Description

• Title:
  Zoogeography of epigean freshwater Amphipoda (Crustacea) in Romania: fragmented distributions and wide altitudinal variability
• Creator:
  Copilaș-Ciocianu, Denis;
  Grabowski, Michal;
  Pârvulescu, Lucian;
  Petrusek, Adam
• Contributor:
  Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Science;
  University of Łódź, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection;
  West University of Timișoara, Faculty of Chemistry, Biology, Geography;
  michalg@biol.uni.lodz.pl
• Description:
  Inland epigean freshwater amphipods of Romania are diverse and abundant for this region has a favourable geographical position between the Balkans and the Black Sea. Excluding Ponto-Caspian species originating in brackish waters and freshwater subterranean taxa, there are 11 formally recognized epigean freshwater species recorded from this country. They belong to 3 genera, each representing a different family: Gammarus (Gammaridae, 8 species or species complexes), Niphargus (Niphargidae, 2 epigean species) and Synurella (Crangonyctidae, one species). Their large-scale distribution patterns nevertheless remain obscure due to insufficient data, consequently limiting biogeographical interpretations. We provide extensive new data with high resolution distribution maps, thus improving the knowledge of the ranges of these taxa. Gammarus species display substantial altitudinal variability and patchy, fragmented distribution patterns. They occur abundantly, particularly in springs and streams, from lowlands to sub-mountainous and mountainous regions. In the light of recent molecular research, we hypothesize that the complex geomorphological dynamics of the Carpathian region dur-ing the Late Tertiary probably contributed to their allopatric distribution pattern. Contrasting with Gammarus, the genera Niphargus and Synurella exhibit low altitudinal variability, broad ecological valences and overlapping distributions, being widespread throughout the lowlands. The current distribution of N. hrabei and N. valachicus seems to be linked to the extent of the Paratethys during the Early Pliocene or Pleistocene. We further discuss the taxonomic validity of two syn-onymized and one apparently undescribed taxon, and provide an updated pictorial identification key that includes all taxa and forms discussed in our study. The mosaic distribution of epigean freshwater amphipod species in Romania shows that this region is particularly suitable for phylo- and biogeographical analyses of this group. Zoogeography of epigean freshwater Amphipoda (Crustacea) in Romania: fragmented distributions and wide altitudinal variability (PDF Download Available). Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269250979_Zoogeography_of_epigean_freshwater_Amphipoda_Crustacea_in_Romania_fragmented_distributions_and_wide_altitudinal_variability [accessed Apr 20, 2016].;
  We kindly thank Marius G. Berchi, Miklos Balint and Bogdan Horia for providing material, and to all the students that helped during the field work. An anonymous reviewer provided helpful comments on a previous version of the manuscript. This work was financially supported by the University Research National Council Agency of Romania (CNCS-UEFISCDI), exploratory research projects PCE-4 1458/2008 as well as by the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education, project N N303 579439. DCC was also supported by the Charles University in Prague (projects GAUK 1398214 and SVV 260088).
• Object availability:
  free access
• Rights:
  Uznanie autorstwa 3.0 Polska;
  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/pl
• Date:
  2016.04.21;
  2014
• Type:
  Article
• Language:
  English
• Format:
  application/pdf
• Publisher:
  Magnolia Press
• Relation:
  Zootaxa;2;
  3893
• Subject:
  geographic range;
  distribution patterns;
  habitat preferences;
  allopatry;
  sympatry;
  Gammarus;
  Niphargus;
  Synurella
• Identifier:
  1175-5326;
  http://hdl.handle.net/11089/17847 ;
  1175-5334;
  10.11646/zootaxa.3893.2.5
• Data provider:
  Repozytorium Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego
• Can I use it?:
  check license
• Type:
  image