Copepoda From A Deep-Groundwater Porous Aquifer In Contact With Karst: Description Of A New Species, Paramorariopsis Brigitae N. Sp. (Copepoda, Harpacticoida)

Abstract

Fauna from four wells supplying water to a nearby city was collected over one year at approximately two-week intervals. Three of the wells collect water from a depth of 10-26 m and one from a depth of 33-96 m. Representatives of 35 taxa were collected. Some of them are epigean and were transported from a nearby river. The most abundant group was Copepoda, where 15 taxa were recognized; all but one were stygobionts. There was a noticeable difference between the fauna from the shallow and from the deep wells. In the former, Elaphoidella charon Chappuis, 1936 and Diacyclops languidoides (Lilljeborg, 1901) prevailed, while in the deep well the most abundant species were Graeteriella unisetigera (Graeter, 1908), Ceuthonectes serbicus Chappuis, 1924, and Paramorariopsis brigitae n. sp. The latter was relatively common, 70 specimens being collected (51 %%; 19 &&), with the maximum number of 10-12 specimens per sampling in September/November. A detailed description of the new species is presented, together with some information on its ecology and specific morphological adaptations, which are similar to those in the two already known species from the same genus (P. anae Brancelj, 1991 and P. irenae Brancelj, 2006). RÉSUMÉ La faune de quatre puits alimentant une ville proche en eau a été collectée pendant un an à raison d'une fois toutes les deux semaines approximativement. Trois des puits ont été échantillonnés à une profondeur de 10-26 m et le dernier à une profondeur de 33-96 m. Les représentants de 35 taxons ont ainsi été récoltés. Certains sont épigés et proviennent d'une rivière proche. Le groupe le plus abondant est représenté par les Copépodes, dont 15 taxons ont été identifiés, tous sauf un sont des stygobiontes. Une différence notable a été observée entre la faune des puits peu profonds et celle du puits profond. Dans les premiers, Elaphoidella charon Chappuis, 1936 et Diacyclops languidoides (Lilljeborg, 1901) dominaient, tandis que dans le 1

Differences between groundwater fauna in shallow and in deep intergranular aquifers as an indication of different characteristics of habitats and hydraulic connections

“…Morphological adaptations that are characteristic for karstic/epikarstic species, as described by Brancelj (2009Brancelj ( , 2011, are present in B. pyrenaicus, E. millennii and P. brigitae. Such adaptations (strong setae and spines on furcal rami, short appendages) have not been previously found in species living in intergranular aquifers.…”

“…During the PASCALIS project and other studies on stygobitic fauna, the hyporheic zone of the rivers, caves and springs on Krim Massif and adjacent areas have been sampled several times to record the fauna composition in different habitats (Brancelj, 2002(Brancelj, , 2009(Brancelj, , 2011. When intensive exchange between karstic and porous aquifers occurs no significant differences have been observed in faunal compositions (Hahn and Fuchs, 2009).…”

Harpacticoid assemblages (Copepoda: Harpacticoida) in the hyporheic zone of four streams in central Slovenia

“…In 2001, 49 species and subspecies of harpacticoids were reported for Slovenia, 23 of them being stygobionts (Pipan & Brancelj 2001). From 2006 to present, additional four new species, previously unknown to the scientific world, have been found in Slovenian caves and interstitial habitats, described by Brancelj (2006Brancelj ( , 2009Brancelj ( , 2011. Currently, there is a total of 53 harpacticoid species known to exist in Slovenia; among them, nearly half were found in the hyporheic zone of the four streams analysed in this study.…”

Discovery of a new species of the genus Stygepactophanes from a groundwater-fed spring in southern France (Crustacea, Copepoda, Harpacticoida, Canthocamptidae)

“…Obligate groundwater canthocamptids such as members of Stygepactophanes , Lessinocamptus Stoch, 1997, Spelaeocamptus Chappuis, 1933, and Paramorariopsis Brancelj, 1991, among others, are known to have a limited distribution, and in most cases are narrow endemics (Galassi 1997, Fiers and Moldovan 2008, Galassi et al 2009, Brancelj 2009, 2011, Di Lorenzo et al 2018). Their affinities with the epigean members of the family often remain obscure.…”