title: The Evolution of Epigean and Stygobitic Species of Koonunga Sayce, 1907 (Syncarida: Anaspidacea) in Southern Australia, with the Description of Three New Species.
abstract: Three new species of Koonunga were discovered in surface and subterranean waters in southern Australia, and were defined using mtDNA analyses and morphology. The new species are: Koonunga hornei Leijs & King; K. tatiaraensis Leijs & King and K. allambiensis Leijs & King. Molecular clock analyses indicate that the divergence times of the species are older than the landscape that they currently inhabit. Different scenarios explaining this apparent discrepancy are discussed in the context of the palaeography of the area. A freshwater epigean origin for Koonunga is considered the most likely hypothesis, whereby some lineages made the transition to the subterranean environment within the last few million years influenced by significant climatic cooling/drying. We discuss the possibility that one stygobitic lineage secondarily regained some of its body pigmentation as adaptation to increased photic conditions after cave collapse and forming of cenotes during the last glacial maximum.
authors: School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University of South Australia, Bedford Park, Adelaide, Australia; South Australian Museum, North Terrace, Adelaide, Australia; School of Biological Sciences and Australian Centre for Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.
authors: Remko
authors: R
authors: Leijs
authors: School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University of South Australia, Bedford Park, Adelaide, Australia.
authors: Tessa
authors: T
authors: Bradford
authors: School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University of South Australia, Bedford Park, Adelaide, Australia.
authors: James G
authors: JG
authors: Mitchell
authors: School of Biological Sciences and Australian Centre for Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia; Western Australian Museum, Welshpool, Australia and School of Animal Biology, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
authors: William F
authors: WF
authors: Humphreys
authors: South Australian Museum, North Terrace, Adelaide, Australia; School of Biological Sciences and Australian Centre for Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.
authors: Steven J B
authors: SJ
authors: Cooper
authors: South Australian Environment Protection Authority, Adelaide, Australia.
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Goonan
authors: South Australian Museum, North Terrace, Adelaide, Australia; School of Biological Sciences and Australian Centre for Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.
authors: Rachael A
authors: RA
authors: King
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001315:Australia; D003445:Crustacea / Q000502:physiology*; D017753:Ecosystem; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005843:Geography; D010802:Phylogeny