Taxonomy based on science is necessary for global conservation

Peer reviewe

Catálogo Taxonômico da Fauna do Brasil: setting the baseline knowledge on the animal diversity in Brazil

The limited temporal completeness and taxonomic accuracy of species lists, made available in a traditional manner in scientific publications, has always represented a problem. These lists are invariably limited to a few taxonomic groups and do not represent up-to-date knowledge of all species and classifications. In this context, the Brazilian megadiverse fauna is no exception, and the Catálogo Taxonômico da Fauna do Brasil (CTFB) (http://fauna.jbrj.gov.br/), made public in 2015, represents a database on biodiversity anchored on a list of valid and expertly recognized scientific names of animals in Brazil. The CTFB is updated in near real time by a team of more than 800 specialists. By January 1, 2024, the CTFB compiled 133,691 nominal species, with 125,138 that were considered valid. Most of the valid species were arthropods (82.3%, with more than 102,000 species) and chordates (7.69%, with over 11,000 species). These taxa were followed by a cluster composed of Mollusca (3,567 species), Platyhelminthes (2,292 species), Annelida (1,833 species), and Nematoda (1,447 species). All remaining groups had less than 1,000 species reported in Brazil, with Cnidaria (831 species), Porifera (628 species), Rotifera (606 species), and Bryozoa (520 species) representing those with more than 500 species. Analysis of the CTFB database can facilitate and direct efforts towards the discovery of new species in Brazil, but it is also fundamental in providing the best available list of valid nominal species to users, including those in science, health, conservation efforts, and any initiative involving animals. The importance of the CTFB is evidenced by the elevated number of citations in the scientific literature in diverse areas of biology, law, anthropology, education, forensic science, and veterinary science, among others

New species and new records of freshwater Heterolepidoderma (Gastrotricha: Chaetonotidae) from Brazil with an identification key to the genus

Garraffoni, André R. S., Melchior, Marina P. (2015): New species and new records of freshwater Heterolepidoderma (Gastrotricha: Chaetonotidae) from Brazil with an identification key to the genus. Zootaxa 4057 (4): 551-568, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4057.4.

Description of a New Scaled Species of Ptychostomella (Gastrotricha: Macrodasyida) from the Brazilian Coast and a Cladistics Analysis of the Genus

A new species of marine Gastrotricha from the north coast of São Paulo state, Brazil, is described. Adults of Ptychostomella sebastiana sp. nov. are unique in that they possess a pair of dorsolateral “rod-like” cephalic sensory organs and subrectangular scales covering the lateral body surfaces. A cladistic analysis was performed to investigate the internal relationship of the representatives of the taxa based on morphological data. Our analysis supported the monophyly of the taxon Ptychostomella, but its internal phylogenetic relationships are not well established due to the low phylogenetic signal of morphological characters used in the present study

FIGURE 5 in New species and new records of freshwater Heterolepidoderma (Gastrotricha: Chaetonotidae) from Brazil with an identification key to the genus

FIGURE 5. Heterolepidoderma mariae sp. nov. paratype. DIC photomicrographs: A) Dorsal view of distribution and shape of scales. B) Ventral view of distribution and shape of scales and cilia. White arrow indicates hypostomium. Scale bars: 22 Μm.Published as part of Garraffoni, André R. S. & Melchior, Marina P., 2015, New species and new records of freshwater Heterolepidoderma (Gastrotricha: Chaetonotidae) from Brazil with an identification key to the genus, pp. 551-568 in Zootaxa 4057 (4) on page 558, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4057.4.5, http://zenodo.org/record/23511

Description of a New Scaled Species of <i>Ptychostomella</i> (Gastrotricha: Macrodasyida) from the Brazilian Coast and a Cladistics Analysis of the Genus

A new species of marine Gastrotricha from the north coast of São Paulo state, Brazil, is described. Adults of Ptychostomella sebastiana sp. nov. are unique in that they possess a pair of dorsolateral “rod-like” cephalic sensory organs and subrectangular scales covering the lateral body surfaces. A cladistic analysis was performed to investigate the internal relationship of the representatives of the taxa based on morphological data. Our analysis supported the monophyly of the taxon Ptychostomella, but its internal phylogenetic relationships are not well established due to the low phylogenetic signal of morphological characters used in the present study

Heterolepidoderma mariae Garraffoni & Melchior, 2015, sp. nov.

