NEW SPECIES Niphargus religiosus, sp. n. (Fam. Niphargidae), WITH REMARKS TO Amathillina cristata G.O. Sars, 1894 (Fam. Gammaridae) IN TURKEY - Contribution to the Knowledge of the Amphipoda 257 -

From the subterranean waters in Uragavaz Gecidi, Ballidag (Kastamonu), Turkey [spring on 1350 m. a.s.l.) one new member of the family Niphargidae, Niphargus religiosus, sp. n. is described and figured, and its taxonomical position is discussed. The stout body of this species likes that in members of Niphargus puteanus- group, but N. religiosus is characterized by the presence of one seta on first article of mandible palp, short and broad basipodites of pereopods 5-7, by presence of 2 retinacula on pleopods, by elevated number of setae along outer margin of dactylus in gnathopods 1-2, short uropod 3, by presence of one median spine at inner margin of dactylus in pereopods 3-7, etc. The further discovery of the males of N. religiosus will make possible to understand the closer position of this species within the genus Niphargus. The epigean species Amathillina cristata G.O. Sars, 1894 (family Gammaridae) was described and cited from various localities in Pontocaspian basin [Black and Caspian sea] and adjacent regions. Recently this species was mentioned at the first time in the freshwaters of Turkey (Özbek Özkan, 2010). As this species was never described in detail after the first Sars`s description (1894), we redescibed this species rather more in detail, from the Terkos Lake in Turkey, especially regarding some taxonomic details never mentioned before.