Janet W. Reid
Research Associate
Department of Invertebrate Zoology/ MRC-163
National Museum of Natural History
Smithsonian Institution
Washington DC 20560
voice (202) 357-4674 fax (202) 357-3043
e-mail 74024.1511@compuserve.com
Collections from a variety of habitats, particularly in its national parks during the last decade, have steadily increased the number of species of copepod crustaceans known from the District of Columbia. For instance, 11 of the 18 species collected at Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens during the June 1996 Bio-Blitz were new records for the District, as were 3 of 11 species collected during a later visit in October 1996. District parks harbor a rich assortment of cyclopoid and harpacticoid copepods, including some rare species. The cyclopoid Acanthocyclops columbiensis and the harpacticoid Attheyella spinipes are each known only from one locality in the District and two springs in Maryland. The record from Rock Creek Park of Bryocamptus calvus, previously known only from Asia, is the first from North America. At least two previously unknown species remain to be described.
A checklist of copepods recorded from the District is given. The list of 49 species has been compiled from both published and unpublished records. The District is the type-locality for the parasite Ergasilus cerastes, which was collected from a catfish sold at the Maine Avenue Fish Market (Roberts, 1969). Ergasilus labracis was also found on rockfish sold at local markets (Wilson, 1911). Another parasite, Lernaea cruciata, was collected from a large-mouthed black bass at the "Aquarium". Because their hosts occur locally, these three species have been included in the checklist. Two additional parasitic species were collected from marine fishes obtained at local markets, and the specimens deposited in the National Museum of Natural History (Smithsonian Institution). These records, of Caligus bonito Wilson and Echetus typicus Koyer, were not included in the checklist.
Two apparently introduced species were discovered at Kenilworth Aquatic gardens. One, the Asian native Mesocyclops ruttneri, occurred in two greenhouses and two display ponds in
June 1996, and in all four display ponds investigated in October 1996. Mesocyclops ruttneri was first described from a population found in a greenhouse in Austria. That greenhouse was destroyed even before the description was published, and no populations are now known to exist in Europe (Kiefer, 1981). However, populations of M. ruttneri occur in Louisiana and Mississippi, especially in ricefields (Reid, 1993). Its Asian distribution includes Uzbekistan and temperate China, and it may be able to survive year-round in the D.C. region. In the lily ponds, it occurred in small numbers together with two North American congeners, M. edax and M. americanus, in June 1996, but neither of these was found during the October 1996 visit. It is possible that M. ruttneri may be in direct competition with the native species, or that treatments (such as fertilizer, dye, and draining) applied to the display ponds temporarily eliminated them.
A single male of the second introduced species, Arctodiaptomus dorsalis, was found in a display pond in October 1996. This calanoid is common in the Caribbean region and states bordering on the Gulf of Mexico. It is unlikely that the species can overwinter in the D.C. area.
Two samples from the "Shaw Lily Ponds" (a former name for the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens) taken in 1926 and archived at the National Museum of Natural History proved to contain Onychodiaptomus birgei, Diacyclops thomasi, Eucyclops agilis, and Mesocyclops edax. The first two species, although they are widespread and common in the region, were not collected at Kenilworth during the June 1996 Bio-Blitz.
Previously published records are indicated. National Museum of Natural History (USNM) catalogue numbers are given for archived specimens. Abbreviations for parks: FMP - Fort Mahan Park; FSP - Fort Stanton Park, U.S. Reservation 412; Kenilworth - Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens; ORP - Oxon Run Parkway, U.S. Reservation 501; RCNP - Rock Creek National Park.
Class Crustacea
Subclass Copepoda
Order Calanoida
Family Centropagidae
Osphranticum labronectum S.A. Forbes Kenilworth, natural pond by visitor center, 1 June 1996, coll. JWR.
Family Diaptomidae
Arctodiaptomus dorsalis (Marsh) Kenilworth, lily display pond, 4 October 1996, coll. S.W. Syphax and JWR, USNM 278173.
Onychodiaptomus birgei (Marsh) Kenilworth ("Shaw Lily Ponds"), 8 April 1926, coll. H.S. Barber, USNM 52399.
