Subterranean Copepoda from Arid Western Australia

Book excerpt: Though the subterranean waters are among the most fragile and threatened ecosystems, and are also considered to be rich in biodiversity, there is very little information even on their total biological diversity. Presenting one group of small crustaceans, this book shows how rich and complex subterranean systems may be even in Australian desert regions. This is the first comprehensive study of the subterranean copepods from Australia. It contains descriptions of five new genera and 24 new species. Many representatives of this unique fauna are of ancient origin, dating as far back as Jurassic. Because many questions of the copepod invasions of the freshwater, and their connections with the main climatic changes are addressed, this book will also be useful for a much broader scientific audience.