NEW DATA ON TWO SUBTERRANEAN SPECIES OF THE FAMILY NIPHARGIDAE FROM SPAIN , NIPHARGUS GALLICUS SCHELL . , 1935 AND N . DELAMAREI RUFFO , 1954 ( CONTRIBUTION TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE AMPHIPODA 282 )

New data of two poorly known subterranean species of the family Niphargidae (Amphipoda Gammaridea) from Spain are presented. Niphargus gallicus Schellenberg, 1935, known from southern France and Romania, is discovered in the subterranean waters of NE Spain and redescribed in detail. The variability of N. gallicus in Spain regarding the known taxonomical characteristics of this species from France and Romania is discussed. Niphargus delamarei Ruffo, 1954, was known from France and one locality in Spain, is discovered in wells of NE Spain, and often mixed with other Niphargus species. Some taxonomical characteristics and variability of this species are discussed.

The previous process of fusion of genera and families of Amphipoda together, present in the middle of last century, is replaced now with the actual global tendency in the taxonomy of amphipods towards the maximal splitting of various taxa into new genera, families and other high level categories, in addition to the discovery of many new taxa over the World.For this reason, the systematic of Amphipoda is very fluid now and needs one time-distance and new data to understand, recognize and accept numerous established new taxonomic high level categories.
During our present study of this fauna from Spain, we established in various localities in Spain the species Niphargus gallicus Schellenberg, 1935, and N. delamarei Ruffo, 1954, presented in this work.Probably, numerous other taxa of genus Niphargus will be discovered in Spain in the future, and put more lights on the connection of subterranean Iberian fauna of Amphipoda with fauna of adjacent regions of Europe.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
The collected material was preserved in the 70% ethanol.The specimens were dissected using a Contributions, Sec.Nat.Math.Biotech.Sci., MASA, 36 (2), 105-120 (2015) WILD M20 microscope and drawn using camera lucida attachment.All appendages were temporarily submersed in the mixture of glycerine and water for study and drawing.Later, all appendages have been transferred to Liquid of Faure on permanent slides.The body-length of examined specimens were measured by tracing individual's mid-trunk lengths (from tip of head to end of telson) using camera lucida.All illustrations were inked manually.Some morphological terminology and setae formulae follow G. Karaman's terminology (Karaman, G., 1969 [8]; 1970 [9]; 2012 [14]) regarding the last mandibular palpus article [A = setae on outer face; B = setae on inner face; C = additional setae on outer face; D = lateral marginal setae; E = distal long setae] and propodus of gnathopods 1 and 2 [S = corner spine; L = lateral slender serrate spines; M = facial setae; R = subcorner spine on inner face].Terms "setae" and "spines" are used based on its shape, not origin.
All studies in this work are based on the classic morphological, ecological and zoogeographical studies.[5];
Head with short rostrum and short subrounded lateral cephalic lobes and ventroanterior sinus (Figure 1C), eyes absent.
Antenna 2: peduncular article 3 short, with 3 distal setae (Figure 1B).Peduncular articles 4 and 5 of equal length, bearing at ventral margin several bunches of setae (the longest setae are twice longer than diameter of articles themselves, along dorsal margin with several shorter setae each; peduncular article 4 at dorsal margin with one strong median spine (Figure 1B).Flagellum longer than last peduncular article and consisting of 10 articles bearing short marginal setae each (Figure 1B).
Mouthpart well developed.Labrum broader than long, with almost straight distal margin (Figure 2A).Labium broader than long, with entire outer lobes and narrow inner lobes (Figure 1D).
Maxilla 2: inner lobe is shorter than outer one, both with marginal setae only (Figure 5B).
Maxilliped: inner plate short, with 2 distal pointed spines accompanied by single setae (Figure 1H); outer plate reaching half of palpus article 2, along inner margin with row of pointed spines; palpus article 3 at outer margin with distal bunch of setae only; palpus article 4 (dactylus) at outer margin with one median seta, at inner margin with 2 distal setae near basis of the nail (Figure 1H).
Uropod 2: peduncle with lateral spines (Figure 3E); rami of nearly equal length, bearing strong lateral and distal spines; the longest distal spines exceeding the half of rami-length (Figure 3E).Uropod 3 strong and short (Figure 2H).Peduncle slightly longer than broad, with distal spine and seta; inner ramus short, scale-like, with one short lateral simple seta and distal simple seta and spine.Outer ramus strong, along outer margin with 4 bunches of strong spines (the longest spines exceeding diameter of article itself) (Figure 2H), along inner margin 4 bunches of strong spines intermixed with single plumose seta as long as spines themselves.Second article of outer ramus much shorter than first article (ratio: 35:122), slightly longer than distal spines of first article and bearing 2 pairs of simple setae.
Antenna 1 nearly reaching half of body, peduncular articles 1-3 progressively shorter, like these in female; main flagellum consisting of 17+ articles (distal articles missing) (most of articles with one aesthetasc).
Flagellum of antenna 2 longer than last peduncular article and consisting of 10 articles.
Uropod 3: peduncle slightly longer than broad (ratio: 44:26), with 3 distal spines; inner ramus scale-like, shorter than peduncle, bearing 2 distal spines (Figure 6I).Outer ramus long: first article along outer margin with 4 bunches of strong spines, along inner margin with 4 bunches of spines mixed with single short plumose setae; second article remarkably more narrow than first article, with missing distal part (Figure 6I).
Telson longer than broad (ratio: 86:60), incised almost 2/3 of telson-length; each lobe with 3 distal spines, along inner side of each lobe appear 1-2 spines (Figure 6K) in upper part of outer margin is attached one long and one short plumose seta.

