Studies on the morphology of postabdomen of Cladocera and Conchostraca (Crustacea) using scanning electron micrographs

Abstract

Postabdomen of Cladocera and telson of Conchostraca has been playing an important role in the identification of many closely related species of their respective groups. In the present study, 10 species of Cladocera and 3 species of Conchostraca are selected to study the morphological characters of postabdomen and telson, respectively, using scanning electron micrographs. The study shows a few important morphological characters which are not visible in the light microscopic observations and suggested that the micrographs can provide a valuable tool to the investigator, particularly if micrographs of diagnostic characters such as postabdomen of Cladocera and telson of Conchostraca should be gathered into a reference atlas.