Remnants of an ancient world: three new genera and three new species of Calabozoidea isopods from Brazilian semi-arid caves (Crustacea: Isopoda)

Published: March 25 2025
Abstract Views: 186
PDF: 3
Publisher's note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Authors

Newly discovered cave-restricted species found within the Jandaíra karst formation in Rio Grande do Norte state, northeastern Brazil, have unveiled three new calabozoid species. To accommodate their unique differences based in the shape of the head shield, the pleon morphology, and the pleopods exopod shape, the genera Oiticicarcinia n. gen., Itararecarcinia n. gen., and Poicarcinia n. gen. were established. Specifically, Oiticicarcinia epikarstica n. sp. was discovered in cave epikarst pools within Felipe Guerra municipality, while Itararecarcinia yapyra n. sp. was found in two karst resurgence caves along the Apodi-Mossoró River in Governador Dix-Sept Rosado municipality. Additionally, Poicarcinia jandairensis n. sp. was identified in Jandaíra municipality. This study presents detailed descriptions of these new genera and associated species, complemented by ecological insights, habitat descriptions, and conservation status.

Altmetrics

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Citations

Alvares CA, Stape JL, Sentelhas PC, Moraes G, Leonardo J, Sparovek G. 2013. Köppen’s climate classification map for Brazil. Meteorologische Zeitschrift. 22(6):711–728. https://doi.org/10.1127/0941-2948/2013/0507 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1127/0941-2948/2013/0507
Bagni FL, Bezerra FH, Balsamo F, Maia RP, Dall'Aglio M. 2020. Karst dissolution along fracture corridors in an anticline hinge, Jandaíra Formation, Brazil: Implications for reservoir quality. Marine and Petroleum Geology. 115:1–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2020.104249 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2020.104249
Bento DM, Souza-Silva M, Vasconcellos A, Bellini BC, Prous X, Ferreira RL. 2021. Subterranean “oasis” in the Brazilian semiarid region: neglected sources of biodiversity. Biodiversity and Conservation. 30:3837–38571. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-021-02277-6 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-021-02277-6
Bento DM, Ferreira RL, Vasconcellos A, Lima JLR, Oliveira G, Silva TC, Lima SMQ. 2024. Before it’s too late: priority areas for conservation of cryptic and threatened species of troglobitic arthropods in the Brazilian semiarid. Biodiversity and Conservation. 33(6):1–26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-024-02833-w DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-024-02833-w
Bezerra FHR, Takeya MK, Sousa MOL, Nascimento AF. 2007. Coseismic reactivation of the Samambaia fault, Brazil. Tectonophysics. 430(1–4):27–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2006.10.007 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2006.10.007
Brasil. 2000. Lei no 9.985, de 18 de julho de 2000. Regulamenta o art. 225, § 1o, incisos I, II, III e VII da Constituição Federal, institui o Sistema Nacional de Unidades de Conservação da Natureza e dá outras providências. Diário Oficial [da] República Federativa do Brasil: seção 1, Brasília, DF, n. 138, 19 jul. https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/l9985.htm (accessed 4 October 2024).
Brasil. 2008. Decreto nº 6.640, de 7 de novembro de 2008. https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/_ato2007-2010/2008/decreto/d6640.htm (accessed 10 February 2025).
Brasil. 2022. Decreto n° 10.935, de 12 de Janeiro de 2022. http://www.in.gov.br/en/web/dou/-/decreto-n-10.935-de-12-de-janeiro-de-2022-373591582 (accessed 10 February 2025). DOI: https://doi.org/10.18226/22370021.v12.n2.01
CANIE/CECAV 2022. Cadastro Nacional de Informações Espeleológicas. Available in: https://www.gov.br/icmbio/pt-br/assuntos/centros-de-pesquisa/cecav/cadastro-nacional-de-informacoes-espeleologicas/canie (accessed 4 Oct 2024).
Ceballos G, Ehrlich PR, Barnosky AD, García A, Pringle RM, Palmer TM. 2015. Accelerated modern human–induced species losses: Entering the sixth mass extinction. Science Advances. 1(5):1–5. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1400253 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1400253
Cruz JB, Bento DM, Bezerra FHR, Freitas JIM, Campos UP. 2010. Diagnóstico Espeleológico do Rio Grande do Norte. Revista Brasileira de Espeleologia. 1(1):1–24.
Destouni G, Jaramillo F, Prieto C. 2013. Hydroclimatic shifts driven by human water use for food and energy production. Nature climate change. 3(3):213–217. https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate1719 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate1719
Fišer C, Zagmajster M, Ferreira RL. 2013. Two new Amphipod families recorded in South America shed light on an old biogeographical enigma. Systematics and Biodiversity. 11(2):117–139. https://doi.org/10.1080/14772000.2013.788579 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14772000.2013.788579
Ford D, Williams P. 2007. Karst hydrogeology and geomorphology. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. 578 pp. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118684986
Hoch H, Ferreira RL. 2013. Potiguara troglobia gen. n., sp. n. – first record of a troglobiotic Kinnaridae from Brazil (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha). Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift. 60(1):33–40. https://doi.org/10.1002/mmnd.201300003
