Samples collected in underground waters of Spain by Ine Meijers and Jos Notenboom demonstrated the presence of some oculated asellids previously known: Proasellus coiffaiti, P. coxalis, and P. meridianus, and also four new stygophilous species, more or less depigmented, with different stages of regression of the ocular system: P. beticus n. sp., P. ortizi n. sp., P. aragonensis n. sp., and P. ebrensis n. sp. These forms represent relict populations of ancient epigean species. The anophthalmous species of the Aquitanian Basin, Pyrenees, and Iberian Peninsula are more closely related to P. beticus and P. ortizi than to the Recent epigean species P. coxalis and P. meridianus.

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Bijdragen tot de dierkunde

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Naturalis journals & series

Henry, J.-P., & Magniez, G. (1992). Isopodes Aselloïdes stygobies d’Espagne récoltés par J. Notenboom et I. Meijers, III — Le genre Proasellus: A — Espèces oculées ou microphtalmes. Bijdragen tot de dierkunde, 62(1), 37–54.