CONSIDERATIONS ON SOME SPECIES OF HIPPOLYTE (DECAPODA, CARIDEA) FROM SOUTHERN EUROPEAN WATERS, H-NIEZABITOWSKII, H-HOLTHUISI, AND H-VARIANS

Preliminary samples taken from Zostera marina beds on the Mediterranea n coast of southern Spain, have allowed us to obtain three species of Hippolyte. One of them, Hippolyte niezabitowskii, represents the first record for Spain and the western Mediterranean. Also, the morphology of the present material shows clear differences with that of specimens from the Adriatic and Ionian seas. A complementary description and so me considerations on a presumably subspecific status are given. The ca pture of many specimens belonging to the complex H. varians-H, holthui si (H. holthuisi represents a new record for the area) has allowed us to make a comparative analysis between populations from the Alboran Se a and from the Gulf of Cadiz, which has established the existence of c onsistent differences between these.