Niphargus elburzensis, Mirghaffari & Esmaeili-Rineh, 2024

Mirghaffari, Seyyed Ahmad & Esmaeili-Rineh, Somayeh, 2024, Two new species of groundwater-inhabiting amphipods belonging to the genus Niphargus (Arthropoda, Crustacea), from Iran, Zoosystematics and Evolution 100 (2), pp. 721-738 : 721-738

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.3897/zse.100.118051
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:7982E5C8-B398-4249-97D8-C9DBB82752A1
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/385743E6-34E0-5D4A-8799-804110D76CA8
treatment provided by	Zoosystematics and Evolution by Pensoft
scientific name	Niphargus elburzensis
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Niphargus elburzensis sp. nov.

Figs 3 View Figure 3 , 4 View Figure 4 , 5 View Figure 5 , 6 View Figure 6

Diagnosis

(based on male only). Each telson lobe with five distal spines, two lateral spines and one mesial spine. The propodi of gnathopod II rectangular shape with two L-setae on palmar corner. Ventro-posterior corner of epimeral plates I to III produced. Outer plate of maxilla I with seven long spines with 2-2 - 1 - 1 - 3 - 0 - 1 denticles.

Etymology.

The name “ elburzensis ” refers to Elburz Mountains in the north of Iran, where the species was found.

Material examined.

Holotype. Iran • male; Qazvin Province, Northeastern Qazvin City, Alamout Spring ; coordinates: 36 ° 28.56 ' N, 50 ° 8.52 ' E. Specimens collected by S. A. Mirghaffari; 25 July 2022. Holotype with two paratypes are stored under catalogue number ZCRU Amph. 1503 GoogleMaps .

Description of holotype.

Total length of specimen 9 mm. Body strong. Head length 9 % of body length. Lateral cephalic lobes sub-rounded (Fig. 3 A View Figure 3 ).

Antennae I – II. Antenna I is 0.4 times body length. Peduncular articles 1–3 progressively shorter; length of peduncular article 3 exceeds half of peduncular article 2 (ratio 1.00: 1.80). Main flagellum with 20 articles (most with short setae). Accessory flagellum bi-articulated and reaching half of article 4 of main flagellum; articles with one and two setae, respectively (Fig. 3 B View Figure 3 ).

Antenna II with flagellum formed of seven articles. Length ratio antenna I: II as 1: 0.49. Flagellum length is 0.9 times length of peduncle articles 4 + 5. Peduncular article 4 of antenna II is longer than article 5 (1.3: 1.00), peduncle articles 4 and 5, with three groups of simple setae each (Fig. 3 C View Figure 3 ).

Mouthparts. Labium bi-lobate; both lobes with numerous fine distal and lateral setae (Fig. 4 D View Figure 4 ). Mandible: right mandible with four teeth on incisor process, lacinia mobilis pluritoothed, between pars incisiva and pars molaris a row of three setae with lateral projections (Fig. 3 G View Figure 3 ). Left mandible with five teeth on incisor process, lacinia mobilis with four teeth, between pars incisiva and pars molaris a row of five setae with lateral projections (Fig. 3 H View Figure 3 ). Mandibular palp articles 1: 2: 3 represent 20 %, 37 % and 43 % of total palp length, respectively. Proximal article without setae; second article with two setae along ventral margin and third article with one group of two A-setae, two groups of B-setae, no C-setae, eight D-setae and four E-setae (Fig. 3 D View Figure 3 ). Inner plate of maxilla I with two long apical setae, outer plate with seven long spines with 2-2 - 1 - 1 - 3 - 0 - 1 denticles; palp bi-articulated, slightly longer than outer lobe, with two apical setae (Fig. 3 E, F View Figure 3 ). Both plates of maxilla II with numerous long distal setae (Fig. 4 C View Figure 4 ). Maxilliped with short inner plate bearing three distal spines intermixed with four distal setae and two lateral setae sub-distally; outer plate exceeding half of palp article 2, with nine spines along inner margin and three setae distally; Maxilliped palp article 3 with one group of simple setae at outer and inner margins; palp terminal article with one simple seta at outer margin, nail shorter than pedestal (Fig. 4 E View Figure 4 ).

