Taxonomic review of freshwater Gammarus (Crustacea: Amphipoda) from Iran Author Zamanpoore, Mehrdad Author Grabowski, Michal Author Poeckl, Manfred Author Schiemer, Friedrich text Zootaxa 2011 3140 1 14 journal article 45727 10.5281/zenodo.205631 d203873a-602b-4c12-9c8f-17c51609cf74 1175-5326 205631 Gammarus sepidannus Zamanpoore, Poeckl, Grabowski & Schiemer, 2009 Gammarus sepidannus Zamanpoore, Poeckl, Grabowski & Schiemer, 2009 : 31 –38, Figs. 7–10. Locus typicus. Vezge Morad spring ( 30°13´N , 51°58´E ), S of Sepidan, Fars Province. Material examined. Holotype ( ZMA , Amph. 206056). Paratypes : Khani Varg spring, 4 km S of Sepidan ( 30°12´N , 51°59´E ) ( FAIC 111053 ); Cheshme Owsip, 3 km NW of Sepidan ( 30°16´N , 51°57´E ) ( FAIC 111052 ); Sheshpeer (spring brook), 10 km SE of Sepidan ( 30°15´N , 52°03´E ) ( FAIC 111105 ). Distribution. It is an endemic species restricted to only a small area, being the upper part of the Zohre River catchment in south of the Central Zagros ( Fig. 1 ). Ecological notes. Habitats of this species include small mountain springs on altitudes from 2053 m to 2350 m asl (Mean = 2210 m , SD = 80). Water in these springs is cold (8 – 13 ºC, Mean = 12.2 ºC, SD = 1.4), ionic content is low, as conductivity ranges from 180 to 410 μS/cm (Mean = 258 μS/cm, SD = 61). Spring margins are covered with snow or ice during the winter and some time in autumn and spring. Taxonomic remarks. Gammarus sepidannus has a shorter endopodite in uropod 3 ( Zamanpoore et al. , 2009 , Fig. 9F), if compared to other Gammarus species in the region. Apart of this feature the species resemble somewhat G. lobifer and G. baloutchi . However, both latter species possess long eyes vs. short eye in G. sepidannus ( ibid. , Fig. 7A). All peduncle segments and flagellum of antenna 2 in G. sepidannus have long setae ( ibid. , Fig. 7C), while the seate are short on peduncle and flagellum in G. lobifer ( Stock et al. , 1998 , Fig. 24d), and on flagellum in G. baloutchi ( Khalaji-Pirbalouty & Sari, 2006, Fig. 1 A2 ). Gammarus shirazinus Zamanpoore, Grabowski, Poeckl & Schiemer, 2010a Gammarus shirazinus Zamanpoore, Grabowski, Poeckl & Schiemer, 2010a : 31 –51, Figs. 2–3. Zamanpoore, Grabowski, Poeckl & Schiemer, 2010b , Fig. 4. Gammarus syriacus ( Mateus & Mateus, 1990: 280 ) , misidentified . Locus typicus. Pole-Berenji spring ( 29°27´N , 52°31´E ), S of Shiraz, Fars Province. Material examined. Holotype ( ZMA Crust. Amph. 206057). Paratypes : Barme-Delak spring, 18 km SE of Shiraz ( 29°33´N , 52°42´E ) ( FAIC 111066 ); Barme-shur spring, 17 km S of Shiraz ( 29°28´N , 52°41´E ) ( FAIC 111273 ); Barme-Tarkoshte spring, 17 km SE of Shiraz ( 29°34´N , 52°40´E ) ( FAIC 111065 ); Kaftarak, 16 km SE of Shiraz ( 29°35´N , 52°39´E ) ( FAIC 111280 ); Neiriz, 200 km SE of Shiraz ( 29°12´N , 54°20´E ) ( FAIC 111278 ); Pire Bano spring, 11 km SW of Shiraz ( 29°31´N , 52°27´E ) ( FAIC 111281 ); Pire Gheibi spring, 12 km SW of Shiraz ( 29°31´N , 52°27´E ) ( FAIC 111283 ); Se Barm spring, 14 km E of Shiraz ( 29°35´N , 52°40´E ) ( FAIC 111274 ). Misidentified as G. syriacus . Two specimens 16 km SW Shiraz ( 29°36'54''N 52°32'18''E ), Fars Province, ( NHMW Amphipoda 4867). Distribution. An endemic species, found almost exclusively in Maharlu Lake catchments area in southern Zagros ( Fig. 1 ). Ecological notes. This part of the country lies in lowlands, with rivers flowing from springs originating on elevations 1460 –1600 m asl (Mean = 1487 m , SD = 33. Water temperatures range from 18 to 25 ºC (Mean = 21 ºC, SD = 1.6), coupled with an extraordinary high conductivities of 150 – 1800 μS/cm (Mean = 1175 μS/cm, SD = 607). Taxonomic remarks. This species can be confused at first glance with G. loeffleri . It may be differentiated from the latter by longer setation of antenna 2 ( Zamanpoore et al. , 2010a , Fig. 2C) and pereopod 5–7 ( Zamanpoore et al. , 2010b , Figs. 4A–C), presence of 2 tiny spines on ventro-distal corner of first peduncle in antenna 1 ( ibid. , Fig. 2B) makes it easy to recognize this species from the other one. This feature is common with G. bakhteyaricus , whose most other morphological characters are different. In a same way, it can be easily shown for G. syriacus . The only possible similarity of both species is longer setation on pereopods 5–7 if compared to other Gammarus species in Iran . Misidentifications. See relevant section under G. pseudosyriacus .