Niphargus fautor , new species from Greece (fam. Niphargidae) (Contribution to the Knowledge of the Amphipoda 299)

One new subterranean species of the family Niphargidae (Crustacea, Amphipoda), Niphargus fautor , sp. n. is described and figured from the wells in Greece (Epirus and Peloponnese), and its taxonomic relation to other known Niphargus species from Greece and adjacent regions is discussed.


Introduction
The subterranean fauna of Amphipoda in Europe is very rich and still only partially studied. The recent intensive studies of this fauna by various researches conducted to discovery of numerous new taxa based on morphological, ecological and genetic-molecular studies. These studies are very urgent because of intense anthropogenic activities in Europe regarding the exploiting of freshwater for drink, industrial activity, agronomy, fisheries, etc. All these activities have very negative influence on the subterranean and epigean fauna, including Amphipoda. As many subterranean waters are becoming polluted or destroyed, it is necessary to collect and study fauna of these waters before the disappearance of animals in it.
During recent studies of the subterranean fauna of Amphipoda in Greece, collected by various scientists and collectors, numerous species have been discovered and described, By this way, regarding the subterranean family Niphargidae, 3 genera and over 20 species are known from this country.
Thanks to Prof. Dr Giuseppe Pesce from Aquila, who sent us various samples of Amphipoda collected in Greece by him and other scientists, we established one new species of the family Niphargidae from the subterranean waters of Epirus and Peloponnese, Niphargus fautor, sp. n., presented in this work.

Material and Methods
The samples of Niphargus were preserved in 70% ethanol. The specimens were dissected using a WILD M20 microscope and drawn using a camera lucida attachment. All appendages were submersed in the mixture of glycerin and water for study and drawing. The body-length of examined specimens was measured Ecologica Montenegrina 15: 40-52 (2017) This journal is available online at: www.biotaxa.org/em from the tip of head to the end of telson. After the study, the dissected body-parts were submerged in Liquid of Faure and covered by thin cover glass for permanent slides-collection. All illustrations were inked manually.
Some morphological terminology and seta`s formula follows Karaman`s terminology (Karaman, G. 1969;2012): for last mandibular palpus [A= setae on outer face; B= setae on inner face; C= additional setae on outer face; D= lateral marginal setae; E= distal long setae] and for propodus of gnathopods 1 and 2 [S= corner S-spine; L= lateral L-spines; M= facial M-setae; R= subcorner R-spine]. Terms "setae" and "spines" are used based on its shape, not origin. All studies were provided based on morphological, ecological and zoogeographical data.
Gnathopods 1-2 weak, rather smaller than corresponding coxae; gnathopod 2 is poorly "kochianustype", with elongated articles 5 and 6 and with one seta at outer margin of dactylus. Dactylus of pereopods 3-7 is slender, bearing one small slender spine or spine-like seta at inner margin. Article 2 of pereopods 5-7 is dilated, subrounded, with ventroposterior lobe; pleopods 1-3 are with 2 retinacula and poorly setose peduncle. Uropod 1 peduncle is with dorsointernal and dorsoexternal row of spines, inner ramus is slightly longer than outer one. Uropod 3 is short and strong, with short distal article of outer ramus. Telson is deeply incised, bearing distal spines only. Significant sexual dimorphic characters are not developed.
Maxilla 1: inner plate is narrow, with 2 distal setae (fig. 5A); outer plate is with 7 spines [5-6 spines with one lateral tooth, one spine with 1-2 teeth, one spine with 3-5 very small lateral teeth; palpus is 2articulated, relatively short, not reaching tip of outer plate spines and provided with 4 long distal setae.
Maxilla 2 is with rather narrow both plates, bearing distomarginal setae only ( fig. 3B). Maxilliped: inner plate is rather long, exceeding outer distal tip of palpus article 2 and provided with 4 smooth pointed spines mixed with single distal and lateral setae; outer plate exceeding ¾ of palpus article 3, bearing nearly 8 large pointed spines at distal and mesial margin (fig. 1 I); palpus article 2 with one distal seta at outer margin, and with a row of setae at inner margin. Palpus article 3 with 2 distal short setae at outer margin; article 4 at outer margin with one median seta, at inner margin appear 2 setae attached near basis of the nail ( fig. 1G).
