Carbon content of some freshwater rotifers

Carbon content of rotifers from 14 species ( Keratella cochlearis, K. c. te cta, K. c. hispida, K. ticinensis, K. quadrata, Polyarthra remata, P. vulga ris, P. major, P. euryptera, Synchaeta sp., S. stylata, S. pectinata, Trich ocerca capucina, Asplanchna priodonta) was determined with the high tempera ture combustion method of Salonen (1979). Rotifers for the carbon analysis were collected from different fresh water bodies in Russia (Lake Ladoga) an d Finland (lakes Pohjalampi, Varaslampi, and two small ponds in Lammi). Ave rage individual carbon mass of rotifers varied between 0.0064 and 0.058 mu g in Keratella spp., 0.012 and 0.051 mu g in Polyarthra spp., 0.020 and 0.1 33 mu g in Synchaeta spp., 0.162 and 0.555 mu g in A. priodonta. The carbon level in the studied rotifer species differed 100-fold ranging from 0.31% WW in A. priodonta to 31.5% WW in K. c. tecta. Body length/carbon mass and body volume/carbon mass regressions were established for the studied rotife rs.