• Laevicaudata Lindner, F. 1945. Affinities within the Branchiopoda with notes on some dubious fossils. Arkiv för Zoologi 37(4): 1-28 [16].

Introduction

The smooth clam shrimps, or Laevicaudata, is well supported morphologically and molecularly most recently by Rogers & Olesen (2016), Schwentner et al. (2020) and Sigvardt et al. (2021). Laevicaudata contains a single family with three genera.

General References

Richter, S. & Timms, B.V. 2005. A list of recent clam shrimps (Crustacea: Laevicaudata, Spinicaudata, Cyclestherida) of Australia, including a description of a new species of Eocyzicus. Records of the Australian Museum 57: 341-354

Rogers, D.C. & Olesen, J. 2016. Laevicaudata catalogus (Crustacea: Branchiopoda): an overview of diversity and terminology. Arthropod Systematics & Phylogeny 74: 221–240

Schwentner, M., Rabet, N., Richter, S., Giribet, G., Padhye, S., Cart, J., Bonillo, C. & Rogers, D.C. 2020. Phylogeny and biogeography of Spinicaudata (Crustacea: Branchiopoda). Zoological Studies 59(44): 1-23

Sigvardt, Z.M.S., Olesen, J., Rogers, D.C., Timms, B., Mlambo, M., Rabet, N. and Palero, F. 2021. Multilocus phylogenetics of smooth clam shrimps (Branchiopoda, Laevicaudata). Zoologica Scripta 50(795-811)

History of changes

• Lynceidae Stebbing, T.R.R. 1902. Lynceus and the Lynceidae. The Zoologist 4 6: 101-106.

Introduction

Members of this family are easily recognised by their globose carapace without growth lines and by a very reduced anal segment which lack caudal furca. Further distinctive characteristics are given in Martin & Belk (1988) and Richter & Timms (2005).

Although three genera are known, only Lynceus occurs in Australia, and to date there are only two valid species, though more undescribed ones are known (Magdalena Zofkova, pers. comm.).

The authorship of the name is confusing. Baird (1845, 1850) described Lynceidae but did not include the clam shrimp Lynceus in it, only several cladocerans, which he described as Lynceus. Baird was unaware that Muller had already used the name Lynceus in 1776 for the clam shrimp. Norman & Brady (1867) also listed numerous cladocerans as Lynceus, but none are the same species as listed by Baird and they also did not recognise Lynceus brachyurus, the only true Lynceus described at that time (also the type of the genus). All of Baird's and Norman & Brady's Lynceus were moved into previously existing cladoceran genera in the Chydoridae by Sars. Their definitions of Lynceidae are no longer recognised. Stebbing (1902) redefined the genus Lynceus and created the modern version of Lynceidae.

General References

Baird, W. 1845. Arrangement of the British Entomostraca, with a list of species, particularly noticing those which have as yet been discovered within the bounds of the Club. History of the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club, Edinburgh 2: 145-158 [150]

Baird, W. 1850. The Natural History of the British Entomostraca. London : The Ray Society Vol. 364 364 pp. 36 pls.

Martin, J.W. & Belk, D. 1988. Review of the clam shrimp family Lynceidae Stebbing, 1902 (Branchiopoda: Conchostraca), in the Americas. Journal of Crustacean Biology 8: 451-482

Norman, C.A.M. & Brady, G.S. 1867. A monograph of the British Entomostraca belonging to the families Bosminidae, Macrothricidae and Lynceidae. Transactions of the Natural History Society of Northumberland, Durham, and Newcastle-upon-Tyne 1: 354-408

Richter, S. & Timms, B.V. 2005. A list of recent clam shrimps (Crustacea: Laevicaudata, Spinicaudata, Cyclestherida) of Australia, including a description of a new species of Eocyzicus. Records of the Australian Museum 57: 341-354

History of changes

• Lynceus Müller, O.F. 1776. Zoologicae Danicae Prodromus, seu Animalium Daniae et Norvegiae indigenarum characteres, nomina et synonyma imprimis popularium. Copenhagen : Havniae Vol. 32 pp. 1-282. [pls published in 1777] [239].

