DISTRIBUTION PATTERNS OF THE DIAPTOMIDAE (CALANOIDA, COPEPODA) IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

All freshwater calanoids in southern Africa belong to the family Diapt omidae of which there are two subfamilies, the Paradiaptominae (Lovenu la, Paradiaptomus and Metadiaptomus) and Diaptominae (Tropodiaptomus a nd Thermodiaptomus). The Paradiaptominae are endemic to Africa, while the Diaptominae have one endemic African genus Thermodiaptomus, and th e other genus Tropodiaptomus, occurs in other parts of the world as we ll as Africa, Knowledge of distribution of the Diaptomidae has been ha mpered by incomplete taxonomic knowledge and lack of co-ordination of available information. Distribution patterns of 19 described species a nd 11 new species confirm that the majority of species have a limited distribution, and that the Paradiaptominae are arid-adapted and belong to temporary pool communities. Six species are endemic to coastal pan s and vleis of the western and southern Cape Province. Only those spec ies with a wider distribution have been recorded as colonising man-mad e lakes. The four Lovemula species are predators and often co-exist wi th a Metadiaptomus species as prey. Synapomorphies of widely separated species of the Paradiaptominae, provide interesting insights into how their evolution may have been governed by vicariance, dispersal and p alaeoenvironments of the African continent.