identifier	taxonID	type	CVterm	format	language	title	description	additionalInformationURL	UsageTerms	rights	Owner	contributor	creator	bibliographicCitation
3AAE20AEFAAC51838C2C05EDB75AE2E5.text	3AAE20AEFAAC51838C2C05EDB75AE2E5.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Caridina zhaoi Jiang & Zhou & Chen 2026	<div><p>Caridina zhaoi sp. nov.</p><p>Figs 2 B, 3–4</p><p>Type material.</p><p>Holotype • male (rl 2.1 mm, cl 4.9 mm, tl 19.3 mm), Dec-aty-00538-1, China, Guizhou Province, Guiyang City, Wudang District, Anduo Village, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=106.77308&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=26.738586" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 106.77308/lat 26.738586)">Xiangshui Cave</a>, 26°44'18.91"N, 106°46'23.08"E, alt. 1390 m, 15. III. 2024, Zhao Fei &amp; Zhou Jiajun leg. Paratypes • 2 males (rl 2.6–2.9 mm, cl 5.1–5.4 mm, tl 21.2–21.4 mm) and 7 females (rl 1.3–3.3 mm, cl 4.2–7.9 mm, tl 15.1–30.4 mm), Dec-aty-00538-2 – 10, same data as holotype .</p><p>Diagnosis.</p><p>Body smooth, strongly depigmented; stygobitic. Eyes highly reduced, cornea indistinct and unpigmented. Rostrum relatively long, reaching end of 2 nd segment to slightly beyond 3 rd segment of antennular peduncle; rostral formula 3–11 + 1–8 / 0–5. Stylocerite short, reaching approx. 0.8 length of basal antennular segment. Pereiopods: P 1 stout, chela 1.8–2.1 times as long as wide; P 2 slender, chela 1.8–2.4 times as long as wide, carpus 3.8–4.3 times as long as wide; dactylus of P 3 ending in prominent claw-like spine, flexor margin with 4–6 spines; dactylus of P 5 with approx. 40 comb-like spinules on flexor margin. Male first pleopod endopod tongue-like, approx. 3.0 times as long as wide; appendix interna well developed, arising from distal 1 / 4 of endopod and overreaching distal margin. Male second pleopod endopod slender, about ¾ length of exopod; appendix masculina strong, about 3 / 5 length of endopod; appendix interna reaching 3 / 5 of appendix masculina. Telson posterior margin rounded, without posteromedian projection, armed with 3–4 pairs of spinules. Uropodal diaeresis with 9–10 movable spinules.</p><p>Description.</p><p>Body slender (Fig. 2 B). Rostrum (Fig. 3 A) slender, terminally tapering and slightly up-turned, reaching from basal part of second segment of antennular peduncle to slightly overreaching third segment of antennular peduncle, 0.3–0.6 times as long as carapace. Rostral teeth tiny, with 4–19 (holotype 16) teeth dorsally, including 1–8 (holotype 8) situated posterior to orbital margin, ventrally with 0–5 (holotype 2) teeth, rostral formula: 3–11 + 1–8 / 0 – 5.</p><p>Eyes (Figs 2 B, 3 A) small, highly reduced, and unpigmented.</p><p>Carapace (Fig. 3 A) smooth, glabrous, antennal spine blunt, pterygostomian margin subrectangular, pterygostomian spine absent.</p><p>Antennule (Fig. 3 C) peduncle three-segmented. Basal segment about 1.6–1.7 times as long as second and 2.5–2.7 times as long as third. All segments with submarginal setae. Stylocerite reaching 4 / 5 of basal segment. Anterolateral angle reaching one fourth of 2 nd segment. Flagella long and simple.</p><p>Antenna (Fig. 3 D) peduncle about half length of scaphocerite. Scaphocerite about 2.5–3.1 times as long as wide, outer margin straight, asetose, ending in a strong sub-apical spine, inner and anterior margins with long plumose setae.</p><p>Mandible (Fig. 3 B) incisor process with four irregular and blunt teeth. Molar process ridged.</p><p>Maxillula (Fig. 3 E) lower lacinia broadly rounded, with several rows of plumose setae. Upper lacinia elongate, with numerous small teeth and short setae on inner margin. Palp digitiform, with few long setae.</p><p>Maxilla (Fig. 3 F) with palp slender and slightly curved. Upper endites subdivided. Scaphognathite tapering posteriorly with some long, curved setae.</p><p>First maxilliped (Fig. 3 G) epipod small. Palp rounded, with several terminal plumose setae. Exopod flagellum distinct, well developed and with plumose marginal setae. Caridean lobe broad, with dense plumose marginal setae.</p><p>Second maxilliped (Fig. 3 H) slender. Inner margin of ultimate segment with long straight setae, penultimate and basal segments with long plumose setae. Exopod long and slender, with several plumose setae distally. Podobranch well-developed.