Freshwater Rotifera from plankton of the Kerguelen Islands (Subantarctica)

During the austral summer 1997/98, a survey was made of a series of freshwater bodies on the Kerguelen Islands, Subantarctica (49° S–69° E), in the area of Port-aux- Français and Val Studer. The rotifer fauna from plankton of 17 lentic freshwaters is listed and commented upon. Species richness (39 taxa) and species diversity are fairly low. Only 6 taxa are euplanktic, the others are facultative plankters or littoral/benthic species. Three of the true plankters found are restricted to the Southern Hemisphere, whereas the rest of the rotifers (apart from two unidentified monogononts) shows a wide-spread or cosmopolitan distribution. Thirty-three taxa are new to the Kerguelen archipelago. A comparison is made with the rotifer assemblages observed on other Subantarctic islands. Taxonomic notes on little known species are added. The validity of Cephalodella gibba microdactyla as separate subspecies is rejected, and Filinia terminalis kergueleniensisis recognized as junior synonym of F. pejleri.