Gammarus sepidannus Zamanpoore, Poeckl, Grabowski & Schiemer, 2009

Zamanpoore, Mehrdad, Grabowski, Michal, Poeckl, Manfred & Schiemer, Friedrich, 2011, Taxonomic review of freshwater Gammarus (Crustacea: Amphipoda) from Iran, Zootaxa 3140, pp. 1-14 : 10-11

Gammarus sepidannus Zamanpoore, Poeckl, Grabowski & Schiemer, 2009

Gammarus sepidannus Zamanpoore, Poeckl, Grabowski & Schiemer, 2009: 31 –38, Figs. 7–10.

Locus typicus. Vezge Morad spring (30°13´N, 51°58´E), S of Sepidan, Fars Province.

Material examined. Holotype ( ZMA, Amph. 206056). Paratypes: Khani Varg spring, 4 km S of Sepidan (30°12´N, 51°59´E) ( FAIC 111053); Cheshme Owsip, 3 km NW of Sepidan (30°16´N, 51°57´E) ( FAIC 111052); Sheshpeer (spring brook), 10 km SE of Sepidan (30°15´N, 52°03´E) ( FAIC 111105).

Distribution. It is an endemic species restricted to only a small area, being the upper part of the Zohre River catchment in south of the Central Zagros ( Fig. 1 ).

Ecological notes. Habitats of this species include small mountain springs on altitudes from 2053 m to 2350 m asl (Mean = 2210 m, SD = 80). Water in these springs is cold (8 – 13 ºC, Mean = 12.2 ºC, SD = 1.4), ionic content is low, as conductivity ranges from 180 to 410 μS/cm (Mean = 258 μS/cm, SD = 61). Spring margins are covered with snow or ice during the winter and some time in autumn and spring.

Taxonomic remarks. Gammarus sepidannus has a shorter endopodite in uropod 3 ( Zamanpoore et al., 2009, Fig. 9F), if compared to other Gammarus species in the region. Apart of this feature the species resemble somewhat G. lobifer and G. baloutchi . However, both latter species possess long eyes vs. short eye in G. sepidannus (ibid., Fig. 7A). All peduncle segments and flagellum of antenna 2 in G. sepidannus have long setae (ibid., Fig. 7C), while the seate are short on peduncle and flagellum in G. lobifer ( Stock et al., 1998, Fig. 24d), and on flagellum in G. baloutchi ( Khalaji-Pirbalouty & Sari, 2006, Fig. 1 A2).

Gammarus shirazinus Zamanpoore, Grabowski, Poeckl & Schiemer, 2010a

Gammarus shirazinus Zamanpoore, Grabowski, Poeckl & Schiemer, 2010a: 31 –51, Figs. 2–3. Zamanpoore, Grabowski, Poeckl & Schiemer, 2010b, Fig. 4.

Gammarus syriacus ( Mateus & Mateus, 1990: 280) , misidentified.

Locus typicus. Pole-Berenji spring (29°27´N, 52°31´E), S of Shiraz, Fars Province.

Material examined. Holotype ( ZMA Crust. Amph. 206057). Paratypes: Barme-Delak spring, 18 km SE of Shiraz (29°33´N, 52°42´E) ( FAIC 111066); Barme-shur spring, 17 km S of Shiraz (29°28´N, 52°41´E) ( FAIC 111273); Barme-Tarkoshte spring, 17 km SE of Shiraz (29°34´N, 52°40´E) ( FAIC 111065); Kaftarak, 16 km SE of Shiraz (29°35´N, 52°39´E) ( FAIC 111280); Neiriz, 200 km SE of Shiraz (29°12´N, 54°20´E) ( FAIC 111278); Pire Bano spring, 11 km SW of Shiraz (29°31´N, 52°27´E) ( FAIC 111281); Pire Gheibi spring, 12 km SW of Shiraz (29°31´N, 52°27´E) ( FAIC 111283); Se Barm spring, 14 km E of Shiraz (29°35´N, 52°40´E) ( FAIC 111274). Misidentified as G. syriacus . Two specimens 16 km SW Shiraz (29°36'54''N 52°32'18''E), Fars Province, ( NHMW Amphipoda 4867).

Distribution. An endemic species, found almost exclusively in Maharlu Lake catchments area in southern Zagros ( Fig. 1 ).

Ecological notes. This part of the country lies in lowlands, with rivers flowing from springs originating on elevations 1460 –1600 m asl (Mean = 1487 m, SD = 33. Water temperatures range from 18 to 25 ºC (Mean = 21 ºC, SD = 1.6), coupled with an extraordinary high conductivities of 150 – 1800 μS/cm (Mean = 1175 μS/cm, SD = 607).

Taxonomic remarks. This species can be confused at first glance with G. loeffleri . It may be differentiated from the latter by longer setation of antenna 2 ( Zamanpoore et al., 2010a, Fig. 2C) and pereopod 5–7 ( Zamanpoore et al., 2010b, Figs. 4A–C), presence of 2 tiny spines on ventro-distal corner of first peduncle in antenna 1 (ibid., Fig. 2B) makes it easy to recognize this species from the other one. This feature is common with G. bakhteyaricus , whose most other morphological characters are different. In a same way, it can be easily shown for G. syriacus . The only possible similarity of both species is longer setation on pereopods 5–7 if compared to other Gammarus species in Iran.

Misidentifications. See relevant section under G. pseudosyriacus .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Distribution map of freshwater Gammarus species in Iran (grey regions indicate high mountainous areas).