Ufocandona hannaleeae gen. et sp. nov. (Crustacea, Ostracoda) from an artesian well in Texas, USA

Abstract

We describe a new genus, Ufocandona gen. nov. with its type species Ufocandona hannaleeae gen. et sp. nov., from an artesian well in San Marcos, Texas, USA. The new genus has diagnostic characteristics that distinguish it from other genera in Candonidae, including the asymmetric shape of the valves, the smooth central area on the external surface of the valves, the hexagonal ornamentations around the marginal ends of the carapace, the dense spines on the marginal edges of the right valve and the dorsal prolongation and tubercles seen from inside the ventral edges of the left valve. Additional differences in the soft body parts of the male and female (e.g., claw-like uropod, shape of hemipenis, long Y aesthetascs, two short or reduced exopods on antenna, reduced numbers of setae and segments on other extremities) distinguish the new genus from others in the family. The discovery of this species from a deep artesian well contributes important information to our understanding of groundwater species diversity in a biologically diverse aquifer where the ostracod fauna has been unstudied.

A new genus, Tuberocandona gen. nov. (Crustacea, Ostracoda, Candonidae) and past to present ostracod species diversity in Texas (USA)

“…In addition to the pits, fine reticulations (cf. Paracandona) (Karanovic 2012), wrinkle-shaped ornamentations (see Rugosuscandona, Cabralcandona) (Külköylüoğlu et al 2017b(Külköylüoğlu et al , 2019, and even bump-shaped ornamentations (see Ufocandona) along with variety of microreticulations (Külköylüoğlu et al 2017e) are known. However, the formation of tubercules with dense spines such as occur in Tuberocandona gen. nov. are not known in the subfamily Candoninae where the carapace is mostly described as smooth, pearly lustre, and/or translucent in appearance (Meisch 2000;Karanovic 2004).…”

Stygobiont Diversity in the San Marcos Artesian Well and Edwards Aquifer Groundwater Ecosystem, Texas, USA

“…A third phase of biologic investigation began in the mid-2010s, when Benjamin Schwartz became director of the EARDC upon Longley's retirement. Schwartz also facilitated systematic sampling and taxonomic collaborations, most importantly with Okan Külköylüoglu (Ostracoda) [18][19][20][21][22][23]. He also initiated morphometric and molecular analyses [23,24] to identify new records of previously described species.…”

New occurrence records for stygobiontic invertebrates from the Edwards and Trinity aquifers in west-central Texas, USA

“…The Edwards and Trinity aquifers in west-central Texas are some of the most biologically diverse aquifers in the world, home to at least 68 described species of endemic groundwater-obligate (stygobiontic) invertebrate species (Hershler and Longley 1986, Bowles and Arsuffi 1993, Külköylüoğlu et al 2017a, 2017b, 2017c, Camacho et al 2018, Külköylüoğlu 2018, Külköylüoğlu and Gibson 2018. Of these species, 52 are in the Edwards (Balcones Fault Zone) Aquifer (hereafter, Edwards Aquifer), 18 are in the Trinity Aquifer, and 23 are in the Edwards-Trinity (Plateau) Aquifer.…”