taxonID	type	description	language	source
03E0474AFF89FFC7908DF9EBAC2F1381.taxon	description	Fig. 2.	en	Marin, I. N., Barjadze, Sh. (2022): A new species of stygobiotic atyid shrimps of the genus Xiphocaridinella (Crustacea: Decapoda: Atyidae) from the Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, with a new record of X. kumistavi from the Imereti, Western Georgia, Caucasus. Invertebrate Zoology 19 (1): 24-34, DOI: 10.15298/invertzool.19.1.04, URL: https://doi.org/10.15298/invertzool.19.1.04
03E0474AFF89FFC7908DF9EBAC2F1381.taxon	materials_examined	TYPE MATERIAL. HOLOTYPE, non-ovigerous ♀ (pcl. 4.2 mm, tbl. 14.0 mm) (damaged, without pereopods), ZMMU Ma- 6215, SW Caucasus, Georgia, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Tsageri Municipality, inside Verdzistava II Cave located near the village of Tvishi, 42 ° 31 ′ 44.23 ″ N 42 ° 47 ′ 38.79 ″ E, about 400 m a. s. l., coll. G. Nebieridze, 16.05.2018. PARATYPE, 1 juv. (pcl. 3.8 mm, tbl. 12.0 mm) (damaged), IZISU AC-T- 00001, same locality and data as holotype.	en	Marin, I. N., Barjadze, Sh. (2022): A new species of stygobiotic atyid shrimps of the genus Xiphocaridinella (Crustacea: Decapoda: Atyidae) from the Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, with a new record of X. kumistavi from the Imereti, Western Georgia, Caucasus. Invertebrate Zoology 19 (1): 24-34, DOI: 10.15298/invertzool.19.1.04, URL: https://doi.org/10.15298/invertzool.19.1.04
03E0474AFF89FFC7908DF9EBAC2F1381.taxon	etymology	ETYMOLOGY. The new species is named after Lechkhumi region of the Western Georgia, where it was discovered.	en	Marin, I. N., Barjadze, Sh. (2022): A new species of stygobiotic atyid shrimps of the genus Xiphocaridinella (Crustacea: Decapoda: Atyidae) from the Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, with a new record of X. kumistavi from the Imereti, Western Georgia, Caucasus. Invertebrate Zoology 19 (1): 24-34, DOI: 10.15298/invertzool.19.1.04, URL: https://doi.org/10.15298/invertzool.19.1.04
03E0474AFF89FFC7908DF9EBAC2F1381.taxon	description	DESCRIPTION. Small-sized shrimp with swollen, subcylindrical body. CARAPACE (Fig. 2 A – C, E) smooth, dorsally unarmed. ROSTRUM (Fig. 2 A – C, E) dorsoventrally flattened, broadly triangular in dorsal view, distally slightly upturned in holotype (Fig. 2 A, B), straight in paratype (Fig. 2 C, E); dorsal surface unarmed, but with short carina in distal half; lateral margins slightly convex or straight, each with small tooth located at about midlength; ventral surface unarmed. EYES (Fig. 2 A – C, E) reduced, without pigment; eyestalk stout, swollen, subcylindrical, about as long as wide. PLEON (not illustrated) smooth, unarmed; tergites non-carinate; pleura of pleomeres I – IV marginally rounded, posteroventral margins of pleomere V slightly produced posterodorsally. Telson (Fig. 2 I) about 3.7 times as long as proximal width, tapering distally, with 2 pairs of small dorsal submarginal spines, set at about 0.45 and 0.75 telson length respectively; distal margin almost straight, with 4 pairs of spines. ANTENNULE (Fig. 2 F, G) with robust basal peduncular segment, about twice longer than proximal width, without ventromedial tooth, distolateral angle with broadly produced; stylocerite tapering distally to acute tip, reaching beyond mid-length of basal peduncular segment; second and third peduncular segments stout, unarmed; second segment about 1.8 times as long as wide and about 1.5 – 2 times as long as distal segment; distal segment about as long as wide; flagellum well developed, about as long as body length. ANTENNA (Fig. 2 H) with basicerite stout, with ventrolateral distal spine; carpocerite robust, about 2 times as long as wide, reaching midlength of scaphocerite; scaphocerite well developed, broad, with small but well-marked distolateral tooth not reaching to rounded distal margin of lamella. MOUTHPARTS