ICMBio – Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade. 2018. Instrução Normativa no 21, de 18 de dezembro de 2018. Disciplina os procedimentos para a elaboração, aprovação, publicação, implementação, monitoria, avaliação e revisão de Planos de Ação Nacional para Conservação de Espécies Ameaçadas de Extinção. Diário Oficial [da] República Federativa do Brasil: seção 1, Brasília, DF, n. 243, 19 dec. https://www.gov.br/icmbio/pt-br/assuntos/biodiversidade/pan/saiba-mais/documentos-e-downloads/01_-_in_icmbio_no_21_de_18_de_dez_de_2018-1.pdf (accessed 4 October 2024).
IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee. 2022. Guidelines for Using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. Version 15.1. Prepared by the Standards and Petitions Committee. https://www.iucnredlist.org/resources/redlistguidelines (accessed 4 October 2024).
Leal-Zanchet AM, de Souza ST, Ferreira RL. 2014. A new genus and species for the first recorded cave-dwelling Cavernicola (Platyhelminthes) from South America. ZooKeys. 442:1–15. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.442.8199 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.442.8199
Mammola S, Cardoso P, Culver DC, Deharveng L, Ferreira RL, Fišer C, Galassi DMP, Griebler C, Halse S, Humphreys WF et al. 2019. Scientists' warning on the conservation of subterranean ecosystems. BioScience. 69(8):641–650. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biz064 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biz064
MMA – Ministério do Meio Ambiente. 2014. Portaria no 43, de 31 de janeiro de 2014. Institui o Programa Nacional de Conservação das Espécies Ameaçadas de Extinção - Presepe’s. Diário Oficial [da] República Federativa do Brasil: seção 1, Brasília, DF, n. 25, 5 feb. https://www.icmbio.gov.br/cma/images/stories/Legislacao/Portarias/portaria_MMA_43.2014.pdf (accessed 4 October 2024).
Messana G, Baratti M, Benvenuti D. 2002. Pongycarcinia xiphidiourus n. gen. n. sp., a new Brazilian Calabozoidae (Crustacea, Isopoda). Tropical Zoology. 15:243–252. https://doi.org/10.1080/03946975.2002.10531178 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/03946975.2002.10531178
Montesanto G. 2015. A fast GNU method to draw accurate scientific illustrations for taxonomy. Zookeys. 515:191–206. https://www.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.515.9459 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.515.9459
Montesanto G. 2016. Drawing setae: a GNU way for digital scientific illustrations. Nauplius. 24:1–6. https://www.doi.org/10.1590/2358-2936e2016017 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/2358-2936e2016017
Prevorčnik S, Ferreira RL, Sket B. 2012. Brasileirinidae, a new isopod family (Crustacea: Isopoda) from the cave in Bahia (Brazil) with a discussion on its taxonomic position. Zootaxa. 3452:47–65. https://www.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3452.1.2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3452.1.2
Rosseti DF, Bezerra FHR, Dominguez JML. 2013. Late Oligocene–Miocene transgressions along the equatorial and eastern margins of Brazil. Earth-Science Reviews. 123:87–112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2013.04.005 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2013.04.005
Schmidt C. 2008. Phylogeny of the terrestrial Isopoda (Oniscidea): a review. Arthropod Systematics & Phylogeny. 66(2):191–226. https://doi.org/10.3897/asp.66.e31684 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/asp.66.e31684
Silva JMC, Leal I, Tabarelli M. 2017. Caatinga: the largest tropical dry forest region in South America. First edition. New York: Springer. 482 pp. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-68339-3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-68339-3
Souza ECF, Brant A, Rangel CA, Barbosa LE, Carvalho CEG, Jorge RSP, Subirá RJ. 2018a. Avaliação do risco de Extinção da fauna brasileira: ponto de partida para a conservação da biodiversidade. Diversidade e Gestão. 2(2):62–75.
Souza S, Riutort M, Ferreira RL, Leal-Zanchet A. 2018b. An integrative taxonomic approach reveals the first marine triclad (Platyhelminthes) trapped in a cave from a semiarid Neotropical environment. Invertebrate Systematics. 32(3):627–638. https://doi.org/10.1071/IS17062 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1071/IS17062
Tabacaru I, Danielopol DL. 1999. Contribution à connaissance de la phylogénie des Isopoda (Crustacea). Vie et Millieu. 49(2/3):163–176.
Tabacaru I, Giurginca A. 2019. Contributions to the study of the Trichoniscidae (Isopoda, Oniscidea) I. Definition and taxonomic position. Travaux de l’Institut de Spéologie “Emile Racovitza”. 58:47-631
Tabacaru I, Giurginca A. 2021. The monophyly and the classification of the terrestrial Isopods (Crustacea, Isopoda, Oniscidea). Travaux de l`Institut de Spéologie "Émile Racovitza. 59:3–23.
Van Lieshout SEN. 1983. Calabozoidea, a new suborder of stygobiont Isopoda, discovered in Venezuela. Bijdragen tot de Dierkunde. 53(1):165–177. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/26660644-05301013
Wilson GDF. 1991. THIRTEEN. Functional morphology and evolution of isopod genitalia. In: Bauer RT, Martin JW, editors. Crustacean Sexual Biology. New York, Chichester, West Sussex: Columbia University Press. p. 228–245. https://doi.org/10.7312/baue90796-014 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7312/baue90796-014

Supporting Agencies

Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), Instituto Brasileiro de Desenvolvimento e Sustentabilidade – IABS

How to Cite



Remnants of an ancient world: three new genera and three new species of Calabozoidea isopods from Brazilian semi-arid caves (Crustacea: Isopoda). (2025). Tropical Zoology, 38(1-2). https://doi.org/10.4081/tz.2025.180

Similar Articles

1-10 of 67

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.