A hotspot of large branchiopod diversity in south-eastern Zimbabwe

Large branchiopods are considered threatened across much of their global range. However, because several regions, including Zimbabwe in general and its south-eastern lowveld in particular, remain largely unstudied, interpretations of species distributionpatterns are often based on limited data. A detailed study of large branchiopods was carried out, with repeated sampling of 36 seasonal pans, in 2004-2008 in the Save Valley Conservancy, south-eastern lowveld. Sixteen large branchiopod species were collected, comprising eight Anostraca, one Notostraca, two Laevicaudata, four Spinicaudata and one cyclestherid species, representing 33% of all species known in southern Africa. Most species were new records for Zimbabwe. The enigmatic morphotype, Streptocephaluscf. bidentatus, was encountered for the first time in Zimbabwe, presenting an opportunity to resolve its taxonomic status. Streptocephaluswirminghausi, a species endemic to Zimbabwe, was also recorded. Large endorheic pans had higher species richness...