Found after 60 years: the hows and whys of Sphaeromides virei montenigrina (Crustacea: Isopoda: Cirolanidae) rediscovery in Obodska pećina, Montenegro

Abstract

Despite being the biggest isopod crustacean in Dinarides, little is known about the genus Sphaeromides and its taxonomical status. Sphaeromides virei montenigrina, one of the three subspecies, has been known only thanks to a female specimen found and described in the late 1950s. Despite the intensive search, almost 60 years were needed to discover additional specimens in the cave Obodska pećina, Montenegro. In this study we present a review of the possible reasons for this long lasting search.Čeprav so predstavniki rodu Sphaeromides največji podzemni raki enakonožci Dinarskega krasa, je o rodu le malo znanega, taksonomski status pa je še nedodelan. Sphaeromides virei montenigrina, eno od treh podvrst, ki je bila opisana v 50-ih letih prejšnjega stoletja, smo donedavna poznali le po samici, najdeni septembra 1956. Kljub pogostemu vzorčenju je bilo potrebnih skoraj 60 let, da je bilo odkritih nekaj dodatnih osebkov v jami Obodska pećina v Črni gori. V prispevku obravnavamo morebitne razloge za to.