Zootaxa 4565 (3): 345–360 ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition)

https://www.mapress.com/j/zt/
Copyright © 2019 Magnolia Press
Article ZOOTAXA
ISSN 1175-5334 (online edition)
https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4565.3.2
http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C183975C-5874-495A-BC93-CEBC680C9B57

A New Indobathynella Species from an Indian Cave. The First Cavernicolous

Bathynellidae (Syncarida: Bathynellacea) from South-eastern India

SHABUDDIN SHAIK
Department of Zoology, Acharya Nagarjuna University, Nagarjunanagar 522 510, India. E-mail: shabu.biologist@gmail.com

Abstract

Indobathynella socrates n. sp. is described from Karaiguda Cave in the Visakhapatnam District of Andhra Pradesh state,
south-eastern India. This is the first cavernicolous species of Indobathynella, which is incidentally the most reduced genus
in the family Bathynellidae as a whole. The type species of this genus, Indobathynella prehensilis, is from a farm bore.
The new species fulfils all the principal generic criteria of Indobathynella, but is distinctly different from I. prehensilis in
several essential features: absence of subapical seta on antennary exopod; 4 claws on distal maxillulary endite; 6 teeth on
mandibular gnathobase, and uropodal exopod without ventro-medial seta. These and all other salient differences between
the two species are tabulated. Besides providing brief notes on conservation and biogeography of the new species, a key
to all the known Indian taxa of Bathynellidae is given for the first time.

Key words: Bathynellidae, biogeography, cavernicolous species, Indobathynella socrates n. sp.¸ Karaiguda Cave, styg-
ofauna, taxonomy

Introduction

Among the Gondwana landmasses, the Indian plate is perhaps the least explored for cave biodiversity despite its
vast territory (3 287 263 km2), ancient and highly diversified geomorphology, hydrology and climate (Shaik 2017).
The existence in India of the order Bathynellacea was first reported by Ranga Reddy (2002). Currently, four
species belonging to only three genera of the family Bathynellidae Grobben, 1905, are known in India, viz.
Serbanibathynella Ranga Reddy & Schminke, 2005 (2 spp.), Indobathynella Ranga Reddy & Totakura, 2012 (1
sp.) and Camachobathynella Ranga Reddy, Shaik & Totakura, 2015 (1 sp.). Of these, Indobathynella socrates n.
sp. is the first sole cavernicole, the other species inhabiting hyporheic as well as phreatic waters. As for the other
bathynellacean family Parabathynellidae, until now 26 species in four genera are known in India, viz.
Atopobathynella Schminke, 1973 (5 spp.), Chilibathynella Noodt, 1964 (1 sp.), Habrobathynella Schminke, 1973
(17 spp.) and Parvulobathynella Schminke, 1973 (3 spp.). Of these, Chilibathynella kotumsarensis Ranga Reddy,
2006 is the first cavernicolous bathynellacean species from India found in Kutumsar Cave, Chhattisgarh State.
While most of the other taxa are distributed in the hyporheic and phreatic habitats in the coastal deltaic belt of the
southeastern peninsular India, the genus Camachobathynella Ranga Reddy, Shaik & Totakura, 2015 found in
hyporheic habitats of northeastern state of Meghalaya as “the first palearctic element of Bathynellacea (Ranga
Reddy et al. 2015).” At the same time, the other eumalacostracan orders Amphipoda and Isopoda are relatively
poorly studied groups, but a number of recent systematic exploration surveys update the troglofaunistic list of India
(Messouli et al. 2007; Wilson & Ranga Reddy 2011; Wilson et al. 2015; Sidorov et al. 2018).
The present samples containing I. socrates n. sp. were collected from Karaiguda Cave in the Visakhapatnam
District of Andhra Pradesh state, south-eastern India, under the aegis of a Major Research Project on the
biodiversity of the Indian caves, with special reference to Copepoda and Bathynellacea. This paper gives an
illustrated description of the new species and discusses its morphological affinities with its sole congener, I.
prehensilis Ranga Reddy & Totakura, 2012. A short note on the ecology and biogeography of the new species is
added besides providing an identification key for the hitherto known Indian taxa of Bathynellidae.

