samples collected from Natura 2000 site ROSCI0310 Lacurile Fălticeni in 2018-2019: Sinodiaptomus sarsi (Rylov, 1923). This species, native to Eastern Asia, expanded its range from Eastern China and South-Eastern Russia, reaching Turkey and the Caucasus. The first citation in Europe (West from the Black Sea) was made in Ukraine, in August 2014 (Mykitchak, 2016). Unlike the Ukrainian case, where just 2 males and 1 female were found, hundreds of individuals (both juveniles and adults) were identified in ROSCI0310 Lacurile Fălticeni, thus indicating a stable, sustainable population (Battes et al., 2020). The invasive potential of this species must be researched further, i.e. its migration routes, migration vectors etc.
Sinodiaptomus sarsi, female (left) and male (right), colected in 26.06.2019
(bar represents 0,2 mm)
Copepods are microscopic crustaceans (reaching up to 1-2 mm), inhabiting the open water of standing or slow-flowing pools. The project „Elaboration of Management Plans for the following protected areas: ROSCI0310 Lacurile Fălticeni, ROSCI0389 Sărăturile de la Gura Ialomiței – Mihai Bravu, ROSP0051 Iezerul Călărași, ROSPA0061 Lacul Techirghiol, ROSPA0101 Stepa Saraiu Horea, ROSPA0111 Berteștii de Sus – Gura Ialomiței” did not target planktonic communities (i.e. open water communities), but S. sarsi was found in benthic samples (sediment communities), due to the sampling procedures involving limnological nets for water filtration.
Battes, K.P., Váncsa, É., Barbu-Tudoran, L., Cîmpean, M. (2020). A species on the rise in Europe: Sinodiaptomus sarsi (Rylov, 1923) (Copepoda, Calanoida), a new record for the Romanian crustacean fauna. BioInvasions Records, 9(2): 320-332, https://doi.org/10.3391/bir.2020.9.2.17.
Mykitchak, T. (2016). Checklist and distribution of Cladocera and Copepoda (Calanoida, Cyclopoida) from the Ukrainian Carpathians. Wetlands Biodiversity J., 6, 109-121.