Gammarus crinicaudatus Stock, Mirzajani, Vonk, Naderi & Kiabi, 1998

Zamanpoore, Mehrdad, Grabowski, Michal, Poeckl, Manfred & Schiemer, Friedrich, 2011, Taxonomic review of freshwater Gammarus (Crustacea: Amphipoda) from Iran, Zootaxa 3140, pp. 1-14 : 4-5

Gammarus crinicaudatus Stock, Mirzajani, Vonk, Naderi & Kiabi, 1998

Gammarus crinicaudatus Stock, Mirzajani, Vonk, Naderi & Kiabi, 1998: 189 –195, Figs. 10–12.

Locus typicus. S. E. Shiraz (29º35'N, 52º42'E), Zagros Region, Fars Province.

Material examined. Holotype, female allotype, paratypes ( ZMA Crust. Amph. 201937). Additional non-type specimens (new material): Sarab Bahram spring, 6 km SE Nurabad, (30º01', 51º33') ( FAIC 111028); Cheshme Chenar, Bakan, SE Eghlid, (30º24', 52º24') ( FAIC 111039); Ghadamgahe Ali spring, Shahrak, (30º 11', 52º 30') ( FAIC 111041); Saadat Abad spring, Saadat Abad, (30º 08', 52º 38') ( FAIC 111042); Kondazi spring, 70 km N Marvdasht, (30º 15', 52º 42') ( FAIC 111044); Drain, 5 km Bande Amir, 83 km NE Shiraz, (29º 43', 52º 52') ( FAIC 111046); Sarasiab spring, Seyyedan, 30 km N Marvdasht, (29º 56', 53º 03') ( FAIC 111048); Pachenar spring, Seyyedan, 30 km N Marvdasht, (30º 00', 53º 00') ( FAIC 111049); Cheshme Abolmahdi, N Marvdasht, 90 N Shiraz, (30º 03', 53º 02') ( FAIC 111051); Malesjan-Jariabad spring, 60 km N Shiraz, (29º 53', 52º 29') ( FAIC 111059); Shah Bonzar spring, Dadine Bala, 48 km S Kazerun, (29º 17', 51º 50') ( FAIC 111069); Ghale Narenji spring, Famur, 35 km E Kazerun, (29º 25', 51º 57') ( FAIC 111071).

Many specimens misidentified as G. komareki, Amanabad , Mash'had (36˚10ʹN, 59˚40ʹE), ( FAIC 111288).

Distribution. Found in several localities of southern Zagros regions, in the midlands of Fars Province ( Fig. 1 ). Stock et al. (1998) reported a sample from Mashhad, north east of Iran, identified as G. crinicaudatus . We could not examine this material, however, a recent sample collected in the very same locality and identified by the first author in the very same locality revealed the population to be G. komareki . This finding, together with the very long distance between this locality and the region inhabited by G. crinicaudatus , supports our conclusion that the Mash'had sample of Stock et al., (1998) was in fact G. komareki .

Ecological notes. The species inhabits springs, brooks and small streams in headwaters with slow current in altitudes ranging from 712 m to 2247 m asl (Mean = 1581 m, SD = 457, n = 14). Water temperature was up to 22ºC (Mean = 16.2 ºC, SD = 5.6, n = 14), however in few localities the species was collected in winter at only 1ºC. Ionic concentration in these waters was variable among localities – the electric conductivity ranged from 150 to 810 μS/ cm (Mean = 312 μS/cm, SD = 206).

Taxonomic remarks. Examination of material mentioned above (including the type material) showed that this species has a longer setation on flagellum and peduncle of second antenna than in the original description. Other sources of ambiguity were found in the length of antennal gland cone (variable in size) and in variation in having or lacking the postero-distal corner setae of pereopod 7 basis in different populations. At first glance, the species may be confused with several other species according to some of the above features. However, from G. komareki it differs by having less dense setae on antenna 2 which are not curved distally ( Stock et al., 1998, Fig 10c), as well as less setose uropod 3 and pereopod 4 (ibid., Figs. 11, 12). From G. parthicus it may be distinguished by less dense setation of antenna 2, longer setae on pereopod 4 and lack of tiny spines on postero-distal corner of pereopod 7 basis (ibid., Fig. 12e). From G. sepidannus it differs by having longer endopodite of uropod 3 and setose anterior margin of pereopod 5–7. Compared to G. loeffleri it has apparently less numerous and shorter setae on anterior margin of pereopod 7.

Figures

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