Brasileirinho cavaticus

Brasileirinho cavaticus is a species of freshwater isopod. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Brasileirinho, which in turn is the only member of the family Brasileirinidae.[1]

Brasileirinho cavaticus
Scientific classification
Domain:
Kingdom:
Phylum:
Class:
Order:
Suborder:
Family:
Brasileirinidae

Prevorčnik, Ferreira & Sket, 2012
Genus:
Brasileirinho

Prevorčnik, Ferreira & Sket, 2012
Species:
B. cavaticus
Binomial name
Brasileirinho cavaticus
Prevorčnik, Ferreira & Sket, 2012

Description

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It has a transparent white-ish oval body. The male is around 1.7 millimetres (0.067 in) long, whereas the female is around 2.4 millimetres (0.094 in) long. Both are around 3 times longer than it is wide. It doesn't have eyes. The first and second pleonites are much smaller than the pereonites. Pleonites three to five are as long as the pereonites. The entire length of the pleotelson does not exceed one fifth of the entire body length. The first pair of pleopods is absent in females, and uniramous in males. Despite their aquatic habitat, they are unable to swim.[2]

Ecology

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The species is a troglobiont, found in a pond in a karst cave in Bahia, Brazil. The members of the species were found to aggregate on the bottom of the pond. The pond featured a relatively high population density, with individuals frequently bumping into each other. They do not exhibit any phototactic behavior. They most likely feed on Guano.[2]

References

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  1. ^ Boyko, Christopher B. (2024). Schotte M, Boyko CB, Bruce NL, Poore GC, Taiti S, Wilson GD (eds.). "Brasileirinho cavaticus Prevorčnik, Ferreira & Sket, 2012". World Marine, Freshwater and Terrestrial Isopod Crustaceans database. World Register of Marine Species.
  2. ^ a b Prevorčnik, Simona; Lopes Ferreira, Rodrigo; Sket, Boris (2012). "Brasileirinidae, a new isopod family (Crustacea: Isopoda) from the cave in Bahia (Brazil) with a discussion on its taxonomic position" (PDF). Zootaxa. 3452: 47–65.