  Type species:

   Lynceus brachyurus Müller,, 1776 by monotypy.
• Hedessa Lievin, F. 1848. Die Branchiopoden des Danziger-Gegend. Neueste Schriften der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft in Danzig 4: 1-52 [4].
• Limnetis Grube, A.E. 1853. Bemerkungen über die Phyllopoden, nebst einer Übersicht ihrer Gattungen und Arten. Archiv für Naturgeschichte 19: 71-172 [73].

Introduction

At least two undescribed Lynceus species are known from Western Australia (Zofkova, 2006; Timms, 2012), with the genus considered in need of revision.

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

IBRA

NSW, NT, Qld, SA, Tas, Vic, WA: Flinders Lofty Block (FLB), Murray Darling Depression (MDD), Nullarbor (NUL) ; NSW, NT, Qld, SA, Vic, WA: Avon Wheatbelt (AW) ; NSW, Qld, SA, Tas, Vic, WA: Australian Alps (AA), Eyre Yorke Block (EYB), Flinders (FLI), Geraldton Sandplains (GS), Hampton (HAM), Kanmantoo (KAN), Naracoorte Coastal Plain (NCP), NSW North Coast (NNC), Sydney Basin (SB), South East Coastal Plain (SCP), South East Corner (SEC), South Eastern Highlands (SEH), Swan Coastal Plain (SWA), Victorian Midlands (VM) ; NSW, Qld, SA, Vic, WA: Esperance Plains (ESP), Jarrah Forest (JF), Mallee (MAL), Murchison (MUR), Victorian Volcanic Plain (VVP), Warren (WAR) ; NSW, SA, Tas, Vic, WA: Arnhem Plateau (ARP), Brigalow Belt South (BBS), Broken Hill Complex (BHC), Cobar Peneplain (CP), Darling Riverine Plains (DRP), Mulga Lands (ML), Nandewar (NAN), New England Tablelands (NET), NSW South Western Slopes (NSS), Pine Creek (PCK), Riverina (RIV), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ), Tasmanian Northern Slopes (TNS) ; NT, Qld, SA, WA: Burt Plain (BRT), Coolgardie (COO), Central Ranges (CR), Gawler (GAW), Gibson Desert (GD), Great Sandy Desert (GSD), Little Sandy Desert (LSD), MacDonnell Ranges (MAC), Mitchell Grass Downs (MGD) ; SA, WA: Great Victoria Desert (GVD) ; WA: Pilbara (PIL)

General References

Daday, E. 1927. Monographie systématique des Phyllopodes Conchostracés. Troisième partie (fin). Annales des Sciences Naturelles, Zoologie 10: 1-112 (587-698) [8] (Lynceus)

Martin, J.W. & Belk, D. 1988. Review of the clam shrimp family Lynceidae Stebbing, 1902 (Branchiopoda: Conchostraca), in the Americas. Journal of Crustacean Biology 8: 451-482 [458] (Lynceus)

Mattox, N.T. 1957. A new estheriid conchostracan with a review of other North American forms. American Midland Naturalist 58: 367-377 [367] (Lynceus)

Sars, G.O. 1896. Descriptions of two new Phyllopoda from North Australia. Archiv for Mathematik og Naturvidenskab, Kristiania 18(8): 1-36, 6 pls [117 pl. 18, figs 1-8] (Limnetis)

Straškraba, M. 1965. Taxonomical studies on Czechoslovak Conchostraca. II. Families Lynceidae and Cyzicidae. Vestník Ceskoslovenské Zoologické Spolecnosti 29: 205-214 [205] (Lynceus)

Timms, B.V. 2012. An appraisal of the diversity and distribution of large Branchiopods (Branchiopoda: Anostraca, Laevicaudata, Spinicaudata, Cyclestherida, Notostraca) in Australia. Journal of Crustacean Biology 32(4): 615–623

Zofkova, M. 2006. Evolutionary dynamics in ephemeral pools: inferences from genetic architecture of large Branchiopods. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Western Australia.

History of changes

• Lynceus argillaphilus Timms, B.V. 2013. A revision of the Australian species of Lynceus Müller, 1776 (Crustacea: Branchiopoda: Laevicaudata, Lynceidae). Zootaxa 3702: 501–533 [513].

  Type data:

   Holotype WAM C52151 ♂, Western Australia, Pilbara, 88.5 km E of Port Hedland, De Grey Claypan [20°17'42''S, 119°25'21''E].
  Paratype(s) WAM C52152 ♀ (as allotype).

