Geographical review of the ostracod genus Vestalenula (Darwinulidae) and a new subterranean species from southern France

Abstract

A new species of Vestalenula is described. Vestalenula carveli, sp. nov. was found in the interstitial habitat of rivers during the PASCALIS European program when sampling three sites on the Aude River and Tech River basins (Roussillon region, southern France). With its large caudal brooding cavity, the presence of an external keel on the right valve and an internal tooth on the left valve, V. carveli is a typical representative of the genus. This new record brings the worldwide number of Vestalenula species to 24. Vestalenula representatives are known from the Lower Miocene to the present. A review of present-day knowledge of the geographical distribution of the genus and a cladistic analysis are presented in order to assess the biogeography of this genus and the importance of the discovery of a new subterranean species in southern France. The geographical review of the genus showed that most species of Vestalenula occur in subtropical regions. However, V. cylindrica, V. boteai and V. danielopoli lived, or are living, in the Palearctic. Vestalenula pagliolii occurs in both hemispheres. Many of the Recent species live in semiterrestrial and/or interstitial habitats and occur in geographically restricted areas. The distribution of the species of Vestalenula suggests independent colonisation of the subterranean environment by several species; this hypothesis is supported by the cladistic analysis.