Phylum Arthropoda
Subphylum Crustacea
Subclass Ostracoda
Order Podocopida
Family Cytherellidae

Cytherella kornickeri Maddocks, 1986

	Cytherella kornickeri: right and left valve exteriors of female

Taxonomic Characterization: Cytherella kornickeri male carapace is compressed, ovate-subquadrate in lateral view, with shallow ventral indentation. The female carapace larger, proportionately higher, rounded-subquadrate in lateral outline, and without ventral indentation. The anterodorsal edge of the furca is much thickened to form a solid crescentic swelling; posterodorsal seta is greatly enlarged. The hemipenis is small, wedge-shaped, nearly equilateral-triangular, with short, thick nearly straight copulatory tube. The sixth male limb has no pediform palp and resembles that of the female (Maddocks & Iliffe, 1986).

Disposition of Specimens: All specimens were deposited in the United States Museum of Natural History: male holotype (registration number 216418) and paratypes (registration numbers 216419-216423).

Ecological Classification: Either stygophilic or accidental

Size: Total body length of adult male holotype 0.71 mm, female 0.75 mm.

Number of Species in Genus: At least 9

Species Range: Known from Palm, Cherry Pit, Myrtle Bank, and Walsingham Caves, in addition to Ferry Reach and Castle Harbor in Bermuda (Maddocks & Iliffe, 1986).

Closest Related Species: Cytherella kornickeri is exterally similar to Cytherella bermudensis, with which it frequently occurs. It also is similar in shape and reticulate micro-ornament to C. arostrata, a Bahamian species, but differs by greater proportional height. Also, Platella muelleri may have similar micro-ornament. Similar undescribed species occur elsewhere in the Caribbean (Maddocks & Iliffe, 1986).

Habitat: Anchialine limestone caves

Ecology: Specimens of C. kornickeri were collected with a fine mesh hand net from bottom silt near the base of the entrance slope in 9 m depth at Palm Cave; from bottom rocks in 5 m depth in Cherry Pit Cave; from ceiling, walls and small ledges in the entrance pool at 7 m water depths in Myrtle Bank Cave; and from bottom silt and walls of the rear portion of the main entrance pool in 6 to 8 m water depths in Walsingham Cave. Palm and Myrtle Bank Caves are interconnected by submerged passages, while Cherry Pit Cave is not far away. Walsingham Cave may be part of the same hydrological system but is located neared to Castle Harbour. All caves exchange tidally with open waters.

Life History: Specimens collected included 4 males, 1 female, 7 juveniles, and 18 subfossil specimens.

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