Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Responsive image
Issue: Vol. 5787 No. 3: 8 Apr. 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-04-08
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5787.3.6
Page range: 515-535
Abstract views: 80
PDF downloaded: 4

The subfamily Haplophthalminae (Isopoda, Oniscidea, Trichoniscidae) from Georgian caves (Caucasus), with descriptions of a new genus and two new species

Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems; National Research Council; Via Madonna del Piano 10; 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Florence); Italy.
Institute of Zoology; Ilia University; Giorgi Tsereteli 3; 0162 Tbilisi; Georgia.
Institute of Zoology; Ilia University; Giorgi Tsereteli 3; 0162 Tbilisi; Georgia.; Institute of Biology and Ecology; Faculty of Science; P. J. Šafárik University; Šrobárova 2; 04154 Košice; Slovakia.
Institute of Zoology; Ilia University; Giorgi Tsereteli 3; 0162 Tbilisi; Georgia.
Crustacea Taxonomy troglobionts new taxa new records identification key

Abstract

Five species of troglobiotic terrestrial isopods belonging to the subfamily Haplophthalminae, family Trichoniscidae, are reported from caves in Georgia. A new species in the genus Colchidoniscus (Colchidoniscus fissus Taiti & Shavadze sp. nov.) and a new genus and species (Imeretioniscus tricostatus Taiti & Shavadze gen. et sp. nov.) are described. The subspecies Colchidoniscus kutaissianus motenae Borutzky, 1974 is raised to species rank. Diagnostic characters and affinities of all taxa are discussed. A key to the species is also provided.

 

