The largest reaches just two centimeters in length. But it is unique in the world, like all the members of the ten crustacean species recently discovered in the karst caves of Montalbo, where shrimp have been preserved for millions of years.
This is the result of research presented today in the Nuoro City Council Chamber, during a public meeting entitled "Where Water Meets Life." The project, promoted and funded by the Tepilora Park in the MaB UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Tepilora, Rio Posada, and Montalbo, involved scholars from the Free University of Brussels, cave divers from the Phreatic association, and experts in biology, natural sciences, and geology. For nearly two years, they studied the waterways that cross the mountain range between Siniscola and Lula, between the "Sa conca 'e Locoli" aquifer and the "Fruncu 'e oche" spring.
Hundreds of hours of diving, at depths of tens of meters and moving through narrow tunnels along previously unexplored dry slopes, have allowed us to experiment with new techniques for biological analysis and the DNA of aquatic fauna, thus reconstructing the history of Sardinia from when it was still one with the Iberian Peninsula and southern France.
The two largest shrimps have been scientifically recorded, so as to remember their territory of origin, as Stenasellus montisalbis and Stenasellus tepilorae.
The park
"This is a scientific study that Tepilora Park has believed in from the beginning, because understanding our karst waters means putting the pieces of the Mediterranean's evolutionary puzzle and the rich biodiversity still preserved in the Montalbo caves into place," said Tepilora Park President Martino Sanna, who added: "The discovery of new animal species tells us how much there still is to analyze and research in Sardinia. How much this ancient land has preserved for millions of years and which, thanks to innovative research methodologies such as the biological one experimented in the heart of our mountains, we can still rediscover and lay the foundation for the next frontiers of knowledge."
The cave divers
"The Sa Conca 'e Locoli Cave, in the Monte Albo massif," explained cave diver Andrea Marassich, "represents one of the most complex karst systems in Sardinia. After about 300 meters, passing through pits and small lakes, you reach the initial siphon, from which two distinct branches branch off. The most technical branch extends upstream, with five progressively more challenging siphons: the third is currently the deepest known in Sardinia and is explored with rebreathers (closed-circuit breathing) and underwater scooters. Downstream, the Siniscola branch ends with a fifth, narrow, impassable siphon; here, the main difficulty is the long and complex dry section after the siphon, which requires considerable physical effort and risk management," concluded the president of the Phreatic association.
The presentation
The Nuoro presentation, coordinated by Tepilora Park Director Marianna Mossa, opened with official greetings from Emiliano Fenu, the mayor of the Barbagia capital; Giuseppe Ciccolini, the president of the Province of Nuoro; Martino Sanna, the president of Tepilora Park and coordinator of the Biosphere Reserve; and Angelo Naseddu, the president of the Sardinian Speleological Federation. Andrea Marassich, president of the Phreatich association, then presented a short video documentary on underwater speleological research in caves, before speaking on the topic of "Territory and Monitoring." Fabio Stoch of the Free University of Brussels, via video link from Rome, presented the study on cave waters, the new discoveries, and the implications for Sardinia's biodiversity. The proceedings concluded with a presentation by geologist and Biosphere Reserve coordinator at the Tepilora Park Assembly, Francesco Murgia, on "Research and Protection of Underground Ecosystems: Project Developments."