Australian

Marine
Zooplankton:
Taxonomic sheets
Version 1: July 2013

Australian Marine Zooplankton: Taxonomic sheets

Contents

Introduction
Taxonomic sheets presented in the following order, and alphabetically within each group
Medusa
Cladocera
Copepoda
Calanoida
Acartiidae
Calanidae
Candaciidae
Centropagidae
Clausocalanidae
Eucalanidae
Lucicutiidae
Mecynoceridae
Metridinidae
Paracalanidae
Pontellidae
Rhincalanidae
Temoridae
Cyclopoida
Corycaeidae
Oithonidae
Oncaeidae
Harpacticoida
Ectinosomatidae
Euterpinidae
Chaetognatha
Appendicularia
Doliolida
Salpida

Citation
Sheets are free to print out and may be used for non-commercial purposes. Any suggested changes, please
email IMOS-Plankton@[Link].
If you use these taxonomic sheets, please cite:
Richardson AJ, Davies C, Slotwinski A, Coman F, Tonks M, Rochester W, Murphy N, Beard J, McKinnon D,
Conway D, Swadling K (2013) Australian Marine Zooplankton: Taxonomic Sheets. 294 pp.

Introduction
Rationale
This guide has developed over the years, predominantly at the CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research
laboratory in Brisbane. We have focused on species descriptions that are possible for a plankton monitoring
survey that requires relatively rapid identification to as higher taxonomic resolution as possible. We are
para-taxonomists rather than true taxonomists describing species, although we work closely with
taxonomists whenever possible. Descriptions include features that are identifiable using a good dissecting
microscope but not a compound microscope. For example, we dissect 5th legs off copepods but not their
mouthparts. This necessarily means that species descriptions are most relevant for the Australian region,
and should be applied in other regions with caution.
Not all zooplankton groups are represented. We have focused on the holoplankton, as the meroplankton
can not routinely be identified to species. Of the holoplankton, we have focused on the most abundant and
well-described species, particularly copepods that have the additional attributes of being robust with
diagnostic features.
This guide is a work in progress and we welcome feedback. The sheets here do not represent all the species
in Australian waters or even all the species we have identified. We will continue to update existing sheets
and expand the number of species covered. Please email us at IMOS-Plankton@[Link] with feedback and
any suggested changes or additions.
Anatomy of sheets
For comparability, we have ensured as far as possible that taxonomic sheets are consistent, particularly
within taxonomic groups (e.g. the calanoid copepods), but also among taxonomic groups (e.g. copepods vs
siphonophores). Each species is described on two pages, although for species with little information the
back page is blank. For species with separate sexes (e.g. copepods, cladocerans), we have placed the female
identification on the front page and male identification on the back page. For salps, we have placed
information on the aggregate form on the front and on the solitary form on the back. This guide is thus
designed to be printed double-sided so each species is on a single page.
The validity of the species is according to WoRMS (World Register of Marine Species,
[Link] Appeltans et al., 2012) and Boxshall & Halsey (2004) for copepods, with
guidance from experts. Under the species name header, we have listed the authority, a species taxonomic
affiliation, and synonyms as given in WoRMS. Note that synonyms in WoRMS are only given where a
species is correctly named and not when people have incorrectly spelt or used a species name (compare
Razouls website for copepods).
Anatomic nomenclature for copepods is as per Huys & Boxshall (1991) and depicted in Boltovskoy (1999)
(Figure 1, 2). For other groups, the relevant references and expert opinion are given. We have included
information on Size, Genus Notes, Species Notes, and Ecology, with references at the end of the sheet. The
source of all figures is given under the figures. All images are from CSIRO and University of Tasmania (Anita
Slotwinski and Claire Davies).
At the bottom of each sheet are the two people who had the largest contribution to each sheet (under
Compiled by:), although all authors have contributed to the sheets. Where sheets have been verified by
taxonomic experts, their names are also recorded.



Fig. 1. Copepod body parts used in the sheets (from Boltovskoy 1999).



Fig. 2. Calanoid copepod swimming leg (from Boltovskoy 1999).

