Rotifera Diversity of the Mediterranean Hotspot

Rotifers are microscopic animals living in any aquatic habitat, including the thin water layer surrounding soil particles, mosses, and lichens. Overall, out of the 2000 species of rotifers known in the world, any well-sampled country in the Mediterranean area may host a considerable proportion of the global diversity. For example, Italy, the best-known country in the area for rotifers, has a known diversity of 584 species. More than one quarter of the global diversity of rotifers is found in one single country. Other countries in the Mediterranean area may have similar numbers, but more data is needed from the field to provide reliable estimates of diversity for Mediterranean rotifers.