Francisco Diogo Rocha Sousa1,2, Lourdes Maria Abdu Elmoor-Loureiro2, Sandro Santos1. 1. Núcleo de Estudos em Biodiversidade Aquática, Programa de Pós-graduação em Biodiversidade Animal, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria-UFSM, Av. Roraima 1000, Camobi, Santa Maria CEP 97105-900, RS, Brazil. 2. Laboratório de Biodiversidade Aquática, Universidade Católica de Brasília-UCB, QS7 lote 1, Bloco M, sala 204, Taguatinga CEP 71966-700, DF, Brazil.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The subfamily Aloninae has been the focus of extensive studies on the Chydoridae because it has a higher diversity of species and due to the necessity of a detailed redescription of many taxa, especially using characters related to thoracic appendages. The polyphyletic genus Alona was redefined recently, and many species complexes were translocated to natural groups. The pulchella-group is a candidate for removal from Alona because it forms a well-defined complex of species, besides possessing higher species diversity. At present, 50 % of the known species occur in the Neotropics. RESULTS: In this study, we described Alona kaingang, a new species of pulchella-group distributed in southern South America. The new species shares with other species similarities in general features of limbs but, for instance, differs from South American Alona glabra because it has a short postabdomen. Alona kaingang sp. nov. differs from Andean Alona altiplana because it has thick denticles on the postabdomen and longitudinal lines on the carapace are absent. Differences in the limbs were also observed. CONCLUSIONS: Alona kaingang sp. nov. is part of the group that contains species with complete connection between the main head pores. Like other species of the pulchella-group, A. kaingang sp. nov. also has similarities with the genus Ovalona. The relationship between these two species groups still needs to betested.
BACKGROUND: The subfamily Aloninae has been the focus of extensive studies on the Chydoridae because it has a higher diversity of species and due to the necessity of a detailed redescription of many taxa, especially using characters related to thoracic appendages. The polyphyletic genus Alona was redefined recently, and many species complexes were translocated to natural groups. The pulchella-group is a candidate for removal from Alona because it forms a well-defined complex of species, besides possessing higher species diversity. At present, 50 % of the known species occur in the Neotropics. RESULTS: In this study, we described Alona kaingang, a new species of pulchella-group distributed in southern South America. The new species shares with other species similarities in general features of limbs but, for instance, differs from South American Alona glabra because it has a short postabdomen. Alona kaingang sp. nov. differs from Andean Alona altiplana because it has thick denticles on the postabdomen and longitudinal lines on the carapace are absent. Differences in the limbs were also observed. CONCLUSIONS:Alona kaingang sp. nov. is part of the group that contains species with complete connection between the main head pores. Like other species of the pulchella-group, A. kaingang sp. nov. also has similarities with the genus Ovalona. The relationship between these two species groups still needs to betested.
Entities:
Keywords:
Alona anamariae; Chydoridae; Head pores; Limb; Ovalona; Postabdomen