Morphology and Culture of Eulimnadia diversa (Crustacea, Conchostraca) Found in Louisiana

Eulimnadia diversa (Crustacea, Conchostraca) was collected during the summers and autumns of 1966 through 1968 from temporary pools at two sites in southeastern Louisiana. Only females were collected. The mean shell length was 4.6 mm, and the mean depth was 2.9 mm. Two-thirds of the specimens examined had two growth lines, and the majority had 12-14 caudal spines on the telson. The number of such spines frequently differed on either side of the telson. In the majority of those specimens with the same number of caudal spines on each side of the telson, the forked telson filament was located between spines 3 and 4. Most specimens possessed 17 pairs of phyllopods. Attempts to culture Eulimnadia were moderately successful. The laboratory life cycle lasted about one month from egg-laying to death.