The international scientific journal Subterranean Biology has just published a research article describing a new genus and two new species of cave-dwelling terrestrial isopods from eastern Iberia and the Balearic Islands.
The team of researchers specialized in subterranean fauna responsible for the article has identified a new genus and two new species of terrestrial isopods adapted to life in caves, originating from different areas of eastern Iberia and the Balearic Islands. The study highlights how little is still known about subterranean biodiversity.
The research was carried out by Lluc Garcia, president of the Society of Friends of the MUCBO and scientific collaborator of the Balearic Museum of Natural Sciences, together with researchers Adrià Miralles and Antonio Cruz. Part of the material studied came from specimens collected decades ago and preserved at the Animal Biodiversity Resources Centre of the University of Barcelona, once again highlighting the scientific value of historical collections.
A particularly notable aspect of the article is the creation of a new genus, Iberoscia, with a single known species, Iberoscia zaragozai, found in caves in Catalonia, the Valencian Community and the Region of Murcia. In addition, Paractenoscia sendrai has been described, a species discovered in a cave in Ibiza that represents the first strictly cave-dwelling isopod endemic to the island.
The study also reviews and reclassifies other known species, such as Anaphiloscia simoni, discovered in Mallorca in the early 20th century, and Chaetophiloscia levantina, providing new data on their morphology and classification.
The authors point out that, overall, the results indicate that the diversity of these crustaceans in Iberia and the Balearic Islands had been underestimated until now. Considering that most philosciids, the family to which these woodlice belong, are currently distributed in tropical regions and that few cave-dwelling species exist in Europe, they suggest that these species may have an ancient, possibly tropical origin dating back millions of years. Future genetic and molecular studies will allow a better understanding of their origin and their relationships with species from other parts of the world.
Read the full article here.
