Corresponding author: Matthew S. Bird (
Academic editor: M. Michat
Water beetles belonging to the suborder
Bird MS, Bilton DT, Perissinotto R (2017) Diversity and distribution of polyphagan water beetles (Coleoptera) in the Lake St Lucia system, South Africa. ZooKeys 656: 51–84.
A recent survey of the
The suborder
Like the hydradephagans, polyphagans are also found in all types of aquatic habitats and although they do not spread into the open ocean, some species are able to tolerate hypersaline conditions as high as 250‰, especially hydraenids in the genus
The St Lucia lake system is part of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, South Africa’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site and a RAMSAR Wetland of International Importance (
The sampling design and protocol for this study follow those described by
Lake St Lucia (27°52'0"S to 28°24'0"S and 32°21'0"E to 32°34'0"E) is located in the north-eastern corner of South Africa in the KwaZulu-Natal province and is a large (~ 300 to 350 km2) estuarine lake system comprising three interconnected shallow lakes (South Lake, North Lake and False Bay) that are joined to the Indian Ocean via a 21 km channel known as the Narrows (Fig.
The Lake St Lucia system in northern KwaZulu-Natal. The locations of sites sampled between November 2013 and February 2015 are depicted. Site numbers 1–32 correspond to those in Table
Six waterbody types were sampled (following the classification of
Geographic position and classification of the waterbodies sampled during this study. Sampling took place during the three collecting trips to Lake St Lucia during November 2013, July 2014 and January/February 2015. Classification (wetland type) follows the hydrogeomorphic (
Site | GPS (D°M'S") | Wetland type | Region | Nov 2013 | Jul 2014 | Jan/ Feb 2015 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
|
|
River (pool) |
|
× | × | |
2 |
|
|
Depression |
|
× | ||
3 |
|
|
Channelled valley bottom |
|
× | ||
4 |
|
|
Channelled valley bottom |
|
× | ||
5 |
|
|
River (riparian zone) |
|
× | ||
6 |
|
|
Depression |
|
× | × | × |
7 |
|
|
Depression |
|
× | × | × |
8 |
|
|
Depression (artificial) |
|
× | ||
9 |
|
|
Depression |
|
× | ||
10 |
|
|
Depression |
|
× | ||
11 |
|
|
Un-channelled valley bottom |
|
× | ||
12 |
|
|
Depression |
|
× | ||
13 |
|
|
Depression |
|
× | × | |
14 |
|
|
Depression |
|
× | × | |
15 |
|
|
Un-channelled valley bottom |
|
× | ||
16 |
|
|
Depression |
|
× | ||
17 |
|
|
Channelled valley bottom |
|
× | ||
18 |
|
|
Flat |
|
× | ||
19 |
|
|
Un-channelled valley bottom |
|
× | ||
20 |
|
|
River (main channel) |
|
× | ||
21 |
|
|
Depression |
|
× | ||
22 |
|
|
Depression |
|
× | ||
23 |
|
|
Depression |
|
× | ||
24 |
|
|
River (connected to estuary) |
|
× | ||
25 |
|
|
Depression |
|
× | ||
26 |
|
|
Depression |
|
× | ||
27 |
|
|
Depression |
|
× | × | |
28 |
|
|
Channelled valley bottom |
|
× | ||
29 |
|
|
Channelled valley bottom |
|
× | × | |
30 |
|
|
Estuarine lake |
|
× | × | |
31 |
|
|
Estuarine lake shore (light trap) |
|
× | × | × |
32 |
|
|
Seep |
|
× |
Beetle collection efforts primarily involved the use of a long-handled square-framed sweep net (30 cm mouth and 1 mm mesh), following a sweep protocol similar to that of
A range of
Aquatic
Species identification was undertaken with reference to museum material and the most recent literature available on the specific taxa. Characteristics of male genitalia were generally used as the key criterion for species identification and separation. Digital photographs of the dorsal habitus of each species were taken using a EOS 600D digital camera fitted to a Sigma 50mm f/2.8 EX DG macro lens for larger specimens (≥ 1.5 cm) and a Leica Z6 APO for smaller specimens (< 1.5 cm). Image stacks were produced by hand, and combined using Zerene Stacker software (
Multivariate techniques were used to analyse spatial trends in the composition of polyphagan beetle assemblages at St Lucia. Beetle data were converted to presence-absence and assemblage similarity amongst sites was analysed using the Bray-Curtis coefficient. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (
