The Planktonic Copepods of Coastal Saline Ponds of the Cayman Islands with Special Reference to the Occurrence of Mesocyclops ogunnus Onabamiro, an Apparently Introduced Afro-Asian Cyclopoid

Abstract

Taxonomic analysis of the copepod specimens collected from 29 Cayman Island ponds revealed the presence of ten species including the nearly ubiquitous cyclopoid Apocyclops panamensis. This species was widespread throughout the islands, being collected at 27 of the sampling sites. Another common calanoid, Mastigodiaptomus nesus, occurred at nine sites on Grand Cayman and one on Cayman Brac. A cyclopoid of Afro-Asian origin, Mesocyclops ogunnus, was collected at two nearly fresh water sites on Grand Cayman and was considered to be a recent introduction. Because of its known adaptability to fluctuating environmental conditions, it is likely that M. ogunnus will successfully compete with and probably displace some of the native species and may become a dominant zooplankter on Grand Cayman.