black sea red data book - Department of Biology

Synonyms: None.
Common names. None.
Colpocyclops dulcís (Monchenko, 1977)
Order CYCLOPOIDA
Family CYCLOPIDAE
Taxonomic description. This genus displays some of the most modified and
oligomerized structures known in Cyclopidae, especially in the mouth parts: the
spines on the masticatory part of the mandibula, the maxillular palp, the strongly
modified maxilla, which is of a prahensile type, and the maxilliped which is absent.
Total female length 744-850 urn, male 498-517 urn.
IUCN Status
World level:
Black Sea Regional level:
Subregion level: VU (Ukrainian sector)
Distribution. In irrigation channels and water reservoirs connected with the lower
Dnieper, which is considered to be its area of origin. As a result of damming of the
Dnieper it was introduced to the water reservoirs of Kakhovka, Zaporozhye,
Dnieprodzerzhinsk and Kremenchug. Genus allied to the Ponto-Caspian genus
Smirnoviella. Morphology, range and halopathy provide reasons to consider it a
member of the Ponto-Caspian zoogeographic complex.
Habitat type, Critical habitats, Limiting factors. A meiobentic species inhabiting
sands and muddy sands at different depths of oligohaline to fresh waterbodies. Found
at a salinity of 0.56-1.51 ppt.
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