Multidimensional scaling was performed using PRIMER v6 software (
The sites sampled during this survey reflect the relative abundance of the various waterbody types encountered on the St Lucia coastal plain, with groundwater-fed depressions and valley bottom wetlands predominating, although several small rivers, a wetland flat and a seep were also sampled, in addition to the estuarine lake itself. Freshwater wetlands around Lake St Lucia were mostly small (< 2 ha), shallow (< 1 m maximum depth) and extensively vegetated. Further details on the physico-chemistry of the waterbodies sampled at St Lucia are provided by
A total of 37 taxa of aquatic
Polyphagan beetles collected from St Lucia during the course of this study. The sites are listed from which each taxon was collected on each of the three sampling trips. Site numbers 1 – 32 correspond to those listed in Table
Taxon | Sampling date | Region | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nov 2013 | Jul 2014 | Jan/Feb 2015 |
|
|
|
|
2, 3, 5, 13, 14, 15 | 6, 7, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23, 27, 32 | × | × | × | ||
6, 14, 17, 19, 27, 32 | × | × | × | |||
18 | × | |||||
6, 7, 14, 16, 17, 18, 21, 27 | × | × | × | |||
6, 14, 17, 18, 20, 25, 27 | × | × | × | |||
1, 20, 27 | × | × | × | |||
15 | 1, 7, 14, 16, 22, 23, 25, 27 | × | × | × | ||
|
14 | × | ||||
27 | 10 | 6, 14, 18, 23, 27, 29 | × | × | × | |
6, 7, 14, 18, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29, 31, 32 | × | × | × | |||
7, 29, 30 | × | × | ||||
27 | 6, 14, 18, 21, 27, 29 | × | × | × | ||
14, 18, 22, 27, 29 | × | × | × | |||
|
32 | × | ||||
+ |
21 | × | ||||
|
7, 13, 18, 21, 29 | × | × | × | ||
7, 13, 14, 18, 21, 25, 27, 29, 32 | × | × | × | |||
*+ |
16, 18, 22, 29 | × | × | × | ||
31 | × | |||||
|
30 | 6, 16, 17, 26, 27, 29, 31 | × | × | ||
31 | 10 | 14, 31 | × | × | × | |
30 | 14, 17, 18, 20, 22, 23, 24, 27, 31 | × | × | × | ||
30 | 1, 4, 5 | 7, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 27, 28, 29, 32 | × | × | × | |
14, 23, 27, 29 | × | × | ||||
10 | 6, 21, 24, 27, 28, 29, 31 | × | × | × | ||
11 | 14, 16, 17, 22, 23, 27, 29, 31, 32 | × | × | × | ||
12 | 27 | × | × | |||
3, 4, 5, 15 | 1, 6, 7, 14, 17, 18, 19, 21, 23, 24, 25, 27, 29, 31 | × | × | × | ||
14, 20, 23, 27, 31, 32 | × | × | ||||
29, 30 | 1, 10 | 18, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 31, 32 | × | × | × | |
22, 23 | × | |||||
1, 14, 16, 22, 23, 27, 28, 31 | × | × | × | |||
14, 17, 21, 22, 25, 29, 32 | × | × | × | |||
+ |
27, 29 | × | ||||
|
21, 27, 29, 32 | × | × | |||
21, 29 | × | × | ||||
13, 14 | 29 | × | × |
+ Taxa known only from South Africa.
* New species, first found in this study.
Polyphagan beetles were generally widespread across a number of waterbodies, with 21 of the 37 species being collected from five or more sites (Table
Polyphagan taxa collected from St Lucia and surroundings prior to the current survey are listed in Table
Aquatic polyphagan beetles previously recorded from the Lake St Lucia system and surrounding waterbodies. Literature sources are indicated by letters as follows: (a)
Family | Genus | Species | Publication | Years recorded | Location |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
(c) | 2002/2003 |
|
||
|
|
Not specified | D | ||
|
Not specified | ||||
|
(c) | 2002/2003 |
|
||
(c) | 2002/2003 |
|
|||
(c) | 2002/2003 |
|
|||
(c) | 2002/2003 |
|
|||
(a), (b) | 1948 |
|
|||
|
1960 |
|
|||
(c) | 2002/2003 |
|
|||
(a), (b) | 1948 |
|
|||
(c) | 2002/2003 |
|
|||
(c) | 2002/2003 |
|
|||
(c) | 2002/2003 |
|
|||
|
Not specified | ||||
|
Not specified | ||||
(c) | 2002/2003 |
|
|||
UKZN | 2012 |
|
|||
(c) | 2002/2003 |
|
|||
|
UKZN | 2008 |
|
||
(c) | 2002/2003 |
|
|||
(c) | 2002/2003 |
|
|||
|
Not specified | D, |
|||
|
UKZN | 2012 |
|
||
|
1988 |
|
|||
|
Not specified |
|
|||
|
Not specified |
|
|||
|
(d) | 1997 | |||
|
|
Not specified | |||
|
Not specified | ||||
|
Not specified |
|
|||
|
|
Not specified | D | ||
|
Not specified |
|
|||
|
Not specified | D | |||
|
|
Not specified | D |
* Also recorded during the dedicated surveys of 2013–2015.
