UPDATED IN MAY 10, 2025
CHECKLIST OF PHYLLA
1 ABSTRACT
We present here a detailed and taxonomically stable analysis of diversity of Metazoa in Brazil and worldwide. We use the notation ( z : y / ) x, which refers to x species in y genera of z families. Our numbers indicate
1,555,408 species worldwide in
150,422 genera at
7,424 families, with
127,739 species in Brazil, in
27,117 genera within
3,495
families, as of May 10, 2025. We classify Metazoa into 145 lineages, 124 of which have representatives in Brazil, while 21 are unknown. Groups traditionally recognized as taxonomic units, such as Polychaeta, Crustacea, Reptilia, and Fish, are analyzed in light of phylogeny, with potential fragmentation. We highlight endemic families and compare Brazilian diversity with that of Mexico, the main competing country in biodiversity in America Latina. Finally, we list some of the most important sources of publication in zoological taxonomy, both in Brazil and globally. For the phylogenetic trees presented here, 
represents a clade present in Brazil, and 
represents a clade absent.
2 INTRODUCTION and INDEX
Welcome to Synopsis of Brazilian Animal Diversity, a blog for animal taxonomy, with an extreme focus on South America and Brazil. Our focus is not group biology, importance to man or ecology - it is just basic taxonomy and geographic comparison, with notes of singularities, bringing a summary of the Brazilian fauna in relation to the global context, with comparison with other countries, a survey of checklists and some notable singularities. Here we also highlight throughout the text the comparison between Brazilian diversity and that of two other major diversity hotspots in the New World, Colombia and, especially, Mexico.
SYNOPSIS OF BRAZILIAN ANIMAL DIVERSITY
NATIONAL endemic
MEGAFAUNA and PALEONTOLOGY
BRAZILIAN CAVE FAUNA
AMPHIBIA DETAILS
SOUTH AMERICAN BIRDS
3 MAIN REFERENCES
Our work here searched hundreds of bibliographic and digital references, such as websites and platforms, in order to elaborate the most accurate database possible that summarized all the diversity of the Metazoa Kingdom and the level of the main groups in each phylum, and to obtain precise numbers of the number of families, genera and species in Brazil and in the world in each group. However, six references deserve special mention due to their extreme relevance in the construction of this text.
▪ Animal biodiversity: An outline of higher-level classification and survey of taxonomic richness (Zhi-Qiang Zhang, Zootaxa, 2013). A list of several Zootaxa publications by group can be accessed at HERE.
▪ Freshwater Animal Diversity Assessment, by Balian et al. (Hydrobiologia, 2008), as Balian (2008)
▪ Catálogo Taxonômico da Fauna do Brasil is cited here as CFTB, extremely important for several numbers, especially in Insecta, Diplopoda, Maxillopoda, Malacostraca, Arachnida and Platyhelminthes, among many others.
▪ Keys to Nearctic Fauna (BOOK), edited by James H. Thorp and D. Christopher Rogers, published in 2016, as KNF/2016.
▪ Keys to Neotropical and Antarctic Fauna (BOOK), edited by Cristina Damborenea, D. Christopher Rogers and James H. Thorp, published in 2020, as KNAF/2020.
▪ Copepedia/Animalia (SEE).
▪ Intreasures (SEE), which provides an important amount of information about endemism by country.
4 LINEAGES and NUMBERS
Zhi-Qiang (Zootaxa), 2013) recognizes 39 extant phyla (SEE), with Myxozoa independent of Cnidaria and Sipuncula and Echiura apart of Annelida; here we follow Wikipedia and treat Myxozoa inside Cnidaria, Xenoturbellida and Acoelomorpha united under Xenoacoelomorpha, Rotifera and Acanthocephala united as Syndermata (based on Laumer CE et al., Proc. R. Soc. B., 2019, and Giribet et al., BOOK, 2023), and Sipuncula and Echiura inside Annelida, based on recent works of phyllum (see text), resulting in 34 phyla: Ctenophora, Porifera, Placozoa, Cnidaria, Xenacoelomorpha, Chaetognatha, Gnathostomulida, Micrognathozoa, Syndermata, Orthonectida, Dicyemida, Gastrotricha, Platyhelminthes, Entoprocta, Cycliophora, Nemertea, Mollusca, Annelida, Brachyopoda, Bryozoa, Phoronida, Loricifera, Kinorhyncha, Priapulida, Nematomorpha, Nematoda, Tardigrada, Onychophora, Arthropoda, Hemichordata, Echinodermata, Cephalochordata, Tunicata and Craniata.
METAZOA PHYLOGENY FOR LAUMER C.E. ET AL. (SEE, 2023), LACKING NEMATOMORPHA, KINORRHYNCHA, LORICIFERA, DICYEMIDA AND ORTHONECTIDA
Brazil presents 31 of the 34 phyla accepted in this work, being one of the richest countries in the world in this regard. The highest diversities worldwide are 32 in U.S.A, Spain (lacks Orthonectida and Onychophora), Italy and France (lacks only Micrognathozoa and Onychophora); and 31 in own Brazil, Mexico (lacks Micrognathozoa, Orthonectida and Cycliophora) and Japan (lacks Micrognathozoa, Onychophora and Cycliophora).
According to data in our survey, Metazoa have 145 canonic lineages (after exclusion of Dorylaimia in Nematoda, reqialification in Chaetognatha, Entoprocta, Phoronida, Bryozoa and Hemichordata, Thaliacea in Tunicata, and requalifications in Placozoa, Platyhelminthes, Arthropoda/Pancrustacea, Priapulida and Cephalochordata). Depending on the phylum, the main strains vary from classes to genera (such as in Priapulomorpha). Of these lineages there are 21, including three whole phyla (marine parasitics Dicyemida, Orthonectida and Cycliophora), never collected in the national territory, and 124 presents. Almost a of these strains are marine and their collections are concentrated in North America and Europe, and only few occur on land or fresh water (e.g. Polypodizoa and Peripatopsidae).
Salinella salve J. Frenzel, 1892 is a dubious species of a very simple animal that may not exist, but which some have named as the sole member of the phylum Monoblastozoa. It was discovered in 1892 by Johannes Frenzel in the salt pans of Argentina and cultivated in a laboratory by him. This animal has not been found since and its real existence is considered as doubtful (Wikipedia).
5 TABLE
In the table below, in the family/genus/species columns, the first numbers represent the data for Brazil and the second the numbers in world (in parenthesis). Gray lines are the final counting of the phylum. The distribution of the parasites is given according to that of their host.
|
|
MAIN GROUPS |
FAMILIES |
GENERA |
SPECIES |
NOTES and REFERENCES |
|
1. CTENOPHORA |
TENTACULATA |
8 (33) |
10 (46) |
11 (152) |
|
|
NUDA |
1 (1) |
1 (2) |
3 (32) |
|
|
|
|
9 (34) |
11 (48) |
14 (184) |
|
|
|
2. PORIFERA |
CALCAREA |
9 (23) |
23 (87) |
77 (827) |
|
|
HEXACTINELLIDA |
9 (19) |
15 (132) |
22 (708) |
|
|
|
HOLOSCLEROMORPHA |
2 (2) |
4 (10) |
17 (132) |
|
|
|
DEMOSPONGIEAE |
71 (100) |
187 (547) |
534 (8,064) |
|
|
|
|
91 (144) |
229 (776) |
650 (9,731) |
|
|
|
3. PLACOZOA |
POLYPLACOTOMIA |
- (1) |
- (1) |
- (1) |
Known only from Alassio region, NW Italy. |
|
UNIPLACOTOMIA |
1 (4) |
1 (7) |
1 (22) |
|
|
|
|
1 (5) |
1 (8) |
1 (23) |
|
|
|
4. CNIDARIA |
HEXACORALLIA |
45 (129) |
97 (731) |
151 (3,663) |
|
|
OCTOCORALLIA |
27 (79) |
57 (422) |
106 (3,622) |
|
|
|
CUBOZOA |
4 (8) |
4 (20) |
4 (51) |
|
|
|
HYDROZOA |
79 (137) |
189 (601) |
365 (3,966) |
|
|
|
POLYPODIOZOA |
- (1) |
- (1) |
- (1) |
One sp., fish egg-parasitic from Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Romania, Canada and U.S.A. |
|
|
SCYPHOZOA |
12 (23) |
14 (65) |
20 (243) |
|
|
|
STAUROZOA |
1 (6) |
2 (14) |
2 (51) |
|
|
|
MYXOZOA |
11 (22) |
19 (69) |
213 (3,058) |
|
|
|
|
176 (405) |
382 (1,923) |
861 (14,646) |
|
|
|
5. XENACOELOMORPHA |
XENOTURBELLIDA |
- (1) |
- (1) |
- (6) |
Known only in coasts of SE Japan (1), Sweden (1), Gulf of California in NW Mexico (3) and S California (1). |
|
NEMERTODERMATIDA |
- (2) |
- (6) |
- (18) |
Known only from Swedish west coast, Belgian, E North America, Adriatic, Mediterranean seas, New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand. |
|
|
ACOELA |
9 (17) |
24 (104) |
33 (416) |
|
|
|
|
9 (20) |
24 (111) |
33 (440) |
|
|
|
6. CHAETOGNATHA |
APHRAGMOPHORA |
3 (5) |
12 (16) |
22 (66) |
|
|
PHRAGMOPHORA |
2 (4) |
2 (10) |
3 (66) |
|
|
|
|
5 (9) |
14 (26) |
25 (132) |
|
|
|
7. GNATHOSTOMULIDA |
FILOSPERMOIDA |
- (2) |
- (3) |
- (28) |
Known elsehere from Europe (7), E U.S.A. (1), Hawaii (4), Caribbean (4), Fiji (4), Sweden (4), Tahiti (1), NE Australia (1), New Zealand (2). |
|
BURS/CONOPHORALIA |
1 (1) |
1 (3) |
1 (37) |
|
|
|
BURS/SCLEROPERALIA |
1 (9) |
1 (20) |
1 (47) |
|
|
|
|
2 (12) |
2 (26) |
2 (112) |
|
|
|
8. MICROGNATHOZOA |
MICROGNATHOZOA |
1 (1) |
1 (1) |
1 (2) |
|
|
9. SYNDERMATA |
PARAROTATORIA |
- (1) |
- (2) |
- (7) |
Seisonida occur Mediterranean region, including the Adriatic Sea, and the European part of the Atlantic, Sea of Okhotsk off the Sakhalin Is., California Antarctic Ocean and Kenya. |
|
MONOGONONTA |
27 (30) |
66 (115) |
569 (2,022) |
|
|
|
BDELLOIDEA |
3 (5) |
8 (20) |
38 (438) |
|
|
|
ARCHIACANTHOCEPHALA |
3 (4) |
4 (18) |
19 (187) |
|
|
|
PALAEACANTHOCEPHALA |
8 (17) |
13 (104) |
30 (884) |
|
|
|
EOACANTHOCEPHALA |
2 (4) |
8 (9) |
20 (255) |
|
|
|
POLYACANTHOCEPHALA |
4 (1) |
4 (1) |
2 (4) |
|
|
|
|
47 (62) |
103 (269) |
678 (3,797) |
|
|
|
10. ORTHONECTIDA |
ORTHONECTIDA |
- (2) |
- (5) |
- (26) |
Parasitics widely distributed W North America, Europe and Japan. |
|
11. DICYEMIDA/RHOMBOZOA |
DICYEMIDA |
- (3) |
- (9) |
- (112) |
Parasitics widely distributed worldwide. |
|
12. GASTROTRICHA |
MACRODASYIDA |
6 (10) |
9 (37) |
13 (384) |
|
|
CHAETONOTIDA |
4 (8) |
21 (36) |
76 (510) |
|
|
|
|
10 (18) |
30 (73) |
89 (894) |
|
|
|
13. PLATYHELMINTHES |
CATENULIDA |
3 (6) |
6 (12) |
42 (111) |
|
|
MACROSTOMORPHA |
3 (4) |
5 (24) |
17 (291) |
|
|
|
AMPLIMATRICATA |
20 (43) |
33 (188) |
61 (1,098) |
|
|
|
GNOSONESIMIDA |
- (1) |
- (1) |
- (6) |
|
|
|
RHABDOCOELA |
16 (38) |
41 (364) |
89 (1,838) |
|
|
|
PROSERIATA |
5 (11) |
18 (96) |
25 (498) |
|
|
|
ADIAPHANIDA |
12 (24) |
41 (209) |
211 (1,993) |
|
|
|
BOTHRIOPLANIDA |
1 (1) |
1 (1) |
1 (2) |
|
|
|
NEODERMATA |
157 (256) |
727 (2,657) |
1,675 (16,744) |
|
|
|
|
217 (383) |
873 (3,551) |
2,122 (22,214) |
|
|
|
14. ENTOPROCTA |
SOLITARIA |
1 (1) |
1 (5) |
7 (124) |
|
|
COLONIALES |
2 (3) |
5 (10) |
10 (47) |
|
|
|
|
3 (4) |
6 (15) |
17 (171) |
|
|
|
15. CYCLIOPHORA |
SYMBIIDAE |
- (1) |
- (1) |
- (3) |
Parasitics known from Atlantic coast of North America and Europe. |
|
16. NEMERTEA |
INCERTAE SEDIS |
- (1) |
- (1) |
- (1) |
Known only from New Zealand. |
|
PALAEONEMERTEA |
2 (6) |
2 (11) |
2 (120) |
|
|
|
PILIDIOPHORA |
2 (6) |
5 (114) |
7 (486) |
|
|
|
HOPLONEMERTEA |
8 (37) |
12 (188) |
30 (750) |
|
|
|
|
12 (50) |
19 (314) |
39 (1,357) |
|
|
|
17. MOLLUSCA |
GASTROPODA |
265 (548) |
932 (7,039) |
2,737 (74,651) |
|
|
BIVALVIA |
80 (119) |
314 (1,488) |
638 (9,958) |
|
|
|
MONOPLACOPHORA |
- (4) |
- (8) |
- (31) |
|
|
|
