identifier	taxonID	type	CVterm	format	language	title	description	additionalInformationURL	UsageTerms	rights	Owner	contributor	creator	bibliographicCitation
06F5DBC64127512781CB85E99B28C335.text	06F5DBC64127512781CB85E99B28C335.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Caridina tashanica Jugovic, Malek Hosseini & Zaksek 2026	<div><p>Caridina tashanica Jugovic, Malek Hosseini &amp; Zakšek sp. nov.</p><p>Figs 3, 4, 5</p><p>Material examined.</p><p>Holotype: • male, CL 3.19 mm (voucher number TB 483), <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=50.174725&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=30.865" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 50.174725/lat 30.865)">Tashan cave</a>, Tashan-Chah Kabootari cave system in Khuzestan Province, southwestern Iran, (30°51'54"N, 50°10'29"E), 27 August 2016, coll. by Mohammad Javad Malek-Hosseini, Yaser Fatemi and Vahid Malek Hosseini.</p><p>Paratypes: • 2 males and 1 female – male CL 4.17 (TB 484) and 2.88 (TB 485), female CL 3.86 mm (TB 486), data same as holotype .</p><p>Other material.</p><p>• 2 ovigerous females, CL 5.11 (TB 487) and 4.69 mm (TB 488); • 4 females, CL 5.43 mm (TB 489), CL 4.72 mm (TB 490), CL 3.42 mm (TB 491), 2.95 mm (TB 492), • 2 males CL 3.27 mm (TB 493) and 3.09 mm (TB 494), coll. Mohammad Javad Malek-Hosseini and Yaser Fatemi (16 October 2017). • 3 females and 3 males, coll. Mohammad Javad Malek-Hosseini and Yaser Fatemi (17 March 2018).</p><p>Diagnosis.</p><p>Caridina tashanica sp. nov. is the only species of cave shrimp (depigmented and with strongly reduced eyes without pigmentation; Fig. 6) from Iran of the family Atyidae . It is characterised by an extremely long rostrum (Fig. 3) with numerous teeth (13–19 + 3 – 5 / 9 – 22), uropodal diaeresis with 7–10 spiniform setae and 4–6 pairs of dorsomarginal spiniform setae on the telson of which the distal pair is dorsomarginal-terminal. Propodus of pereiopod III and V bears only 7–14 and 9–18 spiniform setae, respectively, while dactylus of pereiopod V bears only 17–27 spiniform setae in a comb-like formation. Endopodite of male first pleopod is triangular and in females it is triangular with distal elongation, in both sexes without retinacular hooks. Appendix masculina slender (rod-like), ~ 2 × wider than appendix interna and bearing small number of spiniform setae (9–15) that surpass the width of the appendix masculina. As all members of the genus Caridina, the newly proposed species has only a slightly excavated propodus on the second pereiopod.</p><p>Description of male holotype</p><p>(first reported value) and other material (values in parentheses, where available).</p><p>Cephalothorax and cephalic appendages. Carapace surface smooth and depigmented. Its length 3.2 mm (♂♂ 2.9–4.2 mm, median 3.2 mm; ♀♀ 2.9–5.4, median 4.9). Rostrum curved upwards and long (Fig. 3 C), for 1.4 × (♂♂ 1.3–1.5; ♀♀ 1.38–1.39) overreaching the antennular peduncle, and overreaching also scaphocerite, 0.79 × (♂♂ 0.79–1.00; ♀♀ 0.72–0.80) as long as carapace, with 14 + 4 / 11 (♂♂ 13–18 + 4 – 5 / 9 – 22; ♀♀ 16–19 + 3 – 5 / 13 – 21) teeth. Teeth on carapace along 21 % (♂♂ 14–21 %; ♀♀ 17–20 %) of CL. Inferior orbital angle with well-developed antennal spine. Pterygostomian angle broadly rounded. Eyestalks still present but short, without pigmentation.