References

  1. Barjadze, S., Asanidze, Z., Gavashelishvili, A. & Soto-Adames, F.N. (2019) The hypogean invertebrate fauna of Georgia (Caucasus). Zoology in the Middle East, 65 (1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1080/09397140.2018.1549789
  2. Barjadze, S., Murvanidze, M., Arabuli, T., Mumladze, L., Pkhakadze, V., Djanashvili, R. & Salakaia, M. (2015) Annotated list of invertebrates of the Georgian karst caves. Georgian Academic Book, Tbilisi, 120 pp.
  3. Borutzky, E.V. (1948) Nazemnyje Isopoda peshcher Kavkasa i Kryma. II. Vestnik moskovskogo gosudarstvennogo Universiteta, 5, 137–146.
  4. Borutzky, E.V. (1974) New genera and species of terrestrial Isopoda (Trichoniscidae) from caves of the Georgian SSR. Zoologicheskii Zhurnal, 53, 338–344. [In Russian with English summary]
  5. Boyko, C.B., Campos-Filho, I.S., Hadfield, K.A., Hughes, T., Merrin, K.L., Ota, Y. & Poore, G.C.B. (Eds.) (2025) Haplophthalminae Verhoeff, 1908. World Register of Marine Species. Available from: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1661670 (accessed 5 October 2025)
  6. Brian, A. (1948) Un nuovo genere di isopodo terrestre cavernicolo della Grotta della Scaggia presso Genova. Annali del Museo civico di Storia naturale Giacomo Doria, 58, 122–131.
  7. Brian, A. (1958) Intorno ad alcuni Trichoniscidi raccolti in grotte vicentine e trevigiane dai Signori Prof. C.Conci, L.Tamanini e G.Meggiolaro, con descrizione di un nuovo genere (Isopodi terrestri). TIAL, Genova, 17 pp.
  8. Brian, A. (1963) Nota intorno ad alcuni isopodi terrestri raccolti dai signori Ribaldone e Montenegro in grotte della Liguria. Doriana, Supplemento agli Annali del Museo civico di Storia naturale Giacomo Doria, 3 (133), 1–12.
  9. Garcia, L., Miralles-Núñez, A. & Pérez-Fernández, T. (2020) First record of the genus Graeconiscus Strouhal, 1940 (Isopoda, Oniscidea, Trichoniscidae) in the Iberian Peninsula with the description of a new troglobitic species. Subterranean Biology, 36, 51–61. https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.36.58272
  10. Gongalsky, K.B. (2022) First terrestrial species of the troglobiont genus Caucasocyphoniscus Borutzky, 1948 (Isopoda: Oniscidea: Trichoniscidae) from the northwestern Caucasus. Arthropoda Selecta, 31 (4), 387–391. https://doi.org/10.15298/arthsel.31.4.03
  11. Kuznetsova, D.M. & Gongalsky, K.B. (2012) Cartographic analysis of woodlice fauna of the former USSR. In: Štrus, J., Taiti, S. & Sfenthourakis, S. (Eds.), Advances in Terrestrial Isopod Biology. ZooKeys, 176, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.176.2372
  12. Latreille, P.A. (1802) Histoire naturelle, générale et particulière, des crustacés et des insectes. Vol. 3. Dufart, Paris, XII + 467 pp.
  13. Latreille, P.A. (1816) Les Crustacés, les Arachnides, et les Insectes. In: Cuvier, G.L.C.F.D. (Ed.), Le Règne Animal, Distribué d'après son Organisation, pour Servrir de Base a l'Histoire Naturelle des Animaux et d'Introduction a l'Anatomie Comparée. Vol. 3. Deterville, Paris, pp. i–xxix + 1–653. [1817] https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.15764
  14. Lezhava, Z., Tsikarishvili, K. & Asanidze, L. (2021) Platform Karst of Georgia (Zemo Imereti Structural Plateau). Publishing House Universal, Tbilisi, 239 pp. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-90753-2_6
  15. Sars, G.O. (1899) An Account of the Crustacea of Norway. Vol. 2. Isopoda, Tribe 5. Oniscoida. The Bergen Museum, Bergen, 40 pp., 14 pls. [pp. 153–192, pls. 70–83]
  16. Schmalfuss, H. (2003) World catalog of terrestrial isopods (Isopoda: Oniscidea). Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde, Serie A (Biologie), 654, 1–341.
  17. Schmalfuss, H., Paragamian, K. & Sfenthourakis, S. (2004) The terrestrial isopods (Isopoda: Oniscidea) of Crete and the surrounding islands. Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde, Serie A (Biologie), 662, 1–74.
  18. Schmidt, C. & Leistikow, A. (2004) Catalogue of genera of the terrestrial Isopoda (Crustacea: Isopoda: Oniscidea). Steenstrupia, 28, 1–118.
  19. Schöbl, J. (1860) Haplophthalmus, eine neue Gattung der Isopoden, mit besonderer Berücksichtigung der Mundtheile untersucht. Zeitschrift für wissenschaftliche Zoologie, 10, 449–466, pls. 35–36.
  20. Strouhal, H. (1940) Moserius percoi nov. gen. nov. spec., eine neue Höhlen-Höckerassel, nebst einer Übersicht über die Halplophthalminen. Zoologischer Anzeiger, 129, 13–30.
  21. Tatashidze, Z.K., Tsikarishvili, K.D. & Jishkariani, J.M. (2009) The Cadastre of the Karst Caves of Georgia. Petiti Publishing House, Tbilisi, 670 pp. [in Georgian]
  22. Tsikarishvili, K.D. & Bolashvili, N. (2013) The karst caves of Georgia: a short reference book. TSU press, Tbilisi, 157 pp. [in Georgian]
  23. Turbanov, I.S., Palatov, D.M. & Golovatch, S.I. (2016) The State of the art of Biospeleology in Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union: a review of the cave (endogean) invertebrate fauna. 1. Introduction - Crustacea. Entomological Review, 96, 926–963. https://doi.org/10.1134/S0013873816070162
  24. Vandel, A. (1955) Isopodes terrestres récoltés dans les grottes de l’Attique par M. Pierre Strinati. Notes biospéologiques, 10, 51–61.
  25. Verhoeff, K.W. (1900) Über paläarktische Isopoden (2. Aufsatz). Zoologischer Anzeiger, 23, 117–130.
  26. Verhoeff, K.W. (1908) Über Isopoden. 12. Aufsatz. Neue Oniscoidea aus Mittel- und Südeuropa und zur Klärung einiger bekannter Formen. Archiv für Naturgeschichte, 74 (1), 163–198, pls. 4 + 5.
  27. Verhoeff, K.W. (1927) Über einige südosteuropäischen Trichonisciden. Zoologischer Anzeiger, 70, 200–223.

How to Cite

Taiti, S., Shavadze, L., Maghradze, E. & Barjadze, S. (2026) The subfamily Haplophthalminae (Isopoda, Oniscidea, Trichoniscidae) from Georgian caves (Caucasus), with descriptions of a new genus and two new species. Zootaxa, 5787 (3), 515–535. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5787.3.6