typical for the genus, without specific features, not figured. Mandible well developed, without palp; molar process well developed, relatively slender, with several small and large distodorsal teeth; incisor process slender, tapering distoventrally, with slender serrated sharp lamina distally. Maxillule with dorsal lobe bearing completely fused lacinia, ventral lobe small, covered with curved setae distally, palp well-developed, with 2 distal setae. Maxilla with small, tapering palp; endites moderately broad, well developed; basal endite feebly bilobed, furnished with elongated stiff setae; coxal endite obsolete; scaphognathite broad, furnished with short plumose setae. Maxilliped I with reduced epipod; exopod small and slender, basally with expanded caridean lobe bearing plumose marginal setae; basal and coxal endites completely fused, excavate, furnished with long simple setae distally. Maxilliped II without epipod; exopod long and slender, reaching distal segments. Maxilliped III slender, with small epipod on coxa bearing feebly developed terminal hook interacting setobranch on pereopod I, and with arthrobranch; exopod slender, almost reaching distal margin of antepenultimate segment; antepenultimate segment slen- der, about 8 times as long as wide; penultimate segment about 7 – 8 times as long as wide, with straight lateral margin; ultimate (distal) segment slender, about 7 times as long as wide, tapering distally, with tufts of short simple stick-like setae along ventral and lateral margins. PEREOPOD I (present in paratype only) (Fig. 2 M) stout; coxa with well-developed slender epipod bearing feebly developed terminal hook and setobranch; basis about as long as wide, with feebly developed exopod (not illustrated); ischium about 1.5 times longer than wide; merus stout, about 1.5 – 2 times as long as wide, slightly longer than ischium and equal in length to carpus; carpus relatively stout, significantly widening distally, about as long as maximal width; palm stout, about 1.3 times as long as wide, subcylindrical in cross-section; fingers stout, about 1.5 times as long as the length of palm and about 1.3 – 1.5 times as long as their proximal width, blunt distally, armed with a row of stout strong plumose setae fringing terminal margins. PEREOPOD II (present in paratype only) (Fig. 2 N – P) stout, subequal in length to pereopod I; coxa with epipod and setobranchs; basis about as long as wide, with short exopod, probably because of feebly development in the juvenile specimen; ischium about 1.5 times as long as wide; merus slender, about 2 times as long as wide, slightly longer than ischium; carpus relatively slender, about 1.3 times as long as wide, widening distally; palm (Fig. 2 P) stout, similar to that of pereopod I, about as long as wide, subcylindrical in cross-section; fingers stout, about 1.5 times as long as palm, blunt distally, about as long as proximal width, with simple and straight cutting edge, with row of strong plumose setae on terminal margins. PEREOPOD III (Fig. 2 J) relatively slender; coxa with setobranch and small epipod without terminal hook; basis about as long as wide, with well-developed exopod overreaching mero-carpal articulation ischium about 2.0 – 2.5 times as long as wide, with 1 subdistal small movable spine on lateral surface ventrally; merus about 6 times as long as wide, with 3 spines on lateral surface along ventral margin; carpus relatively slender, about 7 times as long as wide, slightly widening distally, about half-length of merus or propodus, with small subdistal spine on lateral surface; propodus straight, about 10 times as long as wide, armed with 9 spinules on proximal half of flexor margin and a row of short simple setae on its distal half; dactylus about 2.5 – 3 times longer than maximal width, biunguiculate, flexor margin armed 2 accessory spinules on the flexor margin in addition to