</p><p>Antennular peduncle (Fig. 4 AI) 0.56 × (♂♂ 0.56–0.70; ♀♀ 0.52–0.58) as long as carapace, first segment 1.71 × (♂♂ 1.36–2.05; ♀♀ 1.78–2.19) as long as second segment, second segment 1.33 × (♂♂ 1.19–1.59; ♀♀ 1.10–1.51) longer than third segment. First segment with nearly straight mesial margin with setose distal part. Mesial and lateral margins of second and third segment setose. Upper flagellum uniramous, lower flagellum slender, lengths of both flagella rather exceeding 200 % of CL. Stylocerite with broad base and slender, acute tip reaching to 0.77 × (♂♂ 0.76–0.82; ♀♀ 0.64–0.82) of basal segment of antennular peduncle. Distolateral lobe of the second segment sharply pointed, its length 16 % (♂♂ 14–18 %; ♀♀ 15–19 %) of peduncle length.</p><p>Antennal peduncle 0.41 × (♂♂ 0.41–0.50; ♀♀ 0.36–0.44) as long as carapace, its scaphocerite (Fig. 4 AII) 3.51 × (♂♂ 3.50–4.22; ♀♀ 3.68–4.38) as long as wide. Flagella length rather exceeding 200 % of CL.</p><p>Abdominal somites, telson and uropods. Abdominal somites smooth, 1.58 × (♂♂ 1.58–1.74; ♀♀ 1.32–1.60) carapace length. Sixth abdominal somite 0.42 × (♂♂ 0.42–0.49; ♀♀ 0.34–0.44) carapace length, 1.72 × (♂♂ 1.59–1.93; ♀♀ 1.64–1.84) as long as fifth somite, 0.84 × (♂♂ 0.84–1.00; ♀♀ 0.70–1.03) as long as telson.</p><p>Telson (Fig. 4 Tel) length 3.09 × (♂♂ 2.45–3.30; ♀♀ 2.86–3.49) as long as its proximal width, its proximal width 1.90 × (♂♂ 1.45–1.97; ♀♀ 1.70–1.83) as wide as its distal width. Telson distal margin convex, with 4 (♂♂ 3–4; ♀♀ 3–5) pairs of dorsal spinules and one pair of dorsolateral spinules; distal end with 9 (♂♂ 8–10; ♀♀ 8–12) spines, sublateral pair distinctly shorter than lateral and inner spines.</p><p>Uropodal exopodite (Fig. 4 U) 3.15 × (♂♂ 3.08–3.29; ♀♀ 2.93–3.14) as long as wide, its diaeresis (Fig. 4 U) with 7 (♂♂ 7–10; ♀♀ 9–10) movable spinules.</p><p>Pre-anal carina (Fig. 4 Pc) low, weakly developed, without a tooth or spine.</p><p>Mouthparts. Mandible with rather robust corpus, without palp. Mandibular pars incisiva (incisor process; Fig. 3 Md) stout, tapering distally, distal margin of 3 (3–4) teeth of different size. Teeth number on left and right mandible often different. Pars molaris stout and U-shaped with triturative surface.</p><p>Maxilla I (Fig. 3 MxI) palp slender truncated, with one long plumose seta at interodistal angle, one long spiniform subdistal seta and four simple setae on palp surface. Rectilinear outer margin of upper lacinia (basipodial endite) with numerous short strong cuspidate setae, curvilinear inner margin with few (3 in holotype) plumose setae and few on upper margin (4 in holotype). Lower lacinia (coxal endite) well developed, semicircular; outer margin with dense plumose and serrate setation.</p><p>Maxilla II (Fig. 3 MxII) with slender, simple, tapering palp with one simple seta distally. Basipodial endite bilobed; upper lobe narrower (~ 1 / 5 of lower lobe), margins with dense plumose setation, its surface without setation. Coxal endite fan-like, with dense plumose setae along its margin and scarcely set plumose setae on its surface. Scaphognatite well developed, broad, margin fringed with plumose setae, anterior lobe large, posterior lobe narrower, subtriangular, with a group of over 10 long plumose setae on lower distal part, the longest setae longer than the posterior lobe itself.</p><p>Maxilliped I (Fig. 5 MxpI) bears a finger-like palp; palp’s distal margin with several plumose setae. Basipodial endite ~ 3 × longer than coxal endite, its distal margin with dense rows of long plumose setae, almost rectilinear outer margin with row of subequally long papulose setae with scale-like setules. Mesial surface of basipodial endite with a sparsely set row of plumose setae. Coxal endite poorly developed, with short serrate and longer plumose setae along outer margin. Exopodite with large caridean lobe ~ 2 × longer than flagellum. Lobe and flagellar margins and lobe ventral surface with plumose setation.