New data on the family Niphargidae from Albania. Niphargus lepushensis sp. nov. (Amphipoda Gammaridea) (Contribution to the knowledge of the Amphipoda 340)

E-mail: [email protected] New data on the family Niphargidae from Albania. Niphargus lepushensis sp. nov. (Amphipoda Gammaridea) (Contribution to the knowledge of the Amphipoda 340) Gordan S. KARAMAN Montenegrin Academy of Sciences and Arts, Podgorica, Montenegro Biologia Serbica, 2025, 47: 27-40 Original paper DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17679328 Summary. A new member of the subterranean family Niphargidae (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Senticaudata), Niphargus lepushensis sp. nov., from a spring on the banks of the Shushica River in southern Albania, is described. This taxon is similar to the species Niphargus impexus G. Karaman, 2016 and Niphargus zarosiensis Zettler M.L. & Zettler A., 2017, both from the island of Crete, Greece, as well as to Niphargus rhodi S. Karaman, 1950 from Rhodos Island, Greece. It is the fourth species of the genus Niphargus registered so far in the fauna of Albania. Keywords: Albania, Amphipoda, new taxon, Niphargus lepushensis, Shushica River, subterranean waters, taxonomy. Accepted: 20 May 2025 / Published online: 14 July 2025 INTRODUCTION The Amphipoda Fauna from subterranean waters in Albania is still only partially known. So far, 8 species from 5 genera and 5 families have been mentioned by various authors (Ndoc 1959; Karaman G 1972, 2003, 2016, 2023b, 2024a; Dhora 2010; Sket 1981; Barnard JL and Barnard CM 1983; Karaman G and Ruffo 1986; Ruffo 1995). From Albania, Ruffo (1995) described a new genus and species Albanogammarus inguscioi (Fam. Gammaridae) from the cave Shpella e Shutresi, a genus very similar to or maybe identic with the genus Gammarus Fabricius 1775. Karaman G (2024b) described a new genus and species Fingerhadzia zorae (Fam. Hadziidae) from the subterranean waters of Shushica River. The species Salentinella angelieri Delamare Deboutteville & Ruffo, 1952 (Fam. Salentinellidae) was mentioned by Karaman G (2024a) from several localities of Shushica River, and Ingolfiella petkovskii S. Karaman, 1957 (Ingolfiellidea: Ingolfiellidae) mentioned from subterranean waters of the left bank of Shushica River near Kallarat (Karaman G 2023b), mixed with Salentinella angelieri. Regarding the family Niphargidae, four species from Albania are known: Niphargus ohridanus S. Karaman, 1929 from the deep zone of Ohrid Lake, Niphargus tomori G. Karaman, 2016 from Tomori region, Niphargus griebleri G. Karaman, 2023a) from several localities of Shushica River and a new species Niphargus lepushensis from Lepusha Spring at the bank of Shushica River, presented in this work. The Ohrid Lake is divided between Northern Macedonia and Albania, and from the coastal springs of the Northern Macedonian part of the Lake several subterranean species are also known: Gammarus sketi G. Karaman, 1989 (Loc. G. Karaman New data on the family Niphargidae from Albania. Niphargus lepushensis sp. nov. (Amphipoda Gammaridea) typ.: Biljanini Izvori-Springs [= Strudenčišće] near Ohrid Town); Niphargus fontophilus S. Karaman, 1943 (Loc. typ.: spring at the St. Jovan Monastery in Ohrid Town), Niphargus sanctinaumi S. Karaman, 1943 (Loc. typ.: springs near the St. Naum Monastery on the western coast of the Lake near the N. Macedonian-Albania border); N. maximus S. Karaman, 1929 (Loc. typ.: Šum Spring near Struga), N. maximus petkovskii G. Karaman, 1963 (Loc. typ.: Biljanini Izvori-Springs [= Strudenčišće] near Ohrid Town) and N. lowryi G. Karaman, 2023 (Loc. typ.: springs near the St. Naum Monastery on Ohrid Lake). As no other subterranean coastal species are known from the Albanian coast of Ohrid Lake, we do not know if some of taxa from the N. Macedonian side are present there. Further study of the fauna of subterranean waters in Albania will lead to discovery of some known or new taxa. MATERIAL AND METHODS Thanks to Prof. Christian Griebler from the University of Wien, Austria, I have had the possibility to study subterranean amphipods collected in Albania in 2021 and 2024 during the realization of the APPEAR project VjoSusDev, of the Austrian Development Cooperation