E-mail: ka aman@ -com.me
New da a on he amily Nipha gidae om Albania.
Nipha gus lepushensis sp. no . (Amphipoda Gamma idea)
(Con ibu ion o he knowledge o he Amphipoda 340)
Go dan S. KARAMAN
Mon eneg in Academy o Sciences and A s, Podgo ica, Mon eneg o
Biologia Se bica, 2025, 47: 27-40
O iginal pape
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17679328
Summa y. A new membe o he sub e anean amily Nipha gidae (C us acea: Amphipoda: Sen icauda a), Nipha gus
lepushensis sp. no ., om a sp ing on he banks o he Shushica Ri e in sou he n Albania, is desc ibed. This axon is
simila o he species Nipha gus impexus G. Ka aman, 2016 and Nipha gus za osiensis Ze le M.L. & Ze le A., 2017,
bo h om he island o C e e, G eece, as well as o Nipha gus hodi S. Ka aman, 1950 om Rhodos Island, G eece. I is
he ou h species o he genus Nipha gus egis e ed so a in he auna o Albania.
Keywo ds: Albania, Amphipoda, new axon, Nipha gus lepushensis, Shushica Ri e , sub e anean wa e s, axonomy.
Accep ed: 20 May 2025 / Published online: 14 July 2025
INTRODUCTION
The Amphipoda Fauna om sub e anean wa e s in
Albania is s ill only pa ially known. So a , 8 species om
5 gene a and 5 amilies ha e been men ioned by a ious
au ho s (Ndoc 1959; Ka aman G 1972, 2003, 2016, 2023b,
2024a; Dho a 2010; Ske 1981; Ba na d JL and Ba na d CM
1983; Ka aman G and Ru o 1986; Ru o 1995).
F om Albania, Ru o (1995) desc ibed a new genus and
species Albanogamma us inguscioi (Fam. Gamma idae) om
he ca e Shpella e Shu esi, a genus e y simila o o maybe
iden ic wi h he genus Gamma us Fab icius 1775. Ka aman
G (2024b) desc ibed a new genus and species Finge had-
zia zo ae (Fam. Hadziidae) om he sub e anean wa e s
o Shushica Ri e . The species Salen inella angelie i Dela-
ma e Debou e ille & Ru o, 1952 (Fam. Salen inellidae) was
men ioned by Ka aman G (2024a) om se e al locali ies o
Shushica Ri e , and Ingol iella pe ko skii S. Ka aman, 1957
(Ingol iellidea: Ingol iellidae) men ioned om sub e anean
wa e s o he le bank o Shushica Ri e nea Kalla a (Ka a-
man G 2023b), mixed wi h Salen inella angelie i.
Rega ding he amily Nipha gidae, ou species om Al-
bania a e known: Nipha gus oh idanus S. Ka aman, 1929 om
he deep zone o Oh id Lake, Nipha gus omo i G. Ka aman,
2016 om Tomo i egion, Nipha gus g ieble i G. Ka aman,
2023a) om se e al locali ies o Shushica Ri e and a new
species Nipha gus lepushensis om Lepusha Sp ing a he
bank o Shushica Ri e , p esen ed in his wo k.
The Oh id Lake is di ided be ween No he n Macedonia
and Albania, and om he coas al sp ings o he No he n
Macedonian pa o he Lake se e al sub e anean species
a e also known: Gamma us ske i G. Ka aman, 1989 (Loc.
G. Ka aman New da a on he amily Nipha gidae om Albania. Nipha gus lepushensis sp. no . (Amphipoda Gamma idea)
yp.: Biljanini Iz o i-Sp ings [= S udenčišće] nea Oh id
Town); Nipha gus on ophilus S. Ka aman, 1943 (Loc. yp.:
sp ing a he S . Jo an Monas e y in Oh id Town), Nipha gus
sanc inaumi S. Ka aman, 1943 (Loc. yp.: sp ings nea he S .
