Unveiling a hidden diversity: descriptions of nine new species of Ctenorillo Verhoeff, 1942 (Isopoda, Armadillidae) discovered in Brazilian caves and their importance for conservation

Abstract

Nine species of CtenorilloVerhoeff, 1942 are described from Brazil, revealing a great diversity of the genus in South America. Ctenorillo pelado Cardoso & Ferreira, n. sp., and C. araguaia Cardoso & Ferreira, n. sp. are described, and C. ferrarai Campos-Filho, Araujo & Taiti, 2014 has the knowledge of its distribution expanded from the state of Pará (north of Brazil); Ctenorillo intertidalis Cardoso & Ferreira n. sp., C. ubajarensis Cardoso & Ferreira, n. sp., C. cearensis Cardoso & Ferreira, n. sp. and C. quiteriensis Cardoso & Ferreira, n. sp. are described from the state of Ceará (northeast Brazil); C. potiguar Cardoso & Ferreira, n. sp. from the state of Rio Grande do Norte (northeast Brazil); C. iuiuensis Cardoso & Ferreira, n. sp. from the state of Bahia (northeast Brazil); and C. jequitinhonha Cardoso & Ferreira, n. sp. from the state of Minas Gerais (southeast Brazil). Most of the newly identified species are found in protected conservation areas and are therefore legally protected. However, special attention should be paid to C. iuiuensis Cardoso & Ferreira, n. sp., a troglobitic species, due to its distinctive ecological features and its habitat being limited to a single cave, which is currently not protected.