Gnathopods 1 and 2 are relatively small, "kochianus type", with propodus smaller than corresponding coxa ( fig. 2A, C). Gnathopod 1 is smaller than gnathopod 2, article 2 with only 2 long setae along anterior margin, and with several bunches of long setae along posterior margin ( fig. 2A). Article 3 at posterior margin with one bunch of 2-3 setae. Article 5 is not elongated, nearly as long as propodus and provided with 3 transverse rows of setae along posterior margin, and one distal bunch of setae along anterior margin. Propodus is not fully rhomboid, hardly longer than broad (ratio: 82:79), along posterior margin appear 3 transverse rows of scarce number of setae ( fig. 2B). Palm is convex, not inclined, defined on outer face by one corner S-spine accompanied laterally by 2 short L-spines and one facial M-seta, on inner face by one short subcorner R-spine ( fig. 2C). Dactylus reaching posterior margin of propodus, along outer margin with one median seta, along inner margin with 3-4 short setae ( fig. 2B).
Gnathopod 2: article 2 is with scarce number of setae along anterior margin, and with several single or paired long setae along posterior margin. Article 3 is with one bunch of 3 setae at posterior margin; article 5 is elongated, rather longer than propodus (ratio: 60:50), with 4 transverse rows of setae along posterior margin and with one distal bunch of setae along anterior margin ( fig. 2D). Propodus is rhomboid, remarkably longer than broad (ratio: 95:73), with 7 transverse rows of setae along posterior margin ( fig. 2E). Palm is convex, not inclined, defined on outer face by one corner S-spine accompanied laterally by 2 shorter serrate L-spines and 2 facial M-setae ( fig. 2F), on inner face by one short subcorner R-spine. Dactylus reaching posterior margin of propodus, at outer margin with one median seta, along inner margin with nearly 4 short setae ( fig. 2E).  Pereopod 3 is moderately slender, article 2 along anterior margin with several very short setae, along posterior margin with nearly 6 long setae; articles 4-6 of unequal length (ratio: 56:43:51), along anterior and posterior margin with several setae each ( fig. 3C). Dactylus slender, remarkably shorter than article 6 (ratio: 26:51), at inner margin with one slender spine near basis of the nail, at outer margin with one median plumose seta ( fig. 3D); nail is as long as pedestal.
Pereopod 4 is rather similar to pereopod 3; article 2 with several very short setae at anterior margin, and nearly 6 long setae along posterior margin. Articles 4-6 are of unequal length (ratio: 51:41:49); article 4 is with 3-4 setae or spine-like setae at posterior margin; articles 5 and 6 with 4 single or bunches of short slender spines at posterior margin ( fig. 3E); dactylus slender, shorter than article 6 (ratio: 23:49), at inner margin with one spine-like seta or slender spine, at outer margin with one median plumose seta ( fig. 3F); nail is as long as pedestal.
Pereopod 7: article 2 is ovoid, not tapering ventrally, longer than broad (ratio: 88:63), along anterior convex margin with nearly 6 spine-like setae, along posterior convex margin appear 7-8 short setae, ventroposterior lobe well developed, poorly exceeding ventral tip of article 3 ( fig. 4E). Articles 4-6 are of unequal length (ratio: 43:45:65), with strong spines along anterior and posterior margin. Article 2 is longer than article 6 (ratio: 88:65). Dactylus is slender but short, much shorter than article 6 (ratio: 26:65), at inner margin with one short spine-like seta near basis of the nail, at outer margin with one median plumose seta Uropods 1-2 are slender. Uropod 1: peduncle is hardly longer than inner ramus (ratio: 85:80), with dorsoexternal and dorsointernal row of strong spines (fig. 5F); outer ramus is only slightly shorter than inner one ( fig. 5E, F), with 3 bunches of lateral and with bunch of 4 distal short spines; inner ramus is provided with several single and group of strong spines along margins, on tip appear 4 short spines.
Uropod 2: peduncle is shorter than rami, bearing 3 lateral spines; inner ramus is distinctly longer than outer ramus, provided with 5 lateral strong spines and distal bunch of 4 short spines ( fig. 5G); 3 spines are attached along margins of outer ramus, tip is provided with 4 short strong spines.
Uropod 3 is short and strong. Peduncle is rather longer than broad (ratio: 38:25); inner ramus is short, scale-like, bearing one distal plumose seta ( fig. 1J). Outer ramus is 2-articulated: first article is strong, along outer margin with 5 bunches of spines, along inner (mesial) margin appear 5 bunches of single or paired spines accompanied by single long plumose setae; second article is weak, much shorter than first article (ratio: 20:100), with 2 lateral and 2 distal short simple setae.
