Diversity of rotifers from northeastern USA bogs with new species records for North America and New England

The first geographically extensive survey of rotifers in New England (U.S.A.) bogs is presented. Rotifers were collected during the summers of 1999 and 2000 from 31 bogs occurring throughout Vermont and Massachusetts, and in northwestern Connecticut. The survey incorporates three microhabitats within bogs: the bog ponds, interstitial (pore) water, and water-filled leaves of the northern pitcher-plant, Sarracenia purpurea L. Species similarity of these three habitats was low (Jaccard indices of similarity <0.25). During the survey over 50 000 individuals in 38 species were collected including Cephalodella anebodica Berzins and Colurella obtusa clausa (Hauer) which are reported for the first time from North America. Fifteen new species records for New England, 5 for Connecticut, 26 for Massachusetts and 20 for Vermont are also reported. Species richness of rotifers increased significantly with bog elevation but not with latitude, longitude, or bog area. The current known North American distribution of the rotifers we found in these bogs is presented for comparison.