TAXONOMIC AND BIOGEOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF THE PROASELLUS-COXALIS-GROUP (CRUSTACEA, ISOPODA, ASELLIDAE) IN SICILY, WITH DESCRIPTION OF PROASELLUS-MONTALENTII N-SP

The genus Proasellus is widespread in ponds, ditches and rivers of Sic ily. A detailed morphological analysis of several samples of asellids collected in Sicilian freshwaters resulted in the determination of thr ee species of the Proasellus coxalis-group: P. banyulensis italicus (D udich, 1925), P. montalentii n. sp. and P. wolfi (Dudich, 1925), which is elevated to specific rank. The three species can be distinguished on the basis of the sutures of pleopod V exopod. Proasellus montalenti i inhabits the western part of Sicily, while the range of P. wolfi is confined to the Iblean region. Both species are more closely related t o the North African taxa of Proasellus coxalis-group, while Proasellus banyulensis italicus is very similar to the populations found in peni nsular Italy. These patterns are explained supposing multiple coloniza tions of Sicily during Pliocene connections.