Accepted by K. Meland: 23 Jan. 2019; published: 11 Mar. 2019 345

Materials and methods

The specimens were isolated from core samples taken from fine sand near the edges of a lentic pool of the
Karaiguda Cave (near Borra Caves) in Visakhapatnam District of Andhra Pradesh State, South India (Fig. 1). A
rigid PVC tube (70 cm length, 11 cm diameter) was used for coring from the sediment surface to a depth of 8–20
cm. The samples were pooled in a bucket and stirred vigorously with the habitat water. The supernatant was filtered
through bolting-silk plankton net (mesh size 70 μm), and the filtrate fixed in 5% formalin. Specimens were sorted
into 70% alcohol and subsequently transferred into glycerol. Dissection was carried out in glycerol under a
binocular stereozoom microscope at a magnification of 90×. Drawings were made with the aid of a drawing tube
mounted on a Leica DM2500 Trinocular Research Microscope, equipped with UCA condenser, IC objective prism
and 1–2× magnification changer. Permanent slide preparations were mounted in glycerol, sealed with paraffin and
Araldite. Digital images of some anatomical parts were taken, using a Leica EC 3 Camera. Geographical co-
ordinates were noted with a handheld compact GPS unit (Garmin eTrex, Taipei, Taiwan). The type material was
deposited in the Museum national d’Histoire naturelle (MNHN) Paris, France.

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT

Order Bathynellacea Chappuis, 1915

Family Bathynellidae Grobben, 1905

Genus Indobathynella Ranga Reddy & Totakura, 2012

Indobathynella socrates n. sp.

(Figs. 1–7)

Diagnosis. Body integument thin. Antennule 7-segmented; ultimate segment with2 equal aesthetascs. Antenna 4-
segmented; exopod without subapical seta. Mandibular gnathobase fused with basal segment of palp and
represented by 6 teeth. Paragnaths wedge-shaped with denticles on inner margin. Maxillulary distal endite with 7
armature elements including 3 smooth subterminal outer setae. Maxilla without inner proximal seta on second
segment. Pleopod I slender, 1-segmented, bearing 2 normal plumose setae. Uropodal exopod with 2 setae only,
ventro-medial seta being absent.
Type locality. India, Andhra Pradesh State, ~8 km from Borra Caves in Visakhapatnam District, Karaiguda
Cave, 18°18'.33.3''N, 0.83°01'31.9''E, elevation 838 m (Fig.1).
The cave lies in the dense forest of Araku Valley of the Karaiguda hamlet in Ananthagiri Mandal of
Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh State in southern India. The cave has small entrance that leads to a tunnel
which is nearly 10 m long and 4 m wide with three irregular small side chambers. The floor is uneven, with a thick
layer of gravel and some massive boulders. The interior of the cave is impressive with young (immature) stalactites
and stalagmites. The entrance chamber has a lotic ecosystem, where the sample was collected in contrast to a lentic
ecosystem inside the chambers. The abiotic parameters, as determined on 18 June 2013, were as follows: air
temperature 31°C; water temperature 22°C; pH 7.1; humidty 88% and turbidity 0.84 NTU. No publications report
on the biology of the cave till now.
Material examined. Holotype female dissected on 3 slides (MNHN-IU-2017-76) and 3 female paratypes are
in author’s collection. Collector, S. Shaik, 18 June 2013.
Description of adult female (Holotype). Total body length of holotype 0.7 mm. Body elongate, poorly
chitinised and imperforated, 11.5 times as long as wide. In lateral view, pleomeres wider than thoracomeres. Head
1.2 times as long as wide, 1.5 times as long as first 2 thoracomeres combined.
Antennule (Figs. 2A, 3A): 7-segmented, 33.3% longer than head; first three segments together 1.6 times longer
than next four segments. First segment with 4 plumose setae and 1 simple seta, as illustrated. Second segment with
3 dorsal, plumose setae in a row near outer distal corner and 1 simple seta at inner distal corner. Third segment with
2 unequal simple setae on outer margin. Inner flagellum somewhat squarish, with 3 unequal simple setae. Fourth
segment with stout apophysis overreaching midlength of sixth segment and with 2 plumose setae apically and1

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plumose seta on small protuberance beside apophysis. Fifth segment smallest, with 1 simple seta at inner distal
corner. Sixth segment with 3 unequal simple setae on distal margin, and 2 unequal aesthetascs at inner distal corner.
Seventh segment with 4 unequal setae and 2 equal aesthetascs.

