The genus Alpioniscus Racovitza, 1908 in Sardinia: taxonomy and natural history (Isopoda, Oniscidea, Trichoniscidae)

Abstract

The genusAlpioniscusRacovitza, 1908 (Trichoniscidae) from Sardinia is revised. Three new cave-dwelling species are described:A.onnisiTaiti & Argano,sp. n.,A.stochiTaiti & Argano,sp. n., andA.sideralisTaiti & Argano,sp. n.. The genusUtopioniscusSchmalfuss, 2005 is considered to be a junior synonym ofAlpioniscus, after morphological and molecular analyses.Alpioniscusfragilis(Budde-Lund, 1909) andA.kuehnifrom Grotta del Bue Marino are illustrated. With the new species, the genusAlpioniscusin Sardinia comprises six species: two troglobionts (A.fragilisandA.onnisi), one endogean and troglobiont (A.thanitTaiti & Argano, 2009), and three stygobionts (A.kuehni,A.stochi, andA.sideralis). All the species occur in karstic areas in the central-eastern and south-eastern part of the island. A key to all the Sardinian species ofAlpioniscusis provided.