A new genus of speleophriid copepod (Copepoda: Misophrioida) from a cenote in the Yucatan, Mexico with a phylogenetic analysis at the species level

Abstract

A new genus and species of speleophriid copepod, Mexicophria cenoticola gen. et sp. nov., is described based on material collected from a cenote in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. It is characterised by relatively reduced fifth legs that are located adjacent to the ventral midline in both sexes, by the possession of a bulbous swelling on the first antennulary segment in both sexes, and by the reduced setation of the swimming legs. The presence of just one inner margin seta on the second endopodal segment of legs 2 to 4 is a unique feature for the family. A phylogenetic analysis places the new genus on a basal lineage of the family together with its sister taxon, Boxshallia Huys, 1988, from Lanzarote in the Canary Islands, and recovers the existing genera as monophyletic units. The zoogeography is discussed at local, regional, ocean basin and global scales.

Karst dolines provide diverse microhabitats for different functional groups in multiple phyla

“…For instance, the increased soil moisture content on north-facing slopes and bottoms of solution dolines in the Aggtelek Karst area (Hungary) has been shown to provide suitable habitats for several cool-adapted species of land snails (Mollusca) 49 and terrestrial isopods (Arthropoda) 65 . Dolines in Mexico, Australia and China (‘cenotes’ and ‘tiankengs’) have also been shown to maintain populations of rare taxa in various phyla 46,66–68 , highlighting dolines as important safe havens for biodiversity on a global scale.…”

New records of anchialine fauna from the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

“…Until now, 45 anchialine species of crustaceans from the Yucatan Peninsula have been recognized (Alvarez and Iliffe 2008;Alvarez et al 2012;Neiber et al 2012;Boxshall et al 2014); other anchialine fauna include an undescribed species of gastropod, one or possibly two echinoderms (Solís-Marín and Laguarda-Figueras 2010) and two species of fish (Alvarez and Iliffe 2008). We estimate that 31, out of the known 45 crustacean species, could have been collected during the present survey as they are widely distributed in Quintana Roo or have more ample distribution ranges.…”

A new anchialine Stephos Scott from the Yucatan Peninsula with notes on the biogeography and diversity of the genus (Copepoda, Calanoida, Stephidae)

“…The distribution of primitive anchialine copepods (i.e., epacteriscids, misophrioids) in the Caribbean, Yucatan, the Canary Islands, and the tropical Pacific has been taken to indicate their Tethyan origin (Fosshagen et al 2001; Boxshall and Jaume 2000; Boxshall et al 2014). There are, however, groups whose invasion of cave habitats and subsequent isolation into anchialine waters is related to more recent events.…”

“…The anchialine crustacean fauna of the Yucatan Peninsula (YP) of Mexico is widely recognized as highly interesting, with many endemic species (Yager 1987; Iliffe 1992; Mercado-Salas et al 2013; Boxshall et al 2014). Members of the Ridgewayiidae (Suárez-Morales and Iliffe 2005) and Epacteriscidae (Suárez-Morales et al 2006) have been hitherto recorded in the YP, but there are no data on the occurrence of other anchialine calanoid families.…”