Paranitocrella bastiani Tang & Knott, 2009:50
Bastian's groundwater copepod
Taxonomy & Nomenclature
Conservation Status
Last record: 27 November 1997 (Tang & Knott, 2009:50)
Rediscovered in: 2009-2010 by Tom Karanovic (Dr. Danny Tang, pers. comm. 15 December 2010)
Considered Missing (=possibly extinct) when described
"The harpacticoid copepod Paranitocrella bastiani gen. et sp. nov. is particularly vulnerable given that it occurs only in caves that contain submerged tuart root mats. Indeed, this species has not been found in the Yanchep National Park Caves since the 1990s (Knott & Storey 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004; Knott et al. 2006, 2007, 2008), which suggests that it may have already gone extinct. Clearly, alternative and effective management strategies need to be developed and implemented promptly by the appropriate governmental agencies to reestablish the natural environment of the caves. We anticipate that P. bastiani gen. et sp. nov. will recolonise the Yanchep National Park Caves, should it still occur in some unknown ground water refuge of the Gnangara Mound, once root mats are restored and sufficient water levels are maintained permanently."
(Tang & Knott, 2009:65)
Rediscovered shortly afterwards
Individuals of this species have apparently since been found by Tom Karanovic further north of Yanchep National Park:
"Tom Karanovic told me that he recently found the copepod Paranitocrella bastiani Tang & Knott, 2009 further north of Yanchep. So it appears that some subterranean aquatic invertebrates are persisting in suitable pockets throughout W.A."
(Dr. Danny Tang, pers. comm. 15 December 2010).
Distribution
Yanchep (incl. Yanchep National Park), Western Australia, Australia
Biology & Ecology
Hypodigm
Media
References
Original scientific description:
Tang, Danny and Knott, Brenton. (2009). Freshwater cyclopoids and harpacticoids (Crustacea: Copepoda) from the Gnangara Mound region of Western Australia. Zootaxa 2029(1): 1-70. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.2029.1.1
Other references:
Tang, Danny and Eberhard, Stefan. (2016). Two new species of Nitocrella (Crustacea, Copepoda, Harpacticoida) from groundwaters of northwestern Australia expand the geographic range of the genus in a global hotspot of subterranean biodiversity. Subterranean Biology 20: 51-76. https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.20.10389
UWA. (2009, March 30). Newly identified Gnangara mound species already extinct? The University of Western Australia. Available at: https://www.news.uwa.edu.au/archive/200903301065/business-briefing/newly-identified-gnangara-mound-species-already-extinct/ [Accessed 31 March 2009]
Walter, T. Chad (2013). Paranitocrella bastiani Tang & Knott, 2009. In: Walter, T.C. & Boxshall, G. (2013). World of Copepods database. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=384625 on 2013-07-17
Walter, T. C. and Boxshall, G. (2025). World of Copepods Database. Paranitocrella bastiani Tang & Knott, 2009. Accessed at: https://www.marinespecies.org/copepoda/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=384625 on 2025-05-12
https://www.cmar.csiro.au/data/caab/taxon_report.cfm?caab_code=27256002