Kenilworth ("Shaw Lily Ponds"), 10 April 1926, coll. H.S. Barber and C.R. Shoemaker, USNM 59816.
Skistodiaptomus pallidus (Herrick) Kenilworth, 3 display ponds and open water in marsh, 1 June, 1996, coll. JWR.
Family Temoridae
Eurytemora affinis (Poppe) Kenilworth, open water in marsh, 1 June 1996, coll. JWR.
Order Cyclopoida
Family Cyclopidae
Acanthocyclops brevispinosus (Herrick) Kenilworth, display pond, 4 October 1996, coll. S.W. Syphax and JWR, USNM 278174.
Acanthocyclops columbiensis (Reid) FSP, seep (type locality), 4 November 1988, coll. S.W. Syphax; USNM 241925, 241926, 241928, 214929 (Reid, 1990).
Acanthocyclops exilis (Coker) RCNP, spring southwest of Nature Center, 7 July 1966, coll. R. Kenk and T. E. Bowman, USNM 120038.
RCNP, Rock Creek, 5 October 1990, coll. T. Ishida and JWR, USNM 251808.
RCNP, East Spring, 5 October 1990, coll. T. Ishida and JWR, USNM 251809.
RCNP, West Spring, 5 October 1990, coll. T. Ishida and JWR, USNM 251810.
Acanthocyclops robustus (G.O. Sars) s.l. Kenilworth, natural pond by visitor center, 3 display ponds, marsh, open water in marsh,seep between river trail and Beaverdam Creek, and 2 vernal pools, 1 June 1996, coll. JWR and E.I. Robbins, USNM 278121, 278128.
Kenilworth, 1 display pond, 4 October 1996, coll. S.W. Syphax and JWR.
Acanthocyclops vernalis (Fischer) s.l. FMP, spring seepage, 26 June 1987, coll. S.W. Syphax and B. Raftery, USNM 234098, 234099 (Reid, 1988).
RCNP, Rock Creek, 5 October 1990, coll. T. Ishida and JWR, USNM 251811.
National Mall, Reflecting Pool, 24 June 1992, coll. JWR, USNM 259519.
Acanthocyclops sp. RCNP, East Spring, 5 October 1990, coll. T. Ishida and JWR, USNM 83432. Male and juveniles, cannot identify.
Acanthocyclops sp. RCNP, West Spring, 5 October 1990, coll. T. Ishida and J.W. Reid, USNM 283431. Previously undescribed species.
Diacyclops harryi (Reid) ORP, Sphagnum bog (type locality), 4 November 1988 and 17, June 1991, Coll. S.W. Syphax and A. Veiga, USNM 241931, 251270-251272 (Reid, 1990, 1992).
Diacyclops navus (Herrick) Kenilworth, 2 sites along river trail near Beaverdam Creek and 2 vernal pools, 1 June 1996, coll. JWR and E.I. Robbins, USNM 278129, 278130.
Diacyclops thomasi (S. A. Forbes) Kenilworth ("Shaw Lily Ponds"), 8 April 1926, coll. H.S. Barber, USNM 52400.
Kenilworth ("Shaw Lily Ponds"), 10 April 1926, coll. H.S. Barber and C.R.Shoemaker, USNM 59816.
Ectocyclops phaleratus (Koch) RCNP, West Spring, 5 October 1990, coll. T. Ishida and JWR, USNM 251812.
Kenilworth, natural pond by visitor center and 1 display pond, 1 June 1996, coll. JWR.
Eucyclops agilis (Koch) Kenilworth ("Shaw Lily Ponds"), 8 April 1926, coll. H.S. Barber, USNM 52399.
Water main, 22 September 1959, coll. Washington District Corps of Engineers, USNM 103742.
FMP, seep, 26 June 1987, coll. S.W. Syphax and B. Raftery, USNM 234100 (Reid, 1988).
FSP, seep, 4 November 1988, coll. S.W. Syphax, USNM 241880 (Reid, 1990).Kenilworth, natural pond by visitor center, 3 display ponds, and tanks in 1 greenhouse, 1 June 1996, coll. JWR.
Kenilworth, lily pond, 4 October 1996, coll. S.W. Syphax and JWR, USNM 278175.
