Niphargus versluysi Karaman S., 1950

Ntakis, Alexandros, Karaouzas, Ioannis, Fišer, Cene & Stoch, Fabio, 2020, An annotated checklist of the Niphargidae (Crustacea: Amphipoda) of Greece, Zootaxa 4772 (3), pp. 517-544 : 533-534

Niphargus versluysi Karaman S., 1950

Synonymy: Niphargus longicaudatus versluysi Karaman S., 1950 .

Published records: Karaman S. (1950, 1956); Pesce G.L. & Maggi D. (1983) ; Karaman G.S. (2017e).

Distribution: Endemic to Greece: Zakynthos Island (IO); Epirus (IO); Central Greece (IO).

Type material: Holotype: male 15 mm, Spring Skophos on Zakynthos island (= Zante ), 24.03.1932, 10 exp. (leg. Dr. Jan Versluysi), Karaman S. (1950) . Paratype: data same as for holotype. Examined material: male 15 mm, stream on road from Delphoi to Gravia, alt. 600–700 m, 5 exp. (leg. Dr. H. Bertrand—Dr. Aubert), Karaman S. (1956); IV/30–34 = Spring Skophos on Zakynthos island (= Zante), (holotye) Karaman G.S. (2017e); S–6370 =

(G–183) Zakynthos Island (= Zante), along the seashore, S. of Zakinthos (inside of Monastery ), 08.04.1979, 5 exp. of 7mm (leg. G. Pesce & D. Maggi) Karaman G.S. (2017e); S–6376 = (G–182) Zakynthos Island (= Zante), along the seashore S. of town Zakinthos , 10 m from the seacoast, 08.04.1979, 1 exp. (leg. G. Pesce & D. Maggi) Karaman G.S. (2017e); GE–5 = Arillas-Perdika, Epirus, spring, 7 small exp., 28.02.1976 (leg. G. Pesce & Bianco) Karaman G.S. (2017e); G–14 = Along road Arillas-Perdika (Epirus), 28.02.1976, 12 exp. (leg. G. Pesce & Bianco) Karaman G.S. (2017e). Holotype and paratypes are deposited in KCPM .

Remarks: This species id widely distributed in Greece spreading from northwestern to Central Greece. There are some morphological differences among populations of the known localities (Karaman G.S., 2017e) indicating that the species may comprise phylogenetically distinct lineages or even cryptic species.

Etymology: The species is named after collector, prof. Dr. Jan Versluys.