Gabunillo enfurnado Campos-Filho, Sfenthourakis & Bichuette, n. sp.

(Figs 31-34; 49A)

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: A4EE21C6-925C-468A-BAFA-269C98E8E6C9

Microsphaeroniscus sp. – Fernandes et al. 2016: 7, table 1; 2019: 1110, fig. 2d, table 1.

TYPE MATERIAL.— Holotype. Brazil • ♀; Gruta do Enfurnado cave, Coribe, state of Bahia; 13°38’45”S, 44°12’08”W; 15.IV.2010; M. E. Bichuette & J. E. Gallão leg.; LES 28004.

Paratypes. Brazil • Same data as holotype: 16 ♀ (one in micropreparations); LES 6416 • 4 ♀; LES 6415; 18 ♀, 6416; 3 ♀, 6417; 16 ♀, 6418) • 2 ♀; same locality as holotype; VII.2007; M. E. Bichuette, F. D. Passos & B. S. Brito leg; LES 6421 • 2 ♀; same as previous; LES 6423 • 8♀; same as previous; LES 6425 • 1♀; same locality and collectors as previous; 11.VIII.2007; LES 6426 • 1 ♀; same locality as holotype; 5. V.2007; E. Trajano & D. Sansone leg.; LE 6422 • 7 ♀; same locality and collectors as previous; IX.2007; LES 6428 • 1 ♀; same locality and collectors as previous; LES 6429 • 1 ♀; same locality and collectors as previous; LES 6430 .

ETYMOLOGY. — The new species is named after the locality where the specimens were collected, Gruna do Enfurnado. In Portuguese, the term ‘enfurnado’ is a verbal term meaning ‘to be placed in the cave’.

DESCRIPTION

Maximum body length: 3.5 mm. Body pigments and eyes absent. Body strongly convex (Figs 31A; 34A). Dorsal surface covered with triangular scale-setae (Figs 31B; 34D). Noduli laterales short inserted near posterior margins and more or less at same distance from lateral margins (Fig. 31E, G). Cephalon (Figs 31A, C, D; 34B, C) with frontal shield subquadrangular, frontal line faintly visible. Pereonite 1 epimera with convex lateral margins, anterior corners directed frontwards, outline continuous with cephalon; pereonite 2-4 epimera rounded, 5-7 subquadrangular; pereonite 1 epimera laterally grooved on all length, ventral lobe of schisma rounded, not surpassing dorsal lobe; pereonite 2 epimera without ventral lobe (Fig. 31A, C, E-H). Pleonite 3-5 epimera subquadrangular, outline continuous with that of pereonite 7; telson with lateral margins slightly concave (Figs 31A, I; 34A). Antennula (Fig. 31J) proximal and distal articles similar in length, distal article bearing many apical aesthetascs. Antenna (Fig. 31K) short, stout, not surpassing pereonite 1 when extended backwards; flagellum distal article twice as long as proximal article; apical organ bearing two long free sensilla. Mandibles (Fig. 32A, B) with dense cushion of setae on incisor process, molar penicil of 7-9 branches. Maxillula (Fig. 32C) inner endite with two transverse apical penicils, distal margin bearing outer tip; outer endite as in diagnosis. Maxilla (Fig. 32D) inner lobe rounded covered with thick setae; outer lobe rounded, three times as wide as inner lobe, covered with thin setae. Maxilliped (Fig. 32E) palp with two distinct setae on proximal article; endite subrectangular, medial seta strong, surpassing distal margin, distal margin with inner tip and one triangular seta. Pereopods stout; pereopod 1-7 merus to propodus bearing sparse setae on sternal margin and apically cleft; pereopod 1 carpus with short transverse antennal grooming brush; dactylus of two claws, inner claw short, ungual and dactylar setae simple, not surpassing outer claw (Fig. 33B, C). Uropod (Fig. 33A) protopod subtriangular, filling gap between pleonite 5 and telson, endopod inserted proximally, and surpassing protopod. Pleopod 1 exopod (Fig. 33D) ovoid. Pleopod 2 exopod (Fig. 33E) subtriangular, medial margin serrate, distal margin slightly concave bearing two small setae. Pleopod 3 and 4 exopods (Fig. 33F, G) rectangular, medial margin truncated and serrate, distal margin straight bearing small setae. Pleopod 5 exopod (Fig. 33H) triangular, medial margin serrate, distal margin slightly convex bearing short setae.

REMARKS

The genus Gabunillo was erected by Schmalfuss & Ferrara (1983) to include the troglobitic species G. coecus from Grotte de Pahau and Grotte de N’Doumbou, Lastourville, Gabon. Souza et al. (2010) described a second species, G. aridicola Souza, Senna & Kury, 2010 from Gruta do Sobradinho cave, Aiuába, state of Ceará, Brazil.

In the SEM photographs of G. aridicola provided by Souza et al. (2010), it is possible to observe that the pereonite 1 epimeron is grooved on its posterior corner and not developing along its lateral margin, the pereonite 1-3 epimera have ventral lobes, that are less developed on pereonites 2 and 3, the uropod protopod is trapezoidal with short exopod dorsally inserted, and the pleopod exopods have a lateral opening, typical of covered monospiracular pleopodal lungs (see also Paoli et al. 2002). Considering these characters, G. aridicola does not belong to Gabunillo but a reexamination of this species is necessary for its correct generic placement.

Gabunillo enfurnado Campos-Filho, Sfenthourakis & Bichuette, n. sp. is considered to be a troglobitic due to the absence of body pigments and eyes. The cave where the specimens were collected, Gruna do Enfurnado, lies in the Brazilian xeric region, namely Caatinga. This region is part of the Chacoan Domain (see Morrone et al. 2022).