Amphibious shelter-builder Oniscidea species from the New World with description of a new subfamily, a new genus and a new species from Brazilian cave (Isopoda, Synocheta, Styloniscidae)

PLoS One. 2015 May 20;10(5):e0115021. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0115021. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

The new subfamily Iuiuniscinae, Styloniscidae, is erected for the new genus Iuiuniscus and the new species I. iuiuensis, which is described from cave of the State of Bahia, Northeastern Brazil. A special ecological character is shown here for the first time for a New World Oniscidea: the construction of mud shelters. An introduction addressing the systematics of Synocheta with emphasis on Styloniscidae Vandel, 1952 is provided, as well as general comments about the dependence of water in some Oniscidea and ecological traits of amphibious Synocheta. The problems referring to nomenclature, taxonomy and the interrelationships in Styloniscidae are discussed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animal Distribution*
  • Animals
  • Brazil
  • Caves*
  • Ecosystem*
  • Isopoda / classification*
  • Isopoda / growth & development

Grants and funding

Funding was provided by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), process nº 477712/2006–1, and to R. L. F. (CNPq grant nr. 301061/2011–4), and by Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ) to A. R. S., by grant, process nr. E-26/110.773/2012. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.