FIGURE 1. Map showing the type locality of Indobathynella spp. in Andhra Pradesh. Indobathynella socrates n. sp. ( );
Indobathynella prehensilis ( ) and distribution of Indobathynella prehensilis ( )

Antenna (Figs. 2A, 3B): 4-segmented, perpendicular to antennule and 44% shorter than antennule. Exopod
shorter than first endopodal segment, with 1 apical seta, which is stout, with bulbous swelling subproximally and
bifurcating distally into unusually long, smooth sensory flagella; subapical simple seta absent. Endopod 2-
segmented; first segment 0.7 times as long as second segment; plumose seta on second segment absent. Basis
unarmed. Setal formula: 0/0+exp/1+0/4.
Labrum (Fig. 3C): smooth, apically narrow, somewhat triangular in outline.
Paragnaths (Fig. 3D): wedge-shaped, proximally fused with each other, inner margin fringed with 13 denticles
on each side.
Mandible (Fig. 4A): prehensile. Palp 3-segmented; basal segment slender, somewhat rectangular and slightly
shorter than second segment, which is elongately oval; third segment smallest, with 2 unequal sturdy apical setae,
about as long as second segment and distal outer margin finely spinulose. Gnathobase fused with basal segment of
palp and masticatory part represented by 6 teeth: incisor process (pars incisiva) with two teeth; processus incisivus
accessorius with one small tooth but without basal seta; pars molaris with three large and un equal teeth.

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FIGURE 2. Indobathynella socrates n. sp., holotype female: (A) habitus, lateral; (B) pleotelson, dorsal; (C) same, ventral; (D)
pleopod, ventral (arrowed).

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FIGURE 3. Indobathynella socrates n. sp., holotype female: (A) antennule, dorsal; (B) antenna, dorsal; (C) labrum, ventral;
(D) paragnaths, ventral.

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FIGURE 4. Indobathynella socrates n. sp., holotype female: (A) mandible, lateral; (B) maxillule, lateral; (C) maxilla, lateral.

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FIGURE 5. Indobathynella socrates n. sp., holotype female: (A–D) thoracopods I–IV.

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FIGURE 6. Indobathynella socrates n. sp., holotype female: (A–C) thoracopods V–VII.

Maxillule (Fig. 4B): proximal endite with only 1 smooth slender claw. Distal endite subcylindrical, 1.5 times
as long as wide, bearing 2 apical claws of equal length, 2 almost equal claws on inner margin, and 3 setae on outer
distal margin, close to the apex; all armature elements smooth
Maxilla (Fig. 4C): 3-segmented; strongly prehensile. First segment somewhat squarish and bare. Second
segment subcylindrical, 1.9 times as long as maximum width and armed with 6 setae distally, as illustrated, and no

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additional seta on inner proximal margin. Third segment smallest, somewhat trapezoidal, bearing 1 simple seta at
inner distal corner and 1 moderately stout, incurved, smooth prehensile, apically inwardly bent claw; claw shorter
than second segment.
Th I–VII (Figs. 5A–D, 6A–C): length increasing from Th I–III; Th IV–VII nearly similar in size. Th I without
epipod; basis with 1simple seta at inner distal corner; seta shorter than first endopodal segment. Th II–VII with
somewhat clavate, 1-segmented epipod, overreaching midlength of basis; coxa without plumose seta; basis
unarmed. Th I–VII with 2-segmented exopod; Th I first exopodal segment with 2 short, bipinnate setae; Th II–VII
first exopod segment with 1 short, dorsal and 1 long, ventral ciliated setae; dorsal ctenidia present distally on Th I–
VII, as illustrated. Second exopodal segment shorter than first one and with 2 unequal ciliated terminal setae;
Endopod 3-segmented and longer than exopod on Th I, but 2-segmented and distinctly slender and about as long as
first exopodal segment on Th II–VII; number and distribution of ctenidia on different segments of Th I–VII as
illustrated. Setal formulae: Th I: 0+0/1+0/1; Th II-VII: 0+0/1.
Th VIII (Fig. 7C): club-shaped and distinct at base.

