Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB), Centro de Ciências Exatas e da Natureza, Departamento de Zoologia, Campus I, Castelo Branco, CEP 58051-900, João Pessoa/PB, Brazil. .
Published: March 2023
AI Article Synopsis
Article Abstract
Elpidium is the most common ostracod genus occurring in phytotelmata in the Neotropical region, with distributions ranging from Florida, USA in the north to Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil in the south. However, the genus remains poorly known both in terms of diversity and of the distributional pattern of its species. Here, we describe six new species of Elpidium, E. oxumae n. sp., E. cordiforme n. sp., E. picinguabaense n. sp., E. eriocaularum n. sp., E. higutiae n. sp., E. purium n. sp., all from phytotelm environments in the Brazilian Atlantic rain forest. In addition, we discuss the distributional pattern and endemicity levels of Elpidium species in the light of these new taxonomic results and argue about possible misunderstandings on the distribution of the type species E. bromeliarum.
Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB), Centro de Ciências Exatas e da Natureza, Departamento de Zoologia, Campus I, Castelo Branco, CEP 58051-900, João Pessoa/PB, Brazil. .
Elpidium is the most common ostracod genus occurring in phytotelmata in the Neotropical region, with distributions ranging from Florida, USA in the north to Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil in the south. However, the genus remains poorly known both in terms of diversity and of the distributional pattern of its species. Here, we describe six new species of Elpidium, E.
Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB), Centro de Ciências Exatas e da Natureza, Departamento de Zoologia, Campus I, Castelo Branco, CEP 58051-900, João Pessoa/PB, Brasil. E-mail: (Pereira); (DaSilva).
species exclusively inhabiting confined and temporary environments, such as those of tank-bromeliads, are a source of interesting and diverse studies on taxonomy, evolution and ecology, to name a few. However, despite its great diversity of species or potential for study, this genus (and other phytotelm members) has been poorly studied. In the last years, however, description of species increased from six before 2013 to 11 today.
Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Evolução da Biodiversidade, Avenida Ipiranga, 6681, 90619-900 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Temporary waters are common environments found in physical and biological substrates. Among them, some bromeliads species are known to hold water in their tanks, in a habitat called phytotelmata. Phytotelmata serve as habitats for several organisms, from bacteria and protists to arthropods and anurans.
Federal University of Paraíba, Center of Exact and Nature Sciences, Department of Zoology, Laboratory of Entomology, Campus I, Castelo Branco, CEP 58051-900, João Pessoa / PB, Brazil..
Elpidium ostracods are known by their very particular niche (water accumulated in tank-bromeliads), their relatively low dispersal ability and their dependency on amphibians for dispersal and colonization of new bromeliads. All these characteristics make the genus an interesting group for evolutionary, ecological and even taxonomic studies. However, the diversity of the group remains poorly studied.
Laboratório de Ecologia de Vertebrados, Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier 524, Rio de Janeiro, 20550-013, Brazil,
Aquatic organisms can use many methods of dispersal among discrete freshwater habitats, and phoresy is an important but poorly understood mechanism. Tank bromeliads are small and unconnected habitats used by many animals, and some of them use phoresy for dispersal. Ostracods living in bromeliads used treefrogs as phoretic hosts for dispersal.
