Atyaephyra strymonensis, Christodoulou, Magdalini, Antoniou, Aglaia, Antonios Magoulas, & Athanasios Koukouras,, 2012

Christodoulou, Magdalini, Antoniou, Aglaia, Antonios Magoulas, & Athanasios Koukouras,, 2012, Revision of the freshwater genus Atyaephyra (Crustacea, Decapoda, Atyidae) based on morphological and molecular data, ZooKeys 229, pp. 53-110 : 73-75

Atyaephyra strymonensis sp. n. Figs 9-10

Atyaephyra desmarestii . - Anastasiadou et al. 2004: 5-13, partim; Sket and Zaksek 2009: 786-818.

Atyaephyra sp. n. 3. - Christodoulou et al. 2008.

Atyaephyra sp. n. 4. - Christodoulou et al. 2010: Fig. 2.

Material examined.

Type material. Holotype: NHM 2012.1486, adult ovig. ♀ (CL 7.0 mm), Greece, Macedonia, Mylopotamos Springs (Strymonas River), 41°08.90'N, 24°04.29'E (Fig. 1, stn 102), among aquatic plants, 23.5.2011, coll. M. Christodoulou and M.S. Kitsos. Allotype: NHM 2012.1487, adult ♂ (CL 5.0 mm), same data collection as holotype. Paratypes: NHM 2012.1488-1492, 4 ♀♀ (CL 5.2-7.0 mm) and 1 ♂ (CL 5.0 mm) same data collection as holotype. OUMNH.ZC 2012-08-002 4 ♀♀ (1 ovig.) (CL 5.2-7.0 mm) and 1 ♂ (CL 5.0 mm) same data collection as holotype; SMF 43023 2 ♀♀ (CL 6.7-7.2 mm) and 1 ♂ (CL 5.0 mm) same data collection as holotype; NHMW 25454, 2 ♀♀ (CL 6.1-7.3 mm) same data collection as holotype.

Non-type material.

Greece: 3 ♀♀ (CL 5.4-6.0 mm) Macedonia, Strymonas River (Fig. 1, stn 101), 1.10.2001, coll. Ch. Anastasiadou; 20 ♀♀ (13 ovig.) (CL 6.3-7.9 mm), Macedonia, Mylopotamos Springs (Fig. 1, stn 102), 4.4.2001, coll. Ch. Anastasiadou; 9 ♀♀ (CL 5.5-7.1 mm) and 5 ♂♂ (CL 5.1-5.3 mm) Macedonia, Agias Varvaras Springs (Fig. 1, stn 103), 4.4.2001, coll. Ch. Anastasiadou; 11 ♀♀ (4 ovig.) (CL 6.0-7.4 mm) and 3 ♂♂ (CL 5.1-5.3 mm), Macedonia, Kefalariou Springs (Fig. 1, stn 104), 4.5.2001, coll. Ch. Anastasiadou; 2 ♀♀ (CL 6.3 mm) and 2 ♂♂ (CL 5.3-5.6 mm), Thrace, Paradeisos, Nestos River (Fig. 1, stn 105), ZMAUTH G1-1024, 6.7.1972, coll. P. Economides; 14 ♀♀ (CL 5.5-7.3 mm) and 6 ♂♂ (CL 5.1-5.5 mm) Thrace, Kyrnos, Nestos River (Fig. 1, stn 106), 30.9.2002, coll. Ch. Anastasiadou.

Description.

