Kotumsaria, Messouli, Mohammed, Holsinger, John R. & Reddy, Ranga, 2007

Messouli, Mohammed, Holsinger, John R. & Reddy, Ranga, 2007, Kotumsaridae, a new family of subterranean amphipod crustaceans from India, with description of Kotumsaria bastarensis, new genus, new species, Zootaxa 1589, pp. 33-46 : 35-36

Kotumsaria new genus

Diagnosis. With the characters of the family described above. Without eyes and pigment, of troglomorphic (subterranean) facies. Interantennal (lateral) lobe of head well developed and evenly rounded. Antenna 1 longer than antenna 2, approximately 30% as long as body. Antenna 2 without calceoli. Mandibles well developed, each with strong incisor, lacinia mobilis, spine row and triturative molar with long seta; palp 3-segmented but bearing only E setae. Lower lip without inner lobes. Outer plate of maxilla 1 with 6 apical, serrate spines; inner plate with single, apical plumose seta, palp 1-segmented and bearing 2 long, plumose setae. Inner and outer plates of maxilla 2 sparsely setose, inner plate without oblique row of facial setae. Inner and outer plates of maxilliped with few apical spines, outer plate without bladelike spines on inner margin, palp segment 3 longer and broader than segments 1 and 4, with single row of setae on inner margin. Gnathopods: strong; first larger than second, palmar margins of propodi armed with simple setae and defining angles with long, notched spines; dactyl of gnathopod 1 with one long narrow blade on the inner margin, nails of dactyls well developed and approaching length of corresponding dactyls. Coxal plates very short, wider than deep, not lobate or contiguous. Coxal gills and simple median sternal gills (processes) on pereonites 2–6. Basis of pereopods 5–7 narrow, with sub-parallel margins. Pleopods with 1- or 2 - articulated rami. Urosomite 3 with small posteroventral spine at base of insertion of uropod 3, urosomite 2 with short dorsoposterior spine, urosomite 1 bearing 2 dorsal spine-like setae and 2 small ventral (ecdysial) spines. Uropods 1 and 2 short (shorter than uropod 3) and similar, first slightly longer than second, without basoventral/basofacial spine; peduncles with long distal seta, rami with single distal spine. Uropod 3 with 1-segmented rami; inner ramus (endopodite) scale-like, outer ramus (exopodite) proportionately elongate, tapered distally, about 2.8 times longer than peduncle. Telson about one-half length of uropod 3, narrowing slightly distally, about 1.2 times longer than wide, apical margin weakly convex, bearing 2 prominent spines subapically.

Type species. Kotumsaria bastarensis new species, by monotypy. Gender is feminine.

Etymology. The name Kotumsaria refers to the occurrence of this genus in Kotumsar Cave.