CEPHALOPODA |
32 (62) |
75 (146) |
92 (859) |
|
|
|
SCAPHOPODA |
6 (12) |
20 (48) |
43 (581) |
|
|
|
APLACOPHORA |
5 (20) |
11 (105) |
16 (456) |
|
|
|
POLYPLACOPHORA |
7 (19) |
11 (94) |
37 (1,085) |
|
|
|
|
399 (784) |
1,363 (8,928) |
3,563 (87,621) |
|
|
|
18. ANNELIDA |
UNPLACED |
3 (5) |
10 (25) |
51 (234) |
|
|
PALEOANNELIDA |
2 (2) |
5 (6) |
18 (139) |
|
|
|
CHAETOPTERIDAE |
1 (1) |
4 (5) |
8 (83) |
|
|
|
AMPHINOMIDA |
2 (2) |
11 (28) |
20 (223) |
|
|
|
SIPUNCULA |
6 (6) |
12 (14) |
39 (205) |
|
|
|
EUNICIDA |
6 (8) |
44 (115) |
193 (1,472) |
|
|
|
PHYLLODOCIDA |
22 (26) |
173 (585) |
562 (4,857) |
|
|
|
PROTODRILIFORMIA |
4 (5) |
6 (13) |
9 (95) |
|
|
|
ORBINIIDA |
2 (4) |
11 (43) |
36 (315) |
|
|
|
CIRRATULIFORMIA |
7 (8) |
33 (132) |
104 (1,146) |
|
|
|
SIBOGLINIDAE |
1 (1) |
3 (35) |
5 (210) |
|
|
|
SABELLIDA |
3 (3) |
48 (186) |
88 (1,580) |
|
|
|
SABELARIIDA |
1 (1) |
6 (13) |
19 (152) |
|
|
|
SPIONIDA |
6 (8) |
28 (55) |
114 (778) |
|
|
|
CAPITELLIDA / ECHUIRA |
4 (7) |
38 (125) |
81 (665) |
|
|
|
SCALIBREGMATIDAE / TRAVISIDAE |
2 (2) |
5 (17) |
17 (131) |
|
|
|
OPHELIIDAE |
1 (1) |
8 (9) |
32 (178) |
|
|
|
ARENICOLIDA |
1 (1) |
2 (5) |
4 (24) |
|
|
|
TEREBELLIFORMEA |
3 (3) |
28 (79) |
80 (832) |
|
|
|
AEOLOSOMATIDA / HRABEIELLIDA |
1 (2) |
1 (4) |
11 (32) |
|
|
|
QUESTIDA |
1 (1) |
1 (1) |
1 (8) |
|
|
|
CLITELLATA |
21 (58) |
105 (721) |
408 (8,136) |
|
|
|
|
100 (155) |
582 (2,216) |
1,900 (21,495) |
|
|
|
19. BRACHYOPODA |
CRANIIFORMEA |
1 (1) |
1 (3) |
1 (11) |
|
|
LIGULIFORMEA |
2 (2) |
3 (6) |
3 (25) |
|
|
|
RHYNCHONELLIFORMEA |
5 (28) |
5 (112) |
7 (371) |
|
|
|
|
8 (31) |
9 (121) |
11 (407) |
|
|
|
20. BRYOZOA |
GYMNOLAEMATA |
89 (179) |
205 (756) |
460 (4,832) |
|
|
STENOLAEMATA |
10 (36) |
15 (119) |
34 (531) |
|
|
|
PHYLACTOLAEMATA |
4 (7) |
4 (16) |
26 (77) |
|
|
|
|
103 (222) |
224 (891) |
520 (5,440) |
|
|
|
21. PHORONIDA |
PHORONIS / PHORONOPSIS |
1 (1) |
1 (2) |
5 (15) |
|
|
22. LORICIFERA |
LORIFICERA |
1 (2) |
1 (11) |
1 (47) |
|
|
23. KINORHYNCHA |
CYCLORHAGIDA |
2 (5) |
2 (17) |
4 (228) |
|
|
ALLOMALORHAGIDA |
3 (5) |
4 (16) |
4 (120) |
|
|
|
|
5 (10) |
6 (33) |
8 (348) |
|
|
|
29. PRIAPULIDA |
Meiopriapulus |
- (1) |
- (1) |
- (1) |
Collected in Bengal Bay, Fiji and South Korea. |
|
Tubiluchus |
- (1) |
- (1) |
- (11) |
Widespread in Bermuda, Florida to Curazao, Canary Islands, Sweden, continental Spain, Italy, White Sea and Barents Sea, Red Sea, Japan, Philippines, NE Australia, Vanuatu and Hawaii. |
|
|
Maccabeus |
- (1) |
- (1) |
- (2) |
W Mediterranean and Andaman Sea. |
|
|
MACROPRIAPUULIDS |
1 (2) |
1 (4) |
1 (10) |
|
|
|
|
1 (5) |
1 (7) |
1 (24) |
|
|
|
25. NEMATOMORPHA |
NECTONEMATOIDA |
1 (1) |
1 (1) |
1 (5) |
|
|
GORDIOIDA |
2 (2) |
6 (18) |
22 (356) |
|
|
|
|
3 (3) |
7 (18) |
23 (361) |
|
|
|
26. NEMATODA |
ENOPLEA |
31 (80) |
82 (725) |
188 (6,743) |
|
|
CHROMADOREA |
94 (186) |
485 (1,731) |
1,383 (13,616) |
|
|
|
|
125 (266) |
567 (2,456) |
1,571 (20,359) |
|
|
|
27. TARDIGRADA |
MESOTARDIGRADA |
- (1) |
- (1) |
- (1) |
Known only from S Japan, a nomina dubium. |
|
EUTARDIGRADA |
7 (17) |
20 (80) |
43 (898) |
|
|
|
HETEROTARDIGRADA |
12 (15) |
29 (76) |
53 (562) |
|
|
|
|
19 (33) |
49 (157) |
96 (1,461) |
|
|
|
28. ONYCHOPHORA |
PERIPATIDAE |
1 (1) |
4 (13) |
22 (82) |
|
|
PERIPATOPSIDAE |
- (1) |
- (41) |
- (138) |
A family highly centered in eastern Australia, but also displaying notable diversity in South Africa and neighboring Lesotho, with residual diversity in central Chile, New Zealand, New Guinea, and nearby islands. |
|
|
|
1 (2) |
4 (54) |
22 (220) |
|
|
|
29. ARTHROPODA |
PYCNOGONIDA |
12 (12) |
20 (77) |
65 (1,346) |
|
|
ARACHNIDA |
394 (788) |
2195 (12,650) |
9,093 (123,191) |
|
|
|
Chilopoda |
12 (18) |
30 (437) |
134 (3,327) |
|
|
|
PAUROPODA |
4 (12) |
11 (45) |
62 (832) |
|
|
|
Symphyla |
2 (2) |
4 (14) |
12 (197) |
|
|
|
Diplopoda |
22 (147) |
162 (1,868) |
541 (7,753) |
|
|
|
OLIGOSTRACA |
48 (60) |
162 (829) |
415 (7,894) |
|
|
|
THECOSTRACA |
15 (56) |
44 (313) |
76 (1,724) |
|
|
|
COPEPODA |
82 (241) |
290 (2039) |
861 (15,950) |
|
|
|
BRANCHIOPODA |
24 (32) |
74 (142) |
258 (1,185) |
|
|
|
Remipedia |
- (8) |
- (12) |
- (28) |
|
|
|
Cephalocarida |
1 (1) |
2 (5) |
2 (12) |
|
|
|
MALACOSTRACA |
280 (757) |
886 (7544) |
2174 (47316) |
|
|
|
Collembola |
21 (33) |
118 (763) |
457 (8,130) |
|
|
|
Diplura |
4 (10) |
11 (141) |
31 (1,008) |
|
|
|
Protura |
2 (7) |
9 (72) |
26 (748) |
|
|
|
INSECTA |
693 (1,210) |
15,800 (89,280) |
91,465 (1,057,040) |
|
|
|
|
1,616 (3,394) |
19,818 (116,231) |
105,672 (1,277,681) |
|
|
|
30. HEMICHORDATA |
ENTEROPNEUSTA |
2 (4) |
5 (22) |
7 (113) |
|
|
PTEROBRANCHIA |
1 (3) |
1 (3) |
1 (26) |
|
|
|
|
3 (7) |
6 (25) |
8 (139) |
|
|
|
31. ECHINODERMATA |
CRINOIDEA |
8 (32) |
15 (196) |
19 (678) |
|
|
HOLOTHURIOIDEA |
16 (29) |
42 (246) |
72 (1,816) |
|
|
|
ECHINOIDEA |
24 (64) |
41 (264) |
54 (1,013) |
|
|
|
OPHIUROIDEA |
26 (34) |
61 (261) |
138 (2,135) |
|
|
|
ASTEROIDEA |
20 (41) |
49 (367) |
70 (1,994) |
|
|
|
|
92 (200) |
208 (1,344) |
353 (7,636) |
|
|
|
32. CEPHALOCHORDATA |
BRACHIOSTOMIDAE |
1 (1) |
2 (3) |
4 (30) |
Epigonichthys cultellus Peters, 1877, occur in coast of Thailand, south Japan, Hawaii and W Pacific Ocean, mainly around Australia. |
|
33. TUNICATA |
ASCIDIACEA |
20 (32) |
59 (200) |
177 (3,066) |
|
|
APPENDICULARIA |
3 (3) |
10 (14) |
44 (68) |
|
|
|
|
23 (35) |
69 (214) |
221 (3,134) |
|
|
|
34. CRANIATA |
MYXINE |
1 (1) |
3 (6) |
5 (91) |
|
|
PETROMYZONTI |
- (3) |
- (10) |
- (48) |
|
|
|
ELASMOBRANCHII |
36 (65) |
87 (211) |
185 (1,180) |
|
|
|
HOLOCEPHALI |
3 (3) |
4 (6) |
4 (60) |
|
|
|
CLADISTII |
- (1) |
- (2) |
- (14) |
|
|
|
ACTINOPTERI |
221 (534) |
1,300 (5,058) |
4,674 (35,765) |
|
|
|
COELACANTHII |
- (1) |
- (1) |
- (2) |
|
|
|
DIPNEUSTII |
1 (3) |
1 (3) |
1 (6) |
|
|
|
AMPHIBIA |
27 (77) |
121 (568) |
1,245 (8,886) |
|
|
|
RHYNCHOCEPHALIA |
- (1) |
- (1) |
- (1) |
A single reptile restricted of small islands aroung North Island in New Zealand. |
|
|
SQUAMATA |
25 (70) |
165 (1,178) |
778 (12,181) |
|
|
|
TESTUDINES |
8 (14) |
19 (96) |
36 (377) |
|
|
|
CROCODILIA |
1 (3) |
3 (9) |
7 (28) |
|
|
|
AVES |
81 (254) |
650 (2,302) |
1,712 (11,145) |
|
|
|
MAMMALIA |
49 (167) |
248 (1,353) |
778 (6,753) |
|
|
|
|
412 (1,120) |
2,506 (10,565) |
9,230 (75,136) |
|
|
|
TOTAL |
3,495 (7,424) |
27,117 (150,422) |
127,739 (1,555,408) |
|
|
This table will always be modified and updated when more accurate and viable data becomes available - and unfortunately many more recent works, which could distort the stability of the data, have been omitted. It should be noted that the numbers used in this blog and, therefore, in the table, are based on checklists, some of them old, manual counts subject to errors and estimates that are not so precise. Thus, the numbers posted do not include many new species, but it is, within the scope of this research, the most detailed numbers that could be obtained.
6 CANONIC LINEAGES UNKNOWN IN BRAZIL
Brazilian 22 canonic absent lineages: Polyplacotomia [1], Polypodiozoa [2], Xenoturbellida [3], Nemertodermatida [4], Filospermoidea [5], Seisonida [6], Orthonectida [7], Dicyemida [8], Gnosonesimida [9], Cycliophora [10], Monoplacophora [11], Meiopriapulus [12], Tubiluchus [13], Maccabeus [14], Mesotardigrada [15], Peripatopsidae [16], Remipedia [17], Petromyzonti [18], Cladistii [19], Coelacanthi [20] and Rhynchocephalia [21].
HIGH ACCURATE MAP OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF ALL 21 CANONIC METAZOA LINEAGES ABSENT IN BRAZIL (IN APRIL 17, 2025): Polyplacotomia (CB), Polypodiozoa (JAI), Xenoturbellida (NAT | BMC), Nemertodermatida (BJZ), Gnosonesimida (GBIF | MS | Worms/G. borealis | VLAAMS), Meiopriapulus (ZA), Tubiluchus (ZA), Maccabeus (ZA), Seisonida (JMBAUK | ZS), Cycliophora (ME), Monoplacophora (ZSM | ZOO | RUT | MR | VEL | JMS | GBIF), Dicyemida (Zoo | SP | FP | JP), Orthonectida (Wiki | IB), Peripatopsidae (GBIF), Mesotardigrada (ZS), Remipedia (RD), Petromyzonti (FAO | RFBF | NCBI), Cladistii (IEF), Coelacanthi (NAT) and Rhynchocephalia (WIKI). Obs.: in some regions with a high density of records, the map may show slight deviations to enhance the visual representation of the taxon's occurrence: Mediterranean Sea, northern Europe near Denmark, Sweden and Norway, and California.
1. CTENOPHORA ‣ (34:48/)185 spp. worldwide (Catalogo of Life) in two groups: Tentaculata (33:46/153) and Nuda (1:2/32). (9:11/)14 spp. occur in Brazilian coasts (CTFB/Ctenophora) across five orders representing both orders. Oliveira et al. (Zootaxa, 2016) lists 20 ctenophores in waters of South America in 11 families. Only the orders Ganeshida, Cambojiida, and Cryptolobiferida — restricted to SE Asia — are absent from the continent. Mexico hosts 33 species (SEE).
The families Thalassocalycidae (sole representative of the order Thalassocalycida in South America) and Mertensiidae are recorded in Chilean and Argentine waters but are absent from Brazil.
Several observations of large, globular Ctenophora with long filamentous tentacles and lacking oral lobes from 10,040 m in the Kermadec Trench (SW Pacific Ocean) are the deepest worldwide for this phyllum (Jamieson, AJ et al., Marine Biology, 2023).
2. PORIFERA ‣ (144:776/)9,731 spp. in four classes (Catalogue of Life). Brazil includes (91:229/)650 spp. in all classes within Porifera (CTFB). Catalogue of Brazilian Porifera (Museu Nacional, Guilherme Muricy et al., 2011) recognizes 53 spp. of freshwater Porifera in Brazil, some endemic.
DEMOSPONGIAE
(100:547/)8,064 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life). CFTB lists (71:187/)534 spp. in Brazil (SEE). Mexico includes 517 spp. of Demospongiae (SEE).
All (6:45/)219 spp. freshwater sponges belongs Spongillida clade of Demospongiae (Balian, 2008), or 268 in Rasbold et al. (Front. Ecol. Evol., 2023). All six freshwater families are fully freshwater. In the Neotropics, the most rich region of this sponges (followed by the Palearctic-59 and Afrotropics-49), freshwater sponges are (3:23/)65 spp. (Balian, 2008), or 77 (Rasbold et al., 2023), in Potamolepidae (Africa, South America, New Caledonia, Fiji, 3/11 in this region | Copeland et al., Zootaxa, 2015), Spongillidae (14/35 in this region) and Metaniidae (5/17 in this region).
The three freshwater sponge families unknowns in South America are Lubomirskiidae (10, endemic to Lake Baikal), Metschnikowiidae (1, Caspian Lake) and Malawispongiidae (6, Tanganyika and Malawi Lakes in Africa, Ohrid in North Macedonia and E Albania, Kinneret Lake in Israel and Syria, and Poso Lake in C Sulawesi).
CALCAREA
(23:87/)827 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life). Brazil has (9:23/)77 spp. (CTFB).
HEXACTINELLIDA
(19:132/)708 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life). Brazil has (9:15/)22 spp. (CFTB).
