ZS Issue

Spelaeogammarus quilombola sp. nov. (Amphipoda: Bogidielloidea: Artesiidae): a New Stygobitic Amphipod for Brazil, with a Supplementary Description of Spelaeogammarus bahiensis Da Silva Brum, 1975

Júlia Barbosa Galo, Giovanna Monticelli Cardoso, Rodrigo Lopes Ferreira^*

Júlia Barbosa Galo

Universidade Federal de Lavras (UFLA), Instituto de Ciências Naturais (ICN), Departamento de Ecologia e Conservação (DEC), Centro de Estudos em Biologia Subterrânea (CEBS). Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brasil

jullbgallo@gmail.com

Giovanna Monticelli Cardoso

gmcardoso.bio@gmail.com

Rodrigo Lopes Ferreira

drops@ufla.br

[We follow the code of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature, taxonomic papers with new species/genus descriptions will not have early view version.]

Communicated by Ka Hou Chu

A new stygobitic amphipod species of the genus Spelaeogammarus is described from a cave in the municipality of Morro do Chapéu, in Bahia, northeastern Brazil, increasing the total number of species in the genus to eleven. Spelaeogammarus quilombola sp. nov. shares similarities primarily with Spelaeogammarus spinilacertus, S. bahiensis, and S. trajanoae, but can be distinguished from its congeners by specific morphological and morphometric traits. An updated comparative table highlighting the diagnostic characteristics of Spelaeogammarus species are also provided. Additionally, we offer a supplementary description of S. bahiensis da Silva Brum, 1975, the type species of the genus. Finally, we discuss the habitat characteristics and the threats facing both species addressed in this study. Given its high endemism, this new species holds particular significance for biogeographical and conservation studies.

Keywords

Taxonomy, Cave fauna, Threatened species, Amphipoda, Stygobitic