Eucyclops elegans (Herrick) RCNP, Rock Creek, 5 October 1990, coll. T. Ishida and JWR, USNM 251813.
Kenilworth, 2 display ponds and 1 vernal pool, 1 June 1996, coll. JWR.
Halicyclops reidae (Rocha & Hakenkamp) Potomac River at northeast corner of Roosevelt Island, 15, June 1993, coll. C.E.F. da Rocha, USNM 259623.
Halicyclops sp. Potomac River near Roosevelt Island, 15 June 1993, coll. C.E.F. da Rocha, S. Menu-Marque, and J.W. Reid. Previously undescribed species; description in prep. by C.E.F. da Rocha, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Macrocyclops albidus (Jurine) s.str. ORP, Sphagnum bog, 4 November 1988, coll. S.W. Syphax, USNM 241884 (Reid, 1990).
RCNP, Rock Creek, 5 October 1990, coll. T. Ishida and JWR, USNM 251814.
ORP, spring seepage and acid bog, 17 June 1991, coll. S.W. Syphax, USNM 251255-251257.
National Mall, Reflecting Pool, 24 June 1992, coll. JWR, USNM 259520.
Kenilworth, natural pond by visitor center, 4 display ponds, natural marsh, and tanks in 2 greenhouses, 1 June 1996, coll. JWR.
Kenilworth, 2 display ponds, 4 October 1996, coll. S.W. Syphax and JWR.
Mesocyclops americanus (Dussart) Kenilworth, 2 display ponds and tanks in 2 greenhouses, 1 June 1996, coll. JWR, USNM 278116, 278117.
Mesocyclops edax (S.A. Forbes) Kenilworth ("Shaw Lily Ponds"), 8 April 1926, coll. H.S. Barber, USNM 52399.
Kenilworth ("Shaw Lily Ponds"), 10 April 1926, coll. H.S. Barber and C.R. Shoemaker, USNM 59816.
Kenilworth, 2 display ponds and open water in marsh, 1 June 1996, coll.
Mesocyclops ruttneri (Kiefer) Kenilworth, 2 display ponds and tanks in 2 greenhouses, 1 June 1996, coll. JWR, USNM 278118, 278119.
Kenilworth, 4 display ponds, 4 October 1996, coll. S.W. Syphax and JWR, USNM 278176.
Microcyclops rubellus (Lilljeborg) Kenilworth, natural pond by visitor center, 1 June 1996, coll. JWR.
Kenilworth, 2 display ponds, 4 October 1996, coll. S.W. Syphax and JWR, USNM 278177.
Orthocyclops modestus (Herrick) Kenilworth, natural pond by visitor center, 1 June 1996, coll. JWR, USNM 278120.
Kenilworth, 2 display ponds, 4 October 1996, coll. S.W. Syphax and JWR.
Paracyclops chiltoni (Thomson) RCNP, spring southwest of Nature Center, August 1966, coll. R. Kenk and T.E. Bowman, USNM 120039.
ORP, bog seep, 4 November 1988, coll. S.W. Syphax, USNM 241881 (Reid, 1990).
RCNP, West Spring, 5 October 1990, coll. T. Ishida and J.W. Reid, USNM 251817, 283438.
FSP, seep, 4 November 1988, coll. S.W. Syphax, USNM 241883 (Reid, 1990). RCNP, East Spring, 5 October 1990, coll. T. Ishida and JWR, USNM 251816. ORP, spring seepage and acid bog, 17 June 1991, coll. S.W. Syphax, USNM 251263-251265.
Kenilworth, natural pond by visitor center, 1 June 1996.
Paracyclops poppei (Rehberg) Kenilworth, seep between river trail and Beaverdam Creek, 1 June 1996, coll. E.I. Robbins, USNM 278127.
Tropocyclops prasinus (Fischer) RCNP, Rock Creek, 5 October 1990, coll. T. Ishida, USNM 251819.
Tropocyclops prasinus mexicanus (Kiefer) Kenilworth, natural pond by visitor center and 4 display ponds, 4 October 1996, coll. S.W. Syphax and JWR, USNM 278178.