FIGURE 7. Indobathynella socrates n. sp., holotype female: (A) pleotelson, dorsal; (B) pleopod, dorsal; (C) thoracopod VIII.

Pleopod I (Figs. 2D, 7B): 1-segmented, slender, 4.8 times as long as wide, carrying 2 unequal plumose setae, 1
apical and 1 outer subapical.
Uropod (Figs. 2C, 7A): sympod 2.6 times as long as wide, bearing 3 serrulate, somewhat diagonally arranged,

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claw-like spines at inner distal corner; proximal-most spine relatively long; distal 2 spines equal in size (Fig. 7A).
Exopod subapical, 4.0 times as long as wide, with 1 apical and 1 outer subapical ciliated setae; apical seta 2.8 times
as long as subapical seta; and ventro-medial seta absent. Endopod nearly cylindrical, 53.4% shorter than sympod,
with 3 armature elements: 1 inner subapical serrulate claw-like spine, 1 similar but relatively long inner apical
spine both spines somewhat swollen basally; and 1 long outer ciliated seta close to base of apical spine.
Pleotelson (Fig. 7A): with 1 strong, dorsal ciliated seta on either side of median axis, not far from base of
caudal furca; seta longer than caudal furca.
Anal operculum (Fig. 7A): concave medially.
Caudal furca (Fig. 7A): as long as distal width and with 4 unequal serrulate spines (1 apical, 3 inner) and 1
long, spiniform ciliated seta at outer distal corner; apical spine longest; 1 complete transverse row of spinules
occurring disto-ventrally. Furcal organ not discernible.
Male.— Not known.
Distribution and ecology. Indobathynella socrates n. sp. is so far known only from its type locality. It was
collected by coring the sandy sediments of a fast-flowing stream within the cave under typically dark conditions.
Co-occurrence. The new species was accompanied by a dense population of unidentified Copepoda
Cyclopoida, Nematoda, Oligochaeta, insect larvae and Parastenocaris Kessler, 1913 sp.
Etymology. The species is named in honor of Socrates, a classical Greek philosopher, who is considered one
of the founders of western philosophy. The specific epithet is a noun in apposition to the feminine genus name.

Discussion

Though male of Indobathynella socrates n. sp., is still unknown, a critical study of its female leaves no doubt that
the new species perfectly fits the original generic diagnosis of Indobathynella. Clearly, the new species is
overwhelmingly close to the type species, I. prehensilis, in the structural details of the habitus and various
appendages. A scrutinous comparison, however, reveals certain subtle but reliable differences between these two
species (Table 1). Of these, the differences relating to the number of teeth, i.e. the remnants of gnathobase, on the
basal segment of the mandibular palp, the number of armature elements on maxillule and maxilla are worthy of
note.

TABLE 1. Morphological differences between I. prehensilis and I. socrates n. sp.

Characters I. prehensilis I. socrates n. sp.
Total body length in mm ♂ 0.57 -
♀ 0.62 0.70
Antenna: subapical seta on exopod present absent
Labrum: shape triangular with broad apex triangular with narrow apex
Mandible: number of gnathobase teeth 5 6
Paragnaths ornamentation with coarse spinules on both sides with fine denticles on inner margin
Maxillule:
shape and length-width ratio of segment 2 squarish/subcylindrical, 2.6 subcylindrical/pyriform, 1.5
No. of claws on distal endite 5 4
Maxillary setae on segment 2 7 6
Thoracopod I:
ctenidia on exopod absent present
exopod setae on segment I outer seta short, ciliated; inner seta long, both setae equally short, ciliated
unipinnate
Female thoracopod VIII form elongate short
Female pleopod I form and nature of setae stout; setae bulging subproximally slender; setae normal
Uropod:
exopodal ventro-medial seta present absent
endopodal spines normal swollen at base
caudal furca L/W ratio 1.2 times as long as wide almost as long as wide