&lt;i&gt;Heterolepidoderma mariae&lt;/i&gt; sp. nov. &lt;p&gt;(Figs. 3&ndash;6; Tab. 2)&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Type material.&lt;/b&gt; Holotype. Photographs of one specimen (adult), collected from an urban lagoon on 26/Jun/2015, in floating vegetation with &lt;i&gt;Eichhornia&lt;/i&gt; sp. in the city of Paul&iacute;nia, Brazil, available at the Museum of Zoology, University of Campinas, Brazil, under accession number ZUEC GCH 19. Paratypes. Photographs of five specimens (adults), collected from an urban lagoon on 03/Mar/2015, in floating vegetation with &lt;i&gt;Eichhornia&lt;/i&gt; sp. in the city of Paul&iacute;nia, Brazil, available at the Museum of Zoology, University of Campinas, Brazil, under accession numbers ZUEC GCH 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Additional material.&lt;/b&gt; Three specimens were examined alive with a compound microscope and are no longer extant (collected at Broa Dam, city of S&atilde;o Carlos, Brazil); two specimens were prepared for SEM.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Etymology.&lt;/b&gt; The specific epithet honors Dr. Maria Balsamo, who has greatly contributed to our understanding of freshwater gastrotrichs. She was also very kind and helpful to the first author (ARSG) when he first started studying this tiny, funny-looking worms 7 years ago.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Autapomorphies.&lt;/b&gt; Dorsal body surface covered by keeled scales of three different shapes, on the head a thin line of cilia connecting the two lomgitudinal bands of ventral cilia, interciliary area with elliptical keeled scales with short spines, with pharyngeal field portion naked.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Diagnosis.&lt;/b&gt; Small species, 129&ndash;151 &Mu;m in total length. Body width 9&ndash;11 &Mu;m, 19&ndash;25 &Mu;m, 27&ndash;31 &Mu;m, 16&ndash;17 &Mu;m and 11&ndash;14 &Mu;m at head, neck, trunk, base of furca and adhesive tubes, respectively. Three-lobed head with developed cephalion, pleurae and hypostomium. Anterior sensory bristles anchored by papillae and posterior sensory bristles anchored by double-keeled scales. Straight furca with rather thin adhesive tubes pointing slightly outward at distal end. Dorsal body surface covered by keeled scales of three different shapes, distributed into 20&ndash; 22 longitudinal rows of 34&ndash;38 scales each. Columns converge on the narrow parts of the body. Ventral interciliary area with round keeled scales, pharyngeal field portion naked, and one pair of large keeled scales. Ventral ciliation in two longitudinal bands, connected in the anterior part of the body. Subterminal mouth. Pharynx 35&ndash;38 &Mu;m in length, with anterior and posterior swellings.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Description.&lt;/b&gt; Description based on holotype. &lt;i&gt;Heterolepidoderma mariae&lt;/i&gt; &lt;b&gt;sp. nov.&lt;/b&gt; is a small-sized species, 138 &Mu;m in total body length (Figs 2&ndash;4). Head is three-lobed, epipleurae more developed than hypopleurae. Cephalion 9 &Mu;m in width. Hypostomium 9.5 &Mu;m in width, well developed without anterior teeth, upper part straight, lower part concave (Figs. 4 E; 5B; 6A&ndash;B). One pair of cephalic ciliary tufts with two different sizes of cilia: 8, 15 &Mu;m, respectively. Ocellar granules absent.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Body width 22 &Mu;m at the head (U10), 20 &Mu;m at the neck (U25), 29 &Mu;m at the trunk (U54) and 13 &Mu;m at the base of the furca (U80). Head slightly delimited from trunk by neck constriction that gradually widens into the trunk, which reaches its greatest width around U45&ndash;50. The trunk then tapers into a straight furca, 7 &Mu;m in length, with rather thin adhesive tubes, 13.5 &Mu;m in length, pointing slightly outward at their distal ends. Base of furca covered dorsolaterally, laterally and ventrally with keeled scales. Anterior and posterior sensory bristles present, anterior pair at U26&ndash;27 anchored by papillae and posterior pair at U84 anchored by double-keeled scales.