First record of Aegla leach, 1821 (Decapoda: Anomura) in drainages flowing into Iguaçu national park with description of two new species
Arantes, T.; Oliveira-Rogeri, L.; Bochini, G. L.; Frazato, P.S.R.; Souza-Shibatta, L.; Mantelatto, F.L.; Teixeira, G.M. (2025). First record of Aegla leach, 1821 (Decapoda: Anomura) in drainages flowing into Iguaçu national park with description of two new species. Zool. Anz. 318: 53-64. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jcz.2025.07.005
In: Zoologischer Anzeiger. Gustav Fischer Verlag: Jena. ISSN 0044-5231; e-ISSN 1873-2674, more
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| Keyword |
Taxonomic status > New taxa > New species
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| Author keywords |
Aegla naipi; Aegla taroba |
| Authors | | Top |
- Arantes, T.
- Oliveira-Rogeri, L.
- Bochini, G. L.
- Frazato, P.S.R.
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- Souza-Shibatta, L.
- Mantelatto, F.L.
- Teixeira, G.M.
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| Abstract |
Iguaçu National Park, located in Brazil, although internationally recognized for its scenic waterfalls, remains vastly underexplored in terms of its freshwater invertebrate fauna. In this study, we report the first confirmed records of the freshwater crab genus Aegla Leach, 1821 (Decapoda: Anomura) in streams flowing into this protected area and describe two new species: Aegla naipi sp. nov. and Aegla taroba sp. nov. Our integrative approach, combining detailed morphological comparisons and molecular phylogenetic analyses, reveals that these taxa represent a distinct lineage within the Aegla clade, reflecting complex patterns of endemism and historical isolation. Specimens were collected and preserved in alcohol, examined morphologically, and analyzed using COI and COII sequences with species delimitation methods. Both species show restricted distributions and exhibit diagnostic characters that differentiate them from all known congeners, emphasizing the neglected micro-endemism in the region. Our findings not only expand the known distribution of the genus Aegla but also draw attention to the urgent need for biodiversity assessments and conservation strategies focused on aquatic microhabitats in remnants of the Atlantic Forest. |
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