REMARKS AND AFFINITY
The size and length of uropod 3 in males and females of this species is variable: very variable Contributions, Sec.Nat.Math.Biotech.Sci., MASA, 36 (2), 105-120 (2015) number and length of spines on first article of outer ramus; the second article of outer ramus in males can be shorter to longer than the first article.The second article of uropod 3 outer ramus in females can be short (reaching 1/3 of first article) to long (reaching 4/6 of the first article).
Evidently various local populations with some different characteristics appear in all known areals, but we had no enough material in hands to study more in detail geographical variety of populations of this species.
The specimens from Spain described and figured in this paper, are very similar to description and figures of N. gallicus from S. France and Romania (shape of body, gnathopods, pereopods 3-7, epimeral plates, uropod 3 in males, a pair of long plumose setae on telson lobes, etc.).
But, some of our specimens from Spain (localities E-7, E-15), differ from these described and figured of France and Romania by Chevreux [4], Schellenberg [23] and Dancau [6] by presence of very long all spines on uropods 1-2, much more spiniferous outer ramus of uropod 3 in male and female, presence of spines at inner margin of telson-lobes in male, by low number of setae along posterior margin of pereopod 7 basipodit, short second article of uropod 3 in female (that in male is partially cutted).Some specimens from Spain show all transitive characters regarding number and length of spines on telson and uropods 1-3, and length of the second article of uropod 3 outer ramus in males and females.
Because of relatively scarce description and figures existing in literature of N. gallicus, further comparison between specimens from Spain and other localities was not possible.
By this way, based on known characterstics of N. gallicus from literature, it was not possible to divide the specimens of Spain from these from France and Romania, and we consider the specimens from Spain as identic with Niphargus gallicus Schell.1935, although we cannot exclude the possibility that the established differences appear because of scarce and indistinct existing description of N. gallicus, or represent a distinct different populations or taxa.

LOCALITIES CITED:
Chevreux (1901) [4] mentioned and figured some specimens of this species from well in Cette in S. France under the name Niphargus fontanus Bate.

REMARKS
Ruffo described this species (1954) [22] from several localities in southern France based on non adult males.G. Karaman later (1986) [11] described female of this species from Cova de La Mosquera Cave in Gerona province, Spain.Based on recent studies we established this species in two other localities in NE Spain.
The specimens from Spain in hands agree mainly with the known taxonomical characters of this species from France and Mosquera Cave.
Antenna 2: flagellum longer than last peduncular article, consisting of 17 articles.
Mouthparts like these in female, palpus article 3 of mandible palpus is remarkably longer than second article.Gnathopods 1-2 with relatively short carpus.Propodus of gnathopod 1 is similar to that of gnathopod 2 but only slightly smaller, both propodits ovoid, with one median seta at outer margin of dactylus.Palmar spines and setae like these in females (see G. Karaman 1986: 33, Figures 2-6).
Dactylus of pereopods 3-4 strong, at inner margin with one spine near basis of the short nail.Dactylus of pereopods 5-7 is stronger, at inner margin with one median and one subdistal spine near basis of the nail, along outer margin with 1-2 median spines and one plumose seta; nail is short and strong.Basipodit of pereopods 5-7 is narrowed, with linear posterior margin and without distinct ventroposterior lobe.Pereopod 7 is with elongated articles.
Pleopods 1-3 with 2 retinacula each; peduncle of pleopod 2 along outer margin with 2 median short spines, peduncle of pleopod 3 along posterior margin with several setae.Uropod 1 peduncle with dorsointernal and dorsoexternal row of strong spines, rami of equal length, bearing lateral and distal strong spines.
Uropod 2: inner ramus is slightly longer than outer one, both rami with lateral and distal strong spines.Uropod 3: peduncle short, with 1-2 distal spines; inner ramus short, scale-like, with one distal strong spine as long as ramus itself, accompanied by one plumose seta; outer ramus 2-articulated: first article slender, along outer margin with 3 bunches consisting of 1-2 spines each, accompanied by single plumose setae; along inner margin with 5 bunches of strong spines consisting of 2-3 spines each; spines are mainly longer than diameter of article itself.Second article of outer ramus poorly shorter than first article, along inner margin with row of 3 long lateral and 2 distal spines, along outer margin with 1 median spine, all spines are remarkably longer than diameter of the article itself.
Telson very short and much broader than long, distinctly gaping; each lobe with 3 distal and one outer marginal spine; a pair of moderately long plumose setae is attached near the middle of each lobe.

VARIABILITY
The males are very similar to females; the second article of uropod 3 outer ramus in females is poorly shorter than that in males, or almost of the same size.The shape of epimeral plates and armature of the urosomal segments is similar in females and males.
Based on the present scare knowledge of Niphargus fauna in Iberian peninsula and only limited knowledge of French taxa of this genus, at the moment is not possible to establish the close relationships of N. delamarei with other taxa of this genus despite the partial affinity with Niphargus jovanovici-Complex (subgenus Jovaniphargus S. Kar., 1960) [16] (gnathopods, pereopods, epimeral plates, etc.), although telson is without long plumose setae, and second article of uropod 3 outer ramus is elongated.It is necessary to wait for discovery of other new taxa of genus Niphargus in Spain and France to understand the relationships of this species with other species in adjacent regions.