The deepest record for the class Hexactinellida belongs at least two different morphotypes observed at 7180m water depth in the Java Trench on Indian Ocean (Marchiò et al, Marine Biology, 2025)
HOLOSCLEROMORPHA
(2:10/)136 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life). Brazil includes (4/)17 spp., in both families of this class, Plakinidae and Oscarellidae (CTFB).
3. PLACOZOA ‣ simple, morphologically indistinguishable marine animals. The most recent phylogenetic analysis of Placozoa, by Tessler et al. (Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 2022), recognizes two groups: the class Polyplacotomia (containing a single species) and Uniplacotomia (comprising 22 species in 7 genera across 4 families, one of which — along with 4 genera — remains unnamed). Of the 23 species identified, only four have been formally described (SEE): Trichoplax adhaerens Schulze, 1883 (amoeboid, widely distributed in coastal areas; the only species recorded in Brazil, in Morandino et al., Zoologischer Anzeiger, 2006), Hoilungia hongkongensis Eitel, Schierwater & Wörheide, 2018 (amoeboid, known from a mangrove area in Hong Kong, in Eitel et al., Plos Biology, 2018), Cladtertia collaboinventa Tessler et al., 2022 (ameboid, known from aquarium environments), and Polyplacotoma mediterranea Osigus et al., 2019 (a ramified form, known only from Alassio, Italy, by Osigus & Schierwater, Current Biolgy, 2019). For a global map of Trichoplax collection sites, see Eitel et al. (Plos One, 2013, 2013).
4. CNIDARIA ‣ (405:1,923/)14,646 spp. distributed across eight subgroups (Catalogue of Life, sectioned data). (176:382/)861 spp. recorded in Brazil (CTFB/Cnidaria, sectioned data). Here, we follow the classification that recognizes Octocorallia (formerly including Alcyonacea, Pennatulacea, and Helioporacea) and Hexacorallia (comprising six orders) as distinct classes within Cnidaria, as opposed to the broader circumscription of Anthozoa (McFadden et al., Bulletin of the SSB, 2022), which included both. This approach involves a complete reformulation of the former Octocorallia. For the global status of medusae, see Jankowski (Hydrobiologia, 2001). In Mexico, 289 spp. are recorded across Cubozoa, Scyphozoa, and Hydrozoa (Conabio vol. 85, vol. 85, 2014).
FRESHWATER
Balian (2008) cites fewer than 40 Cnidaria species occurring in inland waters, grouped as follows: (1) Hydra, a genus of secondarily simple, solitary polyps lacking medusae; (2) Cordylophorinae, an anthoathecate subfamily that includes freshwater colonial hydroids (Cordylophora and Pachycordyle); (3) freshwater medusae, such as Craspedacusta and Limnocnida, which possess simple polyp stages without tentacles; and (4) Polypodium, a highly unusual parasite of fish eggs, recently assigned to its own class, Polypodiozoa. Deserti et al. (Revista de Biologia Tropical, 2023) cite only six genera: cosmopolitan Hydra, the colonial Cordylophora and Pachycordyle, the medusae Craspedacusta and Limnocnida, and the small polyp Calpasoma. Beyond the divergences regarding Calpasoma and Polypodium, neither reference includes Velkovrhia enigmatica Matjašić & Sket, 1971, endemic to the Dinaric karst region of the Balkan Peninsula, where it has been reported from five caves: three in Slovenia, one in Croatia, and one in Bosnia, as noted by Magmajster (Natura Sloveniae, 2003), from the family Bougainvilliidae.
Based on all available sources, we recognize 42 species of freshwater Cnidaria, highlighting five genera that do not occur in tropical America (Limnocnida, Pachycordyle, Polypodium, Calpasoma, and Velkovrhia), and one genus (Velkovrhia) that is exclusive to cave environments in the Balkans.
In the Neotropical region, 14 freshwater species of Hydrozoa are known (Deserti et al., Revista de Biologia Tropical, 2023): Calpasoma dactylopterum Fuhrmann, 1939 (Olindiidae), found in SE Brazil, NE Argentina, and Uruguay; Craspedacusta sowerbii Lankester, 1880 (Olindiidae), reported from Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Brazil, Venezuela, Mexico, Panama, Belize, and Costa Rica; Cordylophora caspia Pallas, 1771 (Cordylophoridae), present in Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, SE Brazil, northern Colombia, and eastern Mexico; and 11 spp. of Hydra, mainly found in Argentina (4), Brazil (4, 3 endemic; Zoologischer Anzeiger, 2015), Mexico (4, possibly one endemic), Chile (4, 1 endemic), and Paraguay (4, 1 endemic).
TAXONOMY
OCTACORALLIA
(79:422/)3,622 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life). Includes former groups Alcyonaceae, Pennatulacea and Helioporacea. (27:57/)106 spp. in Brazil. In McFadden et al. (Bulletin of the SSB, 2022) includes two orders.
SCLERALCYONACEA
(37:208/)1,184 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life). (13:29/)48 spp. in Brazil (Neves, Thesis, 2010, circunscription of McFadden et al., Bulletin of the SSB, 2022).
MALACALCYONACEA
(47:214/)2,438 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life). (14:28/)58 spp. in Brazil (Neves, Thesis, 2010, circunscription of McFadden et al., Bulletin of the SSB, 2022).
HEXACORALLIA
Six orders and (129:731/)3,663 spp. worldwide (data below). (45:97/)151 spp. in Brazil (CTFB). Ceraintaria is sometimes treated as a distinct class of Hexacorallia (Wikipedia). Here, we address it under the latter name.
CERIANTHARIA
(4:40/)140 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life), (2:5/)6 spp. in Brazil (CTFB). South America has all five Brazilian species plus a Botrucnidiferidae (Botruanthus benedeni Torrey and Keeberger, 1909) from Galapagos, also in California and Baja California.
ACTINIARIA
(66:320/)1,174 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life). Brazil has (15:25/)32 spp. (CTFB). For some notes for Actiniaria in Brazil, see Targino, A.K. et al. (Zootaxa, 2025).
ANTIPATHARI
(8:51/)300 spp. (Catalogue of Life). (6:9/)16 spp. in Brazil (CTFB).
CORALLIMORPHARIA
(4:12/)48 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life). Brazil has (1:2/)2 spp. (CTFB).
SCLERACTINIA
(38:277/)1,707 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life). Brazil has (17:50/)84 spp. (CTFB).
ZOANTHIDEA
Two orders and (9:31/)294 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life). In Brazil occur (4:6/)11 spp. (CTFB). For details of Isaurus tuberculatus Gray, 1828 in Brazil, see Lima et al. (CheckList, 2022).
MYXOZOA
(22:69/)3,058 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life), (11:19/)213 spp. in Brazil (CTFB). Vidal (Thesis, 2017) reports (15:36/)495 spp. in the New World. According to this source, Brazil lacks the genera Palliatus, Myxoproteus, Myxodavisia, Bipteria, Parvicapsula (possibly), Myxobiliatus, Zschokkella, Auerbachia, Renispora, Pseudolantospora, and Alatospora, as well as the South American family Alatosporidae. Myxozoa appears no has described species in Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela, and is represented by 37 spp. in Mexico (Alama-Bermejo, Scientific Reports, 2023).
Malacosporea, with a single family, Saccosporidae, is sometimes treated as a distinct class of Myxozoa (Wikipedia). Here, we address it under the latter name, but there is a possibility of considering it valid in the future.
POLYPODIOZOA
Only one egg fish-parasitic species (unique intracelular parasitic in Metazoa), Polypodium hydriforme Ussov, 1885, from Russia, Romania, Kazakhstan, Moldavia, Ukraine, China (only Lake Khanka), Iran, and North America (Raikova, Journal of Applied Ichthyology, 2002).
HYDROZOA
Hydroids, hydra-like animals. (137:601/)3,966 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life). (79:189/)365 spp. in Brazil (CTFB). This class includes Dendrogramma (SEE), an enigmatic animal from coasts of southern Australia that has even been speculated to belong to his own phylum (O´Hara et al., Current Biology Magazine, 2016).
Observations of Pectis cf. profundicola (Rhopalonematidae) from both lander and submersible dives at 10,063 and 10,040m in the Philippine Trench (NW Pacific Ocean) is the first record of Hydrozoa below 10,000 m and the deepest worldwide (Jamieson, AJ et al., Marine Biology, 2023).
■ endemic families in New World: Tottonophyidae (1/1, Siphonophora, U.S.A).
STAUROZOA
(6:14/)51 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life), with only two species recorded in Brazil: Kishinouyea corbini Larson, 1980 (Grohmann et al., Species Diversity, 1999) and Lucernariopsis capensis Carlgren, 1938 (Miranda et al., Zootaxa, 2012), both belonging to the family Kishinouyeidae. For additional information, including checklists and a global distribution map of these species, see Miranda et al. (Marine Biodiversity, 2017). In the Neotropical region, this class is known only from Mexico (3, SEE), Puerto Rico, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. The third South American species, Haliclystus antarcticus Pfeffer, 1889 (Haliclystidae), is uknown from Brazil.
CUBOZOA
(8:20/)51 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life). 5 spp. in South America, (4:4/)4 in Brazil (CTFB).
SCYPHOZOA
(23:65/)243 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life), true jellyfish. (12:14/)20 spp. in Brazil (CTFB). Only one family in South America does not occurs in Brazil: Phacellophoridae, with one species from Pacific and Argentinian coasts.
5. XENACOELOMORPHA ‣ small, flat and worm-like in marine and sometimes brackish water environments, on the sediments. Three clades with (19:115/)407 spp. worldwide.
XENOTURBELLIDA
Six species in Xenoturbella (Wikipedia): one collected off the coast of SW Sweden, which is the type species; one species found at two sites along the coast of Japan (Nakano et al., BMC Evol Biol., 2017); and four species collected along the Pacific coast of North America, ranging from California (2) to the Gulf of California in Mexico (3), with one species common to both areas (Rouse et al., Nature, 2016). It has never been recorded in Brazil.
NEMERTODERMATIDA
(2:6/)18 spp. (Catalogue of Life), known only from a few distinct sampling spots: Sweden, Norway, Canarias Is., Belgic, east coast of North America, Bermudas, Adriatic and Mediterranean seas, New Guinea, Australia (Queesland) and New Zealand (Sterrer, Belg. J. Zool., 1998).
ACOELA
(17:104/)416 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life), and (9:24/)33 spp. in Brazil (CTFB/Acoela). Only two spp. woorldwide are freshwaters: Limonoposthia polonica Kolasa et Faubel, 1974 and Oligochoerus limnophilus Ax & Dörjes, 1966 (Wikipedia).
GNATHIFERA
6. CHAETOGNATHA ‣ (9:29/)132 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life) and (5:14/)25 in Brazil (CTFB/Chaetognatha). A checklist of the world Sagittidae is provided by A.P. Kassatkina (Zoosyst. Rossica, 2007).
■ endemic families in New World: Bathybelidae (1/1, U.S.A).
7. GNATHOSTOMULIDA ‣ (12:26/)112 spp. within two orders. Sterrer (Book, 1997) cites records of Gnathostomula axi Kirsteuer, 1956, off coast of Venezuela in South America, and this phyllum remains unknown in Mexico.
Despite the possibility that many Gnathostomulida species are cosmopolitan — largely due to the wide distribution of several of them — only a few locations worldwide have been investigated in detail. For the data below, we refer to the combined works of Gnathostomulda worldwide (Sørensen & Sterrer, BOOK, 2022), in Caribbean (Sterrer, Book, 1997), Gulf of Mexico (Sørensen and Sterrer, Chapter 26, 2005), Sweden, North Ireland and Croatia (Sterrer, BOOK, 1969), Australia and Papua New Guinea (Sterrer, free papper, 2001), New Zealand, Tonga and Fiji (Sterrer, Zoologica Scripta, 1991), New Zealand alone (Sterrer, Zootaxa, 2006), Hawaii (Sterrer, Zoologica Scripta, 1991) and Tahiti (Sterrer, Zoologica Scripta, 1991).
Apart from the references above, here we include two records of Gnathostomulida in Brazil: Gnathostomula sp. and Austrognathia sp., both cited for Araçá Bay, São Paulo (Amaral et al., Biota Fapesp-Araçá, 2018), both undescribed.
FILOSPERMOIDA
(2:3/)28 spp.
HAPLOGNATHIIDAE
A single genus, Haplognathia (10).
Haplognathia (10): H. asymmetrica (Bermuda, Belize, Hawaii, North Carolina, New Zealand, NE Australia), H. belizensis (Belize), H. filum (Kristineberg in Sweden), H. gubbarnorum (North Carolina, Kristineberg in Sweden, Portaferry in N Ireland, Istria in Croatia, New Zealand, NE Australia), H. lunulifera (Belize, North Carolina, Kristineberg in Sweden, Portaferry in N Ireland), H. rosea (Bermuda, Florida, Belize, Panama, North Carolina, Canary Is., Kristineberg in Sweden, Portaferry in N Ireland, Fiji, Tahiti, New Zealand, NE Australia), H. ruberrima (Bermuda, North Carolina, Kristineberg in Sweden, Canary Is., Istria in Croatia, Hawaii, New Zealand, NE Australia), H. rubromaculata (Kristineberg in Sweden), H. rufa (Hawaii) and H. simplex (Kristineberg in Sweden, Portaferry in N Ireland).
PTEROGNATHIIDAE
(2/)18 spp. in Cosmognathia (4) and Pterognathia (14).
Cosmognathia (4): C. aquila (Bermuda, Belize, Panama), C. arcus (Bermuda, Florida, Belize, Puerto Rico, Fiji, Hawaii), C. bastillae (Fiji) and C. manubrium (Bermuda, Belize, Puerto Rico, Panama, Hawaii, Tahiti).
Pterognathia (14): P. alcicornis (Belize), P. atrox (Kristineberg in Sweden, Portaferry in N Ireland), P. crocodilus (Bermuda, Florida, Belize, North Carolina, Fiji), P. ctenifera (Bermuda, Florida, Belize, Panama, North Carolina, Fiji, Hawaii), P. hawaiiensis (Hawaii), P. grandis (Bahamas), P. meixneri (Kristineberg in Sweden), P. portobello (New Zealand), P. pygmaea (North Carolina), P. sica (NE Australia), P. sorex (Kristineberg in Sweden, North Carolina), P. swedmarki (Belize, Kristineberg in Sweden, Portaferry in N Ireland), P. tuatara (New Zealand), P. ugera (Bermuda, Belize, Panama, Puerto Rico, Tahiti, New Zealand) and P. vilii (Fiji).
BURSOVAGINOIDA
(10:23/)84 spp. in two high groups.
CONOPHORALIA
A single family worldwide.
AUSTROGNATHIIDAE
(3/)37 spp. in Austrognatharia (19, Red Sea and Fiji two each, Galapagos, Bermuda Caribbean, Barbados, Canary Is., Adriatic, South Africa, Madagascar, Mauritius, Reunion, Hong Kong, Thailand, NE Australia, New Zealand and Tahiti one each), Austrognathia (16, Red Sea, NW Atlantic and Fiji two each, Hawaii, Galapagos, Florida, Bahamas, Caribbean, N Ireland, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Taihiti one each) and Triplignathia (2, one in Croatia, another in North Carolina, U.S.A.). One undescribed species in Brazil, a undescribed species collected in Araça Bay, São Paulo state.
