Abstract
Pseudochthonius ramalhosp. nov. is described to Gruna do Vandercir cave, in the Serra do Ramalho karst area, southwestern Bahia, Brazil. This area has an extensive limestone outcrop, with several caves, and the occurrence of potential minerals that are financially attractive for mining projects. The new species shows troglomorphic characteristics such as the depigmentation of the carapace and absence or reduction of eyes. It is a rare troglobitic species, and following the criteria of IUCN, we categorized the species as Critically Endangered – CR, IUCN criteria B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii). According to Brazilian legislation, locations, where critically endangered species live, can be protected by law, and we consider this cave/region to be of maximal relevance for protection.
Highlights
Pseudochthonius is one of the four Chthoniidae genera that occurs in Brazilian caves, previously reported only for13 caves, with four species (Beier 1969; Mahnert 2001). This genus was recorded in other karst areas and biogeographical provinces, increasing its distribution to 37 caves (Schimonsky and Bichuette 2019b)
Species of Pseudochthonius occur in five Brazilian states (Fig. 9): in the state of São Paulo with representatives of P. strinatii and P. ricardoi in cave habitats (Alto Ribeira karst area) and P. brasiliensis; in state of Minas Gerais, with the troglobitic species P. biseriatus endemic to the cave Olhos d‘Água; in the state of Bahia, with the new species described P. ramalho sp. nov., troglobitic and endemic of to Gruna do Vandercir cave, and P. gracilimanus in cave habitat; in the state of Pará with representatives P. orthodactylus and P. tuxeni; and in the state of Amazonas the species P. homodentatus has been found in the Ducke Reserve and P. heterodentatus Hoff, 1946 was registered in the Urucu river basin (Aguiar and Bührnheim 1994). This genus was recorded in other karst areas and biogeographical provinces, increasing its distribution to 37 more caves (Schimonsky and Bichuette 2019b)
These characteristics are useful to differentiate hypogean from epigean species, they do not explain the direct connection between the subterranean habitats and the species that inhabit it (Juberthie and Decu 1994)
Summary
The family Chthoniidae includes three subfamilies, Chthoniinae, Tridenchthoniinae, and Lechtyiinae, currently with 50 genera and 769 described species in the world (Harvey 2013; Zhang and Zhang 2014; Gao et al 2018; Zaragoza and Reboleira 2018; Benavides et al 2019). It occurs in several regions of the world, with the greatest diversity in the USA (147), Italy (84), Spain (59), Australia (36) (Harvey 2013). In Brazil, the family Chthoniidae has 29 species in eleven genera, Heterolophus Tömösváry, 1884, Tridenchthonius Balzan, 1887, Lechthyia Balzan, 1892, Pseudochthonius Balzan, 1892, Compsaditha Chamberlin, 1929, Tyrannochthonius Chamberlin, 1929, Austrochthonius Chamberlin, 1929, Soroditha Chamberlin & Chamberlin, 1945, Neoditha Feio, 1945, Cryptoditha Chamberlin & Chamberlin, 1945 and Lagynochthonius Beier, 1951 (Harvey 2013; Lira et al 2020)
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