Naum Monas e y on he wes e n coas o he Lake nea he
N. Macedonian-Albania bo de ); N. maximus S. Ka aman,
1929 (Loc. yp.: Šum Sp ing nea S uga), N. maximus pe -
ko skii G. Ka aman, 1963 (Loc. yp.: Biljanini Iz o i-Sp ings
[= S udenčišće] nea Oh id Town) and N. low yi G. Ka a-
man, 2023 (Loc. yp.: sp ings nea he S . Naum Monas e y
on Oh id Lake). As no o he sub e anean coas al species
a e known om he Albanian coas o Oh id Lake, we do
no know i some o axa om he N. Macedonian side a e
p esen he e.
Fu he s udy o he auna o sub e anean wa e s in
Albania will lead o disco e y o some known o new axa.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Thanks o P o . Ch is ian G ieble om he Uni e si y
o Wien, Aus ia, I ha e had he possibili y o s udy sub e -
anean amphipods collec ed in Albania in 2021 and 2024
du ing he ealiza ion o he APPEAR p ojec VjoSusDe ,
o he Aus ian De elopmen Coope a ion implemen ed by
he OeAD. A pa o hese s udies is p esen ed in his wo k.
The specimens, p ese ed in 70% e hanol, we e dis-
sec ed and examined in a mix u e o glyce in and wa e o
s udy, using a Wild M 20 s e eomic oscope. The dissec ed
s udied body-pa s we e ans e ed la e in Fau e liquid as
pe manen slides. The body pa s o examined specimens
we e d awn using a came a lucida a achmen and inked
manually.
Some mo phological e minology and se al o mulae
ollow G. Ka aman’s e minology (Ka aman G 1969) e-
ga ding he dis al mandibula palpus a icle (A = A-se ae on
ou e ace; B = B-se ae on inne ace; D = la e al ma ginal
D-se ae; E = dis al long E-se ae), and la e (Ka aman G 2012)
ega ding p opodus o gna hopods 1 and 2 (S = co ne S-
spine; L = la e al slende se a e L-spines; M = acial co ne
M-se ae; R = subco ne R-spine on inne ace).
Te ms “se ae” and “spines” a e used based on he shape,
no o igin. Ou s udies a e based on he mo phological, eco-
logical and zoogeog aphical in es iga ions.
In he REFERENCES we also ci ed he numbe o ig-
u es in each ci ed pape , because he igu es a e e y impo -
an o he de e mina ion o species.
TAXONOMICAL PART
O de Amphipoda
Subo de Sen icauda a
Family Nipha gidae
Genus Nipha gus Schiőd e, 1849
Nipha gus Schiőd e, 1849: 26
Typus gene is: Gamma us s ygius Schiőd e, 1847
Nipha gus lepushensis sp. no .
Figs 1-8
Ma e ial examined
Albania:
Alb-1 = Lepusha sp ing a Shushica Ri e (The Lepu-
sha Sp ing is loca ed be ween he sampling s a ions SHUS1
and SHUS2), 25.5.2024, 1 exp., leg. Ch. G ieble ; Alb-2 =
Lep-Shus 32 = Lepusha sp ing 20.5.2024, se e al exp. leg.
Ch. G ieble ; Alb-3 = Shus 33 = Shushica sp ing, 23.5.2024,
se e al exp., leg. Ch. G ieble ;
Al. 2 = Shushica Ri e , Oh. Kuc, small sp ing, 31.5.2021,
1 exp., leg. Ch. G ieble .
Diagnosis
Ra he simila o Nipha gus impexus G. Ka aman,
2016 om C e e Island (G eece). Known body-size less
han 10 mm, u osomal segmen 1 on each do sola e al side
wi h se ae, u osomal segmen 2 wi h 0-1 spine and se ae
on each do sola e al side. Epime al pla e 3 sligh ly poin ed
o sha ply angula .
Mandibula palpus a icle 1 naked, a icle 3 wi h A, B,
D and E-se ae. Maxilla 1 inne pla e wi h 2-3 se ae, ou e
pla e-spines mainly wi h one la e al oo h, palpus no each-
ing dis al ip o ou e pla e-spines. Maxilliped inne pla e
wi h 3-4 spines.
