Arctodiaptomus salinus
inhabits water bodies across Eurasia and North Africa. Based on our own data and that from
the literature, we analyzed the influences of several factors on the intra- and inter-population variability of this species. A strong
negative linear correlation between temperature and average body size in the Crimean and African populations was found, in
which the parameters might be influenced by salinity. Meanwhile, a significant negative correlation between female body size
and the altitude of habitats was found by comparing body size in populations from different regions. Individuals from
environments with highly varying abiotic parameters, e.g. temporary reservoirs, had a larger body size than individuals from
permanent water bodies. The changes in average body mass in populations were at 11.4 times, whereas, those in individual
metabolic activities were at 6.2 times. Moreover, two size groups of
A. salinus in the Crimean and the Siberian lakes were
observed. The ratio of female length to male length fluctuated between 1.02 and 1.30. The average size of
A. salinus in
populations and its variations were determined by both genetic and environmental factors. However, the parities of these factors
were unequal in either spatial or temporal scales.
