Rotifera from Burundi: The Lepadellidae (Rotifera : Monogononta)

We studied the distribution of Lepadellidae (Rotifera) in freshwater habita ts in the floodplain of the River Rusizi in northwest Burundi. Twenty-three species belonging to Colurella Bory de St. Vincent, 1824 (3 species), Lepa della Bory de St. Vincent, 1826 (18 species) and Squatinella Bory de St. Vi ncent, 1826 (2 species) are recorded, 22 of them are new to Burundi. One of the taxa encountered probably represents an unnamed species. Lepadella ara bica Segers & Dumont, 1993 is recognised as junior subjective synonym of Le padella eurysterna Myers, 1942 (syn. nov.). Most of the taxa recorded are c osmopolitan or tropicopolitan, two are restricted to the tropical regions o f the Old World and Australia, and one, Squatinella lunata Segers, 1993 is an Ethiopian endemic.