Vol. 77 2025

ARTICLES

Expanding the Knowledge on Genus Thrakosphaera Schmalfuss, 1998 (Crustacea: Oniscidea) with the Definition of a New Family

Andrei Giurginca1, Andreea Mîrleneanu2 & Ștefan Cătălin Baba1,2,*

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*1Compartment of Biospeleology and Karst Edaphobiology, “Emil Racoviță” Institute of Speleology, Romanian Academy, Calea 13 Septembrie 13, 050711, Bucharest, Romania; E-mail: sankao2@yahoo.com; b.stefan@bio.unibuc.ro
2Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Splaiul Independenței 91-95, 050095, Bucharest, Romania; E-mail: b.stefan@bio.unibuc.ro, mirleneanu.andreea22@s.bio.unibuc.ro

https://doi.org/10.71424/azb77.4.002916

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Abstract

Thrakosphaera schawalleri was recorded for the first time in Romania: in the southern part of the Romanian Plain and the north-eastern part of the Burnazului Plain. Both qualitative and quantitative sampling methods were used. Most specimens were captured by means of Winkler sieve in leaf litter in deciduous forests. An extended re-description of the species is provided. A new family, Thrakosphaeridae fam. nov., is suggested for this species based on the following set of characters concerning the stomach inferolateralia, pereiopod I, pleopod 1 of male endopodite, pleopod 2 of male exopodite and the extension of the uropodal protopodite.

Key words

systematics, Thrakosphaera, Thrakosphaeridae fam. nov.

How to Cite
Giurginca A., Mîrleneanu A. & Baba Ș. C. 2025. Expanding the Knowledge on Genus Thrakosphaera Schmalfuss, 1998 (Crustacea: Oniscidea) with the Definition of a New Family. Acta zoologica bulgarica 77 (4): 527-535.

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