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Dorsal body surface covered by 20&ndash;22 longitudinal rows of 34&ndash;38 keeled scales with visible edges (Figs. 3 A; 4B; 5A; 6C&ndash;F). The median row of dorsal scales is straight, except in the narrowest part of the neck and the rearmost trunk region, where it is replaced by 4 to 6 rows of diagonally arranged scales. Three different dorsal scale shapes: a) head scales small, oval with trilobate keels, 2.3&ndash;2.5 &Mu;m in length and 1.4&ndash;2.1 &Mu;m in width (Figs. 3 A; 4B; 5A; 6C); b) trunk scales elongate-oval with slight constriction in the median region, straight posterior end and trilobate keels, 4&ndash;6 &Mu;m in length and 1.5&ndash;2 &Mu;m in width (Figs. 3 A; 4B; 5A; 6D&ndash;E); c) posterior body scales elongate-oval with fine keels drawing out into simple fine spines, 5 &Mu;m in length and 2 &Mu;m in width (Figs. 3 A; 6D,F).&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;The interciliary area is covered by 5&ndash;6 longitudinal rows of 14 elliptical keeled scales with short spines (1&ndash; 1.5&Mu;m), in each longitudinal row, with pharyngeal field portion naked. The last posterior row (including ventral terminal scales) consists of four larger keeled scales, with two different sizes (approximately 2,5 and 5 &Mu;m in length). Ventral ciliation appears as two longitudinal bands that merge on the head, forming a transverse band of cilia (Figs. 3 B; 4C&ndash;D; 5B; 6A,B).&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Mouth subterminal, 4&ndash;6.4 &Mu;m in diameter; pharynx 35&ndash;38 &Mu;m in length with anterior and posterior swellings. Anterior region of pharynx without cuticular rods.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Some specimens were in parthenogenetic phase, with the egg (60&ndash;67 &Mu;m in length) positioned laterally in the trunk region.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Remarks.&lt;/b&gt; The genus &lt;i&gt;Heterolepidoderma&lt;/i&gt; includes 22 species that inhabit inland water. Among them, only &lt;i&gt;Heterolepidoderma mariae&lt;/i&gt; &lt;b&gt;sp. nov.&lt;/b&gt;, &lt;i&gt;H. majus,&lt;/i&gt; &lt;i&gt;H. brevitubulatum&lt;/i&gt; Kisielewski, 1981 and &lt;i&gt;H. jureiense&lt;/i&gt; have a clearly three-lobed head. &lt;i&gt;H. jureiense&lt;/i&gt; can be excluded from further comparison as it is the only species with ventrolateral lamellae among these four species. &lt;i&gt;Heterolepidoderma brevitubulatum&lt;/i&gt; has adhesive tubes extremely short and slightly bifurcate, whereas in &lt;i&gt;H. mariae&lt;/i&gt; &lt;b&gt;sp. nov.&lt;/b&gt; and &lt;i&gt;H. majus&lt;/i&gt;, the adhesive tubes are at least 4 times longer and not bifurcate. &lt;i&gt;Heterolepidoderma mariae&lt;/i&gt; &lt;b&gt;sp. nov.&lt;/b&gt; can be distinguished from &lt;i&gt;H. majus&lt;/i&gt; because it has a dorsal body surface covered by keeled scales with three different shapes, as well as a transverse band of cilia on the head connecting the two bands of longitudinal ventral cilia, whereas &lt;i&gt;H. majus&lt;/i&gt; has only one type of keeled scales on its dorsal surface, and its two ventral bands of cilia separate.&lt;/p&gt;Published as part of &lt;i&gt;Garraffoni, André R. S. &amp; Melchior, Marina P., 2015, New species and new records of freshwater Heterolepidoderma (Gastrotricha: Chaetonotidae) from Brazil with an identification key to the genus, pp. 551-568 in Zootaxa 4057 (4)&lt;/i&gt; on pages 555-558, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4057.4.5, &lt;a href="http://zenodo.org/record/235113"&gt;http://zenodo.org/record/235113&lt;/a&gt