</p><p>Maxilliped II (Fig. 5 MxpII) with well-developed endopodite. Dactylopropodus broad, with long plumose setae on upper superior margin, densely packed longer pappose and shorter serrate setae along almost rectilinear lower superior margin and some long submarginal plumose setae. Exopodite with well-developed flagellum, with plumose distal setae and serrate proximal setae. Well-developed comb-like podobranchium with ~ 6 branches.</p><p>Maxilliped III (Fig. 5 MxpIII) with slender endopod, 1.19 × (♂♂ 1.14–1.25; ♀♀ 1.01–1.10) as long as CL. Ischiomerus merged with basis, about 6.5 × as long as wide, with few simple setae proximally on superior margin. Penultimate article slender, about 10 × as long as wide and subequal in length to a preceding article, with few sparsely set spiniform setae on mesial surface and few simple setae on upper margin and distosuperior angle. Terminal article (dactylopropodus) about 10 × as long as wide and equally long as ischiomerus, tapering distally, with strong apical dactylopropodal spine (claw). Distal ⅓ of inferior margin with ~ 6 subequal spiniform setae, proximal ⅔ of mesial surface and superior submarginal surface with transverse series of serrate setae. Exopodite tip reaching beyond basioischiomeral distal tip, robust flagellum with long plumose distal setae set distally on exopodite. Coxa with larger, well developed arthrobranchium (frequently damaged by dissection).</p><p>Pereiopods. First pereiopod (Fig. 5 PpI) sexually dimorphic in length (males&gt; females), from base of article 2 (basis) to apex of article 6 (propodus, unmovable finger of chela) 0.87 × (♂♂ 0.85–0.92; ♀♀ 0.73–0.80) length of carapace. Chela and carpus of first pereiopod stouter and broader than chela and carpus of second pereiopod (Fig. 5 PpII); maximal length of chela of first pereiopod 2.13 × (♂♂ 1.91–2.15; ♀♀ 2.03–2.44) as long as wide, 1.38 × (♂♂ 1.25–1.43; ♀♀ 1.12–1.52) length of carpus; chela with palm subcylindrical, slightly compressed, fingers with dense tuft of longer pappose and shorter serrate setae apically, tips of fingers rounded; dactylus 61 % (♂♂ 52–61; ♀♀ 46–59) of propodus maximal length; carpus slightly excavated distally, 1.11 × (♂♂ 1.03–1.21; ♀♀ 0.95–1.15) length of merus. Merus longer than ischium, basis being the shortest segment of the pereiopods. First pereiopod without exopodite.</p><p>Second pereiopod (Fig. 5 PpII) sexually dimorphic in length (males&gt; females), from base of article 2 (basis) to apex of article 6 (propodus, unmovable finger of chela) 1.13 × (♂♂ 1.13–1.27; ♀♀ 1.02–1.07) length of carapace. Maximal length of chela of second pereiopod 2.12 × (♂♂ 2.12–2.57; ♀♀ 2.22–2.48) as long as wide, 0.87 × (♂♂ 0.87–0.96; ♀♀ 0.84–0.97) length of carpus; chela with palm subcylindrical, slightly compressed, fingers with dense tuft of longer pappose and shorter serrate setae apically, tips of fingers rounded; dactylus 59 % (55–61; ♀♀ 54–64) of propodus maximal length; carpus slightly excavated distally, 1.11 × (♂♂ 1.02–1.21; ♀♀ 1.02–1.08) length of merus. Merus longer than ischium, basis being the shortest segment of the pereiopods. Second pereiopod without exopodite.</p><p>Third pereiopod slender (Fig. 5 PpIII), sexually dimorphic in length (males&gt; females), its length from base of article 2 (basis) to apex of article 7 (dactylus) 1.58 × (♂♂ 1.58–1.83; ♀♀ 1.29–1.61) length of carapace. Dactylus terminating in one large claw with five (♂♂ 5–6; ♀♀ 6) accessory spines on flexor margin; propodus 4.10 × (♂♂ 4.04–4.26; ♀♀ 4.46–4.89) as long as dactylus; carpus 0.67 × (♂♂ 0.65–0.69; ♀♀ 0.65–0.70) as long as propodus, 0.55 × (♂♂ 0.51–0.55; ♀♀ 0.54–0.60) as long as merus; merus 1.82 × (♂♂ 1.82–1.95; ♀♀ 1.67–1.95) as long as carpus. Ischium is always longer than basis which is the shortest segment of the third pereiopod. Third pereiopod without exopodite. Propodus, carpus and merus bear 8 (♂♂ 7–12; ♀♀ 11–14), 3 (♂♂ 2–9; ♀♀ 3–6) and 2 (♂♂ 1–3; ♀♀ 0–3) spiniform setae, respectively. Ischium and basis bear no spiniform setae.