CYCLOPINAE Kiefer, 1927


BRYOCYCLOPS s.l. Kiefer, 1927


The problematic systematics of the genus Bryocyclops s.l. have been discussed by numerous authors (Kiefer, 1927, 1952; Lindberg, 1956; Monchenko, 1972; Dussart, 1982; Rocha et al., 1998; Reid, 1999).

The genus was firstly divided by Kiefer (1927, 1952) into the subgenera Bryocyclops s.str. and Haplocyclops Kiefer, 1952. Subsequently Lindberg (1957) splitted the genus in six morphological groups and three subgenera (Bryocyclops s.str., Rybocyclops, Haplocyclops); later on Monchenko (1972) added the subgenus Palaeocyclops.Later on Rocha et al. (1998) and Dussart (1982) respectively raised to generic rank the subgenera Haplocyclops and Rybocyclops.

The genus Bryocyclops presently includes 24 valid species inhabiting semiterrestrial habitats, most of them occurring in the Old World and on islands in the Pacific Ocean (Reid,1999).



BRYOCYCLOPS Kiefer, 1927


  • Bryocyclops absalomi Por, 1981 [Israel; caves]
  • Bryocyclops africanus Kiefer, 1932 [Africa; damp habitat]
  • Bryocyclops ankaratranus Kiefer, 1935 [Madagascar; damp habitat]
  • Bryocyclops anninae (Menzel, 1926) [Java, Guam; moss]
  • Bryocyclops apertus Kiefer (?)
  • Bryocyclops asetus Watiroyram, 2018 [Thailand; cave waters]

  • Bryocyclops bogoriensis (Menzel, 1926) [Fiji islands, Java; moss, tree holes]
  • Bryocyclops apertus Kiefer, 1935 [Kenya; semiterrestrial habitat]
  • Bryocyclops campaneri Rocha & Bjornberg, 1987 [Brazil;coastal plain rivers]
  • Bryocyclops caroli Bjornberg, 1985 [Brazil, Puerto Rico; humid litters, bromeliads] (left)
  • Bryocyclops chappuisi Kiefer, 1928 [Java;damp habitat]
  • Bryocyclops constrictus Lindberg, 1947 [India; semiterrestrial habitat]
  • Bryocyclops difficilis Kiefer, 1935 [Africa; damp habitat]
  • Bryocyclops elachistus Kiefer, 1935 [Kenya;damp habitat]
  • Bryocyclops feci Shen, 1956 [Mongolia; semiterrestrial habitat]
  • Bryocyclops fidjiensis Lindberg, 1954 [Fiji Islands; damp habitat, tree holes]
  • Bryocyclops jankowskajae (Monchenko, 1972) [URSS; damp habitat] (=Bryocyclops (Palaeocyclops) jankowskajae Monchenko, 1972
  • Bryocyclops jayabbumi Watiroyram, 2020 [Thailand]
  • Bryocamptus jejuensis Lee & Chang, 2016 [Korea]
  • Bryocyclops laurisilvae Holinska et al., 2024
  • Bryocyclops maewaensis Watiroyram et al., 2012 [Thailand; karstic waters]
  • Bryocyclops mandrakanus Kiefer, 1955 [Madagascar; damp habitat]
  • Bryocyclops maholarnensis, Watiroyram et al., 2015 [Thailand; caves]
  • Bryocyclops muscicola (Menzel, 1926) [USA (Florida), Java, Sumatra, Christmas Island *; moss, organic soils, springs, ground waters]
  • Bryocyclops muscicoloides Watiroyram, 2020 [Thailand; cave waters]
  • Bryocyclops phyllopus Kiefer, 1939 [Africa; leaf litters, damp habitat]
  • Bryocyclops parvulus Kiefer, 1928
  • Bryocyclops soqotraensis Mirabdullayev, Van Damme & Dumont, 2002 [Yemen; fresh waters] (syn. Thalamocyclops soqotraensis (Mirabdullayev, Van Damme & Dumont, 2002)
  • Bryocyclops trangensis Watiroyram, 2020 [Thailand; cave waters]
  • Bryocyclops travancoricus Lindberg, 1947 [India; semiterrestrial habitat]

    * Pesce & Karanovic (in press)


    keys to genera and subgenera of the Bryocyclops and Microcyclops groups



    HAPLOCYCLOPS Kiefer, 1952

    TYPE-SPECIES : Haplocyclops gudrunae Kiefer, 1952

    Recently Karanovic & Ranga Reddy (2005) splitted the genus Haplocyclops in two subgenera: Haplocyclops s-str. and Kiefercyclops.


  • Haplocyclops (H.) gudrunae Kiefer, 1952 [Madagascar; river interstitial]
  • Haplocyclops (H.) henrii Brancelj, 2018 [North Chad]
  • Haplocyclops (H.) iranicus Fiers, 2002 [Iran; brackish waters]
  • Haplocyclops (H.) monodi Kiefer, 1960 [Africa; river interstitial]
  • Haplocyclops (H.) neuter Kiefer, 1955 [Madagascar; lagoons]
  • Haplocyclops (H.) parvulus (Kiefer, 1928) [Java; fresh waters?] *
  • Haplocyclops (H.) pauliana Kiefer, 1955 [Africa, Madagascar; fresh waters] **
  • Haplocyclops (H.) torresi Rocha et al., 1998 [Brazil; damp habitat]
  • Haplocyclops (K.) fiersi Karanovic & Ranga Reddy [India; freshwater bore] (left)
  • Haplocyclops (K.) godavari Rao Totakura T.V. & Ranga Reddy Y. 2015. [India; groundwaters]
  • Haplocyclops (K.) primitivus Rao Totakura T.V. & Ranga Reddy Y. 2015. [India; groundwaters]

    * species inquirenda; synonym of Haplocyclops correctus according to Dussart (1982); should be allocated to the genus Bryocyclops according to Fiers (2002).

    ** syn. Bryocyclops (Haplocyclops) correctus (Kiefer, 1960)


    Key to species of Haplocyclops from Karanovic & Ranga Redddy, 2005




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