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 Indobathynella socrates n. sp., is distinctly different from the other two Indian genera (Serbanibathynella
Ranga Reddy & Schminke, 2005, and Camachobathynella Ranga Reddy et al. 2015) that any detailed comparison
would be redundant. However, Indobathynella socrates n. sp. shares common characters with above genera, in
absence of subapical seta on antenna and having ctenidia on exopod of Th. I. Whereas, presences of basipodal seta
on antenna is only seen in S. primaindica and C. meghalayaensis. Without any exception, all Indian bathynellid
species have two setae on the antennary exopodite except in Indobathynella socrates n. sp.
The type species I. prehensilis was only confined to the phreatic type locality and collected by a direct
filtration method. On the other hand, I. socrates n. sp., was found in the hyporheic zone of a cave stream only, and
not in the riparian zone of peninsular India.
Conservation status. Hyporheic and phreatic ecosystems typically support diversified micro-invertebrates
including bathynellaceans. The faunal investigations done on the hyporheic and phreatic habitats of Andhra
Pradesh during the past two decades have proved that bathynellacean species richness is higher in the former than
in the latter (Table. 2). Yet, these are one of the least conserved ecosystems protected by legislation, in not only
India, but also worldwide and further being strongly subjected to various anthropogenic activities that in turn affect
the hyporheos fauna (Fig. 8C, D). Various anthropogenic threats and conservation strategies are briefly outlined by
Shaik & Ranga Reddy (2018). One such recent anthropogenic threat is domestic sewage that is being released
continuously (Fig. 8C), which might be the cause of a local extinction of Habrobathynella indica Ranga &
Schminke, 2005. In spite of being thoroughly sampled, covering a stretch of more than 100 km both from upstream
and downstream from its type locality, no specimen of this species has been found after October 7, 2008 where 2
males and 1 female and juvenile were caught. The following fauna (Parastenocaris gayatri Ranga Reddy, 2001, P.
savita Ranga Reddy, 2001, P. mahanadi Ranga Reddy & Defaye, 2007, P. enckelli Ranga Reddy, Totakura &
Shaik, 2016 and Siolicaris sandhya (Ranga Reddy, 2001), Cerconeotes euryhyalinus (Krishnaswamy, 1957),
Delavalia madrasensis (Wells, 1971), Folioquinpes chathamensis (Sars, 1095), Cletocamptus deitersi (Richard,
1897), Mesochra wolskii Jakubisiak, 1933, Nitokra lacustris lacustris (Schmankevitsch, 1875), and unidentified
species of Ectocyclops Brady, 1904, Eucyclops Claus, 1893, Halicyclops Norman, 1903, Microcyclops, Claus,
1893, Paracyclops Claus, 1893, Chydorus Leach,1816, Macrothrix Baird, 1843, Thecacinata Collin, 1909,
unidentified nematodes, rotifers, oligochaets and chironomid larvae) have been found in subsequent samples,
suggesting that bathynellaceans are more sensitive to sewage waste than other invertebrate taxa of stygobionts.

TABLE 2. List of Indian bathynellaceans in Hyporheic and Phreatic ecosystems.

S. No Hyporheic ecosystem Phreatic ecosystem Both in hyporheic & Cave ecosystem Both in cave &
phreatic species phreatic ecosystem
1. Atopobathynella operculata A. indica H. schminkei Chilibathynella H. ajraoi
kotumsarensis
2. A. paraoperculata A. inopinata H. vaitarini H. bose H. borraensis
3. Camachobathynella A. nelloreensis S. secunda H. ernstmayr H. nagarjunai
meghalayaensis
4. Habrobathynella H. parakrishna H. raman
adishankara
5. H. indica H. vidua I. socrates n. sp.
6. H. krishna Indobathynella
prehensilis
7. H. muvattupuzha P. macrodentata
8. H. plenituda Serbanibathynella
primaindica
9 H. pseudoindica
10. H. savitri
11. Parvulobathynella distincta
12 P. projectura
Total 12 08 03 05 03

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FIGURE 8. Anthropogenic perturbations to hyporheic ecosystem. (A) Sand quarrying (back arrow shows the sand heap
touches the tip of Borassus flabellifer tree); (B) Sand heap for sale; (C) Domestic sewage release directly into R. Krishna
(arrowed); (D) Brick kilns on river bank.