Coxae ela i ely sho , coxa 4 wi hou en opos e io
lobe. Gna hopods 1-2: p opodus nea ly as b oad as co e-
sponding coxa, apezoid, palm inclined, wi h 1-3 la e al
L-spines and 3 co ne acial M-se ae, dac ylus wi h ow o
Fig. 1. Nipha gus lepushensis, sp. no ., holo ype emale, Lepusha
Sp ing (pho o: Ch is ian G ieble ).
28 Biologia Se bica 47
New da a on he amily Nipha gidae om Albania. Nipha gus lepushensis sp. no . (Amphipoda Gamma idea)
Fig. 2. Nipha gus lepushensis, sp. no ., Lepusha Sp ing, Shushica Ri e , emale 8.1 mm (holo ype). A, head; B, an enna 1; C, accesso y la-
gellum; D, an enna 2; E, lab um; F, labium; G, mandibula palpus, ou e ace (A, acial A-se ae; D, ma ginal D-se ae; E, dis al E-se ae); H,
dis al mandibula palpus a icle (B, acial B-se ae); I, maxilla 1; J, maxilliped; K, u opod 3.
Biologia Se bica 47 29
G. Ka aman New da a on he amily Nipha gidae om Albania. Nipha gus lepushensis sp. no . (Amphipoda Gamma idea)
Fig. 3. Nipha gus lepushensis, sp. no ., Lepusha Sp ing, Shushica Ri e , emale 8.1 mm (holo ype). A-B, gna hopod 1, ou e ace; C, dis al
co ne o gna hopod 1-p opodus, ou e ace (S, co ne S-spine; L, la e al L-spines; M, acial co ne M-se ae; R, subco ne R-spine, inne
ace); D-E, gna hopod 2; F, dis al co ne o gna hopod 2-p opodus, ou e ace (S, co ne S-spine; L, la e al L-spine; M, acial co ne M-
se ae; R, subco ne R-spine, inne ace).
30 Biologia Se bica 47
New da a on he amily Nipha gidae om Albania. Nipha gus lepushensis sp. no . (Amphipoda Gamma idea)
Fig. 4. Nipha gus lepushensis, sp. no ., Lepusha Sp ing, Shushica Ri e , emale 8.1 mm (holo ype). A-B, pe eopod 3; C, pe eopod 4; D, pe-
duncle o pleopod 1; E, peduncle o pleopod 2; F, peduncle o pleopod 3; G, u osome wi h u opods 1-2; H, elson.
Biologia Se bica 47 31
G. Ka aman New da a on he amily Nipha gidae om Albania. Nipha gus lepushensis sp. no . (Amphipoda Gamma idea)
Fig. 5. Nipha gus lepushensis, sp. no ., Lepusha Sp ing, Shushica Ri e , emale 8.1 mm (holo ype). A, maxilla 2; B, epime al pla es; C, pe-
eopod 5; D, pe eopod 6; E-F, pe eopod 7.
32 Biologia Se bica 47
New da a on he amily Nipha gidae om Albania. Nipha gus lepushensis sp. no . (Amphipoda Gamma idea)
Fig. 6. Nipha gus lepushensis, sp. no ., Lepusha Sp ing, Shushica Ri e , male 7.0 mm (pa a ype). A-B, gna hopod 1, ou e ace; C, dis al
co ne o gna hopod 1-p opodus, ou e ace (S, co ne S-spine; L, la e al L-spines; M, dis al co ne acial M-se ae; R, subco ne R-spine, in-
ne ace); D-E, gna hopod 2, ou e ace; F, dis al co ne o gna hopod 2-p opodus, ou e ace (S, co ne S-spine; L, la e al L-spine; M, dis al
co ne acial M-se ae; R, subco ne R-spine, inne ace); G, copula o y ube cles on las mesosomal segmen ; H, u osome wi h u opods 1-2.