Heterolepidoderma famaillense Grosso & Drahg 1991

&lt;i&gt;Heterolepidoderma famaillense&lt;/i&gt; Grosso &amp; Drahg, 1991 &lt;p&gt;(Figs. 7&ndash;8; Tab. 3)&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Localities.&lt;/b&gt; Brazil: cities of Diamantina, S&atilde;o Gon&ccedil;alo do Rio Preto and Santo Ant&ocirc;nio do Itamb&eacute;, state of Minas Gerais. Reported for the first time in Brazil.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Material.&lt;/b&gt; Photographs of four specimens (adults), collected on 29/May/ 2009 in the city of Diamantina, Brazil, available at the Museum of Zoology, University of Campinas, Brazil, under accession numbers ZUEC GCH 13, 14, 15 and 16. Six specimens were examined alive with a compound microscope and are no longer extant.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Elongated body (Fig. 8 A). Five-lobed head with two pairs of cephalic cilia. Ocellar granules absent. Dorsal scales overlapping; longitudinal rows of keeled scales parallel to the body (Fig. 7 B&ndash;C; 8B). Ventral ciliation as a continuous field of transverse rows covering the entire ventral body surface in the pharyngeal and beginning of the intestinal regions, splitting at the beginning of the intestinal region (U26&ndash;27) to form two separate longitudinal bands (Fig. 8 C). The interciliary area is covered by elliptical keeled scales, with the pharyngeal portion of the field naked (Fig. 8 C). Ventral terminal scales consists of one pair of larger elliptical keeled scales in the rearmost portion of the ventral region (Fig. 7 D). Subterminal mouth (Fig. 7 A). Pharynx with posterior swellings only.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Remarks.&lt;/b&gt; The Brazilian specimens exhibit similar ranges to those of Argentinean specimens (Tab. 3), but we were able to find specimens both smaller and larger than those reported by Grosso &amp; Drahg (1991). In terms of morphology, the specimens in our study agree with the original description of &lt;i&gt;H. famaillense&lt;/i&gt; previously reported in Argentina, Tucuman, Famaill&aacute; (27&deg;03&prime;16&Prime;S&ndash;65&deg;24&prime;07&Prime;W), particularly in the pattern of ventral cilia, and in the distribution and shape of the dorsal keeled scales.&lt;/p&gt;Published as part of &lt;i&gt;Garraffoni, André R. S. &amp; Melchior, Marina P., 2015, New species and new records of freshwater Heterolepidoderma (Gastrotricha: Chaetonotidae) from Brazil with an identification key to the genus, pp. 551-568 in Zootaxa 4057 (4)&lt;/i&gt; on page 559, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4057.4.5, &lt;a href="http://zenodo.org/record/235113"&gt;http://zenodo.org/record/235113&lt;/a&gt

