Castellanethes soloisensis (Vandel, 1959)

Moutaouakil, Soumia, Boulanouar, Mohamed, Ghamizi, Mohamed, Lips, Josiane & Ferreira, Rodrigo Lopes, 2023, Two new sympatric cave species of Castellanethes (Isopoda, Oniscidea, Olibrinidae) from Western High Atlas of Morocco, Subterranean Biology 45, pp. 17-37 : 17

Castellanethes soloisensis (Vandel, 1959)

Figs 8A, D , 9A, B , 10A, D, G , 11A-C

Trichoniscus soloisensis Vandel, 1959: 162, fig. 3; Cruz 1991: 98, tab.1 (partim); Schmalfuss 2003: 313.

Adoniscus soloisensis : Taiti and Ferrara 2004: 227; Taiti and Gardini 2022: 97, 103, figs IV-V.

Material examined.

Morocco • 3 ♂, 2 ♀ (mounted on a slide), Safi-Goran Cave , 32°33'18.17"N, 9°15'09.49"W, alt. 36 m, 14 Dec 2019, Moutaouakil S. leg., MHNM ZAI15 .

Remarks.

Castellanethes soloisensis is the first cave-dwelling isopod described from Morocco. This species was described by Vandel (1959) on the basis of 1 ♂ and 13 ♀ from the Goran Cave. Recently, the species was transferred to the genus Castellanethes by Taiti and Gardini (2022), based on the characters present in a female syntype from the same cave. So far, C. soloisensis seems to be endemic to the karst area near the City of Safi. Cruz (1991) recorded this species from several caves in Morocco: four caves near the city of Azilal-Central High Atlas (Ifri N’Touaya Cave, Ifri Bernat Cave, Ifri Bouylg-Maine and Sima Aurat Cave), one cave near the City of Agadir-Western High Atlas (Wit Tamdoun which corresponds to Win Timdouine Cave) and Goran Cave. Most probably, the specimens from caves of the Central High Atlas do not belong to C. soloisensis , while specimens from Win Timdouine Cave probably correspond to C. ougougensis sp. nov. described below. Re-examination of the collection studied by Cruz (1991) is needed for a correct identification.

Figures

Figure 8. Castellanethes soloisensis from Goran Cave A antenna D antennula. Castellanethes ougougensis sp. nov. from Imi Ougoug Cave B antenna E antennula. Castellanethes ighousi sp. nov. from Imi Ougoug Cave C antenna F antennula. Scale bars: 1 mm (A); 500 µm (B, C); 100 µm (D-F).

Figure 9. Castellanethes soloisensis from Goran Cave A left mandible B right mandible. Castellanethes ougougensis sp. nov. from Imi Ougoug Cave C left mandible D right mandible. Castellanethes ighousi sp. nov. from Imi Ougoug Cave E left mandible F right mandible. Scale bar: 200 µm (A-F).

Figure 10. Castellanethes soloisensis from Goran Cave A telson + uropods D male pleopod 1 G male pleopod 2. Castellanethes ougougensis sp. nov. from Imi Ougoug Cave B telson + uropods E male pleopod 1 H male pleopod 2. Castellanethes ighousi sp. nov. from Imi Ougoug Cave C telson + uropods F male pleopod 1 I male pleopod 2. Scale bar: 500 µm (A, C, G); 400 µm (B); 300 µm (D, F, I); 200 µm (E, H).

Figure 11. Castellanethes soloisensis ♂ specimen from Goran Cave A pereopod 1 B pereopod 6 C pereopod 7. Castellanethes ougougensis sp. nov. ♂ specimen from Imi Ougoug Cave D pereopod 1 E pereopod 6 F pereopod 7. Castellanethes ighousi sp. nov. ♂ specimen from Imi Ougoug Cave G pereopod 1 H pereopod 6 I pereopod 7. Scale bar: 1 mm (H, I); 500 µm (A-G).