SCLEROPERALIA
Nine families and (20/)47 spp. worldwide, only one in Brazil, a undescribed species collected in Araça Bay, São Paulo state.
AGNATHIELIIDAE
(2/)3 spp. in Agnathiella (2, one in Florida Keys, one in Lizard Is. in Australia, Fiji and New Caledonia one each) and Paragnathiella (1, Canary Is.)
CLAUSOGNATHIIDAE
A single species disjunct from Belize and Panama.
GNATHOSTOMARIIDAE
A single spp. from Mediterranean region and North Carolina in U.S.A.
GNATHOSTOMULIDAE
(5/)24 spp. in Chirognathia (1, Vancouver region and California), Corculognathia (1, Galapagos), Gnathostomula (19, NW Atlantic, Fiji, NE Pacific, Galapagos, Bahamas, Caribbean, W Europe, Adriatic, Barents, Red Sea, Maldives, Tahiti, New Zealand one each), Ratugnathia (1, Fiji) and Semaeognathia (1, North Carolina and Florida Keys, U.S.A.). One undescribed species in Brazil in Gnathostomula.
MESOGNATHARIIDAE
(3/)6 spp. in Labidognathia (1, Canary Is., Caribbean, Australia), Mesognatharia (3, Sweden, Bahamas, Georgia and North Carolina, U.S.A.) and Tenuignathia (2, one in Florida, North Carolina, Bermuda, and one in Fiji)
ONICHOGNATHIIDAE
(5/)9 spp. in Goannagnathia (1, N Papua New Guinea to NW Australia until Brisbane), Nanognathia (1, North Carolina and Florida Keys, U.S.A.), Onychognathia (3, North Carolina and Florida Keys, U.S.A., Belize, Panama, Galapagos), Valvognathia (1, Zealand, Denmark) and Vampyrognathia (3, North Carolina and Florida Keys, U.S.A., one each one in NW Australia)
PAUCIDENTULIDAE
A single species from Belize.
PROBLONGNATHIIDAE
A single species from Bermuda.
RASTROGNATHIIDAE
A single species from Denmark.
■ endemic families in New World: Paucidentulidae (1/1, Belize), Problognathiidae (1/1, Bermuda).
8. MICROGNATHOZOA ‣ two species have been reported in this phyllum: Limnognathia maerski Kristensen & Funch (Wikipedia), discovered in 1994 on Disko Island, Greenland, although not formally described until 2000, and later observed in several other locations: S Wales, UK; River Lambourn in Berkshire, UK (Bekkouche et al., Frontiers in Zoology, 2014); and Bassa Nera pond in the Pyrenees of NE Spain (Giribet et al., Current Biology, 2023); and L. desmeti Worsaae & Møller, found in the Crozet Archipelago, Île de la Possession, at Pointe du Bougainville (Sayo et al., Proceedings of the Royal Society, 2025). Additionally, one species was detected in SE Brazil through eDNA metabarcoding of samples collected in 2018 from the Rio Doce estuary, Espírito Santo state. Although this record has not yet been formally published or included in national checklists, it is already considered valid (Coppo et al., Peerj, 2023).
9. SYNDERMATA ‣ apart from the traditional classification that separates Rotifera and Acanthocephala into two distinct phyla (even in Catalogue of Life/Phyla), here we treat them as a single entity, Syndermata, following modern studies such as Laumer et al. (Proceedings of the Royal Society, 2019) and Giribet et al. (BOOK, 2023). Syndermata comprises seven primary lineages, all designated at the class level. According to this work, 69 monogononts, one bdelloid, and all Seisonida species are exclusively marine, while the remaining species inhabit freshwater or brackish environments (with 182 spp. occurring in marine settings — SEE). Mexico alone hosts (27:75/)402 spp. of Eurotatoria (Sarma, MDPI, 2021).
(62:269/)3,797 spp. worldwide and (47:103/)678 in Brazil, as shown in the data below. Acanthocephala clades in Brazil folow CTFB/Acanthocephala. Rotifera clades in Brazil follow CTFB/Rotifera.
PARAROTATORIA
7 spp. in Seison (2) and Paraseison (5) worldwide (Catalogue of Life), parasiting Nebalia (Malacostraca/Leptostraca), known from Adriatic Sea, Tyrrhenian Sea, Balearic Archipelago and along the Atlantic coast of France, Sea of Okhotsk, NW Pacific (but the identity of this species is questionable), Gazi Bay in Kenya, W U.S.A., and unidentified specimens from S Chile (Francesca Leasi et al., J.M.B.A.U.K., 2012).
MONOGONONTA
(30:115/)2,022 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life), and (27:66/)569 in Brazil (CTFB). Three families does not occur in Brazil: Birgeidae (1/1, endemic to E North America, Balian, 2008), Clariaidae (1/1, Vietnam, Systematics Rotifera, pg. 265, and see also Rotifera Hausdernatur) and Cotylegaleatidae (1/2, Belgium and Turkey one endemic each, see De Smet & Bozkurt, Zootaxa, 2016), all in order Ploima.
BDELLOIDEA
(5:20/)438 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life), and (3:8/)38 in Brazil (CTFB). Two families does not occur in Brazil: Philodinavidae (New Zealand, Europe, North America, Sumatra, South Africa, South America, Hawaii, Ricci & Melone, Hydrobiologia, 1998) and Coronistomidae (endemic to U.S.A., Örstan, Zootaxa, 2021).
ARCHIACANTHOCEPHALA
(4:18/)187 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life), (3:4/)19 in Brazil (CTFB). Some America Latina's genera do not occur in Brazil (Amin, UNAM, 2000): Apororhynchus, Gigantorhynchus (Colombia, Peru, Venezuela) and Neoncicola (Puerto Rico, Venezuela).
EOACANTHOCEPHALA
(4:29/)255 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life), (2:8/)20 in Brazil (CTFB). Some America Latina's genera do not occur in Brazil (Amin, UNAM, 2000): Acanthogyrus (Puerto Rico, T.Tobago), Deltacanthus (Venezuela), Pandosentis (Venezuela) and Woffiugelia (Uruguay).
PALAEACANTHOCEPHALA
(17:104/)884 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life), (8:13/)30 in Brazil (CTFB). Some America Latina's genera do not occur in Brazil (Amin, UNAM, 2000): Neoacanthocephaloides (Puerto Rico), Caballerorhynchus (Mexico), Megapriapus (Venezuela), Pseudocavisoma (Puerto Rico), Hypoechinorhynchus (Argentina), Tegorhynchus (Juan Fernandez, Puerto Rico), Pomphorhynchus (Argentina, Chile, Mexico), Pseudoleptorhynchoides (Mexico) and Plagiorhynchus (Mexico). Arythmacanthidae, assignated in this class, remains the unique family of Acanthocephala in South America unknown in Brazil.
POLYACANTHOCEPHALA
(1:1/)4 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life), (1:1/)2 in Brazil (CTFB).
■ endemic families in New World: Coronistomidae (1/1, U.S.A.).
PLATYTROCHOZOA
10. ORTHONECTIDA ‣ (2:5/)24 spp. of parasites of marine invertebrates, mainly in Mollusca, Platyhelminthes, Acoelomorpha and Annelida, collected at their hosts in Atlantic coast of Europe, Arctic, W North America and Japan (Wikipedia), all in northern Hemisphere. Maximum likelihood analyses placed the Dicyemida + Orthonectida clade within the Gastrotricha, while in Bayesian inference analyses, this clade is sister group to the clade of Gastrotricha + Platyhelminthes (Tsai-Ming Lu et al., Zoological Letters, 2017).
RHOPALURIDAE
4 genera, Stoecharthrum (4 species, two in NW France and two in Pacific coast of NW U.S.A.), Ciliocincta (3 species, NW France, NW U.S.A. and Hokkaido island of Japan, one each), Intoshia (6 species, 4 collected in NW France, one in coasts of Scandinavia, and one in Kola Peninsula in NW Russia) and Rhopalura (10, W U.S.A. to Washington to California, Sweden, SW Italy, NW France, SW England, Murmansk coast of Russia), based on Kozloff (Cah. Biol. Mar, 1992), Kozloff (Cah. Biol. Mar., 1993), and Slyusarev & Manilov (Cah. Biol. Mar, 2021).
PELMATOSPHAERIDAE
A single genus and species, Pelmatosphaera polycirri Caullery and Mesnil, 1904 from NW France and UK, collected in Annelida and Nemertea (S. E. Ferriss et al., Irish Biodiversity, 2009).
11. DICYEMIDA ‣ (3:9/)122 spp. of tiny parasites that inhabit the renal appendages of Cephalopoda (Wikipedia), never recorded along the Brazilian coast. Maximum likelihood analyses placed the Dicyemida + Orthonectida clade within the Gastrotricha, while in Bayesian inference analyses, this clade is sister group to the clade of Gastrotricha + Platyhelminthes (Tsai-Ming Lu et al., Zoological Letters, 2017).
CONOCYEMIDAE
(2/)2 spp., exclusive to Atlantic coast of France, UK (S. E. Ferriss et al., Irish Biodiversity, 2009), Italy and Monaco (Furuya & Souidenne, HPDC, 2019).
DICYEMIDAE
Widely worldwide, (6/)119 spp. in six genera: Dicyema (69), Dicyemmenea (42), Dicyemodeca (3), Dodecadicyema (1, E India), Pleodicyema (1, Spain) and Pseudicyemma (3), known from E Canada (1/1), U.S.A. (2/21), Mexico (1/2), Venezuela (1, Penchaszadeh et al., Journal of Molluscan Studies, 1996, genus unknown), Argentina (2/4), Mauritania (1/2), Spain (1/1), France (1/4), Sweden (1/1), Norway (1/1), Italy (2/4), W Mediterranean (2/6), India (3/6), Japan (4/44), Russia (3/7), New Zealand (2/4), Subantarctic Is. (1/4), International waters (3/5), Antarctica (1/1) and Australia (2/10, SEE | SEE | SEE), mainly listed in Catalano, S. (Zootaxa, 2012).
KANTHARELLIDAE
A single species known only from Weddel Sea, Antarctica.
12. GASTROTRICHA ‣ (18:73/)894 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life), in both marine and freshwater environments. (10:30/)89 spp. in Brazil (CTFB/Gastrotricha). Garraffoni, A.R.S. & Araújo, T.Q (Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia, 2010) lists (9:36/)120 spp. in Brazil, 74 described and 46 non-described, in both orders of this phylum: Macrodasya with (5:11/)26 spp. and Chaetonotida with (4:25/)94. Minowa & Garraffoni (Zoologia, 2025) cites 13 spp. of freshwater Gastrotricha in Brazil.
CHAETONOTIDA
(8:36/)510 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life). 2/3 of the species of Chaetonotida are found in continental waters, but Muselliferidae and Xenotrichulidae are exclusively marine (Campos and Garraffoni, PeerJ, 2019). (4:21/)76 spp. in Brazil (CTFB).
MACRODASYIDA
(10:37/)384 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life), all marine except four reported in freshwater: Marinellina flagellata Ruttner-Kolisko, 1955 (Austrian river Ybbs), Redudasys fornerisae Kisielewski, 1987 (Brazilian dam on the savannah near São Carlos city), and two in streams and aquifer in U.S.A. (Garraffoni et al., ZooKeys, 2010). (6:9/)13 spp. in Brazil (CTFB).
■ endemic families in New World: Hummondasyidae (1/1, Macrodasyda, Jamaica).
13. PLATYHELMINTHES ‣ simple bilaterian, unsegmented, soft-bodied worms commonly called flatworms. They have no body cavity and lack specialized circulatory and respiratory organs. Joined the 38 unplaced genera (unknown number of species) with (383:3,551/)22,214 spp. assignated Rhabditophora or Catenulida, this phylum includes (383:3,551/)22,214 species worldwide, of which (217:873/)2,122 are found in Brazil (including one unplaced Brazilian species), based on the data below. A total of 13,214 species occur in marine environments (SEE).
The massively polyphyletic group ‘Turbellaria’ was split into several lineages, and the parasitic groups Trematoda, Monogenea, and Cestoda were combined into the new clade Neodermata. To organize Platyhelminthes into monophyletic groups while maintaining Neodermata as one of them, we structured nine groups in a hierarchical framework based on the phylogeny implicitly suggested by the Turbellarian Taxonomic Database (TTD), accessed on December 16, 2024. In this classification, (1) Catenulida appears as the basal lineage, followed by (2) Macrostomorpha. Trepaxonemata is divided into three groups: (3) Amplimatricata, (4) Gnosonesimida, and Euneoophora. The latter splits into (5) Rhabdocoela and a clade comprising (6) Proseriata and Acentrosomata (Wikipedia). This clade, in turn, divides into (7) Adiaphanida, (8) Bothrioplanida, and (9) Neodermata. Bolded names represent the accepted canonical lineages. The numbers below follow the TTD for all groups, except for Neodermata, which follows the reference Littlewood et al. (BOOK, 2015).
PHYLOGENY OF PLATYHELMINTHES AFTER TTD ACCEPTED HERE, DECEMBER 2024
Braccini, J.A.L., Amaral, S.V. and Leal-Zanchet, A.M. (Braz. J. Biol., 2016), provides numbers for Catenulida, Macrostomorpha, Rhabdocoela, Proseriata, Prolecithophora and Fecampida in Adiaphanida, Prorhynchida in Amplimatricata and Bothrioplanida. Carbayo et al. (Biota Neotropica, 2008) provides numbers for Polycladida in Amplimatricata and Tricladida in Adiaphanida. Together, these works lists 420 spp. in Brazil and are almost fully accepted here. Two main groups: Rhabditophora and Catenulida.
RHABDITOPHORA
(377:3,539/)22,103 spp. worldwide, (214:866/)2,079 in Brazil.
A. TREPAXONEMATA
(373:3,515/)21,812 spp. worldwide, (211:861/)2,062 in Brazil. Three main lineages.
AMPLIMATRICATA ‣ (43:188/)1,098 spp. worldwide. (20:33/)61 spp. in Brazil.
I. Polycladida ‣ (42:185/)1,069 spp. worldwide. (19:31/)59 spp. in Brazil, 7 endemic genera. Excludes Duplominona.
▪ Acotylea ‣ (25:128/)572 spp. worldwide. (13:22/)36 spp. in Brazil.
▪ Cotylea ‣ (17:57/)497 spp. worldwide. (6:9/)23 spp. in Brazil. One family endemic to Brazil, Euryleptididae.
II. Prorhynchida (1:3/29 spp., Geocentrophora applanata Kennel, 1888 and Prorhynchus stagnalis Schultze, 1851 in Brazil).
EUNEOOPHORA (330:3,327/)20,714 spp. worldwide, (191:828/)2,001 in Brazil.
