Marococandona, a new genus of Candonidae (Crustacea, Ostracoda) from Southern Morocco : morphological characteristics and ecological requirements

Abstract

A new genus of hypogean Ostracoda, Marococandona nov. gen. from wells and springs in the Guelmin and Agadir regions (Southern Morocco) is described. This genus is close to the genus Candonopsis, but can be distinguished from this latter by several characteristics : the rectangular shape of the carapace, the reduction of the antenna chaetotaxy, the lack of sexual dimorphism in the male antenna, the lack of setae on the protopodite of the second thoracopod, and on the two first articles of the third thoracopod endopodite. M. danielopoli n. sp. has primitive characters, with a normally segmented antennula, a ‘t’ seta on the antenna, and normally developed furcal claws. In contrast, the morphology of M. nicolae n. sp. is regressed, with a 5 segmented antennula, no ‘t’ setae on the antenna, and a reduced furca. The two species live in highly mineralised water and seem poorly sensitive to groundwater pollution.