the penultimate unguis and several small simple setae, ultimate unguis smooth, curved; penultimate unguis triangular, sharp, larger than other accessory spines on flexor margin, about half-length of ultimate unguis. PEREOPOD IV (Fig. 2 K) generally similar and slightly shorter than pereopod III; coxa with tuft of setobranchs and small epipod; basis about as long as wide, with well-developed exopod overreaching carpo-meral articulation; ischium about 1.7 times as long as wide, with small distoventral movable spine; merus about 6 times as long as wide, armed with 3 spines on lateral surface along ventral margin; carpus about 5 times as long as wide with small subdistal spine on lateral surface; propodus about 8 times as long as wide, with straight margins, armed with 7 spinules along ventral margin; dactylus about 2.5 – 3 times longer than wide, biunguiculate; flexor margin armed with 2 small accessory spinules in addition to the penultimate unguis, ultimate unguis smooth, curved and sharp, penultimate unguis sharp, about twice larger than ventral teeth, about twice shorter than ultimate unguis. PEREOPOD V (Fig. 2 L) similar to pereopods III and IV; basis without exopod; propodus about 10 times as long as wide, with straight margins, ventrally unarmed; dactylus with ventral margin armed with a dense “ brush ” consisting of small simple sharp setae; without penultimate and accessory unguis, ultimate unguis curved, triangular, sharp distally. PLEOPODS without specific differentiating features. UROPODS (Fig. 4 I) relatively slender, slightly exceeding telson; lateral margin of exopod straight, with 1 large spine mesial to posterolateral tooth; dieresis simple, unarmed. COLORATION IN LIFE. Body and appendages translucent white; cornea of eye albescent. GENBANK ACCESSION NUMBERS. OL 704738 (holotype), OL 704739 (paratype).	en	Marin, I. N., Barjadze, Sh. (2022): A new species of stygobiotic atyid shrimps of the genus Xiphocaridinella (Crustacea: Decapoda: Atyidae) from the Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, with a new record of X. kumistavi from the Imereti, Western Georgia, Caucasus. Invertebrate Zoology 19 (1): 24-34, DOI: 10.15298/invertzool.19.1.04, URL: https://doi.org/10.15298/invertzool.19.1.04
03E0474AFF89FFC7908DF9EBAC2F1381.taxon	distribution	DISTRIBUTION. The species is currently known only from the type locality — Verdzistava II Cave. TAXONOMIC REMARKS. The new species belongs to the genetically and geographically separated “ kutaissiana ” group (clade) in Xiphocaridinella distributed in Western Georgia (see Fig. 1), including X. kutaissiana Sadowsky, 1930 (the type species of the genus) from the Tskal-Tsiteli (= Iazoni) Cave, Kutaisi (see Sadowsky, 1930; Marin, Sokolova, 2014), X. kumistavi (Marin, 2017) from the Prometheus Cave, Imereti region (see Marin, 2017) and X. motena Marin, 2019 from the Motena Cave, Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region (see Marin, 2018 b, 2019). However, X. lechkhumensis sp. n. is unique in the “ kutaissiana ” group by the relatively short rostrum, not reaching the midlength of the basal segment of the antennular peduncle (see Fig. 2 A, B), while other species of the group have rostrum distinctly overreaching the distal margin of the basal segment of the antennular peduncle. The unarmed rostrum is shared only with X. motena, whereas in X. kutaissiana and X. kumistavi the rostrum is dorsally and ventrally armed. We have only two individuals, probably both immature, but the rostrum is still much smaller than that of immature individuals in other species of the group. The new species can be easily separated genetically from the species of the “ kutaissiana ” species group, as well as other congeners (see Fig. 1; Table 1). The minimum genetic divergence of COI between other Caucasian congeners is 8 %, which supports the validity of the new species. Currently, Khvampli