Gammarus pseudosyriacus issatisi, Semsar-Kazerooni, Maryam, Zamanpoore, Mehrdad & Sadeghi, Saber, 2016

Semsar-Kazerooni, Maryam, Zamanpoore, Mehrdad & Sadeghi, Saber, 2016, Redescription of Gammaruspseudosyriacus (Karaman & Pinkster, 1977) and description of a new subspecies from southern Iran (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Gammaridae), ZooKeys 598, pp. 57-73 : 62-65

Taxon classification Animalia Amphipoda Gammaridae

Gammarus pseudosyriacus issatisi subsp. n.

Type locality.

The samples were collected from springs and qanats of Zagros Mountains in May 2013. Location was in Yazd station (Qanat-e-Hojjat Abad, Tezarjan, Yazd province, Iran, 31°36'20.9"N; 54°10'43.4"E, Altitude 2162 m) (Fig. 1). leg. M. Semsar-Kazerooni.

Material examined.

Holotype male, 16.9 mm, Qanat-e-Hojjat Abad, Yazd, Iran, many paratypes, eight males were completely dissected and examined in detail, and compared to another 22 males (FAIC 111299, ZM–CBSU #3209).

Type specimen.

Holotype male, with genitalia in a separate microvial. Original label: " FAIC 111299, Yazd, Tezerjan Qanat, 31°36'20.9"N; 54°10'43.4"E, 12 May 2013".

Diagnosis.

Small body (maximum length 17 mm), small eyes (smaller than diameter of first peduncular article of antenna 1) with a wider appearance, shorter flagellum of antenna 1 and 2, wider uropod 3, wider telson, wider merus in pereopods 3-6, wider carpus in third, fifth and sixth pereopods, wider basis in pereopod 4, longer basis in pereopod 6 and pereopod 7.

Description.

Maximum body length 17 mm; small, kidney-shaped eyes (smaller than diameter of first peduncular article of antenna 1) (Fig. 5C). Antenna 1: Longer than antenna 2; peduncular articles 1>2>3; main and accessory flagella with 17-31 and 3-5 articles, armed with short simple setae (Fig. 5A). Antenna 2: Gland cone is shorter than the third peduncle article; peduncle articles 4 and 5 approximately equal length and armed with groups of short setae; flagellum with 11-15 articles armed with short simple setae; calceoli present (Fig. 5B). Mandible: Incisor processes, lacinia mobilis and ridged molar process well developed, a plumose long spine row exist (Fig. 6B). Mandible palp: First article without setae; second article with ventral setae, 4-5 proximal setae and 6-11 closely placed distal setae; inferior margin of the third article armed with a comb-like row of 20-26 D-setae, 5-6 long E-setae, a groupof B-setae and a group of A-setae (Fig. 6A). Maxilla 1: Long plumose setae on inner lobe; outer lobe with stout serrate spines; palps asymmetric; right palp with 4 robust tooth-like spines, one longer separate subapical spine with one long seta on its outer margin (Fig. 6D). Left palp with 6 apical spines accompanied by 2 median setae and a long subapical seta on inner corner, one longer separate subapical spine on outer corner (Fig. 6C). Maxillipeds: Distal margin of exopodite with a row of three strong teeth and 8 longer setae, a row of setae at distal sub-margin which becomes plumose from the middle and continues towards the inferior margin to join to 6-7 long plumose setae, a single spine with a distance at sub-marginal interior corner, a row of three setae parallel to the long axis close to the single spine (Fig. 6E).

