Unique and fragile diversity emerges from Brazilian caves – two new amphibious species of Xangoniscus Campos-Filho, Araujo & Taiti, 2014 (Oniscidea, Styloniscidae) from Serra do Ramalho karst area, state of Bahia, Brazil

By

Campos-Filho, Ivanklin Soares
Gallo, Jéssica
Gallão, Jonas Eduardo
Torres, Dayana
Horta, Lília
Carpio-Díaz, Yesenia
López-Orozco, Carlos
Borja-Arrieta, Ricardo
Aguiar, José Otávio
Bichuette, Maria Elina.

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2022

Original Publication

Subterranean Biology

Volume

42

Pages

1--22

Subjects

Bambuí geomorphological group , Limestone , Terrestrial isopods , troglobitic , Upper Aquifer

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.42.75725

 

Abstract

Two new troglobitic species of Xangoniscus are described from two caves of Serra do Ramalho karst area, Bambuí geomorphological group, state of Bahia. Xangoniscus lapaensissp. nov. is described from Gruna Boca da Lapa cave, and X. loboisp. nov. from Gruna da Pingueira II cave. Both species are blind and depigmented and show amphibious habits, as observed for all species of Xangoniscus described until now. Xangoniscus lapaensissp. nov. occurs in travertine pools fed by water of the upper aquifer, and X. loboisp. nov. occurs in a small stream, an upper vadose tributary. Both species occur in fragile microhabitats. Ecological and behavioral data, conservation remarks, and IUCN conservation assessments are included to provide background data for conservation efforts in this unique karst area.