2026/03/23 by Jure Jugovic, Mohammad-Javad Malek Hosseini, Yaser Fatemi +3 · 1 voice
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Environmental Science · #Subterranean biodiversity and taxonomy #Crustacean biology and ecology #Marine Biology and Ecology Research
paper · pdf · doi:10.3897/subtbiol.55.184889
openalex publication_date 2026/03/23 · openalex created_date 2026/03/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/02
A new cave species of atyid shrimp of the genus Caridina H. Milne Edwards, 1837 was discovered during a survey of a subterranean habitat in southwestern Iran (Khuzestan Province, Tashan Cave). This is the first record of a cave atyid shrimp in Iran and the first documented occurrence of a Caridina species inhabiting sulphidic groundwater. Phylogenetic analyses and genetic distances support the status of Caridina tashanica sp. nov . as a distinct species, closely related to C. shahrazadae . Morphologically, the new species is characterised by reduced eyes and pigmentation, and by an extremely elongated rostrum with numerous teeth. Males have specific, triangular endopodite of pleopod I, and a rod-like appendix masculina of pleopod II with numerous long setae. Ovigerous females lay relatively large, oval, white eggs, which clearly indicate a landlocked life cycle. This study contributes to the knowledge of atyid shrimps in the Middle East and to the subterranean biodiversity of the sulphidic Tashan Cave ecosystem in Iran.