Synurella odessana sp. n. (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Crangonyctidae), first report of a subterranean amphipod from the catacombs of Odessa and its zoogeographic importance

Abstract

Citation: Sidorov DA, Kovtun OA (2015) Synurella odessana sp. n. (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Crangonyctidae), first report of a subterranean amphipod from the catacombs of Odessa and its zoogeographic importance. Subterranean Biology 15: 11-27. Abstract A new species from the catacombs of Odessa (South Ukraine), Synurella odessana sp. n. is described and its taxonomic affinity with congeners are discussed. This is the first record of the subterranean amphipod crustacean of the genus Synurella from an artificial biotope. The new species has numerous plesiomorphic features states allowing a more detailed evaluation of the taxonomy of the genus Synurella. The most remarkable feature of this new species is the presence of a "synurellid type" gnathopod 1 and a "crangonyctid type" gnathopod 2. Herein, we propose three groups in the genus Synurella distributed within the Volga-Black Sea basin: ambulans-group (epigean inhabitants of coastal lowlands, stygophiles), dershavini-group (hypogean or spring inhabitants of karstic regions, preadapted stygobionts), wachuschtii-group (minute inhabitants of interstitial waters, stygobionts). The dershavini-group occupies isolated taxonomic position among the synurellids. We suggest that the modern distribution of dershavini-group reflects the formation of ancient river basins in the region.

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“…The body length was recorded by holding the specimen straight. Relevant literature (Karaman, 1974;Ruffo, 1974;Mateus & Mateus, 1990;Sidorov & Palatov, 2012;Sidorov & Kovtun, 2015) were used for taxonomical evaluation and identification of the specimens. …”

“…Synurella is represented by four species (S.lepida, S.ambulans, S.osellai and S.donensis) in Turkey (Mateus & Mateus, 1990;Özbek & Ustaoğlu, 2006). In Turkey, while ambulans-group are represented by S.lepida and S. ambulans, dershavinigroup are represented by S. osellai and S. donensis (Sidorov & Kovtun, 2015).…”

“…According to Sidorov and Kovtun (2015), Synurella consist of three species-groups (including 9 species), ambulans-group (S. ambulans, S. behningi, S. lepida, S. philareti), dershavini-group (S.dershavini, S. donensis, S.osellai, S.odessana) and wachuschtiigroup (S. wachuschtii) within the Vo lga-Black Sea basin. Synurella is represented by four species (S.lepida, S.ambulans, S.osellai and S.donensis) in Turkey (Mateus & Mateus, 1990;Özbek & Ustaoğlu, 2006).…”

“…The genus Synurella has a Holoarctic distribution consisting of approximately 20 known species and occurs in semi-subterranean freshwaters and coastal plain brackish habitats (Karaman, 1974;Sidorov & Palatov, 2012;Sidorov & Kovtun, 2015). According to Sidorov and Kovtun (2015), Synurella consist of three species-groups (including 9 species), ambulans-group (S. ambulans, S. behningi, S. lepida, S. philareti), dershavini-group (S.dershavini, S. donensis, S.osellai, S.odessana) and wachuschtiigroup (S. wachuschtii) within the Vo lga-Black Sea basin.…”

Volgonyx gen.n. and Pontonyx gen.n., two new genera of the family Crangonyctidae (Crustacea: Amphipoda) from the southeastern Europe

“…for Synurella dershavini Behning, 1928, and Pontonyx gen.n. for Synurella odessana Sidorov et Kovtun, 2015 and Synurella osellai Ruffo, 1972. New genera can be clearly distinguished from all Eurasian crangonyctid genera by a combination of morphological features, such as 1) a large elongated nonpigmented (troglomorphic) body; 2) males noticeably larger than females, with distinct sexual dimorphism in body size and morphology of uropod I; 3) absence of the calceoli on antenna II; and 4) more than 4 coupling hooks in retinacules of pleopods.…”