Translating Niphargus barcodes from Switzerland into taxonomy with a description of two new species (Amphipoda, Niphargidae)

By

Fišer, Cene
Alther, Roman
Zaksek, Valerija
Borko, Špela
Fuchs, Andreas
Altermatt, Florian

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2018

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

760

Pages

113-141

Subjects

Amphipoda , barcodes , Delta , Groundwater , integrative taxonomy , Niphargidae , web-taxonomy

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.760.24978

 

Abstract

The amphipod genusNiphargus(Amphipoda: Niphargidae Bousfield, 1977) is the most species-rich genus of freshwater amphipods in the World. Species of this genus, which live almost exclusively in subterranean water, offer an interesting model system for basic and applied biodiversity science. Their use, however, is often limited due to the hitherto unresolved taxonomy within the whole genus. As a comprehensive taxonomic revision of the currently >425Niphargusspecies is too demanding, it has been suggested that the taxonomy of the genus could be advanced in smaller steps, by reviewing regional faunas, that would eventually integrate into a global revision. In this study, we provide such a revision ofNiphargusin Switzerland. First, we molecularly delimited, morphologically diagnosed, and formally described two new species, namelyNiphargusluchoffmannisp. n.andNiphargustonywhittenisp. n.Second, we updated and revised a checklist ofNiphargusin Switzerland with new findings, and prepared a list of reference sequences for routine molecular identification, available at BOLD and GenBank. All available specimens of 22 known species from the area were morphologically examined, and their morphological variation was compiled in a data file of DEscription Language for TAxonomy, which can be used for automated generation of dichotomous or interactive keys. The data file is freely available at the World Amphipoda Database. Together, the checklist, the library of reference sequences, the DELTA file, but also a list of hitherto unresolved aspects are an important step towards a complete revision of the genus within a well-defined and biogeographically interesting area in Central Europe.