Anthalona spinifera

Sinev, Artem Y., Dadykin, Ivan A., Umi, Wahidah A. D. & Yusoff, Fatimah M., 2025, New data on Cladocera (Crustacea: Branchiopoda) of Peninsular Malaysia, Zootaxa 5604 (3), pp. 255-284 : 264

Anthalona spinifera Tiang-nga, Sinev & Sanoamuang, 2016

Figs. 6A–E

Tiang-nga, Sinev & Sanoamuang 2016: 94–99, Figs. 1–3; Sinev & Yusoff 2018: 368, Figs. 1I–L.

Material examined. Several parthenogenetic females from a forest waterbody near Muadzam Shah , Pahang (3.12474° N, 102.9969° E), 18.10.2013 ; several parthenogenetic females from Chini Lake , Pahang (3.43257° N, 102.9186° E), 19.10.2013 ; one parthenogenetic female from pond near Pahang river, Pahang (3.44933° N, 103.0478° E), 19.10.2013 ; several parthenogenetic females from Biru Lake , Selangor (3.24675° N, 101.5265° E), 30.11.2014 ; three parthenogenetic females from Chini Lake , Pahang (3.42026 ° N, 102.92990° N), 5.09.2022 .

This is the first record for the Peninsular Malaysia. Studied specimens have somewhat higher, more ovoid body ( Fig. 6A) as compared to the specimens reported from Thailand and Malaysian Borneo, but share a characteristic morphology of labrum ( Fig. 6C), postabdomen ( Fig. 6D), and inner distal lobe of limb I bearing remarkable setae 1–2, ending in large spines ( Fig. 6E). The latter character, shared only by A. vandammei , clearly separates A. spinifera from most of other East Asian Anthalona species. The species is very close in morphology to Anthalona vandammei (see below) but differs from it in the short posterior setae on valves and more numerous setulae (about 25) at postero-ventral angle of valves ( Fig. 6B).

Rare endemic of South-East Asia, previously known from North-East Thailand (Tiang-nga et al. 2016) and Sabah, East Malaysia ( Sinev & Yusoff 2018). The species is associated with macrophytes. For detailed description see Tiang-nga et al. (2016).