Mixtacandona thessalica, a new species of ostracod (Crustacea, Ostracoda) from a sulfidic cave in central Greece

By

Rossetti, Giampaolo
Sarbu, Serban M.
Ștefan, Andrei
Motoc, Rozalia
Mazzini, Ilaria

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2025-6-3

Original Publication

Subterranean Biology

Volume

52

Pages

111--133

Subjects

Candonidae , COI and 28S sequences , Melissotrypa Cave , Morphology , subterranean ostracods , sulfidic environment , taxonomy

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.52.142113

 

Abstract

The genus Mixtacandona Klie, 1938 (Crustacea, Ostracoda, Candonidae) includes 21 living non-marine species, all subterranean, with Palearctic distribution. Here we report on Mixtacandona thessalicasp. nov., collected in a sulfidic cave in central Greece. It can be considered an extremophile species because of its ability to thrive in an environment with high concentrations of sulfide and reduced chemical compounds. Mixtacandona thessalicasp. nov. belongs to the species group laisi–chappuisi, one of the five groups in which species of the genus are conventionally placed. A detailed morphological description of the valves and the soft parts of the new species is offered. In addition, COI and 28S genetic markers were sequenced. Mixtacandona thessalicasp. nov. is easily distinguishable from the other species in the genus by its peculiar carapace outline and the marked sexual dimorphism of the posterior margin of valves, as well as by details of chaetotactic characters. The discovery of Mixtacandona thessalicasp. nov. increases the number of non-marine ostracod species known from Greece, which is still rather scarce compared to other Mediterranean countries due to the scarcity of studies. Ten hypogeal species of living ostracods have already been reported from Greece, six of which are considered endemic, and among them three belong to the genus Mixtacandona. It is stressed that a comprehensive review of this genus by combining a thorough morphological approach and molecular techniques, is most needed to assess its phylogenetic relationships within the family Candonidae.