I. Acentrosomata ‣ (281:2,867/)18,738 spp. worldwide, (170:769/)1,887 in Brazil.
▪ Adiaphanida ‣ (24:209/)1,993 spp. worldwide, (12:41/)211 spp. in Brazil.
Tricladida ‣ (14:170/209)1,788 spp., (8:29/)183 spp. in Brazil. Tricladida has five lineages: Fecampiida, Genostomatidae, Tricladida/Cavernicola, Tricladida/Continenticola and Tricladida/Maricola. All Brazilian obligatory subterranean Platyhelminthes belongs order Tricladida [1] in all three last clades: Continenticola (10 in Girardia, Dugesiidae), Maricola (1) and Cavernicola (2). Sluysia triapertura Leal-Zanchet & Souza, 2018 represents the first Maricola triclad living in freshwater within a cave. Brazil is the only country in the world with troglobitic representatives in the three groups of Tricladida (SEE). Dimarcusidae is a clade known only from Brazil, Mexico and America Central, Nigeria and Borneo (L. Benítez-Álvarez, et al., Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2020).
Cavernicola ‣ (2:7/)10 spp., nine in [TTD], plus one undescribed Hausera in Brazil. (1:2/)3 spp. in country.
Continenticola ‣ (5:128/)1,696 spp. in five families: Dendrocoelidae (24/259), Kenkiidae (3/24), Planariidae (12/185), Dugesiidae (12/235) and Geoplanidae (77/993). In Brazil (19/)172 spp. in two families: Dugesiidae (2/11: one Bopsula and 11 Girardia) and Geoplanidae (17/161, 73 in Geoplana), by [2008].
Maricola ‣ 7 families and two unplaced genera, (7:35/)83 in total. Brazil has (8/)8 spp., 7 assignated in plus Slyusia: Tiddles unplaced, Cercyridae (1/1), Procerodidae (1/1), Bdellouridae (1/1) and Uteriporidae (4/4).
Genostomatidae ‣ (1/)4 spp., accepted here as absent in Brazil.
Prolecithophora ‣ (5:31/)187 spp., (3:11/)27 in Brazil in Plagiostomidae (6/18), Pseudostomidae (4/8) and Scleraulophoridae (1/1).
Fecampiida ‣ (4:7/)14 spp., Urastoma cyprinae Graff, 1882 (Urastomidae) in Brazil.
▪ Bothrioneodermata ‣ (257:2,658/)16,745 spp., (158:728/)1,676 in Brazil.
Bothrioplanida ‣ (1/)2 spp. in a single family, one in Brazil.
Neodermata ‣ (256:2,657/)16,744 spp., (157:727/)1,675 in Brazil (CTFB). Neodermata is divided into four groups: Trematoda/Aspidogastrea, Trematoda/Digenea, Monogenea and Cestoda. Littlewood et al. (BOOK, 2015) cites (4:13/)61 spp. of Trematoda/Aspidogastrea, (150:1777/)12,012 spp. of Trematoda/Digenea and (72:867/)4,671 spp. of Cestoda in World. By CFTB, in Brazil there are (37:164/)384 spp. of Cestoda, (27:151/)526 spp. in Monogenea and (93/411)765 in Trematoda, totalizing (157:727/)1,675 of Neodermata.
II. Proseriata ‣ (11:96/)498 spp., four unplaced genera at family level. (5:18/)25 spp. in Brazil, in Archimonocelididae (1/1), Coelogynoporidae (1/2), Monocelididae (9/13, includes Duplominona), Nematoplanidae (3/4) and Otoplanidae (4/5).
III. Rhabdocoela ‣ (38:364/)1,838 spp. in three clades: Kalyptorhynchia with (18:153/)698 spp. worldwide, with one unplaced genus and (5:17/)22 spp. in Brazil [2018]; Dalytyphloplanida with (20:211/)1,136 spp. worldwide, with four unplaced genera, (11:24/)67 spp. in Brazil [2018], including Temnocephalidae; and Mariplanellida with (1:3/)4 spp., known from northern Europe, Kerguelan Is. and Curazao (Marine Species). Over, (16:41/)89 spp. occur in Brazil.
GNOSONESIMIDA, (1/)7 spp. in Gnosonesima, known from Massachusetts (U.S.A.), Antarctica (G. antarctica), North Sea and Greenland (G. borealis and G. brattstroemi), Mediterranean Sea (G. mediterranea) and Somalia (G. tropicalis), by PlanMine (SEE), and unnamed records in California (GBIF), Panama (Panamabiota) and SE Cuba (Diez et al., BJLS, 2023).
B. MACROSTOMORPHA
(4:24/)291 spp. worldwide, (3:5/)17 spp. in Brazil. Five consistent lineages.
Bradynectes ‣ (1/)6 spp., absent in Brazil.
Dolichomicrostomida ‣ (2:13/)86 spp. in two families, Dolichomacrostomidae (13/38, two in Brazil in Austromacrostomum and Karlingia) and Microstomidae (2/48, 1/6 in Brazil, in Macrostomum). Over, (2:3/)8 spp. in Brazil.
Haplopharyngidae ‣ (1/)3 spp. from coasts of Belgium and Norway (Haplopharynx rostratus Meixner, 193), southern France (H. quadristimulus Ax, 1971) and Italy and Portugal (H. papii Schockaert, 2014), by Schockaert (Zootaxa, 2014), plus unverified records in North Carolina (U.S.A.) and Panama.
Macrostomidae ‣ (7/)190 spp., 8 in Brazil, in Macrostomum expanded over Archimacrostomum obsolet.
Myozona ‣ (1/)6 spp. unfamily genus, only Myozona evelinae Marcus, 1949 in Brazil.
CATENULIDA
(6:12/)111 spp. worldwide, (3:6/)42 in Brazil, in Catenulidae (2/9), Chordariidae (1/4) and Stenostomidae (3/29).
INCERTAE SEDIS
Apart this two large groups, 38 taxa (genera, small clades, mainly monotypics) are incertae sedis, unplaced among any clade, with one known for Brazil, Candimba divae Marcus, 1949.
■ endemic families in New World, all Rhabditophora: Atamatamidae (3/3, Neodermata, Peru), Mucroplanidae (1/1, Amplimatricata, Ecuador), Discoprosthididae (1/1, Amplimatricata, Argentina), Acanthocollaritrematidae (1/1, Neodermata, Brazil), Euryleptididae (1/1, Amplimatricata, Brazil), Braunotrematidae (1/1, Neodermata, Brazil), Crassicollidae (1/1, Rhabdocoela, U.S.A) and Acipensericolidae (1/2, Neodermata, U.S.A.).
14. ENTOPROCTA ‣ (4:15/)171 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life | it is worth noting that the Catalogue of Life makes a serious mistake by swapping the names of the two orders that make up this phylum.) in two orders, (3:6/)17 spp. in Brazil (CTFB/Entoprocta). Only two species of Entoprocta lives in freshwater, both in Coloniales: Loxosomatoides sirindhornae Wood, 2005 (Pedicellinidae, SEE), reported in 2004 in C Thailand, and Urnatella gracilis Leidy, 1851 (Barentsidae), found in all the continents except Antarctica (Wikipedia), also in Brazil.
SOLITARIA
(5/)124 spp. in a single family worldwide (Catalogue of Life), Loxosomatidae. (1/)7 spp. in Brazil (CTFB).
COLONIALES
(10/)47 spp. in three families: Barentisiidae, Pedicellinidae and Loxokalypodidae. (5/)10 spp. in Brazil (CTFB) in the first two listed families. Loxokalypodidae, unique family unknown in Brazil, has (1/)2 spp., one from Queen Charlotte Islands, Canada, in northern Pacific (Wasson, ZJLS, 1997), and one from S New Caledonia (WORMS)
15. CYCLIOPHORA ‣ a phylum consisting of three microscopic species within a single genus (Symbion) and family (Symbiidae), parasitizing lobster gills in the North Atlantic, and showing strong affinities with Entoprocta and Ectoprocta.
S. americanus Obst, Funch and Kristensen, 2006 - parasite in Homarus americanus H. Milne-Edwards, 1837, collected in Halifax (Canada), Maine, Nova York, Massachussets and Maryland in NE U.S.A. (Obst et al., Molecular Ecology, 2005), at three distinct lineages, possibly three species (Sato et al., Invertebrate Biology, 2022).
S. pandora Funch and Kristensen 1995 - parasite in Nephrops norvegicus L., 1758, collected in Sweden, Denmark, Faroe Is., U.K., France, Spain and Croatia (Obst et al., Molecular Ecology, 2005).
Sn. sp. - parasite in Homarus gammarus L., 1758 (Wikipedia), collected on Norway, Denmark, France and Croatia (Obst et al., Molecular Ecology, 2005), possibly infecting, in some life stage, harpacticoid copepods in coastal France (Neves & Xavier, Organisms, Diversity & Evolution, 2014).
16. NEMERTEA ‣ unsegmented, strongly elongated, slender, soft, and usually without appendages worms. (50:314/)1,357 spp. worldwide in three classes and one genus incertae sedis (Chernyshev, Invertzool, 2021 | Catalogue of Life). (12:19/)39 spp. in Brazil (CTFB/Nemertea).
Only four spp. of Nemertea are freshwater in New World: Prostoma eilhardi Montgomery, 1894 (Argentina and Brazil), P. graecense Böhmig, 1892 (Venezuela), Koinoporus mapochi Sanchez & Moretto, 1988 (known from small streams flowing into the Mapocho River in Chile), and Siolineus turbidus Du Bois-Reymond Marcus, 1948 (known from four females in the Brazilian river Tapajós, found at 28 m depth in the 1940s). The latter is the only Neotropical freshwater species representing Pilidiophora/Heteronemertea (KNAF/2020).
Incertae sedis
A single species, Arhynchonemertes axi Riser, 1988, unique Nemertea without proboscis and rhynchocoel, restricted for New Zealand ( SEE | SEE).
PALAEONEMERTEA
(6:11//)120 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life), (2:2/)2 spp. in Brazil (CTFB), formerly Anopla.
PILIDIOPHORA
(6:114/)486 spp. worldwide in a single order Heteronemertea (Catalogue of Life), (2:5/)7 in Brazil (CTFB), also formerly Anopla.
HOPLONEMERTEA
(37:188/)750 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life), (8:12/)30 in Brazil (CTFB).
■ endemic families in New World: Panorhynchidae (1/1, Anopla, Argentina), Pachynemertidae (1/1, Enopla, Bermuda), Fasciculonemertidae (1/1, Enopla, Chile).
17. MOLLUSCA ▸ (399:8,928/)87,621 spp. in marine, freshwater and terrestrial environments (data below, mainly by Catalogue of Life except genera number in Cephalopoda), the second most speciose invertebrate phyllum after Arthropoda (Wikipedia), in seven living classes. Here, we follow CTFB/Mollusca for the classes in Brazil, except for Gastropoda, for which we follow F.M. Machado et al. (Zoologia, 2023). In this way, we recognize (399:1,363/)3,563 spp. in Brazil: Caudofoveata (3:5/10), Solenogastres (2:6/6), Polyplacophora (7:11/37), Scaphopoda (6:20/43), Cephalopoda (36:75/92), Bivalvia (80:314/638) and Gastropoda (265:932/2,737).
Mexico includes 4,643 marine Mollusca (Castillo-Rodríguez, Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad, 2014): 3,127 Gastropoda (1712 in Pacific, 1,415 in Atlantic), 1,202 Bivalvia, 159 Polyplacophora, 111 Cephalopoda, 40 Scaphopoda, 3 Monoplacophora and a single Aplacophora. South America includes at least 1,401 non-marine mollusca (Miyahira et al., Biodiversity and Conservation, 2022).
Currently, 41 aquatic non-native mollusk species have been identified in South America, comprising 24 marine species (10 gastropods and 14 bivalves) and 17 freshwater species (12 gastropods and 5 bivalves). Among these, the freshwater clam Corbicula fluminea Müller,1774, the golden mussel Limnoperna fortunei Dunker, 1857, and the Pacific oyster Magallana gigas Thunberg, 1793 stand out for their significant impacts on native species and ecosystems (Darrigran et al., Biology, 2025).
Mollusca phylogeny accpted here is based on Xiaolu Han et al. (Front. Ecol. Evol., 2024), with two high clades: Aculifera (Polyplacophora and Aplacophora) and Conchifera (remaining groups).
POLYPLACOPHORA
(19:94/)1,085 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life). Brazil has (7:11/)37 spp. (CTFB).
APLACOPHORA
(28:105/)456 spp. worldwide in two orders (Wikipedia): Caudofoveata (3:14/143 spp., Catalogue of Life) and Solenogastres (25:91/313 spp., Catalogue of Life). (5:11/)16 spp. in Brazil (CTFB), in both orders of this group, (2:6/)6 in Solenogastres and (3:5/)10 in Caudofoveata.
MONOPLACOPHORA
A relictual group absent in Brazil. (4:7/)31 spp. worldwide (Waren & Gofas, Zoologica Scripta, 2005) | Marshall, Molluscan Research, 2006) | D. L. Ivanov & Moskalev, Ruthenica, 2007) | Y. Kano et al., Zoologica Scripta, 2012) | Schwabe, Zootaxa, 2008), two families in New World. Largest diversities are New Zealand (2:2/6), Mexico (2:4/4), Azores region (1:1/4) and Peru (1:1/4).
LAEVIPILINIDAE (1/5)
Laevipilina antarctica, L. theresae (these in Antarctica), L. cachuchensis, L. rolani (these off N Spain), and L. hyalina (Washington to NW Baja California, Mexico).
MICROPILINIDAE (1/6)
Micropilina arntzi (Antarctica), M. minuta (off Iceland and Italy), M. rakiura, M. reingi, M. tangaroa and M. wareni (all in NW New Zealand).
MONOPLACOPHORIDAE (1/1)
Monoplacophorus zenkevitchi (Central Pacific, north of Johnston Islands, west of Hawaii).
NEOPILINIDAE (4/19)
Adenopilina adenensis (Gulf of Aden), Neopilina bruuni (Peru/Chile), N. galatheae (Baja California in Mexico, Costa Rica, Galapagos), N. rebainsi (Malvinas in Argentina), N. starobogatovi (E Kamchatka, Russia), Veleropilina brummeri, V. euglypta, V. segonzaci (these from Mid-Atlantic Ridge), V. capulus (Chatham Rise, New Zealand), V. goesi (Virgin Islands, Caribbean), V. oligotropha (north of Hawaii), V. reticulata (Cosica, Sardenha, S Italy), V. seisuimaruae (SE Honshu island, Japan), V. veleronis (Mexico, off W Baja California), V. zografi (off NE Azores), Vema bacescui, V. ewingi (these from Peru-Chile zone), V. levinae (submarine volcano off SW Mexico) and V. occidua (NW New Zealand).
CEPHALOPODA
(62:146/)859 exclusive marine spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life), (36:75/)92 in Brazil (F.M. Machado et al., 2023 | CTFB), divided in two high clades. All orders occur in Brazil except nautilids and Idiosepida.
Nautiloideae ‣ (2/)11 spp. among a single family, from Myanmar to NW Australia, and from Philippines to Samoa (2/11, MAP/1, MAP/2).
