Includes bibliographical references and index.

Preface and summary -- Introduction -- Material and methods -- Taxonomic account -- Order CYCLOPOIDA Burmeister, 1834*) -- Family CYCLOPIDAE Burmeister, 1834*) -- Subfamily Halicyclopinae Kiefer, 1927 -- Genus Halicyclops Norman, 1903 -- 1. Halicyclops kieferi n. sp. -- 2. Halicyclops ambiguus Kiefer, 1967 -- 3. Halicyclops eberhardi De Laurentiis, Pesce & Humphreys, 2001 -- 4. Halicyclops pescei n. sp. -- - -. Key to Australian Halicyclops species -- Subfamily Cyclopinae Burmeister, 1834*) -- Genus Mesocyclops G.O. Sars, 1914 -- 5. Mesocyclops brooksi Pesce, De Laurentiis & Humphreys, 1996 -- Genus Metacyclops Kiefer, 1927 -- 6. Metacyclops superincidentis n. sp. -- 7. Metacyclops laurentiisae n. sp. -- 8. Metacyclops pilanus n. sp. -- - -. Key to the species of the Metacyclops trispinosus -group -- Genus Apocyclops Lindberg, 1942 -- 9. Apocyclops dengizicus (Lepeschkin, 1900) -- Ge nus Fierscyclops n. g. -- 10. Fierscyclops fiersi (De Laurentiis, Pesce & Humphreys, 2001) n. comb. -- Genus Microcyclops Claus, 1893 -- 11. Microcyclops varicans (G.O. Sars, 1863) -- Genus Goniocyclops Kiefer, 1955 -- 12. Goniocyclops uniarticulatus n. sp. -- 13. Goniocyclops mortoni n. sp. -- - -. Key for the identification of the species of Goniocyclops -- Order HARPACTICOIDA G.O. Sars, 1903 -- Family DIOSACCIDAE G.O. Sars, 1906 -- Genus Schizopera G.O. Sars, 1905 -- 14. Schizopera depotspringsi n. sp. -- --. Schizopera costaricana n. sp -- 15. Schizopera austindownsi n. sp. -- 16. Schizopera oldcuei n. sp. -- 17. Schizopera uramurdahi n. sp. -- 18. Schizopera jundeei n. sp. -- Family AMEIRIDAE Monard, 1927 -- Subfamily Ameirinae Monard, 1927 -- Genus Nitokra Boeck, 1865 -- 19. Nitokra lacustris pacifica Yeatman, 1983 -- Genus Hirtaleptomesochra n. g. -- 20. Hirtaleptomesochra bispinosa n. g., n. sp. -- Genus Nitocrella Chappuis, 1923 -- 21. Nitocrella obesa n. sp. -- 22. Nitocrella trajani n. sp. -- 23. Nitocrella absentia n. sp. -- - -. Key to the species of the Nitocrella vasonica group -- Genus Novanitocrella n. g. -- 24. Novanitocrella aboriginesi n. g., n. sp. -- Genus Parapseudoleptomesochra Lang, 1965 -- 25. Parapseudoleptomesochra karamani n. sp. -- 26. Parapseudoleptomesochra rouchi n. sp. -- --. Parapseudoleptomesochra mielkei n. sp. -- - -. Key to the species of Parapseudoleptomesochra -- Genus Raoleptomesochra n. g. -- Genus Haifameira Por, 1964 -- 27. Haifameira pori,/i> n. sp. -- Family CANTHOCAMPTIDAE G.O. Sars, 1906 -- Genus Australocamptus n. g. -- 28. Australocamptus hamondi n. g., n. sp. -- 29. Australocamptus similis n. g., n. sp. -- 30. Australocamptus diversus n. g., n. sp. -- Family PARASTENOCARIDIDAE Chappuis, 1933 -- Genus Parastenocaris Kessler, 1913 -- 31. Parastenocaris solitaria n. sp. -- General discussion -- Acknowledgments -- References -- Taxonomic index.

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.

Description based on print version record.