Oxossioniscus, Campos-Filho & Teixeira Lisboa & Monticelli Cardoso, 2018

Campos-Filho, Ivanklin Soares, Teixeira Lisboa, Jonathas & Monticelli Cardoso, Giovanna, 2018, A new genus and two new species of Pudeoniscidae Lemos de Castro 1973 (Crustacea: Isopoda: Oniscidea) from Brazil, Journal of Natural History (J. Nat. Hist.) 52 (7 - 8), pp. 457-482 : 468

Oxossioniscus gen. nov.

Type species. Oxossioniscus akoko sp. nov. by present designation.

Diagnosis

Cephalon as in family diagnosis; pereonite 1 epimera with dorsolateral furrow, sometimes reduced, and without schisma; dorsal cuticle smooth or with verruca-like scales, and dorsolateral furrow with verruca-like scales or scaled; pereonites 1 – 3 with ventral lobes slightly developed; mandibles with molar penicil dichotomized; maxillula of 4 + 6 teeth, inner set cleft; maxilla bilobate; maxilliped endite without penicil or tooth-like seta, distal outer margin bearing one hook-like seta; dactylus of two claws, inner claw not surpassing outer claw, ungual seta simple, dactylar seta surpassing outer claw; uropod as in family diagnosis; pleopod 1 – 4 exopods with polyspiracular covered lungs of Eubelum - type, somhetimhes pleopod 5 exopod without any respiratory structure.

Etymology

The new genus is named after the Afro-Brazilan divinity Oxóssi. The origin of the word comes from the Ióruba language, o ṣ óòsi. Oxóssi is known as a divinity of hunting, forests, animals and abundance.

Remarks

The new genus Oxossioniscus is erected in the presence of polyspiracular covered lungs of Eubelum - type on pleopod 1 – 4 exopods, and the exopod 5 without any respiratory structure. The presence of polyspiracular lungs is also observed in members of Armadillidae (i.e. Troglodillo ( Kwon and Taiti, 1993) , Eubelidae (i.e. Oropactes Ferrara and Taiti, 1982 ; Rufut a Taiti and Ferrara, 1981; and Trogleubelum Arcangeli, 1950 ), and Philosciidae (i.e. Aphiloscia Budde-Lund, 1908 ) (see Taiti and Ferrara 1981; Ferrara and Taiti 1982; Ferrara et al. 1990, 1994; Taiti et al. 1998; Paoli et al. 2002). The presence of these types of respiratory structures in different families of Crinocheta probably indicates a convergent or parallel evolution, and is probably related with the morphophysiological adaptations to reduce water loss through transpiration, and to repel water by the perispiracular area, present in all types of covered lungs ( Hoese 1982; Taiti et al. 1998; Paoli et al. 2002).

Oxossioniscus gen. nov. can easily be distinguished from Brasiloniscus and Pudeoniscus by the distinct polyspiracular covered lungs on pleopod 1 – 4 exopods.