Neocoleoidea ‣ eight living orders and 62 families, 7 orders in Brazil:
Spirulida - a single species, Spirula spirula L., known from mainly tropical and temperate areas in world, including Brazil.
Sepiida - (20/)179 spp., in three living families: Sepiadariidae (2/7, bottletails, India to New Zealand, northern up to Japan, and some islands off Chile), Sepiidae (3/110, cuttlefishes, absent in New World waters) and Sepiolidae (15/62 spp. worldwide, (5/)6 spp. in Brazil).
Idiosepida - a single family, Idiosepiidae, (2/)8 spp. from southern Africa to Japan, southern up to NE Australia (FAO, 2006).
Myopsida (sometimes as Teutida) - coastal squid. Two families: Australiteuthidae (1/1, Wikipedia) from NW Australia and New Guinea, and Loliginidae (5/45) widely worldwide (Wikipedia), with (4/)7 spp. in Brazil in latter family.
Oegopsida - neritic squids. (25:82/)249 spp. worldwide, (19:39/)46 spp. in Brazil.
Bathyteuthida - (2:2/)6 spp. worldwide in Bathyteuthidae and Chtenopterygidae, one species in Brazil in each family.
Octopoda: (48/)307 spp. in 15 families, 11 in Brazil (24/30), and 4 absent: Stauroteuthidae (1/2, South Africa to South Georgia, northern Atlantic, SEE), Idiooctopodidae (1/1), Lutheuthididae (1/2) and Grimpoteuthididae (2/13).
Vampyromorphida - a single species, Vampyroteuthis infernalis Chun, 1903, a small cephalopod found throughout temperate and tropical oceans in extreme deep sea conditions, sometimes reported in Brazil.
BIVALVIA
(119:1,488/)9,958 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life), 8,587 marine and 1,371 in freshwater (Molluscabase). (80:314/)638 spp. of Bivalvia in Brazil (CTFB), (72:285/)522 marine and (8:29/)116 freshwaters. 4 clades make up this class (Wikipedia):
Heterodonta - (64:800/)5,600 spp. Includes 270 freshwater species in 20 genera, only 7 in New World: Neocorbicula (4, Cyrenidae), Mytilopsis (2, Dreissenidae), Anticorbula (1, Corbulidae), Eupera, Byassanodonta, Pisidium and Sphaerium (these in Sphaeridae).
Palaeoheterodonta - (7:171/)908 spp., one family exclusively marine (Trigoniidae) and six exclusively freshwater: Unionidae (681, North and America Central, Eurasia, Africa), Margaritiferidae (13, Holarctic), Hyriidae (75, South America, Australasia), Etheriidae (4, South America, Africa, SE Asia), Mycetopodidae (43, exclusive from South America), and Iridinidae (43, exclusive from Africa).
Protobranchia - (10:49/)700 spp, fully marine.
Pteriomorphia - (25:240/)2,000 spp. Two families includes freshwater members: Myrtillidae (5 spp. in E Asia) and Arcidae (5 spp. in SE Asia).
One the best works for freshwater bivalves is Graf (Amer. Mallac. Bull., 2013), that shows 1,178 spp. worldwide. Neartic region includes only three native families of freshwater bivalves, with 343 spp. (the largest amount by region, 295 in Unionidae). Neotropical region includes 249 spp. in 8 families (the 3th amount by region). Mexico includes 97 Bivalvia in freshwater (Czaja, Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad, 2020). Grippina coronata Machado & Passos, 2015 (Anomalodesmata: Cuspidarioidea: Spheniopsidae) endemic to E coast of Brazil, is the smallest carnivorous bivalve known, with c. 1mm diameter (Morton, B. et al., Journal of Molluscan Studies, 2015).
GASTROPODA
(548:7,039/)74,651 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life), 38,889 marine, 5,118 in freshwater and 27,994 in lands (Molluscabase). Salvador, R.B. et al. (Journal of Conchology, 2024) cites (35:126/)715 spp. of native land snails in Brazil (manual counting for genera, 150 all, 24 only with exotic species). F.M. Machado et al. (Zoologia, 2023) cites 1,837 marine Gastropoda and (10:33/)177 spp. in freshwater in Brazil. Simone (BOOK, 2006) lists 256 freshwater Gastropoda in country.
For freshwater Gastropods, Strong et al. (Hydrobiology, 2008) cites 3,795 to 3,972 spp. worldwide, mainly in Asia, but 440 to 533 in Neotropics, in 14 to 17 families. Mexico contains (13:61/)193 spp. of freshwater Gastropods (Czaja, Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad, 2020) and (47:)1,184 terrestrial Gastropoda (Naranjo-García, Rev. Mex. de Biodiv., vol. 85, 2014).
Angustopila psammion Páll-Gergely, Vermeulen & Anker, 2022 (Hypselostomatidae) from N Laos is tiniest land snail ever known, with a shell width of 0.6–0.68 mm and a shell height of 0.46–0.57 mm (Páll-Gergely, B. et al., Contributions to Zoology, 2022). Megalobulimus popelairianus Nyst, 1845 (Strophocheilidae), from Brazil and Ecuador, has the largest eggs of all land gastropods: 51 × 35 mm (Wikipedia). Plusculidae (Heterobranchia), with Pluscula cuica Er. Marcus, 1953, is endemic to coasts of SE Brazil (see B. Brezinger et al., Organisms diversity and Evolution, 2013, pg. 8). Possibly 317 off 327 spp. of Amastridae, a Hawaiian family of terrestrial snails, are extincts today (Régnier, Conservation Biology, 2015).
All bioluminous molluscs presently known are marine organisms, except the gastropods Latia neritoides J.E. Gray, 1850 (Latiidae), a freshwater from northern island of New Zealand, and Quantula striata Gray, 1834 (Dyakiidae), a terrestial snail from Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, Philippines, Fiji, and some islands in the Rhio Archipelago (Shimomura & Yampolsky, BOOK, 2019).
Gastropoda's most recent classfication includes the following topology, based on Cunha TJ, Giribet G. (Proc. R. Soc., 2019), with six defined groups, five of them in Brazil.
PSILOGASTROPODA
Patellogastropoda - marine, in five families: Lottiidae, Lepetidae, Patellidae, Acmaeidae and Nacellidae (Aranzamendi et al., Journal of Molluscan Studies, 2009), all in Brazil except Acmaeidae (CTFB), with (4/)9 spp. (Patellidae inconclusive, F.M. Machado et al., Zoologia, 2023).
Vetigastropoda - (37:)c. 4,000 spp., marine (F.M. Machado et al., Zoologia, 2023). (20:)198 spp. in Brazil (F.M. Machado et al., Zoologia, 2023).
ANGIOSGASTROPODA
Apogastropoda - includes Caenogastropoda (at least two families inhabits land environments in Brazil: Diplommantinidae and Neocyclotidae. 1,211 marine species in Brazil, F.M. Machado et al., Zoologia, 2023) and Heterobranchia (418 spp. in Brazil, F.M. Machado et al., Zoologia, 2023). The latter includes several divergent lineages, such as Nudibranchia and Panpulmonata.
Neritimorpha - operculate gastropods. 4 families in Brazil: Helicinidae, Proserpinidae, Neritidae and Phenacolepadidae, with (9/)46 spp. (CTFB).
INCERTAE SEDIS
Neomphalina - three families, Melanodrymiidae (4 genera, SEE), Neomphalidae (6 genera, SEE) and Peltospiridae (10 genera, SEE), by Wikipedia, all absent in Brazil.
Cocculiniformia - (2:12/)51 spp. (Wikipedia), at least Cocculina in Brazil (Barros et al., Tropical Oceanography, 2001).
By Ramos et al. (Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 2021), terrestrial slugs are not a monophyletic group, but a case of convergent evolution in which the slug form evolved from different lineages of land snails that gradually lost their shell, through a process called limacization. The slug body form is present in the Stylommatophora (land snails and slugs) and Systellommatophora (aquatic and terrestrial slugs) clades of the Eupulmonata; only two families are native to the New World: Veronicellidae (common in tropical areas around the world) and Philomycidae (native from Asia and North America). Thomé (Biociências, 1993) reviewed the native Veronicellidae in the Americas, mentioning 144 species names classified in 18 genera, 10 in Brazil (none endemic), 8 absent, following Oliveira (Dissertation, 2019): Colosius (5, Colombia to Peru and Hispaniola), Diplosolenodes (6, U.S.A., Caribbean, Nicaragua, Guyana, Venezuela and Ecuador), Forcartulus (1, Venezuela and Colombia), Heterovaginia (1, Peru), Leydiula (10, U.S.A. to Colombia), Microveronicella (1, Colombia and Ecuador), Montivaginullus (1, Peru) and Veronicella (6, Caribbean, Ecuador and Chile). Despite not having endemic genera, Brazil has the greatest diversity of genera in the New World in this family. In Salvador, R.B. et al. (Journal of Conchology, 2024), Veronicella occurs natively in Brazil.
The family Rathouisiidae, sister to Veronicellidae, comprises slugs native to SE Asia and Australia (Wikipedia). However, the iNaturalist platform lists three possibly native records in the New World: two in SE U.S.A. (SEE | SEE) and one in caves near Montes Claros municipality, SE Brazil (SEE).
For sea slugs from Rio Grande do Norte state (in Acteonoidea, Nudipleura, Euopisthobranchia/Anaspidea and Panpulmonata/Sacoglossa, all Heterobranchia), see Delgado, M. et al. (Pap. Avulsos Zool., 2022). For notes from Brazilian Nudibranchia, see Padula (SBZ, 2014).
■ endemic families in New World: Plusculidae (1/1, Heterobranchia, Brazil), Tantulidae (1/1, Heterobranchia, Saint Vicente y Granadinas), Echinichidae (1/3, Heterobranchia, Mexico), Globocornidae (1/1, Caenogastropoda, Cuba), Amastridae (10/327, Heterobranchia, Hawaii, U.S.A.).
SCAPHOPODA
(12:48/)581 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life). F.M. Machado et al. (Zoologia, 2023) cites (6:20/)43 spp. in Brazil, in both two orders of this class: Dentaliida (3:9/18) and Gadilida (3:11/25).
18. ANNELIDA ‣ the traditional classification of Annelida into three main groups is now obsolete. The most recent and stable phylogenetic framework was proposed by Capa & Hutchings (Diversity, 2021), who identified 21 distinct lineages within Annelida. This includes taxa previously treated as separate phyla, such as Echiura and Sipuncula. After their study, three additional lineages were proposed: Protodriliformia (SEE), Questidae (Garrafoni & Amorim, Iheringia, 2003), and Aeolosomatida/Hrabeiellidae (Schmelz et al., Zootaxa, 2021).
Grosse et al. (Diversity, 2021) mention several groups with unresolved phylogenetic placement within Annelida, namely: Cossuridae, Paraonidae, Siboglinidae, Hrabeiella, Aeolosoma, Potamodrilus, Scalibregmatidae, and Travisiidae. The last six are tentatively placed within the lineages proposed by Capa & Hutchings (2021), while Cossuridae and Paraonidae remain 'unplaced at lineages' due to insufficient phylogenetic evidence. Another group with unresolved placement is Myzostomida, as noted by Summers & Rouse (BMC Evolutionary Biology, 2014), for which the consulted literature provides no conclusive positioning. Grosse et al. (2021) also refer to 'many other' unresolved groups within Annelida without providing a specific list.
According to our data, Annelida includes (154:2,216/)21,495 spp. worldwide and (100:582/)1,900 occurring in Brazil. Of the global total, 13,738 species inhabit marine environments (SEE). A literature review of former Polychaeta (including oligochaete-like Aeolosomatidae and Potamodrilidae), living in freshwater yielded (24:70/)168 spp. representing all of the major polychaete clades, but less than 2% of all species (Gçasby & Tarmo, Hydrobiologia, 2008). Terrestrial Annelida worldwide includes only Clietellata except Hrabeiella (from Europe and Korea, Farkas, Environmental Science Biology, 2013).
NUMBERS
For families, we fully follow the Catalogue of Life as of April 18, 2025 (SEE, families whose number of genera and species follows the Catalogue of Life are marked with 'CL'), with the following modifications: Dorydrilidae is here accepted as a synonym of Lumbriculidae (SEE); Octochaetidae and Exxidae are synonymized with Acanthodrilidae (SEE); Hippoperidae is synonymized with Eudrilidae (SEE); Aeolosomatidae, Paracanthobdellidae, and Questidae are here accepted as independent families (the Catalogue of Life either does not include them or treats them as synonyms); for Hirudinea, we follow the classification used by Wikipedia, which differs significantly from that of the Catalogue of Life, which recognizes only six families (Cylicobdellidae, Erpobdellidae, Haemadipsidae, Haemopidae, Hirudinidae, and Salifidae) and does not list the species.
All data below follow exclusively CTFB/Annelida for Brazil, except for Aberrantidae (here we follow Santos & Rizzo, Ocean and Coastal Research, 2024), Echiura (CTFB + Biseswar, Zootaxa, 2009), Myzostomidae (here we follow Amaral et al., Compilation, 2011), Questidae (Amaral et al., Compilation, 2011), Scalibregmatidae (here we follow Mendes, S.L.S.D. et al., EJT, 2024), and Siboglinidae (here, we follow the multiple references cited in the section on this group below). CTFB recognizes the groups Echiura (SEE) and Sipuncula (SEE) as separate from Annelida.
For data from southern Atlantic Polychaeta, see NONATOBASE. Mexico includes (63:460/)1,500 spp. of former Polychaetes (Tovar-Hernández, Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad, 2014).
PHYLOGENY OF ANNELIDA BY CAPA & HUTCHINGS (DIVERSITY, 2021), PLUS PROTODRILIFORMEA, QUESTIDAE AND AEOLOSOMAITA/HRABEIELLIDAE
TAXONOMIC UNCERTAINTIES IN ANNELID LINEAGES
Five families are currently unplaced in established annelid lineages. Three of these are represented in Brazil: Cossuridae (1/30 CL | 1/5 spp. in Brazil by CTFB), Paraonidae (10/189 CL | 6/42 in Brazil, CTFB) and Myzostomidae (12/150, Summers & Rouse, BMC Evolutionary Biology, 2014 | (3/)4 spp. in Brazil, not listed in CTFB, but accepted here). Two families does not occur in Brazil: Laetmonectidae (1/1 CL | WORMS) and Spintheridae (1/11 CL | Wikipedia).
PALAEOANNELIDA
(6/)139 spp. worldwide in two families (Parapar, Diversity, 2021), both in Brazil: Magelonidae (2/84 CL | 1/8 in Brazil, CTFB) and Oweniidae (4/55 CL | 4/10 in Brazil, CTFB).
CHAETOPTERIDAE
(5/)83 spp. worldwide in a single homonymous family. (4/)8 spp. in Brazil.
AMPHINOMIDA
(28/)223 spp. in two families worldwide, both in Brazil: Amphinomidae (24/160 CL | 10/18 in Brazil, CTFB) and Euphrosinidae (4/63 CL | 1/2 in Brazil, CTFB).