Distribution maps
Distribution maps were based on 89,327 positive occurrence records for zooplankton species. Much of the
data for zooplankton distribution maps are from two Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) projects:
the Australian Continuous Plankton Recorder survey and the zooplankton component of the Australian
National Reference Station program. The Integrated Marine Observing System is an integrated, regional
observing system covering physical, chemical and biological variables. These data were supplemented from
the Australian Zooplankton Database containing historical published and unpublished data collected
(Appendix 1). This database was collated by CSIRO. For more information about this database or if you
would like to contribute species-level zooplankton data in the Australia region, contact
[Link]@[Link]. In the Australian Zooplankton Database, we have updated taxonomic names
based on WoRMS and corrected or removed locations that were incorrect (e.g. on land).
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Tim Lynch (CSIRO) for his enthusiasm for the Taxonomic Guide and Atlas, and for
providing some funding. We would also like to thank several taxonomic experts who have worked with us
on the sheets to verify them. Thank you also for your time over the years to help train us: Dave Conway
(Marine Biological Association of the UK) and Dave McKinnon (Australian Institute of Marine Science) for
calanoid copepods, Ruth Boettger-Schnack (Germany) for the cyclopoid copepods Oncaea, Lisa Gershwin
(CSIRO) for jellyfish, and Mark Gibbons (University of the Western Cape, South Africa) for jellyfish,
appendicularians, chaetognaths, tunicates. Finally, we would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge
the generosity of researchers who have provided raw data to the Australian Zooplankton Database: Peter
Rothlisberg (CSIRO), Dave McKinnon (AIMS), Daniel Gaughan (WA Fisheries), Anita Slotwinski (CSIRO),
Joanna Strzelecki (CSIRO), Felipe Gusmao (CSIRO), and Jason Everett. We would also like to thank Amelia
Armstrong (UQ) for help with the digital images. Finally, We would like to highlight that the website
Diversity and Geographic Distribution of Marine Planktonic Copepods (Razouls et al., 2005-2012) has been
indispensible for developing the taxonomic sheets for copepod species and is a valuable resource for
copepod identification ([Link]
References
Appeltans W, Bouchet P, Boxshall GA, De Broyer C, de Voogd NJ, Gordon DP, Hoeksema BW, Horton T,
Kennedy M, Mees J, Poore GCB, Read G, Sthr S, Walter TC, Costello MJ. (eds) (2012). World Register
of Marine Species. Accessed at [Link] [accessed January 21, 2013]
Boltovskoy, D., (Ed.) 1999. South Atlantic Zooplankton, Backhyus publishers, Leiden. 1-1706
Boxshall, G., Halsey, S. H., 2004. An introduction to copepod diversity, The Ray Society 1-940
Huys, R., Boxshall, G. 1991. Copepod Evolution. Ray Society Publications 1-468
Razouls C., de Bove F., Kouwenberg J. et Desreumaux N., 2005-2012. - Diversity and Geographic
Distribution of Marine Planktonic Copepods. Available at [Link]
[Link]/en [Accessed January 21, 2013]

Appendix 1. Summary of the datasets used in drawing species maps.

Dataset name

Institution

Region

Custodian

Taxa

AusCPR

Australia

Zooplankton

14,277

Albatross Bay

CSIRO

Gulf of Carpentaria

Copepods

11,859

Bathurst Island

AIMS

Copepods

146

Brisbane River

Copepods

Copepods

Cazasuss dataset

Published
literature
Published
literature
IMAS

North coast of
Australia (minus GoC)
East coast of Australia
(minus GBR)
GBR

Anthony Richardson
[Link]@[Link]
Anthony Richardson
[Link]@[Link]
Peter Rothlisberg
Peter Rothlisberg@[Link]
David Mckinnon
[Link]@[Link]
Bayly, I. A. E.

Carleton, J. H., Hamner, W. M.

Zooplankton

NRS

CSIRO/
AAD
CSIRO

Number of
occurrences
21,588

Copepods

75

Darwin Harbour

AIMS

Copepods

1,341

GBR

AIMS

Copepods

772

Gaughan estuary

WA
Fisheries
WA
Fisheries
AIMS

Kerrie Swadling
[Link]@[Link]
David Mckinnon
[Link]@[Link]
David Mckinnon
[Link]@[Link]
Daniel Gaughan
[Link]@[Link]
Daniel Gaughan
[Link]@[Link]
David Mckinnon
[Link]@[Link]
David Mckinnon
[Link]@[Link]
Anthony Richardson
[Link]@[Link]
David Mckinnon
[Link]@[Link]
Kerrie Swadling
[Link]@[Link]
Anthony Richardson
[Link]@[Link]
David Mckinnon
[Link]@[Link]
Anthony Richardson
[Link]@[Link]
Robertson, A. I., Dixon, P., Daniel
P. A.
David Mckinnon
[Link]@[Link]
David Mckinnon
[Link]@[Link]
Anita Slotwinski
Daniel Gaughan
[Link]@[Link]
Kerrie Swadling
[Link]@[Link]
Joanna Strzelecki
[Link]@[Link]
David Mckinnon
[Link]@[Link]
Felipe Gusmao
felipeoceano@[Link]
Greenwood, J.