</p><p>Fourth pereiopod (Fig. 5 PpIV) similar to third pereiopod, sexually dimorphic in length (males&gt; females), its length from base of article 2 (basis) to apex of article 7 (dactylus) 1.54 × (♂♂ 1.54–1.71; ♀♀ 1.36–1.52) length of carapace. Dactylus terminating in one large claw with five (♂♂ 5–7; ♀♀ 6) accessory spines on flexor margin; propodus 4.14 × (♂♂ 4.02–4.85; ♀♀ 4.67–5.42) as long as dactylus; carpus 0.65 × (♂♂ 0.60–0.68; ♀♀ 0.63–0.65) as long as propodus, 0.61 × (♂♂ 0.51–0.61; ♀♀ 0.57–0.62) as long as merus; merus 1.65 × (♂♂ 1.65–1.97; ♀♀ 1.61–1.74) as long as carpus. Ischium is always longer than basis which is the shortest segment of the fourth pereiopod. Fourth pereiopod without exopodite. Propodus, carpus and merus bear 11 (♂♂ 8–12; ♀♀ 9–15), 3 (♂♂ 2–6; ♀♀ 2–8) and 3 (♂♂ 0–4; ♀♀ 1–3) spiniform setae, respectively. Ischium and basis bear no spiniform setae.</p><p>Fifth pereiopod (Fig. 5 PpV) slender, sexually dimorphic in length (males&gt; females), its length from base of article 2 (basis) to apex of article 7 (dactylus) 1.61 × (♂♂ 1.55–1.68; ♀♀ 1.33–1.57) length of carapace. Dactylus terminating in one large claw with a series of 19 (♂♂ 17–27; ♀♀ 23–26) spiniform setae forming a comb on flexor margin; propodus 3.89 × (♂♂ 3.68–4.37; ♀♀ 3.74–4.51) as long as dactylus; carpus 0.55 × (♂♂ 0.52–0.55; ♀♀ 0.53–0.54) as long as propodus, 0.68 × (♂♂ 0.61–0.68; ♀♀ 0.64–0.67) as long as merus; merus 1.46 × (♂♂ 1.46–1.63; ♀♀ 1.48–1.55) as long as carpus. Ischium is always longer than basis which is the shortest segment of the fifth pereiopod. Fifth pereiopod exceptionally with exopodite. Propodus, carpus and merus bear 12 (♂♂ 9–12; ♀♀ 10–18), 6 (♂♂ 2–6; ♀♀ 4–6) and 3 (♂♂ 1–3; ♀♀ 2) spiniform setae, respectively. Ischium and basis bear no spiniform setae.</p><p>Pleurobranchs present on all pereiopods.</p><p>Pleopods. Endopodite of male first pleopod (Fig. 4 PlpI (m)) triangularly elongated, 0.34 × (0.34–0.36) as long as exopodite, without visible appendix interna and no retinacular hooks. Only few (1–7) simple setae along endopodite margins.</p><p>Appendix masculina on male second pleopod (Fig. 4 PlpII (m)) slender, 0.53 × (0.42–0.59) as long as endopodite, with some long spines on inner and numerous long spines (surpassing the width of the appendix masculina) on distal margin (9–15 along the margins), appendix interna ~ half slender than appendix masculina but almost as long as apendix masculina, bearing ~ 10 (9–15) retinacular hooks. Exopodite 1.21 × (1.06–1.21) longer than endopodite.</p><p>Endopodite of female first pleopod (Fig. 4 PlpI (f)) slender and distally elongated, 0.71–0.82 × (smallest measured female: 0.27 ×, CL 3.9 mm) as long as exopodite, the distal elongation probably representing appendix interna but without retinacular hooks. Female second pleopod (Fig. 4 PlpII (f)) similar to the male second pleopod; its exopodite 1.02–1.11 × as long as endopodite, appendix interna 0.26–0.30 × as long as endopodite, without appendix masculina but with slender appendix interna bearing 8–16 retinacular hooks.</p><p>Sexual dimorphism. Besides sexually dimorphic pleopods I – II that shrimps use in reproduction (Fig. 4), we noticed sexual size dimorphism (females&gt; males, compare CLs in Material examined) and significantly longer (relatively to CL, see Description) pereiopods in males than females. It is possible that the smallest shrimps in our sample were subadults, but a larger sample would be needed to ascertain this assumption.