Genus Niphargus is important ecologically, for biogeography and as an evolutionary model. With 300 species, it is the largest freshwater amphipod genus. It has been since ever taxonomically problematic, therefore many attempts to subdivide it. Into this, first phylogenetic study, we included 103 species, mainly represented by the taxonomically only reliable topotype samples. The 28S and 12S rDNA, along with 122 morphological characters were used as markers. We found five phyletic clades; for a high degree of homoplasy, it is not possible to morphologically define them.
COBISS.SI-ID: 1885263
The molecularly grounded phylogenetic tree is congruent with biogeography, while the accepted subdivision of the family Atyidae appears to be wrong. We studied samples from all European faunistic focal points. The most parsimonious solution gave the reappraisal of most taxonomic characters. So, the genus Spelaeocaris was included (as subgenus) into Troglocaris. For the French T. inermis a new genus was established. Dinaric and Caucasian cave shrimps are a monophylum. All known Dinaric species are redefined, four new species described, a genus and three subgenera were set up.
COBISS.SI-ID: 1967183
We completed data from the first taxonomical revision. Dinaric cave shrimps were studied morphometrically in detail. Appropriate descriptors were found out. The preceding molecular analysis revealed 12 species and phyletic lines. DFA allowed to distinguish all three subgenera without the use of sexually dimorphic characters. Within the subgenus Troglocaris s. str., DFA allows to distinguish three phylogroups, in spite of their clinal polymorphism. The degree of morphological differences between subgenera is higher than within them which is congruent with degrees of molecular differences.
COBISS.SI-ID: 2344783