Cnidaria,
Chaetognaths
Cnidaria,
Chaetognaths
Copepods

Copepods

1,257

Copepods

1,054

Copepods

1,529

Zooplankton

4,984

Copepods

7,765

Copepods

9,318

Copepods

658

zooplankton

14

Copepods

5,453

Copepods

62

Copepods
Cnidaria,
Chaetognaths
Copepods

1,793
693

Zooplankton

549

Copepods

461

Zooplankton

636

Copepod

David Mckinnon
[Link]@[Link]
Bayly, I. A. E.

Copepod

34

Copepod

39

Carleton Lagoon

Hillarys
Kimberley (100
micron)
Kimberley (150
micron)
Lihir

AIMS
CSIRO

Australia

Tasmania
North coast of
Australia (minus GoC)
GBR
West coast of
Australia
West coast of
Australia
West coast of
Australia
West coast of
Australia
PNG

North West Cape

AIMS

Nyan Taw PhD

IMAS

West coast of
Australia
Tasmania

Othman

CSIRO

Gulf of Carpentaria

Peter Wallace
Liston
Ramu

AIMS

GBR

CSIRO

PNG

Robertson

AIMS

GBR

Scott Reef (100

micron)
Scott Reef (500
micron)
Slotwinski
South Coast

AIMS

North coast of
Australia (minus GoC)
North coast of
Australia (minus GoC)
Tasmania
West coast of
Australia
Southern Ocean

AIMS

Terauds

TAFI
WA
Fisheries
IMAS

WA Eddies

CSIRO

Wessels

AIMS

Whitsundays

AIMS

Acartia
pseudodiaptomus
Bass strait
Western Vic
Brisbane River

UQ

AIMS
Published

West coast of
Australia
North coast of
Australia (minus GoC)
GBR
East coast of Australia
(minus GBR)
East coast of Australia
(minus GBR)
East coast of Australia

431
173

52

Calanoids
Moreton Bay
Copepods GBR
Cronulla
Derwent Hunter
56
East Australian
slope
Emergent
zooplankton
Moreton Bay
Wilson inlet

literature
UQ
Published
literature
Published
literature
CSIRO
Published
literature
UQ

Heron Island

WA
Fisheries
UQ

Mangrove

AIMS

Myall Lakes

Paracalanid egg

Published
literature
Published
literature
AIMS

Raby bay

UQ

SFRME

CSIRO

Terauds

IMAS

Thalaceans NSW

UNSW

Zoop moreton
bay
Biotechnology
Collection
Tunicates
Invertebrates

UQ

Ocean Genome
Resource
World Ocean
Database 2001
TOTAL

Oithona

(minus GBR)
East coast of Australia
(minus GBR)
West coast of
Australia
East coast of Australia
(minus GBR)
East coast of Australia
(minus GBR)
East coast of Australia
(minus GBR)
East coast of Australia
(minus GBR)
West coast of
Australia
West coast of
Australia
North coast of
Australia (minus GoC)
East coast of Australia
(minus GBR)
Australia
North coast of
Australia (minus GoC)
East coast of Australia
(minus GBR)
West coast of
Australia
Southern Ocean

Greenwood, J.

Copepod

51

Farran, G. P.

Copepod

27

Sheard, K.

Zooplankton

14

William Dall

Copepod

92

Sheard, K.

Zooplankton

305

Greenwood, J.

Zooplankton

Daniel Gaughan
[Link]@[Link]
Greenwood, J.

Cnidaria,
Chaetognaths
Zooplankton

David Mckinnon
[Link]@[Link]
Muschal, M.

Copepod

13

Zooplankton

Nishida, S.

David Mckinnon
[Link]@[Link]
King, C.R., Williamsom, I.

Copepod

Copepod

Zooplankton

19

Joanna Strzelecki
[Link]@[Link]
Kerrie Swadling
[Link]@[Link]
Jason Everett
[Link]@[Link]
Greenwood, J.

Zooplankton

1,618

Copepod

12

Thalaceans

Zooplankton

18

AIMS

Zooplankton

Zooplankton
Zooplankton

3
3

Zooplankton

38

OBIS

East coast of Australia

(minus GBR)
East coast of Australia
(minus GBR)
Australia

OBIS
OBIS

Australia
Australia

OBIS

Australia

US Museum of Natural History

Marine Invertebrates provider
OZCAM
Oceam Genome Legacy

OBIS

Australia

US National Ocean Data Center

Zooplankton

65

89, 327