It seems that these ecosystems receive little attention from conservation agencies and no bathynellacean taxa
are listed in the IUCN Red List. This despite the fact that both bathynellacean species and their habitats are
threatened by anthropogenic activities all over the globe. One explanation of negligence in India could be limited
awareness of the existence of such cryptic ecosystem and its characteristic fauna, even in the scientific community.
Such a case has recently come into light where the Andhra Pradesh Government has introduced a free sand policy
(G.O.MS.No. 43), which promotes illegal excavation. In Andhra Pradesh the coastal deltaic belts of the River
Godavari (notable at Dhawaleswaram, 16o48′09′′N 80o04′18′′E; Kapileswarapuram, 16o41′26′′N 82o02′24′′E;
Ravulapalem, 16°45'48.78''N 81°50'30.99''E), Krishna (Krosur, 16°32'43.08''N 80°8'24.36''E;
Challagariga,16°45′32′′N 80°07′35′′E; Jaggayyapeta, 16°54'7.56''N 80°6'13.68''E), Penna
(Pottepalem,14°26'33.39''N 79°59'11.20''E; Surayapalem, 14°23'2.76''N 79°43'56.62''E; Jammipalem,
14°31'23.88''N 80°1'14.88''E) and Vamshadhara (Purusottapuram, 18°32'8.36''N 83°54'56.35''E;
Narasannapeta,18°24'51.41"N 84°02' 40.67"E; Madapam,18°22′33.6″N, 83°59′49.2″E) are under continuous
threat of rampant sand mining to a depth of 15–20 m using excavators and dredging machines (Fig. 8A, B).
Unfortunately, the River Godavari and Krishna have been hotspots for 13 out of 31 species of bathynellaceans.
Biogeography and distribution. The majority of genera and species within the Bathynellacea are highly
endemic, and their specific biogeographic patterns, first noticed and emphasized by Schminke (1974), is better
explained by the vicariance model than by a classic dispersal model (see Schram 1977; Schminke 1981). The
spectacular Gondwanan heritage in Parabathynellidae is already well defined by Ranga Reddy (2014) and Shaik

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(2017). While on the contrary to a wide distribution, the three known Indian genera of Bathynellidae as of now are
endemic to the Indian landmass only. Among them the Indobathynella and Serbanibathynella are endemic to
peninsular India, while the monotypic genus Camachobathynella is typically endemic to North-eastern India. It
will be interesting to see if future faunistic investigations of the groundwater realm on other Gondwana landmasses
reveals these taxa as true Indian endemics or not.
Many of the Asiatic biogeographical regions are practically unexplored or under exploration. No new taxa
have been found from Asian countries except from India in the past decade. Therefore, future research should focus
on these regions that potentially harbour new taxa, and focus should also be on recruiting researchers to develop
expertise in these poorly studied organisms, gaining increased knowledge in understanding their diversity and
pattern of distribution.
The current distribution of the 12 genera containing 35 Asiatic species in the family Bathynellidae, covering
India, Japan, Russia and South Korea (Fig. 9) is as follows:

