Determinants of water fleas (Crustacea: Branchiopoda: Cladocera)diversity across seasonal and environmental gradients of a polluted river

Abstract

Cladocera (Crustacea: Branchiopoda), commonly known as water fleas, consist of small, primarily freshwater crustaceans, which form a significant component of zooplankton in different aquatic ecosystems1 . Currently, about 720 species are known across the globe2 , out of which 130 are reported from Indian waters3 . Although studies are available on the diversity of Cladocera in the riverine systems focusing on their interactions with the environment and subsequent application as bio-indicators of eutrophication 4-7 , relatively less information on their ecology is known from the Indian subcontinent.