Rostrum long, slender, dorsal margin straight or slightly curved in the middle and pointed upwards, 5.89-8.80, mostly (92% of the individuals examined) 6.75-8.80, × as long as high, shorter, equal to, or longer than scaphocerite. 10-29, frequently (92%) 14-23, pre orbital teeth on dorsal margin of rostrum arranged up to tip. Rostrum without post-orbital teeth, leaving a short unarmed proximal gap. With maximally five teeth, mostly (91%) up to three, arranged on ventral margin of rostrum (Fig. 9A). Carapace smooth with pterygostomial angle, not protruding, rounded (Fig. 9B). Pleuron of fifth abdominal segment pointed with an acute posterior angle (Fig. 9C). Telsonwith 2-7, predominantly (97%) 3-4, pairs of dorsal spines arranged in curved fashion (Fig. 9D). Distal border of telson with 11-15, usually (96%) 12-14, spines (6-8 pairs), arranged in fan-like way. Outermost pair of spines shortest, similar to dorsal spines, adjacent pair stronger terminating before the finely setulose inner pairs (Figs 9 D–E). Basal segment of antennular peduncle with long stylocerite, with its tip failing to reach or reaching the distal end of basal segment. Anterolateral lobe of basal segment short and round (Fig. 9G). Distal segment of antennular peduncle with 0-1 but mostly (87%) with no spines (Fig. 9F). Basal lower endite of maxilla densely covered with long simple setae arranged in 12-17 (14-16 in 90% of the individuals), oblique parallel rows. Endite of maxilla 1.77-1.95, mostly (89%) 1.78-1.91, × as long as basal lower endite (Fig. 10G). Basal endite of first maxilliped failing, reaching or overreaching the distal end of exopod (reaching the end in 65% of the individuals) (Fig. 10F). Distal one-third of terminal segment of third maxilliped bearing 1-7 mesial spines and one subdistal lateral spine near the base of larger terminal spine (Fig. 10H). Armature along flexor margin of dactylus of third and fourth pereiopod consisting of 6-8 (7-8 in 96% of the individuals) and 7-8 spines (including terminal spine) respectively (Figs 10B, 10D). Merus of third and fourth pereiopod with 3-6 (3-5 in 90% of the individuals) and 3-5 spines respectively (Figs 10A, 10C). Dactylus of fifth pereiopod with 25-37, mostly (87%) 30-35, spines arranged in comb-like fashion on flexor margin (Fig. 10E). Endopod of first male pleopod expanded proximally and with a distal portion elongated and tapering, often, with a small, protruding lobe in its outer subdistal part. Endopod with 14-23 spines arranged on a slightly curve d inner margin and 9-15 setae arranged on outer margin (Fig. 10I). 210-250 eggs of 0.50-0.70 × 0.40-0.50 mm in size.

Size.

Atyaephyra strymonensis sp. n. is a large sized species with maximum carapace length to be 5.6 mm in ♂♂, 7.9 mm in ♀♀ and 7.5 mm in ovig. ♀♀.

Molecular characters.

Atyaephyra strymonensis sp. n. is unique in the genus in having 2 haplotypes not found in any of the other species. Also, it differs from all the other species in the following nucleotide positions in the COI gene of Atyaephyra desmarestii specimen Dour1, position 201: cytosine (C), position 252: guanine (G), position 303: cytosine (C), position 309: thymine (T), position 318: guanine (G), position 319: adenine (A), position 367: thymine (T), position 393: cytosine (C) and position 453: thymine (T).

Etymology:

Atyaephyra strymonensis sp. n. is named after the Strymon (Strymonas) River, Greece, the type locality.

Distribution.

Atyaephyra strymonensis sp. n. is found in North-western Greece in the Rivers Strymon and Nestos (see material examined and Fig. 1).

Remarks.

Atyaephyra strymonensis sp. n. is unique in the combination of the following characters: (a) absence of post orbital teeth (Fig. 9A), (b) leaving a short unarmed proximal gap on dorsal surface of rostrum (Fig. 9A), (b) having a round anterolateral lobe on basal segment of antennular peduncle (Figs 9 F–G), (c) having a not protruding, rounded pterygostomial angle (Fig. 9C), (d) endite of maxilla 1.77-1.95 × as long as basal lower endite (Fig. 10G) and having 1-7 mesial spines in the terminal segment of third maxilliped (Fig. 10H). Atyaephyra strymonensis is similar to Atyaephyra desmarestii , Atyaephyra acheronensis and Atyaephyra tuerkayi in having fewer spines in the terminal segment of third maxilliped. However Atyaephyra strymonensis differs by the absence of post-orbital teeth, leaving a short unarmed proximal gap on dorsal surface of rostrum and by the endite of maxilla being 1.77-1.95 × as long as basal lower endite (vs. 1.49-1.71). Atyaephyra strymonensis differs from Atyaephyra stankoi , Atyaephyra thyamisensis and Atyaephyra orientalis in having fewer mesial spines in the terminal segment of third maxilliped.