Antrobathynella stammeri ciscaucasica (Birstein & Ljovuschkin, 1964). Habitat: Cave. Type locality: Goryachiy
Klyuch, Krasnodar, Russia.
Bathynella arsenjeri Birstein & Ljovuschkin, 1967. Habitat: Cave. Type locality: Primorsky Velikan, basin of
Sutchan River, near Vladivostok, Russia.
Bathynella baicalensis Bazikalova, 1954. Habitat: Lake. Type locality: Baikal lake, Russia.
Bathynella canalis Morimoto, 1970. Habitat: Phreatic waters of borewell. Type locality: Izuhara, South Island of
Tsuhima, Japan.
Bathynella fodinarum Morimoto, 1970. Habitat: Cave. Type locality: Hawaam-ri, Cheonpo, Dong-myeon,
Jeongseon-gun, Kangweon-do, South Korea.
Bathynella glacialis Birstein & Ljovuschkin, 1967. Habitat: Cave. Type locality: Ice, Khabarovsk, Russia.
Bathynella gregaria Birstein & Ljovuschkin, 1967. Habitat: Cave. Type locality: Makrushin, near Olga bay and
Veselyy Yar, Russia.
Bathynella intermedia Ueno, 1954. Habitat: Phreatic waters of borewell. Type locality: Takefu, Tsuruga Bay,
Japan.
Bathynella iwatai Morimoto, 1970. Habitat: Phreatic waters of borewell. Type locality: Hanyû, Daikon-jima
Island, Naka-Umi Lake, Hunshu, Japan.
Bathynella maritima Ueno, 1954. Habitat: Phreatic waters of borewell. Type locality: Takayama, Murakami and
Ohdate, west of Towada, lake, Japan.
Bathynella minuta Morimoto, 1970. Habitat: Phreatic waters of borewell. Type locality: No’eum-ri, Keunnam-
myeon, Uljin-gun, Kyeongsangpuk- do, South Korea.
Bathynella okinawana Morimoto, 1974. Habitat: Interstitial River & Phreatic waters of borewell. Type locality:
Yona-gawa River Yona, Kunigami-son, Okinawa-hontô island, Japan.
Bathynella oshimensis Ueno & Morimoto, 1956. Habitat: Phreatic waters of borewell. Type locality: Nasé,
Amami-Oshima island, Japan.
Bathynella rufa Morimoto, 1970. Habitat: Phreatic waters of borewell. Type locality: Eunhaeng-dong, Taejeon
City, Chungcheong-nam-do, South Korea.
Bathynella tsushimana lavicola Morimoto, 1970. Habitat: Phreatic waters of borewell. Type locality: Hanyu,
Daikon-jima, Naka-umi lake, Honshu, Japan.
Bathynella uenoi Morimoto, 1970. Habitat: Cave. Type locality: Yong’yeon-gul, Yong’yeon-gog, Changseong-eub,
Samcheog-gun, Kangweon-do, South Korea.
Bathynella yanoi Morimoto, 1959. Habitat: Phreatic waters of borewell. Type locality: Hirajô, Mishô-chô, Ehimé,
Shikoku island, Japan.
Baicalobathynella magna (Bazikalova, 1954). Habitat: Lake. Type locality: Baikal Lake, Russia.
Camachobathynella meghalayaensis Ranga Reddy, Shaik & Totakura, 2015. Habitat: Interstitial River. Type
locality: River Myntdu, near Kharkhana, which is 71 km from Jowai town, Meghalaya State, India.
Indobathynella prehensilis Ranga Reddy & Totakura, 2012. Habitat: Phreatic waters of borewell. Type locality:
Ravulapalem village, Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh State, India.
Indobathynella Socrates n. sp. Habitat: Cave. Type locality: Karaiguda Cave, ~8 km from Borra Caves in
Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh State, India