The composition of polyphagan beetle assemblages was similar between the Western and Eastern Shores of St Lucia, as reflected by the high degree of overlap of sites from these two regions in the
Non-parametric permutational MANOVA (
(a) | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Source | df | SS | MS | F | P | Groups | t | P |
Region | 2 | 13006 | 6502.9 | 1.9978 | 0.012* | 1.5753 | 0.019* | |
Residual | 30 | 100910 | 3255.1 | 0.85389 | 0.689 | |||
Total | 32 | 113910 | 1.7283 | 0.002* | ||||
|
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Waterbody type | 3 | 13102 | 4367.4 | 1.2997 | 0.144 | |||
Residual | 29 | 100810 | 3360.4 | |||||
Total | 32 | 113910 |
* Significant P values at α = 0.05.
Multidimensional scaling (
Kruskal-Wallis tests showed that polyphagan beetle richness did not differ significantly between the three regions of St Lucia (KW-H2, 37 = 0.9006, p = 0.6374) or between waterbody types (KW-H5, 37 = 4.2675, p = 0.5116). Mean richness across all sites and sampling trips was 6.4±5.9 (SD) species per site, the high standard deviation reflecting large variation in the number of species recorded per site. The boxplots in Fig.
Box-plots comparing the median and spread of species richness (number of polyphagan taxa per site) among (a) regions and (b) waterbody types at St Lucia during the sampling period 2013–2015. The data representing number of taxa per site are also reported (c). Site numbers in (c) are coded as A (first survey–November 2013), B (second survey–July 2014) or C (third survey–January/February 2015). Kruskal-Wallis tests indicated that species richness did not vary significantly among regions (KW-H2, 37 = 0.9006, p = 0.6374) or waterbody types (KW-H5, 37 = 4.2675, p = 0.5116).
Scatterplot depicting the positive linear relationship (r = 0.8605, P < 0.001) between the number of taxa per site for
The dedicated surveys of the St Lucia coastal plain between 2013 and 2015 have revealed 37 aquatic polyphagan species, which predominantly reside in the small freshwater wetlands surrounding the main lake body. Given that ca. 360 species of aquatic
The number of
The St Lucia
In terms of the distribution of species within St Lucia, only five taxa (
Polyphagan beetle assemblage composition did not differ between waterbody types (Fig.
The majority of prior aquatic research within the iSimangaliso Wetland Park has focused on the estuarine lake itself, rather than the surrounding freshwater wetlands. Our study adds evidence in addition to that of
The iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife are thanked for providing permits and logistical support for this study. We are very grateful to Stephanie Martin, Ricky Taylor, Lynette Clennell, Jacqueline Raw, Nasreen Peer and Nelson Miranda for assisting with field collections. Simon van Noort (
Annotated and illustrated checklist of the
The following list includes photographs of all species recorded during the dedicated water beetle surveys conducted by the authors during the period 2013 to 2015.
The Afrotropical species of this genus are in need of revision.
Range unknown. Afrotropical.
Recorded at Western Shores, Eastern Shores and False Bay in July 2014 and January/February 2015. Previously recorded in fresh water wetlands by
2.5 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Catalina Bay (site 32), February 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
The Afrotropical species of this genus are in need of revision.
Range unknown. Afrotropical.
Recorded at Western Shores, Eastern Shores and False Bay in January/February 2015. Previously recorded in fresh water wetlands by
2.6 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Catalina Bay (site 32), February 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
The Afrotropical species of this genus are in need of revision.
Range unknown. Afrotropical.
Recorded at Western Shores in January/February 2015. Previously recorded in fresh water wetlands on the Eastern Shores of Lake St Lucia by
2.4 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Western Shores (site 18), February 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
Ponds and other lentic waters, in vegetation.
Widespread to Western, Central and Eastern Africa and Madagascar; reaching the Palaearctic in Egypt, Iraq and Israel.
