PLEISTOCENE AND RECENT SPECIES OF THE FAMILY DARWINULIDAE BRADY AND NORMAN, 1889 (CRUSTACEA, OSTRACODA) IN EUROPE

Six species in two genera of Darwinulidae are here reported from Europ e; two of these are known from fossils only. Microdarwinula zimmeri (M enzel) is, in Europe, an interstitial species. Darwinula stevensoni (B rady & Robertson), the type species of the genus, is also the most com mon darwinulid. Although it abounds in the shallow littoral of lakes, it can also occur in rivers, bogs and springs, both in fresh and salin e waters. Darwinula boteai Danielopol is found in interstitial habitat s in Rumania. Darwinula pagliolii Pinto & Kotzian, originally describe d from Recent South American populations, is reported from fossil, Ger man localities. Darwinula brasiliensis Pinto & Kotzian, originally des cribed as D. africana brasiliensis, also from South America, is here e levated to specific rank. It has been found extant in a bog in souther n France and is reported from a museum collection from a Scottish lake . The latter species is here reported from Europe for the first time. Finally, Darwinula danielopoli n.sp. is also described from German Hol ocene (Subrecent) fossils. This species represents the first nominal t axon of a distinctly separate lineage within Darwinula s.l. Global and European distribution, history, ecological tolerance ranges, brooding and clonal taxonomy in this group are discussed.