Eukoenenia virgemdalapa (Palpigradi: Eukoeneniidae): a new troglobitic palpigrade from Brazil

Abstract

The order Palpigradi is currently represented by 13 species in South America. Among these, six species of the genus Eukoenenia Börner 1901 are found in Brazil: E. roquetti (Mello-Leitão & Arlé 1935), E. janetscheki Condé 1993, E. maquinensis Souza & Ferreira 2010, E. ferratilis Souza & Ferreira 2011 E. spelunca Souza & Ferreira 2011 and E. potiguar Ferreira, Souza, Machado & Brescovit, 2011. The number of described species in Brazil has increased from two to six in the last two years. Furthermore, Brazil is the richest South American country in terms of native described species. Despite the apparent advance in knowledge concerning Brazilian palpigrades, many species remain undescribed, and several areas were not even sampled in the country. Souza & Ferreira (2010) showed that palpigrades are widely distributed in some regions of the country and new species have been found. In this study, E. virgemdalapa, the third species of troglobitic Palpigradi from Brazil is described.