Expanding the knowledge on the diversity of the cavernicolous Styloniscidae Vandel, 1952 (Oniscidea, Synocheta) from Brazil, with descriptions of two new species from the semiarid karst regions

Abstract

Two new species of Pectenoniscus from two caves in karst areas of the Brazilian semiarid region are described. Pectenoniscus pankaru Campos-Filho, Torres & Bichuette, sp. nov. from Gruna do Govi cave, Serra do Ramalho karst area, state of Bahia, and Pectenoniscus fervens Campos-Filho, Taiti & Bichuette, sp. nov. from Toca Coroa do Frade cave, Barra Bonita karst area, state of Piauí. In addition, specimens of Cylindroniscus flaviae from Gruta da Tapagem (= Caverna do Diabo), Açungui karst area were also recorded. An updated diagnosis of Pectenoniscus and a distribution map of the species examined herein are given.

First amphibious Crinocheta (Isopoda, Oniscidea) from the Neotropics with a troglobitic status: a relictual distribution

“…nov. exhibits several distinctive features, including troglomorphisms, such as the absence of eyes and body pigments, as well as the elongation of the pereiopods. These characteristics are typical traits found in amphibious troglobitic Oniscidea ( Campos-Filho et al 2014 , 2019 , 2022a , 2022b ; Souza et al 2015 ; Cardoso et al 2020a , 2020b , 2021 ; Bastos-Pereira et al 2022 ). One key trait common among representatives with this type of habit is the absence of noduli laterales , which represents an important character in the classification of some groups of terrestrial isopods ( Schmidt 2008 ).…”

“…To date, Brazil holds the highest diversity of species in the Neotropical region, comprising more than 250 species (see Campos-Filho et al 2018 , 2019 , 2020 ; Cardoso et al 2020a , 2020b , 2021 ). Among them, more than 40 are considered obligatory cave-dwellers (troglobites), grouped in the families Armadillidae , Philosciidae , Pudeoniscidae , Scleropactidae and Styloniscidae ( Campos-Filho et al 2018 , 2019 , 2020 , 2022a , 2022b , 2022c , 2023 ; Cardoso et al 2020a , 2020b , 2021 ; Cardoso and Ferreira 2023 ; López-Orozco et al in press). Moreover, Styloniscidae comprise the highest number of troglobitic species, some of which have amphibious habits (e.g., Xangoniscus spp.…”

“…and Spelunconiscus spp.) ( Campos-Filho et al 2014 , 2022a ; Bastos-Pereira et al 2017 , 2022 ; Cardoso et al 2020a ).…”

“…Most of the amphibian species of Oniscidea found in caves belong to the Section Synocheta , primarily from the families Styloniscidae and Trichoniscidae ( Vandel 1973 ; Taiti and Gruber 2008 ; Bedek et al 2011 ; Taiti and Xue 2012 ; Tabacaru and Giurginca 2013 ; Campos-Filho et al 2014 , 2019 , 2022a , 2022b , 2022c ; Souza et al 2015 ; Cardoso et al 2020a , 2021 ; Bastos-Pereira et al 2022 ; Reboleira et al 2015 ). In Crinocheta , this type of habit has been described in the family Olibrinidae , which includes species found in caves and marine littoral environments in the genera Castellanethes Brian, 1952, Olibrinus Budde-Lund, 1912 and Paradoniscus Taiti & Ferrara, 2004 ( Taiti and Ferrara 2004 ; Taiti and Gardini 2022 ; Moutaouakil et al 2023 ).…”

Shedding light into Brazilian subterranean isopods (Isopoda, Oniscidea): expanding distribution data and describing new taxa

“…In Brazil, more than 220 species of Oniscidea are known, of which 79 were recorded in caves. Among them, 38 are considered troglobites (obligatory cave-dwellers) and several are troglophiles (facultative cave-dwellers) (Trajano & Carvalho 2017; Campos-Filho et al 2018a, 2019, 2020, 2022a, b, c; Fernandez et al 2019; Cardoso et al 2020a, 2020b, 2021, 2022a, 2022b, 2023; Bastos-Pereira et al 2022). However, for some Oniscidea taxa, these subterranean categories were not properly assigned due to the lack of efficient sampling outside caves.…”