Morphologyof Stenothoe cf. tergestina (Nebeski, 1881) (crustacea, amphipoda, stenothoidae), recent invider to the Black Sea
##plugins.themes.ibsscustom.article.main##
##plugins.themes.ibsscustom.article.details##
Abstract
The relevance of research on species new to the regions is due to the interaction of these species with species of local ecosystems, which in some cases maybe negative. The purpose of this work is to clarify the morphology and variability of somebody and appendages parameters of adult males and females of Stenothoe cf. tergestina, which is similar to Stenothoe tergestina (Nebeski1881), but has some morphological differences that do not reach the species level. Methods of morphology investigations and analysis using both light and electron microscopes were used to perform the tasks. A detailed description of adult females and males of S. cf. tergestina, their appendages and the sexual structure of the population from the fouling structures of a mussel and oyster farm near Sevastopol is given. The new data on the discovered taxon has been comparatively analyzed with similar ones from other habitats, which makes it possible to clarify its species affiliation. The variability of a number of morphological features was revealed. In the populations, the length of the females exceeded the length of the males. The detection of individuals on various substrates indicates a high adaptability of the species to this habitat.