ABSTRACT
The present study aimed to evaluate the diversity of zooplankton including rotifers and
cyclops in the various freshwater ecosystems in Assiut Governorate, Egypt. Rotifers can
affect the prevalence of different protozoan organisms in water, such as Cryptosporidium
species. Cyclops act as intermediate host of some helminthic parasites. Microscopic analysis
of the collected samples identified 3 rotifer genera and one copepod in different freshwater
supplies including poultry farms, animal farms, human tanks, and fish farms. In the present
study, 59 out of 136 (43.3%) water samples were contaminated with plankton. Poultry
freshwater showed the highest plankton diversity and prevalence with 29 samples (21.3%),
whereas the least prevalence was in human drinking water, 3 (2.2%). In the fishpond, Cyclops
were observed in 3 (2.2%) of total samples. The prevalence of rotifers and Cyclops is strongly
related to the summer season. Our results enrich the diversity of zooplankton in different
freshwater supplies as a bioindicator of water pollution.
Keywords: Zooplankton; water supplies; Assiut and Rotifers.