Document of bibliographic reference 296577

BibliographicReference record

Type

Bibliographic resource

Type of document

Journal article

BibLvlCode

AS

Title

Translating Niphargus barcodes from Switzerland into taxonomy with a description of two new species (Amphipoda, Niphargidae)

Abstract

The amphipod genus Niphargus (Amphipoda: Niphargidae Bousfield, 1977) is the most species-rich genus of freshwater amphipods in the World. Species of this genus, which live almost exclusively in subterranean water, offer an interesting model system for basic and applied biodiversity science. Their use, however, is often limited due to the hitherto unresolved taxonomy within the whole genus. As a comprehensive taxonomic revision of the currently >425 Niphargus species is too demanding, it has been suggested that the taxonomy of the genus could be advanced in smaller steps, by reviewing regional faunas, that would eventually integrate into a global revision. In this study, we provide such a revision of Niphargus in Switzerland. First, we molecularly delimited, morphologically diagnosed, and formally described two new species, namely Niphargus luchoffmann sp. n. and Niphargus tonywhittenii sp. n. Second, we updated and revised a checklist of Niphargus in Switzerland with new findings, and prepared a list of reference sequences for routine molecular identification, available at BOLD and GenBank. All available specimens of 22 known species from the area were morphologically examined, and their morphological variation was compiled in a data file of DEscription Language for TAxonomy, which can be used for automated generation of dichotomous or interactive keys. The data file is freely available at the World Amphipoda Database. Together, the checklist, the library of reference sequences, the DELTA file, but also a list of hitherto unresolved aspects are an important step towards a complete revision of the genus within a well-defined and biogeographically interesting area in Central Europe.

WebOfScience code

https://www.webofscience.com/wos/woscc/full-record/WOS:000433179000006

Bibliographic citation

Fišer, C.; Alther, R.; Zakšek, V.; Borko, S.; Fuchs, A.; Altermatt, F. (2018). Translating Niphargus barcodes from Switzerland into taxonomy with a description of two new species (Amphipoda, Niphargidae). ZooKeys 760: 113-141. https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.760.24978

Is peer reviewed

true

Access rights

open access

Is accessible for free

true