Pleomothra apletocheles and Godzilliognomus frondosus, two new genera and species of remipede crustaceans (Godzillidae) from anchialine caves of the Bahamas.
1989; Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science; Volume: 44; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
1553-6955
Autores Tópico(s)Karst Systems and Hydrogeology
ResumoTwo new genera and species of the crustacean class Remipedia, Pleornothra apletocheles and Godzi/liognornus frondosus, are described from anchialine caves on Abaco and Grand Bahama Island in the northern Bahamas. The new taxa are placed in the family Godzilliidae. The familial characters are revised, and a key to all species is included. Extensive collecting efforts in anchialine caves of the West Indies and along the coast of Quintana Roo, Mexico, have produced a number of interesting crustacean species (Bowman, 1987; Holsinger and Yager, 1985; Yager, 1987b). Recent field studies in the Bahamas have resulted in the collection of two new genera and species of the crustacean class Remipedia. These new taxa are described below. Their description brings the total number ofremipede species to nine. These new genera differ markedly from remipedes in the family Speleonectidae Yager (1981) and are placed in the family Godzilliidae (Schram et aI., 1986). Because the diagnosis ofthis family was originally based on a single species from caves in The Turks and Caicos (Yager and Schram, 1986), discovery of these new taxa requires expanding the familial definition. In addition, a key to the nine described species of remipedes is given below. The Bahamian archipelago is an area rich in drowned karst. Anchialine caves are submerged caves characterized by having inland surface openings and subsurface connections to the nearby sea, These caves are very common throughout the Bahamian island chain. The two new remipedes described below inhabit the aphotic zone of caves that also harbor a distinct community oftroglobitic organisms (Yager 1987a, 1987c). Dan's Cave (Abaco Island) and Sagittarius Cave (Grand Bahama Island) are inhabited by five genera and six species ofremipedes: Speleonectes lucayensis, S. benjamini, Cryptocorynetes haptodiscus, Godzillius robust us, plus Godzilliognomus frondosus and Pleomothra apletocheles described below. Many other crustacean species, such as hadziid amphipods, thermosbaenaceans, cirolanid isopods, and ostracods, are common to the two caves. The water column in Sagittarius Cave is euhaline from the surface to depths, lacking the fresh water lens of Dan's Cave. However, there is a density interface which is apparently maintained by temperature differential. Water above the density interface has a dissolved oxygen content of greater than 4 ppm (mg .liter-1 ) while below it is less than I ppm. In both caves the remipedes are always found beneath the density interface in more saline water of low dissolved oxygen content. The cave water usually has a remarkable visiblity, limited only by the brightness of one's dive light. Animals even the size of small copepods are easily seen in the clear water. KEy TO THE SPECIES OF REMIPEDES lao Trunk pleura rounded posterolaterally; head shield subrectangular .. family Speleonectidae . 2
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