A NEW GENUS AND 2 NEW SPECIES OF CAVE-DWELLING MISOPHRIOID COPEPODS FROM THE BALEARIC-ISLANDS (MEDITERRANEAN)

Speleophriopsis balearicus n. gen., n. sp., and Speleophria gymnesica, n. sp. are described from the flooded coastal karst of the Balearic I s. Two existing species of Speleophria are transferred to the new genu s. Speleophriopsis scottodicarloi (Boxshall and Iliffe), new combinati on, occurs on Bermuda (Atlantic) and S. campaneri (Boxshall and Iliffe ), new combination, in the Palau Archipelago (Indo-West Pacific). The type species of Speleophria is known only from caves on Bermuda. Both genera are noteworthy for displaying the most primitive condition know n in copepods of the allobasis of maxilla (setal formula 5,3), and of the male antennule which, in Speleophriopsis n. gen., is geniculate bu t exhibits a 27-segmented condition. They inhabit cave waters with sal inities in excess of 18 parts per thousand, avoiding lower salinity in land groundwater habitats. A Tethyan relict status is proposed for bot h taxa.