Cladoceran (Crustacea: Branchiopoda) biodiversity of protected areas in a Brazilian hotspot

Abstract

As less than 50% of the Cerrado Biome area in Brazil maintains its natural characteristics, its indigenous fauna and flora have been confined to the few areas designated for protection. However, a significant part of the protected areas in the Cerrado still need to be studied, and little attention is given to the aquatic biota. In this study, we present a study of the Cladocera fauna in 11 preserved areas of this Biome. Altogether, the protected areas harbor 59 species. Representatives of the Chydoridae family were found in all areas. The number of species observed in some areas represented a substantial pool of the total regional richness (sometimes more than 1/3 of all known species). Besides that, low similarities between protected areas were observed (< 50%). We can speculate that these areas are able to maintain different biological components in the case of the Cladocera. Despite the high number of protected areas in the Cerrado Biome, our results can still be taken as underestimates of richness and endemism.