</p><p>Third maxilliped (Fig. 3 I) endopod three-segmented, basal segment about 1.2–1.3 times as long as second segment, second segment as long as distal segment, distal segment ending in small claw-like apical spine surrounded by simple setae, preceded by a clump of long and simple setae proximally. Exopod reaching beyond end of basal segment of endopod, with long plumose setae distally.</p><p>First pereiopod (Fig. 4 A) stout, chela about 1.8–2.1 times as long as wide, 1.3 times length of carpus, movable finger about 2.7–2.9 times as long as wide, and 1.3–1.8 times length of palm, fingertips rounded, with numerous long setae. Carpus excavated anterodorsally, 1.7–2.0 times as long as wide and as long as merus. Merus slightly narrower than carpus. Ischium about 0.5 length of merus and about 2 times as long as basis.</p><p>Second pereiopod (Fig. 4 B) slender and longer than first pereiopod. Chela 1.8–2.4 times as long as wide, 0.8 times length of carpus. Movable finger 3.1–4.2 times as long as wide and 1.3–1.5 times as long as palm, setal brushes well developed. Carpus 3.8–4.3 times as long as wide, distal part normal. Merus 1.0 times length of carpus, 4.1–4.6 times as long as wide.</p><p>Third pereiopod (Fig. 4 C) dactylus 2.5 times as long as wide, ending in prominent claw-like spine surrounded by simple setae and 4–6 spines (Fig. 4 E). Propodus 5.6–5.9 times as long as dactylus, bearing about 9–12 thin spinules on ventral margin, 10.8–12.8 times as long as wide. Carpus 0.6 times length of propodus, 4.7–6.1 times as long as wide. Merus 1.7–2.1 times length of carpus, 5.8–8.0 times as long as wide, with about 2–4 strong spines on the posterior margin. Ischium with a spine on the posterior margin.</p><p>Fifth pereiopod (Fig. 4 D) dactylus 3.2–3.4 times as long as wide, ending in prominent claw-like spine surrounded by simple setae, inner margin with about 40 comb-like spines (Fig. 4 F). Propodus 4.8–5.3 times length of dactylus, bearing about 22 spinules in two rows on ventral margin, 12.7–16.6 times as long as wide. Carpus 0.5 times length of propodus, 4.7–7.1 times as long as wide. Merus 1.4 times length of carpus, 6.3–8.3 times as long as wide, with about 1–3 strong spines on the posterior margin. Ischium about 0.3 times length of merus.</p><p>First pleopod (Fig. 4 G) male endopod about 3.0 times as long as wide, 0.5 times length of exopod, inner margin with short spine-like setae, distal margin with some long spine-like setae, and outer margin with long plumose setae, appendix interna well developed, arising from distal 1 / 4 of endopod, overreaching end of endopod by 1 / 3 its length, with cincinnuli distally. Exopod 4.2 times as long as wide.</p><p>Second pleopod (Fig. 4 H) male endopod slender, about ¾ length of exopod. Appendix masculina prominent, about 3 / 5 length of endopod, bearing some short, spine-like setae on basal and distal parts and some long spiniform setae on outer surface. Appendix interna reaching 3 / 5 of appendix masculina, with cincinnuli distally.</p><p>Sixth abdominal somite ca. 0.52–0.54 times length of carapace, ca. 1.83–1.99 times as long as fifth somite, ca. 0.95–1.02 times as long as telson.</p><p>Preanal carina rounded, low, without spine.</p><p>Uropodal diaeresis with 9–10 movable spinules.</p><p>Telson (Fig. 4 I) tapering posteriorly, without posteromedian projection, with 4–5 pairs of dorsal spiniform spines and one pair of dorso-subdistal spiniform setae; posterior margin with a pair of outermost and longest spines and 2–3 pairs of nearly equal long intermedial setae.</p><p>Color strongly degenerated and semitransparent, with yellow visceral organs in cephalothorax clearly visible (Fig. 2 B).</p><p>Female with no distinct difference to male. Egg size unknown.</p><p>Etymology.</p><p>The specific epithet is named after the collector Mr. Zhao Fei, an outstanding young speleologist.</p><p>Distribution.</p><p>Guizhou (Guiyang), China.</p><p>Habitat.</p><p>The habitat is defined by an approximately 200 - meter-long underground river, situated at the bottom of a vertical shaft (ca. 90 m deep) (Fig. 2 A). Caridina zhaoi sp. nov. was found concentrated in a pool at the terminus of this river. The depth of the pool is unknown. Water temperature remains constant at approximately 15 ° C year-round. The new species is sympatric with the stygobiotic fish Triplophysa wudangensis Liu et al., 2022 .</p><p>Remarks.