New cave species of Pectenoniscus Andersson, 1960 (Isopoda: Oniscidea: Styloniscidae) and an identification key for the genus

Abstract

The genus Pectenoniscus Andersson, 1960 currently presents two described species, one epigean, Pectenoniscus angulatus Andersson, 1960, from Nova Teutônia municipality, Santa Catarina state (Southern Brazil) and the hypogean Pectenoniscus liliae Campo-Filho, Bichuette and Taiti, 2019, found in two caves in the Serra do Ramalho karst area (Carinhanha municipality), Bahia state (northeastern Brazil). Recent surveys in karstic areas of Minas Gerais and Bahia revealed six new cave species from this genus, which are herein described. Two species occur in Minas Gerais state in the transition between the biomes Cerrado (Brazilian savannah) and Caatinga (mesophytic and xeromorphic forests): Pectenoniscus montalvaniensis n. sp. from Abrigo da Ema cave (Montalvânia municipality) and Pectenoniscus juveniliensis n. sp. from Gruta do Tabuleirinho cave (Juvenilia municipality). The other four species were found in Bahia state, in Caatinga biome: Pectenoniscus iuiuensis n. sp. from Baixa da Fortuna cave (Iuiu municipality); Pectenoniscus carinhanhensis n. sp. from three caves in Serra do Ramalho (Carinhanha municipality); Pectenoniscus santanensis n. sp. from Gruta do Padre cave (Santana municipality); and Pectenoniscus morrensis n. sp. from Gruta dos Brejões cave (Morro do Chapéu municipality). Aside from the taxonomic descriptions, we provide ecological notes for each described species, as well as an identification key for Pectenoniscus.