Telson is not elongated, hardly longer than broad (ratio: 83:80), incised over 2/3 of telson-length; each lobe is with 4 distal slender spines; facial and lateral spines are absent (fig. 5H); a pair of short unequal plumose setae are attached in the middle of outer lobes-margin.
Antenna 1 likes that in female, not exceeding half of body-length; main flagellum is consisting of 16 articles [most of them are with one aesthetasc]. Accessory flagellum is as long as peduncular article 3 and consisting of 2 articles.
Antenna 2 likes that in female. Mouthparts like these in female. Maxilla 1 inner plate is provided with 2 setae, outer plate with 7 spines [6 spines are with one lateral tooth, one spine with 3-4 teeth], palpus is 2-articulated, with 4-5 setae. Maxilliped like that in female, with elongated inner plate bearing 4 distal spines.
Coxae 5-7 like these in female, coxa 5 is distinctly shorter than coxa 4. Gnathopods 1 and 2 are small, like these in female. Gnathopod 1: articles 2-4 like these in female; article 5 is hardly shorter than propodus (ratio: 64:68), along posterior margin with 3 transverse row of setae, at anterior margin with distal bunch of setae ( fig. 6E). Propodus is poorly longer than broad (ratio: 68:64), along posterior margin with 3 transverse rows of setae ( fig. 6E); palm convex, inclined nearly1/3 of propodus-length, defined on outer face by one corner S-spine accompanied laterally by 2 short L-spines and 2 facial M-setae, on inner face by one subcorner R-spine ( fig. 6E. Dactylus reaching posterior margin of propodus, with one median seta at outer margin and with 3-4 short setae along inner margin. Gnathopod 2: articles 2-4 like these in female. Article 5 is rather elongated, longer than propodus (ratio: 95:75), along posterior margin with 4 transverse rows of setae and with one submarginal seta in proximal part ( fig. 6F), along anterior margin is attached one distal bunch of setae. Propodus is "kochianustype", longer than broad (ratio: 75:65), along posterior margin with 6 transverse rows of setae; palm is transverse, convex, not inclined, defined on outer face by one corner S-spine accompanied laterally by 2 Lspines and one facial M-seta ( fig. 6F), at inner face by one subcorner R-spine. Dactylus reaching posterior margin of propodus, with one median seta at outer margin, and with 3-4 short setae along inner margin.
Pereopods 3-4 like these in female, dactylus bearing one spine-like short seta near basis of the nail, along outer margin appear one median seta.
Pereopods 5-6 are similar to these in female, with broad article 2 bearing several very short setae along posterior margin; ventroposterior lobe is increasing towards pereopod 7. Dactylus is slender, short, like that in female, with one short spine-like seta at inner margin near basis of the nail.
Pleopods 1-3 are with 2 retinacula; peduncle of pleopods like these in female. Uropods 1-2 like these in female. Uropod 1 peduncle is with dorsoexternal and dorsointernal row of spines; inner ramus is slightly longer than outer one, both rami are provided with lateral and distal short spines.
Uropod 2 is with inner ramus remarkably longer than outer one. Uropod 3 likes that in female, short and strong, distal article of outer ramus is short. Telson was damaged, longer than broad, deeply incised, longer than broad (ratio: 80:64), each lobe is with 4 distal spines (distal parts of these spines are broken); a pair of short unequal plumose setae is attached near the middle of external margin of each lobe ( fig. 6 I).
Coxal gills like these in female. The female 4.6 mm from Ghition: similar to these of Glikorizo. Urosomal segment 1 on each dorsolateral side with one slender spine-like seta; urosomal segment 2 on each dorsolateral side with 3 spines and one seta. Inner ramus of uropod 1 distinctly longer than outer ramus. Maxilla 1 and maxilliped like these from Glikorizo. Propodus of gnathopod 1 along posterior margin with 4-5 transverse rows of setae, that of gnathopod 2 with 8 transverse rows of setae. Some of small specimens from Ghition are with slightly more obtuse epimeral plates or urosomal segment 1 on each ventroposterior corner is provided with 2 spines near basis of the nail. Maxilla 1 outer plate is always with 6 uni-toothed spines and one spine with 3-4 small teeth.
Holotype: Female 4.3 mm from Glikorizo. Holotype is temporarily preserved in Karaman`s Collection in Podgorica, Montenegro.
The lack of detailed description of numerous taxa with "kochianus-type" of gnathopods and short uropod 3 from Romania and some adjacent regions (see Carausu et al. 1955;Ntakis et al. 2015), make difficult final conclusion about taxonomic relations of all these taxa to each other and to N. fautor.