Distribution

States

Western Australia

IBRA

WA: Pilbara (PIL)

History of changes

• Lynceus baylyi Timms, B.V. 2013. A revision of the Australian species of Lynceus Müller, 1776 (Crustacea: Branchiopoda: Laevicaudata, Lynceidae). Zootaxa 3702: 501–533 [516].

  Type data:

   Holotype WAM 51627 ♂, Australia, Western Australia, 14.6 km NNE of Trayning, middle gnamma of five in a row [30°59'29''S, 117°50'47''E].
  Paratype(s) WAM 51628 ♂ (as allotype); WAM 51629 4 specimens; AM P89064 4 specimens.

Distribution

States

South Australia, Western Australia

IBRA

SA, WA: Avon Wheatbelt (AW), Gibson Desert (GD), Great Victoria Desert (GVD), Nullarbor (NUL)

History of changes

• Limnetis macleayanus King, R.L. 1855. On Australian Entomostraca. Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania 3(1): 56-75 [70].

  Type data:

   Status unknown, unknown; original material from vicinity of Sydney, NSW.

Generic Combinations

• Lynceus macleayana (King, 1855). —
  Sayce, O.A. 1903. The Phyllopoda of Australia, including descriptions of some new genera and species. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria 15: 224-261, pl. 27-36 [258-259, 25 pl. 36, fig. D, 1-3]

Distribution

States

New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Widespread, including NSW (King 1855; Sars 1895; Henry 1924; Timms & Richter 2002), Vic (Sayce 1903), northern SA (Chiltern 1917).

IBRA

NSW, SA, Tas, Vic, WA: Australian Alps (AA), Arnhem Plateau (ARP), Brigalow Belt South (BBS), Broken Hill Complex (BHC), Cobar Peneplain (CP), Darling Riverine Plains (DRP), Eyre Yorke Block (EYB), Flinders Lofty Block (FLB), Flinders (FLI), Geraldton Sandplains (GS), Hampton (HAM), Kanmantoo (KAN), Murray Darling Depression (MDD), Mulga Lands (ML), Nandewar (NAN), Naracoorte Coastal Plain (NCP), New England Tablelands (NET), NSW North Coast (NNC), NSW South Western Slopes (NSS), Nullarbor (NUL), Pine Creek (PCK), Riverina (RIV), Sydney Basin (SB), South East Coastal Plain (SCP), South East Corner (SEC), South Eastern Highlands (SEH), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ), Swan Coastal Plain (SWA), Tasmanian Northern Slopes (TNS), Victorian Midlands (VM)

Ecological Descriptors

Probably suspension feeder.

General References

Brady, G.S. 1886. Notes on freshwater Entomostraca from South Australia. Proceeding of the Scientific Meetings of the Zoological Society of London 1886: 82-93 [83] (list)

Brtek, J. 1997. Checklist of the valid and invalid names of the “Large Branchiopods” (Anostraca, Notostraca, Spinicaudata and Laevicaudata), with a survey of the taxonomy of all Branchiopoda. Zborník Slovenského Národného Múzea. Prírodné Vedy 43: 3-66 [6] (listed as Lynceus macleayanus)

Chilton, C. 1917. Crustacea. In Results of the South Australian Museum Expedition to Strzelecki and Cooper Creeks, September and October 1916. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 41: 475-482 [481] (as Lynceus macleayana)

Daday, E. 1927. Monographie systématique des Phyllopodes Conchostracés. Troisième partie (fin). Annales des Sciences Naturelles, Zoologie 10: 1-112 (587-698) [6, 53-57, fig. 157] (as Lynceus macleayanus; key)

Dakin, W.J. 1914. Fauna of Western Australia. II. The Phyllopoda of Western Australia. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1914: 293-305 [295] (listed as Lynceus macleayana)

Henry, M. 1924. A monograph of the freshwater Entomostraca of New South Wales. Part IV. Phyllopoda. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 1924: 120-137 [121-122, 135] (list, text)

King, R.L. 1864. [1863-1866]. On the anatomy of certain forms of Australian Entomostraca. Transactions of the Entomological Society of New South Wales 1: 162-166, pl. 11 [read 5th September 1864] [162-164, pl. 11, fig. without number]