karst massif is located in Lechkhumi historic region of Western Georgia (Tatashidze et al., 2009), where cave dwelling invertebrates are poorly investigated. Only two species are recorded in this karst massif: collembolans Argonychiurus multiocellatus Djanashvili, Barjadze, Jordana et Burkhardt, 2014 (Colembola: Onychiuridae) (troglobiont) and Plutomurus birsteini Djanashvili et Barjadze, 2011 (Colembola: Tomoceridae) (troglophile) (Djanashvili, Barjadze, 2011; Djanashvili et al., 2014). Both of them are living in the Tvishi Cave.	en	Marin, I. N., Barjadze, Sh. (2022): A new species of stygobiotic atyid shrimps of the genus Xiphocaridinella (Crustacea: Decapoda: Atyidae) from the Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, with a new record of X. kumistavi from the Imereti, Western Georgia, Caucasus. Invertebrate Zoology 19 (1): 24-34, DOI: 10.15298/invertzool.19.1.04, URL: https://doi.org/10.15298/invertzool.19.1.04
03E0474AFF8DFFC992F9FB41ACEA136D.taxon	description	Fig. 3.	en	Marin, I. N., Barjadze, Sh. (2022): A new species of stygobiotic atyid shrimps of the genus Xiphocaridinella (Crustacea: Decapoda: Atyidae) from the Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, with a new record of X. kumistavi from the Imereti, Western Georgia, Caucasus. Invertebrate Zoology 19 (1): 24-34, DOI: 10.15298/invertzool.19.1.04, URL: https://doi.org/10.15298/invertzool.19.1.04
03E0474AFF8DFFC992F9FB41ACEA136D.taxon	materials_examined	MATERIAL EXAMINED. 1 non-ovigerous ♀ (pcl. 6.8 mm, tl. 18.0 mm), 1 ♂ (pcl. 7.0 mm, tl. 20.0 mm), ZMMU Ma- 6216, SW Caucasus, Georgia, Imereti region, Tskaltubo district, Dzedzileti village, Sataplia – Tskaltubo karst massif, Satevzia Cave, 42 ° 25 ′ 52.01 ″ N 42 ° 33 ′ 58.12 ″ E, coll. E. Maghradze, 2.12.2020; 1 ♂, 3 ♀♀, 2 juvs, IZISU AC-NT- 00001 - 6, same locality and data as above. BRIEF DESCRIPTION. Medium-sized shrimp with swollen body. CARAPACE (Fig. 3 A – D) smooth, with short dorsal postrostral carina in frontal part. ROSTRUM relatively long, slender, reaching midlength to distal margin of second antennular segment, sharply pointed distally, unarmed. EYES (Fig. 3 A, C) partly covered by carapace; cornea rounded, reduced and feebly marked, without pigment; eyestalk stout, swollen, cylindrical, about as long as wide. PEREOPODS I (Fig. 3 E) similar in males and females; basis with well-developed exopod overreaching carpo-meral articulation; ischium about 4 times as long as wide; merus slender, about 4 times as long as wide, equal to ischium in length; carpus relatively stout in males and slightly more slender in females, significantly widening distally, slightly longer than merus, about 4 times as long as maximal width; palm relatively stout, about as long as wide, subcylindrical in cross-section, smooth; fingers relatively slender, smooth, with blunt distal margins, about 4 times as long as proximal width, furnished with a row of stiff plumose setae. PEREOPODS II (Fig. 3 F) similar to pereopod I in males and females; coxa with well-developed slender epipod and setobranch; basis with well-developed exopod overreaching carpo-meral articulation; ischium about 3 times as long as wide, with straight margins, unarmed; merus slender, about 5 times as long as wide, longer than ischium; carpus slender, about 8 times as long as wide, slightly widening distally, longer than merus; palm relatively stout, similar to palm of pereopod I, about as long as wide, subcylindrical in cross-section, smooth; fingers relatively slender, smooth, tapering distally, about 4 times as long as proximal width, with simple and straight cutting edges, with broad blunt distal margin, armed with a row of stout strong plumose setae. PEREOPOD III (Fig. 3 G, I) with coxa bearing setobranchs and small distally blunt epipod; basis nearly as long as wide, with well-developed exopod almost reaching midlength of