Seasonal fauna of ephemeral saline lakes near the Coorong lagoon, South Australia

Abstract

Twenty-three ephemeral athalassic saline lakes near the Coorong lagoon, South Australia, were sampled monthly over 10 months in 1978-79. The numbers of species found were 16 ostracods, nine copepods, two anostracans, two cladocerans, one amphipod, one isopod, one gastropod, one nematode, one polychaete, two foraminiferans, one rotifer, and in addition ciliates, dipteran larvae, aquatic grasses and a charophyte.

Ecological notes and data on salinity range for each species are presented. The affinities of the fauna and the means by which the species persist when a lake dries out are discussed.