New Phreatoicidea (Crustacea: Isopoda) from Grampians National Park, with revisions of Synamphisopus and Phreatoicopsis
Memoirs of Museum Victoria Vol 59 (2) p. 457–530 (2002)
Abstract
The Grampians National Park, Victoria, has substantial environmental significance owing to the diversity of endemic species restricted to this reserve. We reinforce this observation by reporting six new species and two new genera of isopod crustaceans endemic to the Grampians, and redescribe two previously known Victorian species representing formerly monotypic genera. These isopods are members of the ancient suborder Phreatoicidea, and show diverse morphologies. To demonstrate the basis for the classification of these species, we present a phylogenetic analysis of exemplar species of most extant genera of Phreatoicidea. Our analysis supports the sister group relationship of Phreatoicopsis and Synamphisopus. We observe a rudimentary accessory flagellum on the antennulae of both genera, but this isopod plesiomorphy optimises on the cladograms as a reversal. Two new genera, Naiopegia gen. nov. and Gariwerdeus gen. nov., are members of the Phreatoicidae, but are distinct from any described taxa in this family. Various metazoan and protist epibionts are commonly encountered on these isopods. These species are described using detailed scanning electron microscopy and inked drawings: family Amphisopodidae, Phreatoicopsis raffae sp. nov., Phreatoicopsis terricola Spencer and Hall, 1897, Synamphisopus doegi sp. nov., Synamphisopus ambiguus (Sheard, 1936); family Phreatoicidae, Naiopegia xiphagrostis gen. nov., sp. nov., Gariwerdeus turretensis gen. nov., sp. nov., Gariwerdeus beehivensis sp. nov. and Gariwerdeus ingletonensis sp. nov.
Citation
Wilson, G.D.F. & Keable, S.J., 2002. New Phreatoicidea (Crustacea: Isopoda) from Grampians National Park, with revisions of Synamphisopus and Phreatoicopsis. Memoirs of Museum Victoria 59: 457-530. http://doi.org/10.24199/j.mmv.2002.59.10
PUBLICATION DATE: 30 AUGUST 2002