Carnarvonis gen. nov. and Warregoensis gen. nov.: two new genera and species of subterranean amphipods (Crangonyctoidea: Chillagoeidae) described from north-eastern Australia

Abstract

Biological surveys are crucial and appropriate approaches for capturing invertebrate biodiversity data and specimens, particularly considering that a significantly high proportion of Australian invertebrates are thought to be undescribed. During the 2014 Carnarvon Station Reserve Bush Blitz Biological Survey, specimens of stygobiotic amphipod crustaceans were collected from a spring-fed groundwater site. Taxonomic analyses revealed that the specimens comprised two new genera and species of stygobiotic amphipods belonging to the family Chillagoeidae. Further examination required a revision of the family, which is presented herein along with the descriptions of Carnarvonis katjae gen. et sp. nov. and Warregoensis lowryi gen. et sp. nov. Importantly, the description of two new genera and species increases the total number of described stygobiotic amphipods in Queensland to three genera and species and indicates that additional and potentially diverse stygobiont taxa are likely to be discovered in the largely unexplored groundwater habitats across the region.

Keywords

• crustacea
• subterranean amphipoda
• carnarvonis
• warregoensis
• stygobiotic amphipods
• queensland