SIPUNCULA
(6:17/)205 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life). All families occur in Brazil (12/39, CTFB). For some notes for Sipuncula in NE Brazil, see Franco, L.C. et al. (Zootaxa, 2024).
EUNICIDA
(115/)1,472 spp. worldwide (CL). Here, we accept eight families — seven of which are listed on Wikipedia (SEE | Zanol et al., Diversity, 2021) — but we highlight Amphinomidae under Amphinomida and include Histriobdellidae, which is not mentioned on the platform. Six families occur in Brazil: Dorvilleidae (33/230 CL | 7/15, CTFB), Eunicidae (12/479 CL | 7/74, CTFB), Histriobdellidae (4/13 CL | 1/5, CTFB), Lumbrineridae (22/292 CL | 11/29, CTFB), Oenonidae (19/100 CL | 7/14, CTFB), and Onuphidae (23/354 CL | 11/56, CTFB). Two families are unknown in Brazil: Hartmaniellidae (1/3) and Ichthyotomidae (1/1 CL). In total, (6:44/)193 spp. are known from Brazil.
PHYLLODOCIDA
(585/)4,857 spp. worldwide (Martin et al., Diversity, 2021). Martin (2021) cites 28 families, but here we mainly follow Wikipedia, which lists 26 families (SEE), with the tentative addition of Microphthalmidae and Iphionidae, and exclusion of Alciopidae, Lepidocoleidae, Nautiliniellidae, Pholoidae, Pisionidae, Plumulitidae and Turrilepadidae after Catalogue of Life, resulting in a total of 26 valid families. 22 of them occur in Brazil: Acoetidae (8/56 CL | 5/10, CTFB), Aphroditidae (11/116 CL | 4/6 in Brazil, CTFB), Chrysopetalidae (31/112 CL | 4/7 in Brazil, CTFB), Eulepethidae (6/23 CL | 3/8 in Brazil, CTFB), Glyceridae (4/85 CL | 3/17 in Brazil, CTFB), Goniadidae (10/89 CL | 9/22 in Brazil, CTFB), Hesionidae (39/225 CL | 10/19 in Brazil, CTFB), Iospilidae (4/5 CL | 2/3 in Brazil, CTFB), Lacydoniidae (1/15 CL | 1/7 in Brazil, CTFB), Lopadorrhynchidae (7/24 CL | 4/6 in Brazil, CTFB), Microphthalmidae (9/61 CL | 1/1 in Brazil, CTFB), Nephtyidae (5/151 CL | 3/19 in Brazil, CTFB), Nereididae (51/770 CL | 19/79 in Brazil, CTFB), Paralacydoniidae (1/2 CL | 1/1in Brazil, CTFB), Phyllodocidae (46/511 CL | 17/64 in Brazil, CTFB), Pilargidae (12/125 CL | 8/24 in Brazil, CTFB), Polynoidae (176/875 CL | 18/42 in Brazil, CTFB), Sigalionidae (32/254 CL | 16/42 in Brazil, CTFB), Sphaerodoridae (11/133 CL | 1/1 in Brazil, CTFB), Syllidae (104/1,123 CL | 40/172 in Brazil, CTFB), Tomopteridae (4/54 CL | 1/8 in Brazil, CTFB), and Typhloscolecidae (4/17 CL | 3/4 in Brazil, CTFB). Four families does not occur in country: Antonbruuniidae (1/3 CL), Iphionidae (4/23 CL | Wikipedia), Pontodoridae (1/1 CL) and Yndolaciidae (3/3 CL). In total, (22:173/)562 spp. are known from Brazil.
Among all Annelida, only three branching species with a highly modified body-pattern are known until now, all in Syllidae within Phyllodocida: Syllis ramosa McIntosh, 1879 (250 m near the Philippines and at a depth of 170 m in the Arafura Sea), Ramisyllis multicaudata Glasby et al. (inside both white and purple sponges of the genus Petrosia in Darwin Harbour, Australia), and R. kingghidorahi Aguado, Ponz-Segrelles, Glasby, Ribeiro, Jimi & Miura, 2022, from Shukunegi Point, at the southern tip of Sado Island, Japan. All have unusual ramified bodies with one head and multiple anuses (Wikipedia), and live inside the canals of host sponges (Species New to Science).
The highest record of a freshwater non-Clitellata Annelida in world belongs Lycastoides alticola Johnson, 1903, found at 2,150 m a.s.l. in Mexico (Conde-Vela, Subterranean Biology, 2017).
PROTODRILIFORMIA
(13/)95 spp. worldwide in five families, four in Brazil: in Protodrilidae (6/39 CL | 2/2 in Brazil, CTFB), Polygordiidae (1/20 CL | 1/3 in Brazil, CTFB), Saccocirridae (2/24 CL | 2/3 in Brazil, CTFB) and Protodriloididae (1/2 CL | 1/1 in Brazil, CTFB). In total, (4:6/)9 spp. are known from Brazil. Dinophilidae (3/19 CL| Wikipedia) does not occur in Brazil.
ORBINIIDA
(43/)315 spp. worldwide in four families (Wikipedia). Two occur in Brazil: Orbiniidae (24/242 CL | 10/35 in Brazil, CTFB) and Nerillidae (16/60 CL | 1/1 in Brazil, CTFB). Apharyngtidae (1/1 CL | SEE) and Parergodrilidae does not occur in Brazil.
Parergodrilidae includes 12 spp. (Purschke & Fursman, Zoomorphology, 2005): Parergodrilus heideri Reisinger, 1925 (terrestrial, living in the zone of leaf litter and has so far only been found in Europe) and 11 Stygocapitella, in North America, E Asia, Europe, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand (for maps, SEE).
CIRRATULIFORMIA
(8:132/)1,146 spp. worldwide (SEE). Although Terebellidae and Trichobranchidae are included in this group on Wikipedia, we assign them to Terebelliformea (Hutchings et al., Diversity, 2021) in this work. Consequently, this group is accepted here with 8 valid families, Alvinellidae (2/12 CL) absent in Brazil, and 7 in country: Acrocirridae (10/45 CL | 1/3 in Brazil, CTFB), Ampharetidae (58/280 CL | 4/6 in Brazil, CTFB), Cirratulidae (22/409 CL | 10/36 in Brazil, CTFB), Fauveliopsidae (3/26 CL | 3/3 in Brazil, CTFB), Flabelligeridae (28/251 CL | 8/16 in Brazil, CTFB), Pectinariidae (5/74 CL | 4/7 in Brazil, CTFB), and Sternaspidae (4/49 CL | 3/3 in Brazil, CTFB). In total, (7:33/)104 spp. are known from Brazil. The families Ctenodrilidae, Flotidae, and Poeobiidae are commonly cited as valid, but here, following the Catalogue of Life, they are considered invalid.
The Alvinellidae are a family of worms that are endemic to deep-sea hydrothermal vents in the Pacific and Indian Oceans (Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2024). Alvinella pompejana Desbruyères and Laubier, 1980 (Alvinellidae) is the most heat-tolerant complex organism known on Earth, found near hydrothermal vents deep in Galapagos vents, it thrives at a temperature of 50 °C; this is near the theoretical limit for eukaryotes, whose mitochondria disintegrate at about 55 °C (Wikipedia).
SIBOGLINIDAE
(35/)210 spp. worldwide in a single family homonymous and 4 lineages, Frenulata clade (FC), Osedax clade (OC), Vestimentifera, and Monilifera (Sclerolinum, SEE). Brazil includes five spp.: Osedax braziliensis Fujiwara, Jimi, Sumida, Kawato & Kitazato, 2019 (OC, SEE), O. nataliae Gularte, Sumida, Bergamo & Rouse (OC, Gularte, T. et al., ZooKeys, 2024), Siboglinum besnardi Tommasi, 1970 (FC, SEE), S. nonatoi Tommasi, 1970 (FC, SEE) and Crassibrachia brasiliensis Southward, 1968 (FC, SEE). Vestimentifera and Monilifera does not occur in Brazil.
Vestimentifera has six genera endemic to hydrothermal vents in the Pacific: Riftia, Ridgeia, Tevnia, Oasisia, Alaysia, and Arcovestia, and four widely: Lamellibrachia, Escarpia, Paraescarpia and Seepiophila (McCowin et al., Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2023).
SABELLIDAE
(186/)1,580 spp. worldwide in three families, all in Brazil: Fabriciidae (21/87 CL | 3/3 in Brazil, CTFB), Sabeliidae (46/562 CL | 24/42 in Brazil, CTFB) and Serpuliidae (119/931 CL | 21/43 in Brazil, CTFB).
SABELARIIDA
(13/)152 spp. worldwide in a single family Sabelariidae, with (6/)19 spp. in Brazil (CTFB).
SPIONIDA
(55/)778 spp. in eight families worldwide (Magelonidae and Chaetopteridae have been moved to other lineages). (6:28/)114 spp. in Brazil, in Aberrantidae (1/5 CL | 1/1 in Brazil, Santos & Rizzo, Ocean and Coastal Research, 2024), Apistobranchidae (1/7 CL | 1/1 in Brazil, CTFB), Longosomaridae (1/24 CL | 1/1 in Brazil, CTFB), Poecilochaetidae (1/33 CL | 1/7 in Brazil, CTFB), Spionidae (45/688 CL | 21/102 in Brazil, CTFB), and Trochochaetidae (2/13 CL | 2/2 in Brazil, CTFB). Uncispionidae (3/8 CL) and Psammodrilidae (1/8 CL | Wikipedia) are unknown in Brazil.
CAPITELLIDA/ECHIURA
Due to high inconclusion among phylogenies, this clade is treated here including two groups: Echuira and Capitellida.
A. Echiura ‣ (40/)173 spp. worldwide in five families of two orders (Wikipedia): Bonelliidae (30/78 CL), Echiuridae (1/4 CL), Ikedidae (1/2 CL CL), Thalassematidae (7/85 CL) and Urechidae (1/4 CL). (2:8/)9 spp. in Brazil, 7 listed in CTFB plus Torbenwolffia galatheae Zenkevitch, 1966 (Bonellidae) and Sluiterina flabellorhynchum Murina, 1976 (Bonellidae), listed in Biseswar (Zootaxa, 2009). Other three South American species are listed in Paz & Chapoñán (Cientifica, 2016).
B. Capitellida ‣ (85/)492 spp. in two families worldwide, both in Brazil: Capitellidae (43/224 CL | 11/36 in Brazil, CTFB) and Maldanidae (42/268 CL | 19/36 in Brazil, CTFB). Originally included three families (Wikipedia), but with the emancipation of Arenicolidae, only two are in this group today.
SCALIBREGATIDAE/TRAVISIDAE
(17/)131 spp. worldwide (Parapar et al., Diversity, 2021) in two families: Scalibregmatidae (16/88 CL) and Travisiidae (1/43 CL). (5/)17 spp. in this clades in Brazil: 12 in Scalibregmatidae (SEE, three in Asclerocheilus, three in Oligobregma, three in Pseudoscalibregma and also three in Scalibregma), and (1/)5 in Travisidae (CTFB).
OPHELIIDA
(9/)178 spp. worldwide in a single family, Opheliidae. (8/)32 spp. in Brazil (CTFB).
ARENICOLIA
(5/)24 spp. in a single family, Arenicolidae. (2/)4 spp. occur in Brazil (CTFB).
TEREBELLIFORMEA
(79/)832 spp. in three families worldwide (Diversity, 2021 | Guton, L. et al., Records of the Australian Museum, 2023), all in Brazil: Melinnidae (6/56 CL | 2/3, CTFB), Terebellidae (70/658 CL | 23/67, CTFB), and Trichobranchidae (3/118 CL | 3/10, CTFB). Polycirridae, Thelepodidae and Telothelepodidae commonly cited as valid, but here, following the Catalogue of Life, they are considered invalid.
AEOLOSOMATIDA/HRABEIELLIDAE
Two families, Aeolosomatidae with (3/)32 spp. worldwide (SEE) and Hrabeiellidae (2, Hrabeiella, only known exclusively terrestrial non Clitellata by Farkas, Environmental Science Biology, 2013, been found at an increasing number of sites in Europe and has also recently been reported from Korea), only the former in Brazil (1/11, CTFB).
CLITELLATA
A spetacular radiation of 58 families in 14 orders, 11 listed on Schmelz et al. (Zootaxa, 2021) plus three parasitics on Tessler et al. (Mol. Phyl. and Evol., 2018). (22:96/)466 spp. in Brazil. For a huge amount of informations about earthworms, see Phytotaxa, vol. 5255, March 15, 2023.
According to our data, there are (58:721/)8,136 spp. worldwide and (21:105/)408 occurring in Brazil. Six orders remains unknown in Brazil.
ORDER RANDIELLIDA
One small marine family, Randiellidae, including 4 spp. in a single genus, Randiella (Timm, Zootaxa, 2017): one species is known from the NE Pacific Ocean (Oregon), the three from the NW Atlantic (east coast of USA and Caribbean) and New Caledonia (Erséus, Journal of Natural History, 1997).
ORDER PARVIDRILLIDA
A single family, Parvidrilidae (1/11, freshwater), from SE U.S.A. and Europe (Timm, Zootaxa, 2017).
ORDER CAPILLOVENTRIDA
A single family, Capilloventridae, including 5 spp. in a single genus, Capilloventer: two marine (C. atlanticus Harman & Loden 1984 from E Brazil and one in Antarctica) and three freshwater species in Australia (KAFTI).
ORDER TUBIFICIDA
Two families accepted here and (140/)1,220 spp. (Timm, Zootaxa, 2017 | Sjölin et al., Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2005 | Esséus, Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2010): Naididae (133/1,167 CL | including Tubificidae, Pristinidae and Opistocystidae; CTFB recognizes these families as independent) and Phreodrilidae (7/53 CL). Only the former family in Brazil, with (26/)81 spp.
ORDER NARAPIDA
A single freshwater species in Narapidae, Narapa bonettoi Righi & Varela, 1983, from S Brazil to NE Argentina (Jamieson et al., Book Chapter 8, 2006).
ORDER ENCHYTRAEIDA
Two families: Enchytraeidae with (26/)700 spp. worldwide (SEE, mostly terrestrial, also freshwater, marine), 65 spp. in South America and (9/)36 in Brazil (CTFB | Christoffersen, Acta Zoólogica Mexicana, 2010 for species | Christoffersen, Zootaxa, 2007 for all list), and Propappidae (1/3, freshwater), from Europe and S Siberia in Russia (Coates, Proceedings of ohe Biological Society of Washington, 1986).
ORDER HAPLOTAXIDA
21 spp. in six families accepted here (Martin, P., Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2024): Haplotaxidae (only Haplotaxis, freshwater), Haplotaxoididae (1/5, endemic to W U.S.A., freshwater), Limpluvidae (1/1, endemic to Japan, freshwater), Ohtakianidae (1/1, endemic to Japan, freshwater), Pelodrilidae (Pelodrilus, Hologynus, Delaya, freshwater), and Tiguassuidae (1/1, endemic to N Brazil, CTFB, freshwater). Metataxys, listed as inconclusive in P.J. (2024), is here tentatively accepted in Haplotaxidae. Brazil includes (1:2/)2 spp. in Haplotaxidae (CTFB).