Recorded at Western Shores, Eastern Shores and False Bay in January/February 2015. Previously recorded at Dukandlovu by
2.4 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Eastern Shores (site 14), February 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
Ponds and other lentic waterbodies rich in vegetation.
Widespread to Western, Central and Eastern Africa and Madagascar; apparently reaching the Palaearctic in Turkey.
Recorded at Western Shores, Eastern Shores and False Bay in January/February 2015. Previously recorded at St Lucia and Dukandlovu by
4.5 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, False Bay (site 29), February 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
Ponds and other lentic waterbodies.
Widespread to Western, Central and Eastern Africa. Also reported from China.
Recorded at Western Shores, Eastern Shores and False Bay in January/February 2015.
5.1 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, False Bay (site 27), January 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
Ponds and other lentic waterbodies.
Widespread to Western, Central, Northern and Eastern Africa; reaching the Palaearctic in Egypt and Morocco.
Recorded at Western Shores, Eastern Shores and False Bay in July 2014 and January/February 2015.
5.0 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Eastern Shores (site 14), February 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
Found in dense vegetation in a small wetland at St Lucia.
Namibia, Botswana and Zambia. New record for South Africa.
Recorded at Eastern Shores in January/February 2015.
3.5 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Eastern Shores (site 14), February 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
Species-level identification requires comparison with types.
Range unknown.
Recorded at Western Shores, Eastern Shores and False Bay in November 2013, July 2014 and January/February 2015. Previously recorded at fresh water wetlands on the Eastern Shores of Lake St Lucia by
4.3 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, False Bay (site 27), February 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
Ponds and lagoons, particularly with exposed substrate and some mineralisation/salinity.
Widespread to Western, Central and Eastern Africa and Madagascar and the Seychelles; reaching the Palaearctic in Egypt.
Recorded at Western Shores, Eastern Shores and False Bay in January/February 2015. Previously recorded at False Bay by
5.2 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, False Bay (site 29), February 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
Lentic waters, particularly with exposed substrates.
Widespread to Western, Central and Eastern Africa and Madagascar.
Recorded at Western Shores and False Bay in November 2013.
2.8 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, False Bay (site 29), February 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
Lentic waters, in vegetation.
Widespread to Western, Central and Eastern Africa; reaching the Palaearctic in Egypt.
Recorded at Western Shores, Eastern Shores and False Bay in November 2013 and January/February 2015.
5.4 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, False Bay (site 27), January 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
Lentic waters, in vegetation.
Widespread to Western, Central and Eastern Africa.
Recorded at Western Shores, Eastern Shores and False Bay in January/February 2015.
3.8 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, False Bay (site 27), January 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
Seepages over peat beside lagoon at St Lucia.
Namibia (Caprivi Strip) and Botswana (Okavango). New record for South Africa.
Recorded at Eastern Shores in January/February 2015.
1.8 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Catalina Bay (site 32), February 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
Lentic waters, in vegetation.
A species currently only known from South Africa.
Recorded at Eastern Shores in January/February 2015.
2.5 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Catalina Bay (site 32), February 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
Lentic waters, in vegetation.
Described from Zimbabwe. New record for South Africa.
Recorded at Western Shores, Eastern Shores and False Bay in January/February 2015.
2.5 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, False Bay (site 29), February 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
Lentic waters, in vegetation.
South Africa, Namibia and Botswana.
Recorded at Western Shores, Eastern Shores and False Bay in January/February 2015.
1.9 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, False Bay (site 27), January 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
A new species, first detected during this survey. Most close morphologically to
Currently only recorded from St Lucia – wider distribution unknown.
Recorded at Western Shores, Eastern Shores and False Bay in January/February 2015.
18.5 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Eastern Shores (site 22), February 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
Lentic waters, in vegetation.
Widespread to western, central and eastern Africa and Madagascar.
Recorded at False Bay in November 2013. Previously recorded at Dukandlovu Pan by the authors and deposited at UKZN in 2012.
16.0 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, False Bay (site 31), November 2013
MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
Lentic waters, in vegetation.
Mozambique to Eastern Africa and Madagascar. New record for South Africa, first reported by
Recorded at Western Shores and False Bay in November 2013 and January/February 2015.
16.2 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, False Bay (site 27), January 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
Lentic waters, in vegetation.
Widespread to Western, Central and Eastern Africa, the Mascarenes and Arabia; reaching the Palaearctic in Egypt, Iran, Israel, Syria and Turkey.
Recorded at Western Shores, Eastern Shores and False Bay November 2013, July 2014 and January/February 2015. Previously recorded at False Bay by the authors and deposited at UNKZ in 2012.