Family Lernaeidae
Lernaea cruciata (Le Sueur) From Large-mouthed Black Bass (Micropterus salmoides), "Aquarium", 1931, USNM 69818.
Order Harpacticoida
Family Canthocamptidae
Attheyella (Mrazekiella) carolinensis (Chappuis) RCNP, Rock Creek, 5 October 1990, coll. T. Ishida and JWR, USNM 251777. RCNP, East Spring, 5 October 1990, coll. T. Ishida and JWR, USNM 251778, 283402.
RCNP, West Spring, 5 October 1990, coll. T. Ishida and JWR, USNM 251779.
Attheyella (Mrazekiella) illinoisensis (S.A. Forbes) FMP, seep, 26 June 1987, coll. S.W. Syphax and B. Raftery, USNM 234101 (Reid, 1988).
FSP, seep, 4 November 1988, coll. S.W. Syphax, USNM 241885 (Reid, 1990).
RCNP, spring off Beach Drive near Maryland line, 5 October 1995, coll. T. Ishida and JWR, USNM 283405.
RCNP, East Spring, 5 October 1990, coll. T. Ishida and JWR, USNM 251782, 283406.
ORP, spring seep and acid bog, 17 June 1991, coll. S.W. Syphax, USNM 251258-251261.
RCNP, East Spring, 26 April 1996, coll. S. McGinnis, R. Wetzer, JWR, G. Wyngaard, and W.B. Yeaman.
RCNP, North Spring, 26 April 1996, coll. S. McGinnis, R Wetzer, JWR, G. Wyngaard, and W.B. Yeaman.
Attheyella (Mrazekiella) obatogamensis (Willey) ORP, spring seep, 17 June 1991, coll. S.W. Syphax, USNM 251267, 251268.
Attheyella (Mrazekiella) spinipes (Reid) FMP, spring seep, 26 June 1987, coll. S.W. Syphax and B. Raftery, USNM 234102 (Reid, 1988).
Bryocamptus (Bryocamptus) calvus (Brehm) RCNP, Rock Creek, 5 October 1990, coll. T. Ishida and JWR, USNM 251786.
RCNP, East Spring, 5 October 1990, coll. T. Ishida and JWR, USNM 251787.
RCNP, West Spring, 5 October 1990, coll. T. Ishida and JWR, USNM 251788, 283408, 283409.
Bryocamptus (Limocamptus) hiemalis (Pearse) RCNP, West Spring, 5 October 1990, coll. T. Ishida and JWR, USNM 283410.
Bryocamptus (Bryocamptus) hutchinsoni (Kiefer) ORP, acid bog, 17 June 1991, coll. S.W. Syphax, USNM 251269.
Bryocamptus (Bryocamptus) minutus (Claus) ORP, spring seep, 17 June 1991, coll. S.W. Syphax, USNM 251266.
Bryocamptus (Limocamptus) nivalis (Willey) ORP, seep, 17 June 1991, coll. S.W. Syphax, USNM 251262.
Bryocamptus (Bryocamptus) zschokkei (Schmeil) FSP, seep, 4 November 1988, coll. S.W. Syphax, USNM 241932 (Reid, 1990).
ORP, seep, 17 June 1991, coll. S.W. Syphax, USNM 251254.
RCNP, spring off Beach Drive near Maryland line, 5 October 1990, coll. T. Ishida and JWR, USNM 283414.
RCNP, East Spring, 5 October 1990, coll. T. Ishida and JWR, USNM 251790, 283415.
RCNP, West Spring, 5 October 1990, coll. T. Ishida and J.W. Reid, USNM 251791, 283417-283419.
RCNP, North Spring, 26 April 1996, coll. S. McGinnis, R. Wetzer, JWR, G. Wyngaard, and W.B. Yeaman.
Bryocamptus (B.) zschokkei alleganiensis (Coker) RCNP, spring southwest of Nature Center, 31 August 1966, coll. R. Kenk, USNM 128923.
Bryocamptus sp. RCNP, West Spring, 5 October 1990, coll. T. Ishida and JWR, USNM 251795.
Canthocamptus vagus (Coker and Morgan) Kenilworth, natural pond by visitor center, 1 June 1996, coll. JWR, USNM 278122.
