Copepods and ostracods associated with bromeliads in the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico

A substantial fraction of the freshwater available in Neotropical forests is enclosed within rosettes bromeliads that form small aquatic islands a terrestrial landscape. These oases provide shelter, water, nutrients and resting aggregation sites for several organisms, among them crustaceans. However, comparison with multitude studies on open systems, our knowledge crustaceans inhabiting semi-terrestrial habitats phytotelmata limited their presence such environments poorly understood. The present study was carried out two natural protected areas Yucatán Peninsula aiming to understand diversity dispersal strategies living bromeliads. Sediment water contained four species have been collected order habitats. From total 238 surveyed, 55% were colonized by Sixteen copepod, three ostracod one branchiopod recorded during this study, however only seven are considered as true bromeliad inhabitants. Different degrees association between assessed an indicator analysis, where significant associations found all We differences reserves associated fauna. In analyze genetic fauna, we sequenced individuals each markers (18S rRNA COI mtDNA). Bayesian analyses Generalized Mixed Yule Coalescent method (GMYC), delimited 7 well supported species. used different species, including passive dispersal, phoretic behavior active included. This stresses need studying meiofauna phytotelms, which could be local forests.