</p><p>Caridina zhaoi sp. nov. is a typical stygobiont, characterized by the strongly reduced body pigmentation and the degeneration of eyes, can be readily distinguished from surface-dwelling congeners by these stygobiotic adaptations.</p><p>Currently, the other recognized stygobionts of Caridina in China include C. ablepsia Guo et al., 1992, C. acuta, C. alba Li &amp; Li, 2010, C. alu Cai &amp; Ng, 2018, C. caverna, C. demenica, C. incolor, C. longshan, and C. sinanensis . The new species differs significantly from C. demenica, C. acuta, and C. alba in rostral morphology. Caridina zhaoi sp. nov. possesses a relatively long rostrum (reaching from the base of the 2 nd segment to slightly beyond the 3 rd segment of the antennular peduncle) with distinct dorsal teeth. In contrast, C. demenica, C. acuta, and C. alba have very short rostrums (usually not reaching the end of the 1 st antennular segment) that are unarmed or bear only minute teeth.</p><p>Compared to C. longshan, the new species has fewer ventral rostral teeth (0–5 vs. 12–17) and stouter chelae on the first and second pereiopods (ratios of 1.8–2.1 and 1.8–2.4, respectively, vs. 2.7 and 3.1 in C. longshan). It differs from C. caverna in the shape of the male first pleopod endopod (tongue-like vs. kidney-shaped / reniform in C. caverna) and the appendix masculina of the second pleopod (rod-shaped vs. distally swollen). It differs from C. alu by lacking eye pigment, having a shorter rostrum (vs. overreaching scaphocerite), fewer rostral teeth (vs. 16–24 / 4 – 12), distinctly slenderer pereiopods (e. g., P 1 carpus 1.7–2.0 times vs. 1.3 times) and the ratio of the endopod to exopod of male first pleopod (0.5 vs. 0.67). It differs from C. ablepsia by the stouter carpus of the second pereiopod (3.8–4.3 vs. 4.3–5.6), four pairs of spines on posterior margin of telson (vs. five pairs) and the absence of a posteromedian projection on the telson (vs. present in C. ablepsia).</p><p>Caridina zhaoi sp. nov. appears morphologically similar to C. sinanensis and C. incolor, both from Guizhou, but can be distinguished by specific combinations of characters. It differs from C. sinanensis by the complete lack of eye pigment (vs. pigment spot present), fewer rostral teeth (dorsal 4–19 / ventral 0–5 vs. 14–26 / 3 – 11), fewer spinules on the uropodal diaeresis (9–10 vs. 10–12), and the ratio of the appendix interna to appendix masculina (approx. 0.5 vs. subequal). From C. incolor, it is separated by a shorter stylocerite (reaching 4 / 5 of basal segment vs. reaching the end), stouter first pereiopod carpus (L / W 1.7–2.0 vs. 2.3–2.7) and second pereiopod carpus (3.8–4.3 vs. 5.4–5.6), and fewer spinules on the dactylus of the fifth pereiopod (ca. 40 vs. 50–55).</p><p>The new species also shows clear morphological differences from geographically proximate epigean species found in Guiyang, i. e. Caridina guiyangensis Liang, 2002 and Caridina cavalerieioides Liu &amp; Liang, 2003 . Aside from stygobiotic traits (color / eyes), C. zhaoi sp. nov. lacks the protrusion at the base of the appendix interna on the male first pleopod observed in C. guiyangensis . Furthermore, the new species lacks a posteromedian projection on the telson (present in both C. guiyangensis and C. cavalerieioides), has a shorter stylocerite, fewer ventral spines on the dactylus of the third pereiopod (4–6 vs. 5–8 or 7–8), and fewer spinules on the uropodal diaeresis (9–10 vs. 13–15 or 12–14).</p><p>Molecular analysis based on the mitochondrial COI gene reveals high interspecific genetic divergence between C. zhaoi sp. nov. and other comparison species, ranging from 14.70 % to 23.47 %. This huge value strongly supports its validity as a distinct lineage. However, due to the limited availability of reference sequences for Chinese cave atyids in public databases, the exact phylogenetic position of the new species remains unresolved. Further sampling and multi-locus analyses are required to elucidate its evolutionary relationships.</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/3AAE20AEFAAC51838C2C05EDB75AE2E5	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	Jiang, Xuankong;Zhou, Jiajun;Chen, Huiming	Jiang, Xuankong, Zhou, Jiajun, Chen, Huiming (2026): Caridina zhaoi sp. nov., a new stygobiont atyid shrimp (Decapoda, Caridea, Atyidae) from a limestone cave in Guizhou Province, China. Zoosystematics and Evolution 102 (2): 601-609, DOI: 10.3897/zse.102.182296
