Marin I.N.*, Palatov D.M. 2024. Distribution of the genus Volgonyx Marin et Palatov, 2021 (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Crangonyctidae) in groundwater habitats along the Lower Volga with a description of a new species // Arthropoda Selecta. Vol.33. No.3: 342–354 [in English].
A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky prosp. 33, Moscow 119071 Russia.
Ivan Marin coralliodecapoda@mail.ru; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0552-8456
Dmitry Palatov triops@yandex.ru; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8826-9316
* corresponding author
doi: 10.15298/arthsel.33.3.04
ABSTRACT. A detailed study of spring habitats in the eastern Volga Upland, located north of Saratov, was conducted to explore the ecology of representatives of the genus Volgonyx Marin et Palatov, 2021 (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Crangonyctidae). As a result, the known distribution area of Volgonyx dershavini (Behning, 1928) has been significantly expanded north to Ulyanovsk; the known area of distribution of this species currently extends along the right (upper) bank of the Lower Volga for more than 350 km. A new species, Volgonyx behningi sp.n., has also been discovered in the Zhiguli Mountains, which differs from the previously known V. dershavini in the structure of antennae, epimeral plates, uropods and telson, as well as genetically. The article also discusses the known diversity of crangonyctid amphipods in the Volga River basin, possible ways of gene flow between different populations and the mechanisms of their isolation.
KEY WORDS: Diversity, Crustacea, Amphipoda, Crangonyctidae, new species, subterranean, Lower Volga, Russia.