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Issue: Vol. 5866 No. 1: 10 Aug. 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-08-10
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5866.1.1
Page range: 1-18
Abstract views: 331
PDF downloaded: 40

Hidden diversity beneath the surface: Two new species of Hyalella Smith, 1874 (Amphipoda: Hyalellidae) from Southeastern Brazil, with a pictorial key to hypogean species

Laboratório de Carcinologia; Departamento de Ecologia e Conservação; Instituto de Ciências Naturais; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia Aplicada; Universidade Federal de Lavras. 37200–900; Lavras; Minas Gerais; Brazil
Laboratório de Estudos Subterrâneos; Departamento de Ecologia e Biologia Evolutiva; Universidade Federal de São Carlos. Rodovia Washington Luís km 235; 13565-905; São Carlos; São Paulo; Brazil
Laboratório de Carcinologia; Departamento de Ecologia e Conservação; Instituto de Ciências Naturais; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia Aplicada; Universidade Federal de Lavras. 37200–900; Lavras; Minas Gerais; Brazil
Crustacea freshwater amphipods morphology subterranean habitats taxonomy

Abstract

The amphipod genus Hyalella is widely distributed across freshwater environments throughout the American continent. The genus comprises both surface-dwelling (epigean) and subterranean (hypogean) species, with the highest diversity of hypogean populations currently known from Brazil. In this study, we describe two new cave-dwelling species of Hyalella from Southeastern Brazil, Gruta da Tapagem Cave (24°42'47"S; 48°25'6"W) and Jane Mansfield Cave (24°16'11"S; 48°26'41"W) located in a high biodiversity region for subterranean biodiversity, the Upper Ribeira karst area, and we provided an illustrated (pictorial) identification key for the Brazilian hypogean species of the genus. H. lucifera sp. nov. is a troglophile species with a normal eyes, has no curved seta on the inner ramus of the male’s uropod 1, and with 10 serrate setae on the outer plate of maxilla 1. H. jayne sp. nov. is characterized by gnathopod 1 of male with polygonal pattern on the disto-posterior corner and comb scales on the anterior margin of the propodus, and polygonal pattern on the dactylus, maxilla 1 palp not reaching half the distance between base of palp and base of setae on outer plate. In this work, we expanded the studies on the diversity of Hyalella subterranea in Brazil and contributed to the understanding of the morphological differentiation and distribution of hypogean amphipods in the karst region of Alto Ribeira.

References

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How to Cite

Penoni, L.R., Bichuette, M.E. & Bueno, A.A.D.P. (2026) Hidden diversity beneath the surface: Two new species of Hyalella Smith, 1874 (Amphipoda: Hyalellidae) from Southeastern Brazil, with a pictorial key to hypogean species. Zootaxa, 5866 (1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5866.1.1