merus; ischium with well-marked distoventral spine; merus about 6 times as long as wide, with 2 well marked spines along ventral margin; carpus with small subdistal spine; propodus in males (Fig. 3 G) widening distally, armed with numerous short spinules along distal 1 / 3 of its flexor margin and pair of long slender spines at distal flexor angle; dactylus in males (Fig. 3 H) with flexor margin armed with dense brush of small, simple spine-like setae; with curved acuminate unguis; propodus in females not particularly widened distally, armed with 4 – 5 spines along proximal half of flexor margin; dactylus in females (Fig. 3 J) about 3 times longer than wide, ventral margin armed with 6 – 7 small spines, unguis curved and acuminate; second (accessory) unguis triangular, sharp, slightly larger than flexor spines, about half length of terminal unguis.	en	Marin, I. N., Barjadze, Sh. (2022): A new species of stygobiotic atyid shrimps of the genus Xiphocaridinella (Crustacea: Decapoda: Atyidae) from the Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, with a new record of X. kumistavi from the Imereti, Western Georgia, Caucasus. Invertebrate Zoology 19 (1): 24-34, DOI: 10.15298/invertzool.19.1.04, URL: https://doi.org/10.15298/invertzool.19.1.04
03E0474AFF8DFFC992F9FB41ACEA136D.taxon	discussion	REMARKS. The studied specimens from the Satevzia Cave are morphologically similar to the specimens from the Kumistavi Cave. Minor morphological differences are as follows: 1) the toothless rostrum in all examined specimens (n = 8) from the Satevzia Cave, while the and armature of the rostrum is greatly in the Kumistavi Cave from a short toothless to a long curved rostrum with a large number of dorsal and ventral spines (see Marin, 2017); and 2) the meri of ambulatory pereiopods, especially pereiopod III, armed with 2 spines (vs. usually 3 spines in the specimens from the Kumistavi Cave (see Marin, 2017 )). However, significant differences in these traits have also been observed in a series of samples from the type locality (see Marin, 2017 a) and can be explained by the intraspecific variability with an evidence of a low genetic divergence between the two populations (see above). The development of a long, armed rostrum in Troglocaris - like shrimps is usually associated with the presence of active predators in the subterranean habitats, for example, cave salamander Proteus anguinus Laurenti, 1768 (Amphibia: Caudata: Proteidae) (Jugovic et al., 2011) or fishes (common river goby Neogobius cf. melanostomus (Pallas, 1811) (Teleostei: Gobiidae) in the Kumistavi cave (see Marin, 2017 a )). It is obvious that in the small Satevzia Cave such predators are absent. GENBANK ACCESSION NUMBERS. OL 704740, OL 704741.	en	Marin, I. N., Barjadze, Sh. (2022): A new species of stygobiotic atyid shrimps of the genus Xiphocaridinella (Crustacea: Decapoda: Atyidae) from the Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, with a new record of X. kumistavi from the Imereti, Western Georgia, Caucasus. Invertebrate Zoology 19 (1): 24-34, DOI: 10.15298/invertzool.19.1.04, URL: https://doi.org/10.15298/invertzool.19.1.04
03E0474AFF8DFFC992F9FB41ACEA136D.taxon	distribution	DISTRIBUTION. The species was originally described from the Kumistavi Cave, 42 ° 22 ′ 35.8 ″ N 42 ° 36 ′ 03.2 ″ E. The newly discovered population from the Satevzia Cave, 42 ° 25 ′ 52.01 ″ N 42 ° 33 ′ 58.12 ″ E, expands the distributional range of the species in the Sataplia-Tskaltubo karst massif.	en	Marin, I. N., Barjadze, Sh. (2022): A new species of stygobiotic atyid shrimps of the genus Xiphocaridinella (Crustacea: Decapoda: Atyidae) from the Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, with a new record of X. kumistavi from the Imereti, Western Georgia, Caucasus. Invertebrate Zoology 19 (1): 24-34, DOI: 10.15298/invertzool.19.1.04, URL: https://doi.org/10.15298/invertzool.19.1.04