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Morimotobathynella miurai Serban, 2000. Habitat: Phreatic waters of borewell. Type locality:Taishimachi, Himeji,
Hyôgo, Japan.
Morimotobathynella tsushimana (Morimoto, 1970). Habitat: Phreatic waters of borewell. Type locality: Sasuna,
Kamiagata-chô, Kami-shima, Tsushima island, Japan.
Nihobathynella paramorimotoi Serban, 2000. Habitat: Phreatic waters of borewell. Type locality: Taishimachi,
Himeji, Hyôgo, Japan.
Nihobathynella morimotoi (Ueno, 1952). Habitat: Phreatic waters of borewell. Type locality: Himeji city, Hyôgo,
Japan.
Paradoxibathynella parayezoensis Serban, 2000. Habitat: Lake. Type locality: Kussharo-Ko Lake, Hokkaido,
Japan.
Paradoxibathynella kussharokoensis Serban, 2000. Habitat: Lake. Type locality: Kussharo-Ko Lake, Hokkaido,
Japan.
Paradoxibathynella yezoensis (Ueno, 1954). Habitat: Interstitial River Type locality: Rikunbetsu, Akan lake,
Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan.
Parauenobathynella pacifica (Ueno, 1954). Habitat: Phreatic waters of borewell. Type locality: Hachioji, West of
Tokio, Japan.
Serbanibathynella primaindica Ranga Reddy & Schminke, 2005. Habitat: Phreatic waters of borewell. Type
locality: Tadepalli village, 3 km from Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh State, India.
Serbanibathynella secunda Totakura & Ranga Reddy, 2014. Habitat: Phreatic waters of borewell. Type locality:
Peravaram village, 20 km from Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh State, India.
Tianschanobathynella jankowskajae Serban, 1993. Habitat: Lake. Type locality: Issyk Koul lake, Tian’-Chan’
North, Russia.
Tianschanobathynella issykkulensis (Jankowsjaja, 1964). Habitat: Phreatic waters of borewell. Type locality: Near
Issyk Koul Lake, Tian’-Chan’ North, Russia.
Tianschanobathynella paraissykkulensis Serban, 1993. Habitat: Phreatic waters of borewell. Type locality: Near
Issyk Koul Lake, Tian’-Chan’ North, Russia.
Uenobathynella inlandica (Ueno, 1954). Habitat: Phreatic waters of borewell. Type locality: Taishi-machi, Himeji
town, Hyôgo, Japan.

Key to the Indian Bathynellid species

1. Maxillular proximal segment bilobed with 2 setae each; thoracopod I coxa with plumose seta; Th II–VII basis with seta . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Camachobathynella meghalayaensis
- Maxillular proximal segment unilobed; thoracopod I coxa without plumose seta; Th II–VII basis without seta . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2. Antennary endopod 5 segmented with almost long penultimate segment; mandible without gnathobase; thoracopod endopod 3
segmented; caudal furca with 5 unequal serrulate spines without plumose seta (Serbanibathynella) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
- Antennary endopod 2 segmented only; mandible with (fused) gnathobase; thoracopod endopod 2 segmented (except Th 1);
caudal furca with 4 unequal serrulate spines with plumose seta (Indobathynella) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3a. Seta present on basis of antenna; mandible with 3 teeth on proximal segment; maxillular proximal segment with 4 setae;
female Th 8 with distinct exo and endopod; uropodal sympod with homonomous row of spines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Serbanibathynella primaindica
3b. Seta absent on basis of antenna; mandible with 4 teeth on proximal segment; maxillular proximal segment with 3 setae; female
Th 8 without distinct exo and endopod; uropodal sympod with inhomonomous row of spines. . . . . Serbanibathynella secunda
4a. Subapical seta present on antennal exopod; mandibular gnathobase with 5 teeth; maxillular distal endite with 5 claws; ventro-
medial seta on uropodal exopod present . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Indobathynella prehensilis
4b. Subapical seta absent on antennal exopod; mandibular gnathobase with 6 teeth; maxillular distal endite with 4 claws; ventro-
medial seta on uropodal exopod absent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Indobathynella socrates n. sp.

Acknowledgements

I wish to express my gratitude to the Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology,
Government of India, New Delhi, for providing funding support under a Major Research project (SR/SO/AS-21/
2011). The author is grateful to Prof. Dr. Y. Ranga Reddy, Acharya Nagarjuna University, India for his valuable

358 · Zootaxa 4565 (3) © 2019 Magnolia Press SHAIK

critical comments on the first draft of the manuscript and providing the relevant literature, and the anonymous
reviewers for their valuable comments. I sincerely thank the authorities of Acharya Nagarjuna University for
providing necessary facilities.

FIGURE 9. Distribution map of the Bathynellidae family in Asiatic Regions

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