An occasional record of the amplexus in epigean Niphargus (Amphipoda: Niphargidae) from the Russian Western Caucasus

Researchers have documented the first instance of amplexus, or precopulatory mate guarding, in the epigean amphipod Niphargus cf. magnus from the Western Caucasus, a rare behavior not previously observed in this subterranean genus. The study reveals that this chemically stimulated behavior occurs briefly after the female molts, mirroring patterns seen in related epigean and subterranean gammaridean amphipods. The brevity of the amplexus may be an adaptation to the narrow underground habitats these creatures inhabit, where space constraints could necessitate shorter mating periods. The discovery contributes to our understanding of reproductive strategies in subterranean crustaceans, filling a significant gap in the literature.

MARIN, I., & PALATOV, D. (2019). An occasional record of the amplexus in epigean Niphargus (Amphipoda: Niphargidae) from the Russian Western Caucasus. Zootaxa, 4701(1). https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4701.1.8