Gnathopod 1: Coxal plate distally slightly wider than proximal, rounded corners with a seta at the postero-ventral corner and 1-3 setae at antero-ventral corner; basis with a few long setae on both anterior and posterior margins; ischium with a postero-distal row of setae; merus and carpus with groups of short setae which are plumose at posterior margin of carpus; propodus pyriform with groups of spines and setae, 5-6 groups of small spines at posterior palmar margin; dactylus long (Fig. 5D). Gnathopod 2: Coxal plate distally slightly narrower than proximal, rounded corners with a seta at the postero-ventral corner and 1-3 setae at antero-ventral corner; basis with a few long setae on both anterior and posterior margins; ischium with a postero-distal row of setae; merus and carpus with groups of short setae which are plumose at posterior margin of carpus; propodus Trapezoid-shaped (subrectangular) with 2-3 groups of spines and also groups of dense setae on palmar surface (Fig. 5E). Pereopod 3: Coxal plate rectangular and rounded distally, with 2-3 very short setae at antero-distal corner and one at postero-distal corner; anterior and posterior margins of basis bear some long simple setae; posterior margins of merus and carpus densely setose; posterior margin of merus with several groups of dense setae about 1 to 1.5 times as long as the diameter of the article and anterior margin with 2-3 groups of short spine mixed with short setae and a group of long setae with a spine at anterior tip, mean ratio of merus length/width 3.1; posterior margin of carpus with several groups of setae about 2 times longer than the diameter of the article, a long spine and a group of longer setae are implanted on both its anterior and posterior tip, mean ratio of carpus length/width 3.3; posterior margin of propodus with 6 groups of small spine and some long setae (Fig. 7A). Pereopod 4: Coxal plate with 2-3 small setae implanted at antero-distal margin and 6-7 at postero-distal margin; articles similar to pereopod 3, but setae are shorter and the number of setae and groups is lower; mean ratio of basis length/width 3.2; anterior margin of merus with just one group of short setae and one spine, two long spines among a group of setae implanted at anterior tip of merus, mean ratio of merus length/width is 2.9; posterior margin of carpus with several groups of setae and spines; posterior margin of propodus with 5-6 groups of one small spine and some long setae (Fig. 7B). Pereopod 5: Basis subrectangular, postero-distal lobe well developed, posterior margin with 10-11 very short setae, anterior margin with 4-5 spines; merus and carpus with small spines and setae, mean ratio of merus length/width 2.5; mean ratio of carpus length/width 5.4; propodus having 6 transverse rows of spines (Fig. 7C). Pereopod 6: Longer than pereopod 5; basis slender and posterior margin with 10-11 setae and anterior margin with 4-5 spines, mean ratio of basis length/width 1.8; other articles are similar to pereopod 5; mean ratio of merus length/width 2.8; mean ratio of carpus length/width 6.1 (Fig. 7D). Pereopod 7: Basis wider proximally, postero-distal protruding lobe less developed than pereopod 6, posterior margin with 11-16 setae and anterior margin with 4-5 spines, mean ratio of basis length/width 1.9; anterior margin of merus and carpus with spines and longer setae; merus with two spine and some short setae at posterior margin; carpus with 1-3 spines at posterior margin; propodus with spines and setae which are as long as spines, 6-7 transverse rows of spines on anterior margin of propodus, two longer spines at posterior tip of propodus intermixed with a group of longer setae (Fig. 7E). Uropod 3: Endopodite length is about two-thirds of the exopodite; setae on outer and inner margin of both exopodite and endopodite are plumose; mean ratio of exopodite length/width 5.7 (Fig. 6H).

Telson: Length of the lobes about twice their widest width; two to three long and robust spines and 5-6 long setae on distal margin; groups of setae at the dorsal surface of the lobes; mean ratio of telson lobe length/width 1.7 (Fig. 6F). Epimeral plate 1: Rounded with 9-12 long setae on antero-distal corner (Fig. 5F). Epimeral plate 2: Posterodistal corner pointed; distal margin with 1-4 short spines that mixed with setae (Fig. 5G). Epimeral plate 3: Posterodistal corner sharply pointed; 2-4 short spines intermixed with short setae on distal margin (Fig. 5H). Urosomites 1-3: With clear dorsal elevation; each urosomite bears a dorsomedian and dorsolateral groups of setae, mixed with short spines on their posterior margins (Fig. 6G).

Etymology.

The specific name issatisi is an adjective that comes from “Issatis”, which was the previous name of Yazd during the time of the Median Empire. Yazd is an ancient city with a 3,000 year history. The type locality is in the vicinity of Yazd city.

Distribution.

Gammarus pseudosyriacus issatisi subsp. n. is distributed in several springs and qanats in Yazd Province, in the south of Iran.

Ecology.

Qanat–e–Hojjat Abad showed pebbles and a sandy bed. Ecological factors include salinity (0.4 g/lit), pH (7.7), electrical conductivity (733.3 μS /cm), water temperature (13 °C) and water depth (less than 20 cm).