Martin, J.W. & Belk, D. 1988. Review of the clam shrimp family Lynceidae Stebbing, 1902 (Branchiopoda: Conchostraca), in the Americas. Journal of Crustacean Biology 8: 451-482 [452] (listed as Lynceus macleayanus)

Richter, S. & Timms, B.V. 2005. A list of recent clam shrimps (Crustacea: Laevicaudata, Spinicaudata, Cyclestherida) of Australia, including a description of a new species of Eocyzicus. Records of the Australian Museum 57: 341-354

Sars, G.O. 1895. Descriptions of some Australian Phyllopoda. Archiv for Mathematik og Naturvidenskab, Kristiania 17(2): 1-51, pl. 1-8 [35-43, pls 6, 7]

Timms, B.V. 2013. A revision of the Australian species of Lynceus Müller, 1776 (Crustacea: Branchiopoda: Laevicaudata, Lynceidae). Zootaxa 3702: 501–533 (redescribed, new records)

Whitelegge, T. 1889. List of the Marine and Freshwater Invertebrate Fauna of Port Jackson and the Neighbourhood. Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales 23: 163-323 [318] (list)

Wolf, E. 1911. Phyllopoda. In Michaelsen, W. & Hartmeyer, R. (eds) Die Fauna Südwest-Australiens. Ergebnisse der Hamburger südwest-australischen Forschungsreise 1905. Jena : G. Fischer Vol. 3. 253-276 pp. [255] (list; as Lynceus macleayanus)

History of changes

• Lynceus magdaleanae Timms, B.V. 2013. A revision of the Australian species of Lynceus Müller, 1776 (Crustacea: Branchiopoda: Laevicaudata, Lynceidae). Zootaxa 3702: 501–533 [521].

  Type data:

   Holotype WAM 51624 ♂, Australia, Western Australia, 18 km NE of Goomalling, East Oak Park pit gnamma [31°08'20''S, 116°5249''E].
  Paratype(s) WAM 51625 ♀ (as allotype); WAM 51626 2♂ 2♀; AM P89077 2♂ 2♀.

Distribution

States

Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

IBRA

NT, Qld, SA, WA: Avon Wheatbelt (AW), Burt Plain (BRT), Coolgardie (COO), Central Ranges (CR), Flinders Lofty Block (FLB), Gawler (GAW), Gibson Desert (GD), Great Sandy Desert (GSD), Little Sandy Desert (LSD), MacDonnell Ranges (MAC), Murray Darling Depression (MDD), Mitchell Grass Downs (MGD), Nullarbor (NUL)

History of changes

• Lynceus susanneae Timms, B.V. 2013. A revision of the Australian species of Lynceus Müller, 1776 (Crustacea: Branchiopoda: Laevicaudata, Lynceidae). Zootaxa 3702: 501–533 [524].

  Type data:

   Holotype WAM 51613 ♂, Western Australia, Nullarbor Plain, Cocklebiddy [ca 32°02'S, 126°06'E].
  Paratype(s) WAM 51614 ♀ (as allotype); WAM 51615 2♂ 2♀, Western Australia, Nullarbor Plain, Cocklebiddy [ca 32°02'E, 126°06'E]; AM P90027 2♂ 2♀, Western Australia, Nullarbor Plain, Cocklebiddy [ca 32°02'E, 126°06'E].

Distribution

States

Western Australia

IBRA

WA: Nullarbor (NUL)

History of changes

• Limnetis tatei Brady, G.S. 1886. Notes on freshwater Entomostraca from South Australia. Proceeding of the Scientific Meetings of the Zoological Society of London 1886: 82-93 [84, fig. A].

  Type data:

   Neotype SAMA 7641 ♂ (pond), Australia, South Australia, 29.5 km SE of Millicent [37°44'44''S, 140°37'47''E].

  Subsequent designation references:

  Timms, B.V. 2013. A revision of the Australian species of Lynceus Müller, 1776 (Crustacea: Branchiopoda: Laevicaudata, Lynceidae). Zootaxa 3702: 501–533 [510].

