Western Australian stygobiont amphipods (Crustacea: Paramelitidae) from the Mt Newman and Millstream regions

WA Museum Records and Supplements | Updated 8 years ago

ABSTRACT – Sampling of underground waters in association with mining operations in the Pilbara region of Western Australia has revealed a considerable stygobiont fauna, which in waters of low salinity is dominated by crangonyctoid amphipoda. Two new crangonyctoid genera Chydaekata and Molma and sixteen new species are here described. Chydaekata includes 15 new species: C. acuminata, C. nudula, C. dolichodactyla, C. breviclava, C. transversa, C. diagonalis, C. carscutica, C. gyraspis, C. simulata, C. tetraspis, C. ovatosetosa, C. anophelma, C. scopula, C. scuticara and C. brachybasis. Molina is monospecific: M. pleobranchos.