implemented by the OeAD. A part of these studies is presented in this work. The specimens, preserved in 70% ethanol, were dissected and examined in a mixture of glycerin and water for study, using a Wild M 20 stereomicroscope. The dissected studied body-parts were transferred later in Faure liquid as permanent slides. The body parts of examined specimens were drawn using a camera lucida attachment and inked manually. Some morphological terminology and setal formulae follow G. Karaman’s terminology (Karaman G 1969) regarding the distal mandibular palpus article (A = A-setae on outer face; B = B-setae on inner face; D = lateral marginal D-setae; E = distal long E-setae), and later (Karaman G 2012) regarding propodus of gnathopods 1 and 2 (S = corner Sspine; L = lateral slender serrate L-spines; M = facial corner M-setae; R = subcorner R-spine on inner face). Terms “setae” and “spines” are used based on the shape, not origin. Our studies are based on the morphological, ecological and zoogeographical investigations. In the REFERENCES we also cited the number of figures in each cited paper, because the figures are very important for the determination of species. TAXONOMICAL PART Order Amphipoda Suborder Senticaudata Family Niphargidae Genus Niphargus Schiődte, 1849 Niphargus Schiődte, 1849: 26 Typus generis: Gammarus stygius Schiődte, 1847 Niphargus lepushensis sp. nov. Figs 1-8 Material examined Albania: Alb-1 = Lepusha spring at Shushica River (The Lepusha Spring is located between the sampling stations SHUS1 and SHUS2), 25.5.2024, 1 exp., leg. Ch. Griebler; Alb-2 = Lep-Shus 32 = Lepusha spring 20.5.2024, several exp. leg. Ch. Griebler; Alb-3 = Shus 33 = Shushica spring, 23.5.2024, several exp., leg. Ch. Griebler; Al. 2 = Shushica River, Oh. Kuc, small spring, 31.5.2021, 1 exp., leg. Ch. Griebler. Diagnosis Rather similar to Niphargus impexus G. Karaman, 2016 from Crete Island (Greece). Known body-size less than 10 mm, urosomal segment 1 on each dorsolateral side with setae, urosomal segment 2 with 0-1 spine and setae on each dorsolateral side. Epimeral plate 3 slightly pointed or sharply angular. Mandibular palpus article 1 naked, article 3 with A, B, D and E-setae. Maxilla 1 inner plate with 2-3 setae, outer plate-spines mainly with one lateral tooth, palpus not reaching distal tip of outer plate-spines. Maxilliped inner plate with 3-4 spines. Coxae relatively short, coxa 4 without ventroposterior lobe. Gnathopods 1-2: propodus nearly as broad as corresponding coxa, trapezoid, palm inclined, with 1-3 lateral L-spines and 3 corner facial M-setae, dactylus with row of Fig. 1. Niphargus lepushensis, sp. nov., holotype female, Lepusha Spring (photo: Christian Griebler). 28 Biologia Serbica 47 New data on the family Niphargidae from Albania. Niphargus lepushensis sp. nov. (Amphipoda Gammaridea) Fig. 2. Niphargus lepushensis, sp. nov., Lepusha Spring, Shushica River, female 8.1 mm (holotype). A, head; B, antenna 1; C, accessory flagellum; D, antenna 2; E, labrum; F, labium; G, mandibular palpus, outer face (A, facial A-setae; D, marginal D-setae; E, distal E-setae); H, distal mandibular palpus article (B, facial B-setae); I, maxilla 1; J, maxilliped; K, uropod 3. Biologia Serbica 47 29 G. Karaman New data on the family Niphargidae from Albania. Niphargus lepushensis sp. nov. (Amphipoda Gammaridea) Fig. 3. Niphargus lepushensis, sp. nov., Lepusha Spring, Shushica River, female 8.1 mm (holotype). A-B, gnathopod 1, outer face; C, distal corner of gnathopod 1-propodus, outer face (S, corner S-spine; L, lateral L-spines; M, facial corner M-setae; R, subcorner R-spine, inner face); D-E, gnathopod 2; F, distal corner of gnathopod 2-propodus, outer face (S, corner S-spine; L, lateral L-spine; M, facial corner Msetae; R, subcorner R-spine, inner face). 30 Biologia Serbica 47 New data on the family Niphargidae from Albania. Niphargus lepushensis sp. nov. (Amphipoda Gammaridea) Fig. 4. Niphargus lepushensis, sp. nov., Lepusha Spring, Shushica River, female 8.1 mm (holotype). A-B, pereopod 3; C, pereopod 4; D, peduncle of pleopod 1; E, peduncle of pleopod 2; F, peduncle of pleopod 3; G, urosome with uropods 1-2; H, telson. Biologia Serbica 47 31 G. Karaman New data on the family Niphargidae from Albania. Niphargus lepushensis sp. nov. (Amphipoda Gammaridea) Fig. 5. Niphargus lepushensis, sp. nov., Lepusha Spring, Shushica River, female 8.1 mm (holotype). A, maxilla 2; B, epimeral plates; C, pereopod 5; D, pereopod 6; E-F, pereopod 7. 