Key to sessile gnesiotrochan rotifers: Families, monospecific species in Flosculariidae, species of Atrochidae, Conochilidae, and Limnias

Abstract

Accurate identification of species is key to understanding their ecological roles and evolutionary history. It is also essential in cataloging biodiversity for comparisons among habitat types, responses to climate change, effective management practices, and more. The paucity of taxonomic expertise is increasing and with it the ability to competently identify species, this is particularly true for small taxa including rotifers. In an effort to improve this situation, we collated information on morphological characters from the literature on all valid species of sessile Gnesiotrocha (phylum Rotifera) currently assigned to two orders and four families. We review Order Collothecaceae, which comprises families Atrochidae (3 spp.) and Collothecidae (50 spp.) and Order Flosculariaceae, which includes families Conochilidae (7 spp.) and Flosculariidae (71 species). Based on that information, we provide dichotomous keys to the Families, monospecific species in Flosculariidae, and species of Atrochidae, Conochilidae, and Limnias. These keys will aid researchers to identify species in these families and lead to a better understanding of freshwater biodiversity and eco-evolutionary processes.