The taxonomic research of Jules Richard on Cladocera (Crustacea: Branchiopoda) and his collection at the National Museum of Natural History, USA

Abstract

Jules Richard (1863-1945) contributed significantly to cladoceran taxonomy before he became Director of the Musee Oceanographique de Monaco and assistant to Prince Albert I-er de Monaco. His collection, including slides and samples preserved in ethanol, was purchased by E. A. Birge, subsequently incorporated into the collection of David G. Frey, and later gifted to the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution. A list of publications of Richard about cladocerans is presented, as well a list of all new taxa described by him (three genera and 37 taxa of species rank), with information about type localities, synonymies and taxonomic comments. Lectotypes and in some cases paralectotypes are selected for Daphnia (Ctenodaphnia) bolivari Richard, 1888; D. (Daphnia) curvirostris insulana Moniez in Richard, 1896; Bosmina japonica Poppe & Richard, 1890; Grimaldina brazzai Richard, 1892 and Alona sarsi Richard, 1891. Syntypes exist for Alona moniezi Richard, 1888 and Pleuroxus letourneuxi (Richard, 1888). The ethanol samples of Richard that may contain species for which there are no types are discussed. In addition, samples in the collection of David G. Frey from type localities of Richard's species are noted. These samples could be important for future revisions of the Richard's taxa. A redescription of Pleuroxus letourneuxi (Chydoridae, Chydorinae) is given; Bosmina japonica Poppe & Richard, 1890 (Bosminidae), a junior synonym of B. longirostris (O. F. Muller, 1776), also is redescribed.