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To date, six species of terrestrial isopods were known from Brazilian caves, but only four could be classified as troglobites. This article deals with material of Oniscidea collected in many Brazilian karst caves in the states of Pará, Bahia, Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso do Sul, and São Paulo, and deposited in the collections of the Museu de Zoologia, Universidade de São Paulo, the Coleção de Carcinologia do Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, and the collection of the Natural History Museum, Section of Zoology ‘La Specola’, Florence. Three new genera have been recognized: Spelunconiscus gen. nov. and Xangoniscus gen. nov. (Styloniscidae), and Leonardoscia gen. nov. (Philosciidae). Twenty‐two species have been identified, 11 of which in the families Styloniscidae, Philosciidae, Scleropactidae, Plathyartridae, Dubioniscidae, and Armadillidae are new to science: Leonardoscia hassalli sp. nov., Metaprosekia quadriocellata sp. nov., Metaprosekia caupe sp. nov., Amazoniscus leistikowi sp. nov., Novamundoniscus altamiraensis sp. nov., Trichorhina yiara sp. nov., Trichorhina curupira sp. nov., and Ctenorillo ferrarai sp. nov. from Pará; Xangoniscus aganju sp. nov. from Bahia; and Spelunconiscus castroi sp. nov. and Trichorhina anhanguera sp. nov. from Minas Gerais. Four new species in the families Styloniscidae (Spelunconiscus castroi sp. nov. and Xangoniscus aganju sp. nov.), Philosciidae (Leonardoscia hassalli sp. nov.), and Scleropactidae (Amazoniscus leistikowi sp. nov.) with highly troglomorphic traits can be considered as troglobitic, whereas all the remaining species are either troglophilic or accidentals. Brazilian caves are now under potential threat because of recent legislation, and the knowledge of the subterranean biodiversity of the country is thus of primary importance.  © 2014 The Linnean Society of London

JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.. The Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Biotropica. ABSTRACT A mark-recapture study of cave bats was carried out in the Alto Vale do rio Ribeira, SE Brazil. The size of the colonies varied monthly, indicating the occurrence of frequent movements among caves and a low degree of roost fidelity for the commonest species: Desmodus rotundus, Carollia perspicillata, Anoura caudifer, Artibeus fimbriatus. Phyllostomines (Trachops cirrhosus, Chrotopterus auritus) and Peropteryx macrotis seem more sedentary, as suggested by their higher recapture rates. D. rotundus uses multiple roosts, mostly within relatively small areas, with a 2-3 km radius. These vampires move preferentially along valleys, males moving more than females. Frequency of movements is probably related to the availability of roosts and dimate. The climate of the Alto Ribeira is subtropical, with cool nights during the "dry" season, when part of the vampire population (and other species as well) would migrate to warmer regions. Recapture rates and the estimated individual ranges are similar to those observed for this species in other regions. The minimum population density of D. rotundus varied monthly from one to 3.5 individuals per km2. Diphylla ecaudata moves more frequently and probably has larger individual ranges than D. rotundus, possibly due to its higher feeding specialization. RESUMO A ecologia de populasoes de morcegos cavernicolas do Alto Vale do Ribeira, Sudeste do Brasil, foi estudada atraves do metodo de marcasao e recaptura. Em geral, o tamanho das col6nias de morcegos variou mensalmente, o que indica a ocorrencia de movimentos frequentes entre cavernas e um baixo grau de fidelidade ao abrigo, ao menos nas esp&cies mais comuns: Desmodus rotundus, Carollia perspicillata, Anoura caudifer, Artibeusfimbriatus. Taxas superiores de recaptura sugerem que os morcegos Phyllostominae (Trachops cirrhosus, Chrotopterus auritus), assim como Peropteryx macrotis, sao mais sedentarios. D. rotundus utiliza abrigos multiplos, em geral situados em uma area relativamente pequena, com 2 a 3 km de raio. Esses vampiros deslocam-se preferencialmente ao longo de vales, sendo que os machos movimentam-se mais que as femeas. A frequencia de deslocamentos esta provavelmente relacionada A disponibilidade de abrigos e ao dima. 0 clima do Alto Ribeira e sub-tropical, com noites frias durante a estasao "seca," quando parte das populasoes de morcegos migraria para regioes mais quentes. As taxas de recaptura e a area de vida estimada para os vampiros comuns sao similares as observadas em outras regioes estudadas. A densidade populacional minima variou mensalme...

Citation: Trajano E, Carvalho MR (2017) Towards a biologically meaningful classification of subterranean organisms: a critical analysis of the Schiner-Racovitza system frpm a historical perspective, difficulties of its application and implications for conservation. Subterranean Biology 22: 1-26. https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.22.9759 Abstract Subterranean organisms always attracted the attention of humans using caves with various purposes, due to the strange appearance of several among them and life in an environment considered extreme. According to a classification based on the evolutionary and ecological relationships of these organisms with subterranean habitats, first proposed by Schiner in 1854 and emended by Racovitza in 1907, three categories have been recognized: troglobites, troglophles and trogloxenes. The Schiner-Racovitza system has been discussed, criticized, emended, the categories have been redefined, subdivided, original meanings have changed, but it is used until now. Herein we analyze in a conceptual framework the main ecological classifications of subterranean organisms, from Schiner to Trajano, in 2012, so far the last author to introduce a relevant conceptual change on the categories definitions, incorporating the source-sink population model. Conceptual inconsistencies are pointed, especially with regards to the generally ill-defined trogloxene category, and the correspondence between categories according to the original sense and in alternative classifications is discussed. Practical criteria for distinction between these categories and difficulties for their application are presented. The importance of rightly classifying subterranean populations according to the Schiner-Racovitza system for conservation of these fragile and mostly threatened habitats is discussed.

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In a survey of epigean and cave streams in the São Domingos karst area, 38 species were present in the stream reaches, including 10 characiforms, 19 siluriforms, seven gymnotiforms and two perciforms. One species of Astyanax and the new armoured catfish species Parotocinclus were the most common epigean fishes in São Domingos. The most conspicuous non‐troglomorphic cave fishes were Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus, Astyanax sp., Brycon sp. and two species of Imparfinis, with I. hollandi being the most common fish in most caves. São Domingos karst area has the most diverse and abundant Brazilian cavefish fauna, not only in terms of troglobitic species but also in general fish richness, with 22 non‐troglomorphic species recorded in caves in addition to five troglobitic ones. Most fishes examined for stomach contents had at least partially full stomachs. The studied fishes were carnivorous, feeding primarily on aquatic insects. Fishes with developed gonads recorded in caves were I. hollandi, Rhamdia quelen, Pseudocetopsis plumbeus, Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus and Cichlasoma araguaiensis, indicating a potential for reproduction in the subterranean habitat.