A review of the Iberobathynella (Iberobathynella) Camacho & Serban, 1998 group endemic of the Iberian Peninsula (Crustacea, Syncarida, Parabathynellidae)

Abstract

In this paper we present additional information on the subgenus Iberobathynella (Iberobathynella) Camacho & Serban, 1998, made up of five species endemic to the Iberian Peninsula and belonging to the Tribe Iberobathynellini Camacho & Serban, 1998. We give a complete description of the Iberobathynella (Iberobathynella) paragracilipes Camacho & Serban, 1998 which, previously preliminary described. We also carry out an analysis of the population variability of the species. We show that the phylogenetic position of this subgenus is the most primitive in thistribe made up of four genera and five subgenera and we conclude that the species Iberobathynella (Iberobathynella) paragracilipes and Iberobathynella (Iberobathynella) gracilipes ((Braga, 1960) seem to be more plesiomorphic than the group comprising the other three species of the subgenus, I. (I.) lusitanica (Braga, 1949), I. (I.) valbonensis (Galhano, 1970) e I. (I.) barcelensis (Noodt & Galhano, 1969). The paleodistribution derivated from the current known distribution of the genus in the Iberian Peninsula and its phylogenetic relationships lead us to conclude that speciation of the group could have occurred at the end of the Cretaceous (65 Myrs).