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In recent years, trait-based research on plankton has gained interest because of its potential to uncover general roles in ecology. While trait categories for phytoplankton and crustaceans have been posited, rotifer trait assessment has lagged behind. Here, we reviewed the literature to assess traits key to their life histories and provided a data matrix for the 138 valid genera of phylum Rotifera. We considered seven traits: habitat type, trophi type, presence of lorica and foot, predation defense attributes, corona type, and feeding traits. While most traits were morphological attributes and supposedly easy to assess, we were faced with several challenges regarding trait assignment. Feeding traits were especially difficult to assess for many genera because relevant information was missing. Our assembled trait matrix provides a foundation that will initiate additional research on rotifer functional diversity, diminish the misclassification of rotifer genera into trait categories, and facilitate studies across trophic levels. 

Although the most widely used key to the Rotifera subsumes six species of the sessile genus Limnias within two species groups (L. ceratophylli and L. melicerta), the original descriptions of these forms are sufficiently different to recognize them as distinct entities. We used these descriptions and all available literature on these species to develop dichotomous and formula keys to the six species based on easily recognizable morphological characters. As part of our review we added relevant ecological information from published sources, as well as our own data. We also discuss the need for additional observations of morphological, behavioral, life history, and genetic features to better understand the diversity of this widespread genus.