Two new species of interstitial harpacticoids from southern Italy and proposal of a new Parastenocaris species-group

Two interstitial harpacticoids collected in subterranean freshwater in Calabria are described and discussed. Ichnusella ionica sp. nov. was collected in the interstitial habitat of the Portigliola stream, a record extending the distribution of the genus, which was previously recorded only from Latium and Sardinia. Parastenocaris sibaritica sp. nov. is described from a similar habitat of the Crati River. This new taxon belongs to a group of species living exclusively in estuarine interstitial habitats and all characterised by peculiar morphological and ecological features. The creation of a new group, the "hera-group";, is proposed for these species.