Kenilworth, 2 display ponds, 4 October 1996, coll. S.W. Syphax and JWR, USNM 278179.
Elaphoidella bidens (Schmeil) RCNP, Rock Creek, 5 October 1990, coll. T. Ishida, USNM 251796 (Reid and Ishida, 1993).
Kenilworth, natural pond by visitor center, 1 June 1996, coll. JWR.
Kenilworth, natural pond by visitor center, 4 October 1996, coll. S.W. Syphax and JWR, USNM 278180.
Moraria cristata (Chappuis) RCNP, West Spring, 5 October 1990, coll. T. Ishida and JWR, USNM 251801, 251804, 283425, 283426.
Moraria laurentica (Willey) RCNP, East Spring, 5 October 1990, coll. T. Ishida, USNM 251802, 251803.
RCNP, West Spring, 5 October 1990, coll. T. Ishida and JWR, USNM 283423, 283424.
Family Phyllognathopodidae
Phyllognathopus viguieri (Maupas) RCNP, East Spring, 5 October 1990, coll. T. Ishida and JWR, USNM 251806, 283428.
Order Poecilostomatoida
Family Ergasilidae
Ergasilus cerastes (Roberts) From catfish (Ictalurus sp.), Maine Avenue Fish Market (type locality), USNM 113574, 126078 (Roberts, 1969).
Ergasilus labracis (Kroyer) Potomac River, gills of rockfish (Roccus lineatus), fish market or Center Market, 23 September 1902, coll. H.M. Smith, U.S. Bureau of Fisheries, USNM 38633, 38653, 38654, 38657 (Wilson, 1911).
Washington, D.C., rockfish, 22 June 1923, coll. U.S. Bureau of Fisheries, USNM 78970.
Acknowledgments
Many thanks to my husband Willis for field assistance with the Kenilworth collections; to Eleanora I. Robbins and her assistants Kristen McDuffee and Briget McArdle for collecting and sorting several samples from Kenilworth; to Stephen W. Syphax of the National Park Service for collecting advice and for information on the history of the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens; and to T. Chad Walter of the Department of Invertebrate Zoology for performing a computer search of the NMNH collection records. Teruo Ishida collected and determined numerous species from Rock Creek National Park with me in 1990. Stephen Syphax made several of the collections on which this report is based. William B. Yeaman, also of the National Park Service, kindly facilitated several collecting trips in Rock Creek Park by myself and others.
References
Kiefer, F. 1981. Beitrag zur Kenntnis von Morphologie, Taxonomie und geographischer Verbreitung von Mesocyclops auctorum. Archiv fr Hydrobiologie, Supplementband 62, 1:148-190.
Reid, J.W. 1988. Records of cyclopoid and harpacticoid copepods (Crustacea) from a spring in Washington, D.C. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 101: 314-316.
Reid, J.W. 1990. Copepoda (Crustacea) from acidic wetlands in the District of Columbia and Maryland, including a description of Acanthocyclops columbiensis n. sp. Transactions of the American Microscopical Society 109: 174-180.
Reid, J.W. 1992. Redescription of Diacyclops nearcticus (Kiefer, 1934) and description offour similar new congeners from North America, with comments on D. crassicaudis (G. O. Sars, 1863) and D. crassicaudis var. brachycercus (Kiefer, 1927) (Crustacea: Copepoda). Canadian Journal of Zoology 70:1445-1469.
Reid, J.W. 1993. New records and redescriptions of American species of Mesocyclops and of Diacyclops bernardi (Petkovski, 1986) (Copepoda, Cyclopoida). Bijdragen tot de Dierkunde 63: 173-191.
Reid, J.W. & T. Ishida. 1993. New species and new records of the genus Elaphoidella (Crustacea: Copepoda: Harpacticoida) from the United States. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 106: 137-146.
Roberts, L.S. 1969. Ergasilus cerastes sp. n. (Copepoda: Cyclopoida) from North American catfishes. Journal of Parasitology 55: 1266-1270.
Wilson, C.B. 1911. North American parasitic copepods belonging to the family Ergasilidae. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 39(1788): 263-400, plates 41-60.
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