Biologia Se bica 47 33
G. Ka aman New da a on he amily Nipha gidae om Albania. Nipha gus lepushensis sp. no . (Amphipoda Gamma idea)
Fig. 7. Nipha gus lepushensis, sp. no ., Lepusha Sp ing, Shushica Ri e , male 7.0 mm (pa a ype). A, epime al pla es; B, pe eopod 5; C, pe-
eopod 6, coxa and gill; D, pe eopod 7; E, elson; F, u opod 3.
34 Biologia Se bica 47
New da a on he amily Nipha gidae om Albania. Nipha gus lepushensis sp. no . (Amphipoda Gamma idea)
median single se ae along ou e ma gin.
Dac ylus o pe eopods 3-7 sho and s ong, wi h one
spine a inne ma gin. A icle 2 o pe eopods 5-7 na owed,
ha o pe eopod 7 along pos e io ma gin wi h single sho
spines. Pleopods wi h 2 e inacula, peduncles sca cely se-
ose. U opod 1 wi h bo h ami o equal leng h. U opod 3
wi h a he elonga ed second a icle o ou e amus, plumose
se ae a e no obse ed. Telson gaping, incised up o 2/3 o
elson-leng h, lobes wi h 3 dis al spines only, la e al and a-
cial spines absen .
Desc ip ion
Female 8.1 mm body leng h, wi h se ose oos egi es (ho-
lo ype) (Alb-2): Body mode a ely slende (Fig. 1), me asom-
al segmen s wi h only se e al do sopos e io ma ginal se ae
(Fig. 5B). U osomal segmen 1 on each do sola e al side wi h
one se a; u osomal segmen 2 on each do sola e al side wi h
one spine, u osomal segmen 3 naked (Fig. 4G). U osomal
segmen 1 on each en opos e io co ne wi h one spine
nea basis o u opod 1-peduncle (Fig. 4G).
Epime al pla e 1 ob usely angula , epime al pla e 2
poo ly subpoin ed, wi h poo ly inclined pos e io ma gin
bea ing 2-3 en al spines and se e al pos e io ma ginal
se ae; epime al pla e 3 sligh ly poin ed, wi h dis inc ly in-
clined pos e io ma gin bea ing se e al sho se ae and wi h
3 en al spines (Fig. 5B).
Head wi h sho os um and sub ounded la e al cephal-
ic lobes, en oan e io sinus p esen , eyes absen (Fig. 2A).
An enna 1 eaching nea ly hal o body; peduncula
a icles 1-3 mode a ely slende , p og essi ely sho e owa d
a icle 3 ( a io: 46:36:20), peduncula a icles sca cely se ose,
bu single se ae sho e o longe han diame e o a icles
hemsel es; main lagellum consis ing o 24 a icles sca cely
se ose, o en wi h one aes he asc (Fig. 2B). Accesso y lagel
-
lum sho , 2-a icula ed, dis al sho a icle wi h 3 dis al se ae
( he longes se a only a he sho e han accesso y lagel
-
lum) (Fig. 2C).
An enna 2 mode a ely slende , peduncula a icle 3
wi h bunch o dis o en al se ae; a icle 4 a do sal ma gin
wi h one median spine and se e al sho se ae, a en al
ma gin wi h longe se ae (some o hem longe han diam-
e e o a icle i sel (Fig. 2D); a icle 5 sca cely sho e han
4 ( a io: 62:65), along do sal ma gin wi h 4 g oups o sho e
se ae, along en al ma gin wi h 4 g oups o longe se ae
(many o hem longe han diame e o a icle i sel ). Fla-
gellum longe han las peduncula a icle, consis ing o 10
a icles bea ing sho se ae.
Mou hpa s well de eloped. Lab um b oade han long,
wi h con ex dis al ma gin (Fig. 2E). Labium b oade han
Fig. 8. Nipha gus lepushensis, sp. no ., Lepusha Sp ing, Shushica Ri e , male 7.0 mm (pa a ype). A, maxilla 1 inne pla e; B-C, pe eopod 3;
D, pe eopod 4; E, pleopod 1-peduncle; F, pleopod 2-peduncle; G, pleopod 3-peduncle.
Biologia Se bica 47 35
