Identification and introduction of microcrustacean cladocera in Small Gahar Lake- Lorestan Province

Gahar Lake is located in the center of the protected area of Oshtorankooh in Lorestan province. This lake is a unique high-mountain lake "Paternoster or Lord's Prayer" with two water body connected by a stream. There is not any research and published study about limnology, biology and taxonomic composition of its organisms. This study is the first one and a part of a complete investigation on planktonic community and trophic status of GaharLake. SmallGaharLake is a shallow water body and submerged macrophytes have covered entire the lake. So this study was conducted to introduce cladoceran species composition of small macrophyte dominant lake. Zooplankton assemblage was sampled from open waters and near macrophytes using a 30 micron net, filtering 100 liter water, during a period of 1 year from Ordibehesht 1389 to Ordibehesht 1390 (except 3 months of ice period) The Cladoceran taxa composition of small Gahar Lake revealed 14 species. These species belong to 2 families and 6 genera including: Simocephalus expinosus var.? , Simocephalus expinosus , Simocephalus vetulus , Chydorus sphaericus , Chydorus faviformis, Chydorus latus Ceriodaphnia reticulata , Alona quadrangularis Alona affinis, Alona gutata, Alonella diaphana, Alonella sp., Scapholeberis kingi, and Pleuroxus hamulatus.