Zoological results of the British speleological expedition to Papua new Guinea 1975 : 7. Cavernicolous shrimps (Crustacea Decapoda, Natantia from new Ireland and the Philippines

Through the kindness of Dr. P. Beron, National Natural History Museum, Sofia, Bulgaria, I was allowed to study some cavernicolous shrimps collected by him in New Ireland, while he was a member of the 1975 British Speleological Expedition to Papua New Guinea. The material proved to consist of two species, one a Macrobrachium, the other a Caridina, both new to science and both adapted to subterranean life. Added to this report on the New Ireland cave shrimps is the description of a new genus and species of cave Atyid from Luzon, Philippines, material of which was kindly donated to the Leiden Museum by Mrs. С. L. DeelemanReinhold, who had obtained it from the Rev. F. Bandsma, missionary in the area where the specimens were found. The material of both species of Atyidae is far from perfect, but shows enough details to permit a satisfactory description. Dr. Beron provided the following data concerning Danmin Cave near Konogusgus, New Ireland, where Macrobrachium microps and Caridina troglodytes were collected by him. The cave consists of (1) a large entrance hall, which goes steeply down, and (2) a more or less horizontal gallery which reaches a swift underground river. This river lies in total darkness, it is exposed to view for about 100 meters, coming out of the rock and disappearing in the same way. The water is very clear and the current very strong; the bottom consists of pure rock, with at most some sand, but without mud. Macrobrachium was found in this river. Caridina, however, was taken in a stagnant pool near the river. The pool was 1 to 2 feet deep and filled with clear water, probably "splashed in" from the stream. Both the river and the pool are in total darkness. The cave lies at an altitude of 600 to 700 m.