Gnathopods. Coxal plate of gnathopod I shorter than gnathopod II. Coxa of gnathopod I rectangular, broader than long, anterior and ventral margins with five setae. Basis with several single setae on anterior and posterior margins; ischium and merus with one posterior group of setae. Carpus with one group of five setae anterio-distally, bulge with setae; carpus 0.58 times basis length and 0.89 times propodus length. Propodus of gnathopod I trapezoid shape and broader than long; anterior margin with five setae in one group in addition to antero-distal group of four setae. Palm slightly convex, defined by one strong long corner S-seta accompanied laterally by three L-setae with lateral projections, on inner surface of palmar corner one short sub-corner R-seta. Dactylus reaching the posterior margin of propodus, outer and inner margins of dactylus with one and two simple setae, respectively. Nail length 0.33 times total dactylus length (Fig. 4 A View Figure 4 ). Coxal plate of gnathopod II of rectangular shape, longer than broad, anterio-ventral margin with five setae. Basis with single setae on anterior and posterior margins; ischium and merus with one posterior group of setae. Carpus with one group of three setae antero-distally, bulge with long setae; carpus 0.7 times basis length and 0.90 times propodus length. Propodus of gnathopod II of rectangular shape, longer than broad; anterior margin with three setae in two groups in addition to antero-distal group of four setae. Palm slightly convex, defined by one strong long corner S-seta accompanied laterally by two L-setae with lateral projections, on inner surface of palmar corner one short sub-corner R-seta. Dactylus reaching the posterior margin of propodus, outer and inner margins of dactylus with one and two setae, respectively; nail short, 0.3 times total dactylus length (Fig. 4 B View Figure 4 ).

Pereonites I – VII. Without setae.

Pereopods. Coxal plate III rectangular, length to width ratio is 1.07: 1; antero-ventral margin with four simple setae. Coxal plate IV rectangular, antero-ventral margin with five setae, posterior concavity shallow and approximately 0.1 times coxa width. Coxal plate V – VI with large anterior lobe; Coxal plate V with three setae on anterior and posterior lobes each. Coxal plate VI with two setae on anterior lobe. Coxal plate VII with one seta on posterior margin (Fig. 5 A – E View Figure 5 ).

Pereopod III: IV length ratio is 1: 1.03. Dactylus III length 0.39 times propodus length, nail shorter than pedestal. Dactylus IV length 0.32 times propodus length, nail shorter than pedestal (Fig. 5 A, B View Figure 5 ). Pereopods length V: VI: VII ratios as 1: 1.2: 1.36, respectively (Fig. 5 C – E View Figure 5 ). Pereopod VII 0.48 times total body length. Pereopod bases V – VII with five, six and five groups of spines along anterior margins and with six, 10 and nine setae along posterior margins, respectively. Antero-ventral lobe of ischium in pereopods V – VII slightly developed. Merus and carpus in pereopods V – VII with several groups of spines and setae along anterior and posterior margins; propodus of pereopod VII longer than these in V – VI, dactyli in pereopods V – VII with one seta on outer margin, nail length of pereopod VII 0.34 times total dactylus length (Fig. 5 C – E View Figure 5 ).

Pleonites I – III. Each with one seta along the dorsal margin.

Pleopods. Peduncle of pleopods I – III with two-hooked retinacles distally; Peduncle of pleopod III with two setae along of inner margin. Rami of pleopods I – III with five to eight articles (Fig. 6 A – C View Figure 6 ).

Urosomites I – III. At the base of uropod I with one strong spine; Urosomites I-II postero-dorso-laterally with one and two spines, respectively. Urosomite II with two simple setae on postero-dorso-laterally. Urosomite III without setae.

Uropods. Peduncle of uropod I with six and five large spines along dorso – lateral and dorso – medial margins, respectively. Inner ramus of uropod I longer than outer ramus (ratio 1: 1.05); inner ramus with five groups of spines laterally and five spines distally; outer ramus with three groups of five spines laterally and five spines distally (Fig. 6 D View Figure 6 ). Inner ramus in uropod II longer than outer, both rami with lateral and distal long spines (Fig. 6 E View Figure 6 ). Uropod III normal, almost 0.2 of body length. Peduncle of uropod III with five spines on distal margin. Outer ramus bi-articulated, distal article 0.11 times proximal article. The proximal article of outer ramus bearing five and four groups of spines along inner and outer margins, respectively; distal article with setae laterally and four setae distally. Inner ramus normal, with three distal spines (Fig. 6 F View Figure 6 ).

Epimeral plates I – III. With angular postero-ventral corners, plates I – III posteriorly with three, three and four setae and spines, respectively. Epimeral plates II – III each with two spines along of ventral margin (Fig. 6 G View Figure 6 ).

Telson. Telson length as long as broad; each lobe with five spines distally, with two long spines and two setae laterally, with one spine mesially (Fig. 6 H View Figure 6 ).

Female. Unknown.

Genus Niphargus Schiödte, 1849