Megacyclops viridis viridis (Jurine, 1820)

Megacyclops viridis viridis (Jurine, 1820) View in CoL

Fig. 19 View Figure 19

Diagnosis. Adult female, 1,950 µm in length excluding caudal setae. Caudal ramus 2.5–2.6 times longer than wide, lateral outer setae inserted in the distal third; row of spinules on the distal margin of the third urosomal segment ( Fig. 19A View Figure 19 ). P5 ending in an inner acuminate tip ( Fig. 19B, C, E View Figure 19 ). Inner spine of the P4-endopod terminal segment slightly longer than the outer one ( Fig. 19D View Figure 19 ).

Remarks. Large, cosmopolitan species, seldom appearing in high numbers. Specimens found in aquatic macrophyte banks. It is very rare in reservoir zooplankton, but common in lotic stretches and floodplains. As it is the only species of the genus, it is easily identifiable by the P5.