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Cyst formation in tubificidae (Naidinae) and opistocystidae (Annelida, Oligochaeta) as an adaptive strategy for drought tolerance in fluvial wetlands of the Paraná River, Argentina

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Abstract

During a broad study of invertebrate colonization in marginal fluvial wetlands of the Middle Paraná River in Argentina, cyst formation was observed in two of the 26 species of aquatic oligochaetes identified from the study—Dero multibranchiata Steiren, 1892 (Tubificidae, Naidinae), andTrieminentia corderoi (Harman, 1969) (Opistocystidae). All specimens of the two species in which cyst formation was observed had been collected after drying conditions ranging from 14 to 28 days. A clitellum was not observed in any of the specimens collected. Lengths of specimens ranged from 0.88 mm to 2.84 mm inDero multibranchiata and 2.25 mm to 2.40 mm inTrieminentia corderoi. The development of protective cysts byDero multibranchiata andTrieminentia corderoi, and perhaps many other species of aquatic oligochaetes, appears to be an adaptive strategy enabling them to survive drought in temporary wetlands, recolonize freshwater habitats upon inundation, and disperse both laterally and downstream with rising water levels in wetlands and streams.

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  1. Instituto Nacional de Limnología, INALI (CONICET-UNL), José Maciá 1933, (3016), Santo Tomé, Santa Fe, Argentina

    Luciana Montalto & Mercedes Marchese

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  1. Luciana Montalto
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  2. Mercedes Marchese
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Montalto, L., Marchese, M. Cyst formation in tubificidae (Naidinae) and opistocystidae (Annelida, Oligochaeta) as an adaptive strategy for drought tolerance in fluvial wetlands of the Paraná River, Argentina. Wetlands 25, 488–494 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1672/23

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