Generic Combinations

• Lynceus tatei (Brady, 1886). —
  Sayce, O.A. 1903. The Phyllopoda of Australia, including descriptions of some new genera and species. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria 15: 224-261, pl. 27-36 [258-259, pl. 36, fig. E, 1-3]

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Widespread, including SA (Brady 1886; Spencer & Hall 1896), WA (Dakin 1914), southern Vic (Sayce 1903), NSW (Henry 1924; Timms & Richter 2002) (see Timms 2013).

IBRA

NSW, Qld, SA, Vic, WA: Australian Alps (AA), Avon Wheatbelt (AW), Esperance Plains (ESP), Eyre Yorke Block (EYB), Flinders Lofty Block (FLB), Flinders (FLI), Geraldton Sandplains (GS), Hampton (HAM), Jarrah Forest (JF), Kanmantoo (KAN), Mallee (MAL), Murchison (MUR), Naracoorte Coastal Plain (NCP), NSW North Coast (NNC), Sydney Basin (SB), South East Coastal Plain (SCP), South East Corner (SEC), South Eastern Highlands (SEH), Swan Coastal Plain (SWA), Victorian Midlands (VM), Victorian Volcanic Plain (VVP), Warren (WAR)

Ecological Descriptors

Probably suspension feeder.

General References

Brtek, J. 1997. Checklist of the valid and invalid names of the “Large Branchiopods” (Anostraca, Notostraca, Spinicaudata and Laevicaudata), with a survey of the taxonomy of all Branchiopoda. Zborník Slovenského Národného Múzea. Prírodné Vedy 43: 3-66 [61] (listed as Lynceus tatei)

Chilton, C. 1917. Crustacea. In Results of the South Australian Museum Expedition to Strzelecki and Cooper Creeks, September and October 1916. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 41: 475-482 [481] (as Lynceus eremea)

Daday, E. 1927. Monographie systématique des Phyllopodes Conchostracés. Troisième partie (fin). Annales des Sciences Naturelles, Zoologie 10: 1-112 (587-698) [6, 45-49, fig. 155] (as Lynceus tatei; key)

Dakin, W.J. 1914. Fauna of Western Australia. II. The Phyllopoda of Western Australia. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1914: 293-305 [295, 303] (as Lynceus tatei and Lynceus eremia; list, key)

Glauert, L. 1924. Contributions to the fauna of Western Australia. 5. Crustacea. Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia 10: 59-64 [59-60] (as Lynceus tatei)

Henry, M. 1924. A monograph of the freshwater Entomostraca of New South Wales. Part IV. Phyllopoda. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 1924: 120-137 [121, 135-136] (as Limnetis tatei; list, text)

Martin, J.W. & Belk, D. 1988. Review of the clam shrimp family Lynceidae Stebbing, 1902 (Branchiopoda: Conchostraca), in the Americas. Journal of Crustacean Biology 8: 451-482 [452] (listed as Lynceus tatei)

Richter, S. & Timms, B.V. 2005. A list of recent clam shrimps (Crustacea: Laevicaudata, Spinicaudata, Cyclestherida) of Australia, including a description of a new species of Eocyzicus. Records of the Australian Museum 57: 341-354

Sars, G.O. 1895. Descriptions of some Australian Phyllopoda. Archiv for Mathematik og Naturvidenskab, Kristiania 17(2): 1-51, pl. 1-8 [43-46, pl. 8] (as Limnetis tatei)

Sayce, O.A. 1903. The Phyllopoda of Australia, including descriptions of some new genera and species. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria 15: 224-261, pl. 27-36 [258-259, pl. 36, fig. F, 1-3] (as Lynceus eremia)

Spencer, B. & Hall, T.S. 1896. Crustacea. Report on the Work of the Horn Scientific Expedition to Central Australia. II. Zoology. London and Melbourne. [244, pl. 23, figs 30-32] (as Limnetis eremia)

Timms, B.V. 2013. A revision of the Australian species of Lynceus Müller, 1776 (Crustacea: Branchiopoda: Laevicaudata, Lynceidae). Zootaxa 3702: 501–533 [508] (redescribed, new records)

Wolf, E. 1911. Phyllopoda. In Michaelsen, W. & Hartmeyer, R. (eds) Die Fauna Südwest-Australiens. Ergebnisse der Hamburger südwest-australischen Forschungsreise 1905. Jena : G. Fischer Vol. 3. 253-276 pp. [255] (listed as Lynceus tatei and as Lynceus eremia)

History of changes