Ostracoda (Myodocopa) from anchialine caves and ocean blue holes
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Eleven stygobitic myodocopid ostracodes (two newDanielopolina palmeri and Spelaeoecia hox) in the Order Halocyprida are reported from anchialine waters in 11 inland blue holes in Bahamas. One stygobitic halocyprid ostracode is reported from two localities in Bermuda, and one from a cave in Mexico. A new subfamily, Spelaeoeciinae, is proposed to contain the genus Spelaeoecia, and the subfamily Deeveyinae is elevated to family status. Two new species of cladocopid ostracode (Pseudopolycope helix and Pontopolycope storthynx), are described from a cave in Mexico and an oceanic blue hole in the Bahamas. Nine species of myodocopid ostracodes (four newRutiderma flex, Eusarsiella syrinx, Eusarsiella fax, and Synasterope matrix) in the Suborder Myodocopina and one species in the Suborder Halocypridina are reported from ocean blue holes in the Bahamas. This is the first report of a halocyprid living in both an inland and ocean blue hole in the Bahamas. The sarsiellid genus Dantya Kornicker & Cohen 1978 is reported for the first time in the Bahamas, but the single juvenile specimen is left in open nomenclature as Dantya sp. A. The development of Deeveya bransoni and Eusarsiella syrinx is described in detail. With the exception of one species of Danielopolina from deep waters of the South Atlantic, all other species of Danielopolina, Spelaeoecia and Deeveya have been previously found only in inland, anchialine caves. The discovery of Deeveya inhabiting deeper, hydrologically-isolated waters in ocean blue holes, which are otherwise comparable to classical anchialine environments, has raised questions concerning the geographic limits to the anchialine habitat and its supposed reliance on terrestrial inputs.
