Family Gammaridae (Crustacea: Amphipoda), mainly its Echinogammarus clade in SW Europe. Further elucidation of its phylogeny and taxonomy

Abstract

Most parts of the Echinogammarus clade of Gammaridae have been appropriately classified with the help of a molecular analysis, ultimately freed of the Echinogammarus-Chaetogammarusmalediction. Among defining morphological characters, the gnathopod interrelations are comparatively well congruent with molecular markers. Genus Homoeogammarus distribution area extended from Mediterranean to Atlantic islands. Chaetogammarus and Trichogammarus are firm members of the morphologically very diversified Ponto-Caspian group genera, not closely related to the morphologically similar Echinogammarus, Marinogammarus or Homoeogam-marus. Genus Pectenogammarus (along with Neogammarus and Laurogammarus) synonymized with Homoeogammarus. Parhomoeogammarus diagnose corrected, based on topotype samples of the type species. Freshwater species of the ‘European Eulimnogammarus’ in SW Europe defined asIberogammarus gen. nov. Continental Homoeogammarus-like, but molecularly distinct group, defined as Dinarogammarus gen. nov. Some here accepted genera are molecularly well supported, some are morphologically difficult to distinguish, but each one is morphologically homogeneous; they are also geographically well defined. In both respects, the very speciose and widely spread Homoeogammarus is different.