</p><p>Reproductive biology. Ovigerous females with 12–17 (n = 2) oval white eggs; size of eggs 0.97–1.36 × 0.73–0.97 mm and volume 2.68–5.13 mm 3. No eyes could be noticed in the eggs of neither of the two ovigerous females. Species of Caridina with relatively large eggs, such as C. tashanica sp. nov., usually lack a planktonic larval stage and are indicative of a landlocked freshwater habitats and life cycle (Lai and Shy 2009, Chiao-Chuan et al. 2011).</p><p>Etymology.</p><p>The species epithet tashanica, a feminine Latinized adjective, originates from the name of the type locality, Tashan Cave.</p><p>Distribution.</p><p>Caridina tashanica sp. nov. is known only from the Tashan Cave in Zagros Mountains in southwestern Iran (Fig. 1).</p><p>Remarks.</p><p>Up to now, four species of atyid shrimps have been recorded from Iran, neither of them being exclusively subterranean. These are Atyaephyra orientalis Bouvier, 1913 (reported as A. desmarestii by Gorgin 1996), and three Caridina species, namely C. fernandoi Arudpragasam &amp; Costa, 1962 (reported as C. babaulti basrensis by Al-Adhub &amp; Hamzah, 1987), C. fossarum Heller, 1862 and C. shahrazadae Klotz, von Rintelen and Christodoulou 2019 . Recently, Caridina enkii was described from neighbouring Iraq although there is some uncertainty about the origin of the type material (Klotz et al. 2019). All the above-mentioned species are epigean and have well developed, pigmented eyes and pigmented body. While colouration is present but unknown for C. fossarum, C. shahrazadae, C. enkii (Klotz et al. 2019) and C. peninsularis Kemp, 1918, their eyes are known to be well pigmented, whereas in Caridina tashanica sp. nov. both eye and body pigment are lacking. In C. chauhani and C. fernandoi the pattern of body colour is variable (Arudpragasam and Costa 1962) and often mimics the environment, which is characteristic for many Caridina species. In C. fernandoi, eyes are pigmented and have dilated cornea. Phylogenetically, Caridina tashanica sp. nov. is a sister species to the epigean C. shahrazadae (see Results), which was found from a locality not far from Tashan cave. One of C. shahrazadae locations (Klotz et al. 2019) from Khuzestan Province (road between Behbahan and Ramhormoz, 30°39'N, 50°09'E;) is about 25 km east of the Tashan cave (Fig. 1).</p><p>Exopods on pereiopods are absent in C. tashanica sp. nov., which is consistent with the typical morphology of Caridina . Well-developed pereiopodal exopods are characteristic of basal atyid genera (e. g., Paratya, Atyaephyra, Syncaris), but are generally lacking in Caridina (De Grave and Page 2014) . The rare occurrence of an exopod in C. wilkinsi (and occasionally in C. thermophila; Calman (1926), Riek (1953)) has been interpreted as an evolutionary reversal rather than a character of generic significance. The absence of exopods in the present species therefore supports its placement within Caridina (De Grave and Page 2014) .</p><p>A more detailed comparison of morphological characters with other closely related Caridina species from Middle East and South Asia is available in Suppl. material 2.</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/06F5DBC64127512781CB85E99B28C335	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Pensoft via Plazi	Jugovic, Jure;Malek Hosseini, Mohammad-Javad;Fatemi, Yaser;Flot, Jean-François;Kuntner, Matjaž;Zakšek, Valerija	Jugovic, Jure, Malek Hosseini, Mohammad-Javad, Fatemi, Yaser, Flot, Jean-François, Kuntner, Matjaž, Zakšek, Valerija (2026): Caridina tashanica sp. nov., a new cave shrimp species (Decapoda, Atyidae) from sulphidic water in southwestern Iran. Subterranean Biology 55: 137-160, DOI: 10.3897/subtbiol.55.184889