37.0 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Eastern Shores (site 14), February 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
Lentic waters, in vegetation.
Widespread to Western, Central and Eastern Africa, Madagascar, the Cape Verdes, the Comoros; reaching the Palaearctic in Algeria, Egypt, Greece and Israel.
Recorded at Western Shores, Eastern Shores and False Bay in November 2013 and January/February 2015. Previously recorded at False Bay by the authors and deposited at UKZN in 2008.
9.9 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, False Bay (site 27), January 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
Lentic waters, in vegetation. African fauna requires revision.
Unknown.
Recorded at Western Shores, Eastern Shores and False Bay in November 2013, July 2014 and January/February 2015.
2.8 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Catalina Bay (site 32), February 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
Lentic waters, in vegetation. African fauna requires revision before certain identification can be reached.
Widespread to Central and Eastern Africa.
Recorded at Eastern Shores and False Bay in January/February 2015.
3.4 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Eastern Shores (site 23), February 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
Lentic waters, in vegetation. Records from South Africa, Namibia, Madagascar and the Mascarenes have been referred to
Widespread to Western, Central and Eastern Africa and Madagascar.
Recorded at Western Shores, Eastern Shores and False Bay in July 2014 and January/February 2015. Previously recorded at St Lucia and Dukandlovu by
6.8 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, False Bay (site 27), January 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
Lentic waters, in vegetation.
Widespread to Western, central and Eastern Africa; reaching the Palaearctic in Egypt and Israel.
Recorded at Western Shores, Eastern Shores and False Bay in July 2014 and January/February 2015. Previously recorded at St Lucia and Dukandlovu by
7.0 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Catalina Bay (site 32), February 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
Lentic waters, in vegetation. The African
Unknown.
Recorded at Eastern Shores and False Bay in July 2014 and January/February 2015. Previously recorded at fresh water wetlands on the Eastern Shores of Lake St Lucia by
4.8 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, False Bay (site 27), January 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
Lentic waters, in vegetation. The African
Unknown.
Recorded at Western Shores, Eastern Shores and False Bay in November 2013, July 2014 and January/February 2015. Previously recorded at fresh water wetlands on the Eastern Shores of Lake St Lucia by
2.9 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, False Bay (site 27), January 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
The African fauna of this genus requires revision.
Unknown.
Recorded at Eastern Shores and False Bay in January/February 2015. Previously recorded at fresh water wetlands on the Eastern Shores of Lake St Lucia by
4.5 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Catalina Bay (site 32), February 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
The African fauna of this genus requires revision.
Unknown.
Recorded at Western Shores, Eastern Shores and False Bay in November 2013, July 2014 and January/February 2015. Previously recorded at fresh water wetlands on the Eastern Shores of Lake St Lucia by
6.3 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Eastern Shores (site 23), February 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
The African fauna of this genus requires revision.
Unknown.
Recorded at Eastern Shores in January/February 2015. Previously recorded at fresh water wetlands on the Eastern Shores of Lake St Lucia by
4.8 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Eastern Shores (site 23), February 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
In wet decaying vegetable debris in the margins of lentic waterbodies.
Widespread in Afrotropical Region, including Madagascar.
Recorded at Western Shores, Eastern Shores and False Bay in January/February 2015.
2.6 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Eastern Shores (site 23), February 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
Shallow margins of lentic and lotic waters.
Widespread in South Africa and also recorded from Angola and Namibia.
Recorded at Western Shores, Eastern Shores and False Bay in January/February 2015.
1.5 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Catalina Bay (site 32), February 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
Pond margins.
Eastern South Africa. Species recently described, but so far only known from South Africa.
Recorded at False Bay in January/February 2015.
0.9 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, False Bay (site 27), January 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
Pond margins. Afrotropical species of the genus currently in revision (Perkins, pers. comm.).
Kenya. Most likely new to South Africa, regardless of species.
Recorded at Eastern Shores and False Bay in January/February 2015.
1.2 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Eastern Shores (site 21), February 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
Pond margins.
Widespread in Southern and Eastern Africa.
Recorded at Eastern Shores and False Bay in January/February 2015.
2.0 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Eastern Shores (site 21), February 2015
DT Bilton, MS Bird & R Perissinotto leg.
In vegetation in lentic waterbodies.
Widespread in Southern Africa.
Recorded at Eastern Shores and False Bay in July 2014 and January/February 2015.
5.0 mm, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Eastern Shores (site 13), July 2014
MS Bird leg.