32 Biologia Serbica 47 New data on the family Niphargidae from Albania. Niphargus lepushensis sp. nov. (Amphipoda Gammaridea) Fig. 6. Niphargus lepushensis, sp. nov., Lepusha Spring, Shushica River, male 7.0 mm (paratype). A-B, gnathopod 1, outer face; C, distal corner of gnathopod 1-propodus, outer face (S, corner S-spine; L, lateral L-spines; M, distal corner facial M-setae; R, subcorner R-spine, inner face); D-E, gnathopod 2, outer face; F, distal corner of gnathopod 2-propodus, outer face (S, corner S-spine; L, lateral L-spine; M, distal corner facial M-setae; R, subcorner R-spine, inner face); G, copulatory tubercles on last mesosomal segment; H, urosome with uropods 1-2. Biologia Serbica 47 33 G. Karaman New data on the family Niphargidae from Albania. Niphargus lepushensis sp. nov. (Amphipoda Gammaridea) Fig. 7. Niphargus lepushensis, sp. nov., Lepusha Spring, Shushica River, male 7.0 mm (paratype). A, epimeral plates; B, pereopod 5; C, pereopod 6, coxa and gill; D, pereopod 7; E, telson; F, uropod 3. 34 Biologia Serbica 47 New data on the family Niphargidae from Albania. Niphargus lepushensis sp. nov. (Amphipoda Gammaridea) median single setae along outer margin. Dactylus of pereopods 3-7 short and strong, with one spine at inner margin. Article 2 of pereopods 5-7 narrowed, that of pereopod 7 along posterior margin with single short spines. Pleopods with 2 retinacula, peduncles scarcely setose. Uropod 1 with both rami of equal length. Uropod 3 with rather elongated second article of outer ramus, plumose setae are not observed. Telson gaping, incised up to 2/3 of telson-length, lobes with 3 distal spines only, lateral and facial spines absent. Description Female 8.1 mm body length, with setose oostegites (holotype) (Alb-2): Body moderately slender (Fig. 1), metasomal segments with only several dorsoposterior marginal setae (Fig. 5B). Urosomal segment 1 on each dorsolateral side with one seta; urosomal segment 2 on each dorsolateral side with one spine, urosomal segment 3 naked (Fig. 4G). Urosomal segment 1 on each ventroposterior corner with one spine near basis of uropod 1-peduncle (Fig. 4G). Epimeral plate 1 obtusely angular, epimeral plate 2 poorly subpointed, with poorly inclined posterior margin bearing 2-3 ventral spines and several posterior marginal setae; epimeral plate 3 slightly pointed, with distinctly inclined posterior margin bearing several short setae and with 3 ventral spines (Fig. 5B). Head with short rostrum and subrounded lateral cephalic lobes, ventroanterior sinus present, eyes absent (Fig. 2A). Antenna 1 reaching nearly half of body; peduncular articles 1-3 moderately slender, progressively shorter toward article 3 (ratio: 46:36:20), peduncular articles scarcely setose, but single setae shorter to longer than diameter of articles themselves; main flagellum consisting of 24 articles scarcely setose, often with one aesthetasc (Fig. 2B). Accessory flagel - lum short, 2-articulated, distal short article with 3 distal setae (the longest seta only rather shorter than accessory flagel - lum) (Fig. 2C). Antenna 2 moderately slender, peduncular article 3 with bunch of distoventral setae; article 4 at dorsal margin with one median spine and several short setae, at ventral margin with longer setae (some of them longer than diameter of article itself (Fig. 2D); article 5 scarcely shorter than 4 (ratio: 62:65), along dorsal margin with 4 groups of shorter setae, along ventral margin with 4 groups of longer setae (many of them longer than diameter of article itself). Flagellum longer than last peduncular article, consisting of 10 articles bearing short setae. Mouthparts well developed. Labrum broader than long, with convex distal margin (Fig. 2E). Labium broader than Fig. 8. Niphargus lepushensis, sp. nov., Lepusha Spring, Shushica River, male 7.0 mm (paratype). A, maxilla 1 inner plate; B-C, pereopod 3; D, pereopod 4; E, pleopod 1-peduncle; F, pleopod 2-peduncle; G, pleopod 3-peduncle. Biologia Serbica 47 35