Transactions of the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters (Volume 16, PT. 2) (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos or missing text. Not indexed. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1910. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... A REVISION OF THE NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF CYCLOPS. C. DWIGHT MABSH. As collections are made more and more widely from all parts of the world and as these collections are studied more thoroughly, it becomes increasingly evident not only that the genus of Cyclops is distributed over the whole world, but that individual species have an exceedingly wide distribution. Many of the species which have been described as peculiar to America have been clearly shown either to be identical with species in Europe or merely varieties of those species. Little by little it has been necessary to reduce to synonyms the names which have been proposed for American species. It can not yet be said that all American species are identical with those in Europe, but it is very evident that most of them are. Most of the species of Cyclops have wide limits of variation, and it is these variations which, at a time when the knowledge of the entomostraca was imperfect, lead to the introduction of many new names for species which we now know are only varieties. This leads to a great deal of confusion when students of anatomy or plankton, who may have no particular interest in a systematic knowledge of Entomostraca, attempt to name the species which they are studying. So great is this confusion that many students of plankton do not attempt to use specific names, but simply describe the distribution of "Cyclops." This is extremely unfortunate, for the species of Cyclops have very different habits and a discussion of plankton with all the species of this genus grouped together has very little value so far as Entomostraca are concerned. It mav be a matter of doubt whether the general student of Zoology is ever likely to determine the species of Copepoda easily, as special training is almost...