Abstract
New records of 14 stygobiont crustacean species pertaining to six Malacostraca orders from 32 cenotes are presented, with their associated caves of the state of Yucatan, Mexico, together with an individual account for each species. Species composition of most of the investigated cenotes is examined for the first time. A thermosbaenacean and two amphipod species were not formally recorded to the cenote ecosystems of the state of Yucatan prior to our research. Distribution data of a cirolanid isopod previously known only from its type locality is also provided. Barcodes of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I for the reported peracarid species previously lacking this information have been included in present study as tools for species identification and a baseline of further molecular genetic analyses.
Highlights
We aimed to provide data from cenotes that had never been investigated from a zoological point of view in order to extend the geographical range of crustacean species distribution and contribute to a precise biodiversity mapping of stygofauna in Yucatan
In order to contribute to the management of the vulnerable cenote ecosystems and their highly specialized endemic stygofauna, collecting as much information as possible about the biology of Yucatan aquifers would be paramount
The amphipod T. cernua was only known from Quintana Roo, mostly associated with saltwater habitats in anchialine cenotes near the northeastern coastline of the Peninsula (Holsinger 1990; Rocha et al 1998; Álvarez and Iliffe 2008; Álvarez et al 2015)
Summary
In 2016, prior to our systematic sampling, 47 stygobiotic crustacean species had been reported from anchialine ecosystems of the Mexican federal states of the Yucatan Peninsula, of which 22 were known from cenotes and submerged caves of the state of Yucatan (e.g., Holsinger 1977; Kallmeyer and Carpenter 1996; Álvarez et al 2005; Suárez-Morales et al 2006). Fourteen percent of these species belong to the subclass Copepoda (9 spp.), while the remainder belong to the orders Mysida (1 sp.), Stygiomysida (2 spp.), Amphipoda (1 sp.), Isopoda (5 spp.), and Decapoda (4 spp.). We intended to collect samples for molecular and morphological studies so as to gain and make available to the public mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I sequences (COI) of species that were lacking barcode information, setting the standard for studies and tools for species identification
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