Heterolepidoderma

Key to Freshwater Species of the Genus &lt;i&gt;Heterolepidoderma&lt;/i&gt; &lt;p&gt;1. Body elongated (130&ndash;190 &micro;m)........................................................................... 2&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;- Body short, compact (90&ndash;120 &micro;m)........................................................................ 9&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; 2. Posterior trunk region drastically reducing in width, head shaped as an isosceles trapezoid.... &lt;i&gt;H. trapezoidum&lt;/i&gt; K&aring;nneby, 2011&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;- Posterior trunk region tapering gently in width, head shape rounded, not as an isosceles trapezoid...................... 3&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;3. Head three-lobed...................................................................................... 4&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;- Head five-lobed....................................................................................... 6&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; 4. Internal edges of furca base with one pair of short spines; adhesive tubes very short, fairly thick, and slightly bifurcate............................................................................. &lt;i&gt;H. brevitubulatum&lt;/i&gt; Kisielewski, 1981&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;- Internal edges of furca base without one pair of short spines; adhesive tubes elongated............................... 5&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; 5. Presence of a transverse band of cilia on the head connecting the two bands of longitudinal ventral cilia; some longitudinal rows of dorsal scales with diagonally arranged scales in the neck and rearmost trunk regions............ &lt;i&gt;H&lt;/i&gt;. &lt;i&gt;mariae&lt;/i&gt; &lt;b&gt;sp. nov.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; - Absence of transverse band of cilia on the head connecting the two bands of longitudinal ventral cilia; longitudinal rows of dorsal scales parallel to the body axis.................................................... &lt;i&gt;H. majus&lt;/i&gt; Remane, 1927&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; 6. Scales and keels hardly noticeable..................................................... &lt;i&gt;H. gracile&lt;/i&gt; Remane, 1927&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;- Strongly keeled scales..................................................................................7&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; 7. Furca base without scales; adhesive tubes forcipate............................... &lt;i&gt;H. longicaudatum&lt;/i&gt; Kisielewski, 1979&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;- Furca base covered with scales; adhesive tubes more or less straight pointing slightly outward at their distal ends..........8&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; 8. Oval scales in 35&ndash;40 longitudinal rows; Ventral ciliation as a two separate longitudinal bands for the whole body................................................................................. &lt;i&gt;H. kossinense&lt;/i&gt; Preobrajenskaja, 1926&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; - Elliptical scales in 30&ndash;32 longitudinal rows; Ventral ciliation as a continuous field of transverse rows covering the entire ven- tral body surface in the pharyngeal and beginning of the intestinal regions, splitting at the beginning of the intestinal region to form two separate longitudinal bands........................................ &lt;i&gt;H. famaillense&lt;/i&gt; Grosso &amp; Drahg, 1991&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;9. Presence of cuticular reinforcements (or rods) in the anterior part of the pharynx................................... 10&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;- Absence of cuticular reinforcements (or rods) in the anterior part of the pharynx...................................13&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; 10. Two pairs of cuticular reinforcements (or rods) in pharynx............................ &lt;i&gt;H. dimentmani&lt;/i&gt; Kisielewski, 1999&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;- One pair of cuticular reinforcements (or rods) in pharynx..................................................... 11&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; 11. Paired ventrolateral row of delicate lamellae absent................................. &lt;i&gt;H&lt;/i&gt;. &lt;i&gt;joermungandri&lt;/i&gt; K&aring;nneby, 2011&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;- Paired ventrolateral row of delicate lamellae present......................................................... 12&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; 12. Interciliary area in pharyngeal and anterior part of intestinal portions naked, 35 longitudinal rows of scales........................................................................................... &lt;i&gt;H. jureiense&lt;/i&gt; Kisielewski, 1991&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; - Entire interciliary area covered with small keeled scales with spiny processes, 17&ndash;23 longitudinal rows of scales................................................................................ &lt;i&gt;H. lamellatum&lt;/i&gt; Balsamo &amp; Fregni, 1995&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;13. Longitudinal rows of dorsal scales more or less curved....................................................... 14&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;- Longitudinal rows of dorsal scales straight, parallel to the longitudinal axis...................................... 17&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; 14. Pharynx swellings only at the posterior end (large terminal bulb); 40&ndash;45 longitudinal rows of dorsal scales.......................................................................................... &lt;i&gt;H. multiseriatum&lt;/i&gt; Balsamo, 1978&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;- Pharynx cylindrical or with swellings at both ends; 10&ndash;25 longitudinal rows of dorsal scales..........................15&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; 15. Pharynx cylindrical................................................................ &lt;i&gt;H. patella&lt;/i&gt; Schwank, 1990&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;- Pharynx with swellings at both ends...................................................................... 16&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; 16. Crescent-shaped scales present; ocellar granules absent..................................... &lt;i&gt;H. obliquum&lt;/i&gt; Saito, 1937&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; - Crescent-shaped scales absent; ocellar granules present................................. &lt;i&gt;H. macrops&lt;/i&gt; Kisielewski, 1981&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; 17. Presence of keeled scales with a band of simple spines on dorsal trunk............... &lt;i&gt;H. acidophilum&lt;/i&gt; K&aring;nneby &lt;i&gt;et al.&lt;/i&gt; 2012&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;- Absence of keeled scales with a band of simple spines on dorsal trunk........................................... 18&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; 18. Scales unkeeled (minute spine-like point distally), oblong to triangular; presence of a pair of round scales on the ventral side of the furca base.......................................................... &lt;i&gt;H. pineisquamatum&lt;/i&gt; Balsamo, 1980&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;- Scales keeled; absence of a pair of round scales on the ventral side of the furca base................................ 19&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; 19. Scales visible; oblong-elliptical keeled scales, which taper distally to short simple spine (8&ndash;9 &micro;m)................................................................................................. &lt;i&gt;H. ocellatum&lt;/i&gt; Metschnikoff, 1865&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;- Scales minute; keels very delicate and hardly visible (1&ndash;2.5 &micro;m)............................................... 20&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; 20. Pharynx swelling only at the posterior end (large terminal bulb); extremely wide trunk........... &lt;i&gt;H. obesum&lt;/i&gt; d'Hondt, 1967&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;- Pharynx swellings at both ends; neck constriction gradually widens into the trunk.................................. 21&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; 21. One pair of ocellar granules; furca base without scales........................... &lt;i&gt;H. tenuisquamatum&lt;/i&gt; Kisielewski, 1981&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; - No ocellar granules; furca base covered with scales.................................... &lt;i&gt;H. illinoisense&lt;/i&gt; Robbins, 1965&lt;/p&gt;Published as part of &lt;i&gt;Garraffoni, André R. S. &amp; Melchior, Marina P., 2015, New species and new records of freshwater Heterolepidoderma (Gastrotricha: Chaetonotidae) from Brazil with an identification key to the genus, pp. 551-568 in Zootaxa 4057 (4)&lt;/i&gt; on pages 565-566, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4057.4.5, &lt;a href="http://zenodo.org/record/235113"&gt;http://zenodo.org/record/235113&lt;/a&gt