Spelaeogammarus quilombola sp. nov.: a New Stygobitic Amphipod for Brazil, with Supplementary Description of Spelaeogammarus bahiensis Da Silva Brum, 1975
This study provides important taxonomic insights into the subterranean amphipod genus Spelaeogammarus. We describe a new troglobitic species from Brejões Cave, Bahia State, and present a supplementary description of Spelaeogammarus bahiensis, the type species of the genus, based on newly collected material and detailed morphological analyses. The redescription clarifies previously ambiguous diagnostic characters, refining the generic definition and allowing more accurate comparisons among species. In recent years, several new species of Spelaeogammarus have been discovered and described, revealing the still underestimated distribution and diversity of the genus. Altogether, these findings strengthen the taxonomic framework of Spelaeogammarus and highlight the remarkable biodiversity and endemism of Brazil’s subterranean aquatic ecosystems.
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