European cave shrimp species (Decapoda: Caridea: Atyidae), redefined after a phylogenetic study; Redefinition of some taxa, a new genus and four new Troglocaris species

Abstract

Endemic atyids of southern Europe have been ascribed to Dugastella, and to subterranean Typhlatya and Troglocaris: Dugastella is epigean, and Typhlatya and Troglocaris are subterranean. An extensive collection from all centres of distribution in southern Europe (excepting the Caucasus) was morphologically examined. A taxonomic redefinition of the group, at different levels, is based on recently published and newly generated molecular phylogeny, whereas newly established taxa have also been morphologically defined. The accordance between the phylogenetic tree and the geographical distributions suggested that a re-evaluation of some traditionally used morphological characters should generate the most parsimonious solution: this enabled a novel taxonomic division. Gallocaris gen. nov. is erected for the French Troglocaris inermis Fage, 1937, which is more closely related to the epigean Dugastella valentina (Ferrer Galdiano, 1924) than to its supposed congeners. Both western Mediterranean Typhlatya species are closely related to their Caribbean congeners. All other European cave shrimps constitute a monophylum, Troglocaris, which is divisible into subgenera (already with available names): the holo-Dinaric Troglocaris (Troglocaris) Dormitzer, 1853, south-eastern mero-Dinaric Troglocaris (Troglocaridella) Babić, 1922, and Troglocaris (Spelaeocaris) MatjaŠič, 1956, and the Caucasian Troglocaris (Xiphocaridinella) Sadovsky, 1930. Four new species are described: Troglocaris (Troglocaris) bosnica sp. nov., Troglocaris (Spelaeocaris) prasence sp. nov., Troglocaris (Spelaeocaris) kapelana sp. nov., and Troglocaris (Spelaeocaris) neglecta sp. nov. The distribution of all established species is shown, and the value of the morphological characters is discussed. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London.