ORDER MONILIGASTRIDA
A single family, Moniligastridae, with (5/)34 spp. (Catalogue of Life), from SE and E Asia. They are terrestrial and, despite a common belief that they are amphibious, no moniligastrids are known to be aquatic or limicolous.
ORDER ALLUROIDINA
Two families, Alluroididae (7/13, amphibious, mainly freshwater, Jamieson & Fragoso, Zootaxa, 2024, waters of equatorial Africa and South America) and Syngenodrilidae (1/1, terrestrial, East Africa). The former family has (4/)5 spp. in New World, one in Mexico (Lacandodrilus, endemic genus), (3/)3 in Guyana (Kathrynella and Righiella endemic genera), and Brinkhurstia americanus Brinkhurst 1964 in Brazil, Guyana, Argentina and Santa Lucia in Caribbean.
ORDER CRASSICLITELLATA
Misirlioglu et al. (Zootaxa, 2023) recognizes (22:382/)5,406 spp. in this clade, mostly terrestrial. South American numbers provided by Christoffersen (Acta Zoólogica Mexicana, 2010). Nine families do not occur in New World: Criodrilidae (Europe and Algeria), Biwadrilidae (Japan), Diporodrilidae (Corsica and Sardinia), Eudrilidae (Africa), Hormogastridae (Europe and Northern Africa), Kazimierzidae (Western Cape and Northern Cape provinces), Kynotidae (22, Madagascar), Microchaetidae (South Africa), and Tritogeniidae (southern Africa). 4 families occur in New World but non in South America: Komarekionidae (mid-Atlantic states west to southern Illinois, U.S.A.), Lutodrilidae (E U.S.A.), Megascolecidae (Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Canada to California), and Sparganophilidae (North America). Nine families occur in South America.
CTFB lists Criodrilidae, Megascolecidae, and Eudrilidae as occurring in Brazil, but all of them are rejected here. Arecoidae is not listed in CTFB, but is accepted in this work. (7:50/)239 spp. in Brazil (data below).
Acanthodrilidae - (68/)746 (including Octochaetidae), widely worldwide, 66 spp. in South America, (2/)4 in Brazil (CTFB).
Arecoidae - a single spp., Areco reco Righi, Ayres and Bittencourt, 1978, endemic to N Brazil, dismembered of Almidae.
Almidae - (7/)64, Africa, SE Asia, Costa Rica to South America and the Caribbean, (3/)9 spp. in New World, (3/)3 in Brazil (CTFB).
Benhamiidae - (20/)351 spp., Africa, Oceania, America Central and northern South America. (5/)100 spp. in New World, including former South American Octacaenidae. (4/)20 spp. in Brazil (CTFB).
Glossoscolecidae (6/156 worldwide) + Rhinodrilidae (38/376 worldwide) - Mexico to South America. The two families are treated as a single one in CTFB (as Glossoscolecidae, but are recognized as distinct here), with (25/)166 spp. in Brazil (CTFB).
Lumbricidae - a family with the native status in Brazil quite unclear. Christoffersen (Zoosystema, 2011) lists 26 spp. in South America, with only two being restricted to the continent. CTFB rejects this family in Brazil, and is accepted here.
Ocnerodrilidae - (37/)172 spp., South and America Central, sub-Saharan Africa, India, and the Seychelles. (20/)77 spp. in South America, (15/)45 spp. in Brazil (CTFB).
Tumakidae - (1/)3 spp., endemic to Colombia.
ORDER LUMBRICULIDA
(35/)253 spp. CL in a single family, Lumbriculidae (including Dorydrilidae, Schmelz et al., Zootaxa, 2021 | Timm, Zootaxa, 2017), mostly freshwater and Holarctic with extension into W Asia, absent in South America.
ORDER ACANTHOBDELLIDA
Two known species, Acanthobdella peledina Grube, 1851 (broadly across northern Eurasia and Alaska) and Paracanthobdella livanowi Epstein, 1966 (Russian Far East), each placed in their own monotypic family: Acanthobdellidae and Paracanthobdellidae, respectively (De Carle et al., Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2022).
HIRUDINA
(15:88/)325 spp. in two groups. Rhynchobdellida (3:41/110, Wikipedia) includes Glossiphoniidae, Piscicolidae and Ozobranchidae, all in Brazil (8/32, CTFB). Arhynchobdellida (12:47/215, Wikipedia), with (4:6/)14 spp. in Brazil (CTFB). (10:)31 spp. in Mexico (Oceguera-Figueroa & León-Règagnon, Rev. Mex. de Biodiv., vol. 85, 2014).
ORDER BRANCHIBDELLIDA
(22/)140 spp. in a single family, obligate ectosymbionts primarily associated with astacoidean crayfishes, in freshwater habitats Canada to SE Mexico in Veracruz state, also isolated records in Nicaragua and Costa Rica (Gelder, Hydrobiologia, 1999), Euro-Mediterranean, and E Asia (Gelder & Williams, Thorp and Covich's Freshwater Invertebrates, 2015). (6/)17 spp. in Mexico (SEE).
QUESTIDA
A single family, Questidae, with 8 spp.: Q. caudicirra Hartman, 1966 (around North America, coast of Brazil, Canary Is. and Mediterranean Basin, Delgado & Nuñez, Misc. Zool., 1994), Q. trifucata (New England), Q. media (Galapagos), Q. ersei (NE Australia), Q. bicirrata (Mactan Is., Philippines), Q. mediterranea (Isola di Ponza, Italy), Q. riseri (Bermudas) and Q. paucibranchiata (Carrie Bow Bay, Belize), all listed in by Garraffoni & Amorim (Iheringia, 2003). Q. caudicirra was collected in Brazil in Rocas Atoll (Amaral et al., Compilation, 2011), record non listed in CTFB.
GENERAL NOTES ON ANNELIDA
Only 13 of the approximately 600 known species of marine and estuarine oligochaetes have been recorded from Brazil, and 8 of them are currently known only from their type localities (Prantoni et al., Marine Biodiversity, 2013). These belong to the families Naididae (5/6), Enchytraeidae (3/5), Capilloventridae (1, Capilloventer atlanticus Harman & Loden, 1984), and Megascolecidae (Pontodrilus litoralis Grube, 1855). In addition to being the aquatic oligochaete with the highest number of records in Brazil, P. litoralis is considered invasive here, based on the text by Misirlioglu et al. (Zootaxa, 2023).
Bioluminescent earthworms are found among approximately 30 spp. across five families: Acanthodrilidae, Megascolecidae, Octochaetidae, Lumbricidae (all known cases of bioluminescence are in Eisenia, and the phenomenon may be restricted to just two or three species, including E. fetida Savigny, 1826 and E. lucens Waga, 1857), and Enchytraeidae (in Fridericia and Michaelseniella, which typically inhabit soils rich in organic matter), as noted by Shimomura & Yampolsky (BOOK, 2019).
The number of former polychaete taxa inhabiting Neotropical freshwater environments is very small compared to their marine counterparts, comprising only around (6/)22 spp. (KNAF, 2020) in five families: Nereididae (2/11, in Nemalycastis and Nemanereis, both genera recorded in Brazil, which has about 10 spp., mainly from Amapá to Maranhão | Alves, Thesis, 2022), Histriobdellidae (8, all in Stratiodrillus, collected in various locations including Brazil), Capitellidae (1/1, from the Ouanary River in French Guiana), Sabellidae (1, Monroika clarae Bick & Armendáriz, 2021, from the lower Uruguay River in Argentina and Uruguay, SEE), and Sigalionidae (1, Phyllodocida, from Panama)
■ endemic families in New World: Tumakidae (1/3, Clitellata, Colombia), Komarekionidae (1/1, Clitellata, U.S.A.), Lutodrilidae (1/1, Clitellata, U.S.A.), Haplotaxoididae (1/5, Clitellata, U.S.A.), Arecoidae (1/1, Clitellata, Brazil) and Tiguassuidae (1/1, Clitellata, Brazil).
19. BRACHIOPODA ‣ (31/121)405 living species into five orders (TABLE) in Brachiopoda Database (SEE) and (8:9/)11 spp. in Brazil, all marine, explaned below in three groups:
LINGULIFORMEA
(2:6/)25 spp. worldwide, five genera in New World: Glottidia (MAP), Pelagodiscus (MAP), Lingula (SEE), Discinisca (MAP) and Discradisca (MAP), all in South America, the three lasts in Brazil in both families: a unnamed Discinisca (Simões et al., Paleontology, 2004), Dicradisca antillarum d'Orbigny, 1845 (Collin et al., Diversity, 2019) and an unnamed Lingula (Monteiro et al., Labomar, 2023).
The sixth genus, Discina, occur only in W Africa (MAP).
RHYNCHONELLIFORMEA
Three orders and (28:112/)371 spp. worldwide:
RHYNCHONELLIDA
19 genera, three in New World: Cryptopora (7, North Atlantic from Scandinavia to Morocco, Panama and Caribbean, South Georgia, S Australia and New Zealand, MAP), Abyssorhynchia (1, Hawaii and Pacific coast from Panama to Chile, MAP) and Neorhynchia (1, Indonesia to New Zealand, Alaska to Chile and aroud Antarctica, MAP), all in South America, but none in Brazil.
THECIDEIDA
Six genera, three in New World, all only in Caribbean Basin (remaining records in Old World, unknown in Colombia), but also possibly in N South America: Lacazella (3, Mediterranean, SE Africa and Caribbean, MAP), Minutella (4, Red Sea, SE Africa, Japan to Borneo and New Zealand, and Caribbean, MAP) and Thecidellina (12, Red Sea, SE Africa, Japan to Java and New Zealand, French Polynesia and Caribbean, MAP), but none in Brazil.
TEREBRATULLIDA
87 genera, 15 in South America: Abyssothyris (MAP), Aneboconcha (MAP), Argyrotheca (at least in Brazil, SEE), Bouchardia (SEE), Chlidonophora (Wikipedia, in Guyana), Dallithyris (MAP), Fosteria (MAP), Gryphus (MAP), Liothyrella (MAP), Macandrevia (MAP), Magellania (MAP), Melvicallatis (MAP), Platidia (MAP), Terebratella (MAP), Terebratullina (MAP), and Tichosina (MAP).
Besides these references, in Brazil occur (5:5/)7 spp. at this orders: Tichosina martinicensis Cooper, 1977 (Terebratulidae), Bouchardia (Bouchardiidae; for details, see Simões e Kowalewski, Hystorical Biology, 2009), Platidia anomioides Scacchi & Philippi in Philippi, 1844 (Platidiidae), Argyrotheca cf. cuneata and Argyrotheca sp. (Megathyrididae), Terebratulina cailleti Crosse, 1865 and Terebratulina sp. (Cancellothyrididae), based on Simões et al. (Paleontology, 2004) and Césas Marques (Marine Biodiversity, 2018 | SEE).
CRANIIFORMEA
(1:3/)11 spp. worldwide in Craniidae, with Valdiviathyris (1, MAP), Neoancistrocrania (1, MAP) and Novocrania (9, Robinson, Zootaxa, 2017), these collected in New World in SW Canada, W U.S.A., Galapagos, Chile and Magellanic region, with three species.
A record of Craniidae off the coast of Brazil is accepted here, based on a 1977 collection by E. Petuch in the Abrolhos region, off the southeastern coast of Bahia, consisting of five individuals (Invertbase/Voos Marine Invertebrate Collection). Unfortunately, the species from this collection was never identified.
■ endemic families in New World: Bouchardiidae (1/1, Rhynchonellata, Brazil).
20. BRYOZOA (ECTOPROCTA) ‣ marine and freshwater animals, (222:891/)5,440 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life, sectioned data) in three classes, 520 in Brazil (CTFB/Bryozoa), i ll classes. A important website for this phylum is International Bryozoology Associaton (IBA). Wood & Okamura (Zootaxa, 2017) lists 89 spp. of freshwater Bryozoa worldwide, 30 in Neotropical regions (24 in Phylactolaemata, and six in Ctenostomata, at Hislopiidae), 16 in Brazil, but the work describes more 4 news from Phylactolaemata (and create two families in Phylactolaemata and Ctenostemata one each). Brazil has, in total, 20 freshwater bryozoa (18 Phylactolaemata and two Ctenostemata).
GYMNOLAEMATA
(179:756)4,832 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life), including mrine and freshwater forms. (89:205/)460 spp. in Brazil (CTFB).
STENOLAEMATA
(36:119/)531 living spp. worldwide in a single living order, Cyclostomata, all marine (Catalogue of Life). (10:15/)34 spp. in Brazil (CTFB).
PHYLACTOLAEMATA
(7:16/)77 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life), freshwaters. (4:4/)26 spp. in Brazil (CTFB).
■ endemic families in New World: Polliciporidae (1/1, Gymnolaemata, Chile), Jebramellidae (1/1, Gymnolaemata, Brazil) and Tapajosellidae (1/1, Phylactolaemata, Brazil).
21. PHORONIDA ‣ (2/)15 spp. worldwide (Temereva and Neklyudov, Biology Bulletin, 2018), five in Brazil: Phoronis ovalis Wright, 1856 (SEE), P. psammophila Cori, 1889 (SEE), P. hippocrepia Wright, 1856 (SEE | these fully assignated in Brazil by Forneris, SBZ, 1987), P. muelleri Selys-Longchamps, 1903 (SEE | dubious in Brazil) and P. australis Haswell, 1883 (SEE | SEE).
Phoronida, along with Placozoa, is one of the two phyla with the most unstable intraphylogenetic situation. Although traditionally recognized in the literature with two genera — Phoronis and Phoronopsis — studies by Temereva and Neklyudov (Biology Bulletin, 2018) showed that Phoronis is highly paraphyletic. This would require either fragmenting the group into several small genera to maintain Phoronopsis as valid, or forming one or two new small genera. Considering that the most basal species occurs in Brazil (P. ovalis), that the group exhibits extreme morphological monotonicity, and that it shows low apparent diversity, it makes more sense in this work to treat Phoronida as a single canonical lineage.
In actual circusncription, Phoronopsis (3) occur in Panama, U.S.A., Bermuda, Caribbean and scattered in Old World , and is unknown in South America.
ECDIZOA
22. LORICIFERA ‣ (2:11/)47 described spp. worldwide, by R.C. Neves et al. (Zoologischer Anzeiger, 2016), R.C. Neves et al. (Marine Biodiversity, 2018), R.C. Neves et al. (Plos One, 2021), Sorensen M.V. et al. (Zoologischer Anzeiger, 2022), Sorensen M.V. et al. (European Journal of Taxonomy, 2023) and Sørensen et al. (Organisms Diversity & Evolution, 2023), collected in N Chile (Pliciloricus ukupachaensis Sørensen, Herranz, Grzelak, Shimabukuro, Kristensen & Zeppilli, 2023, Pliciloricidae), SE Brazil off Rio de Janeiro state (Scaberiloricus samba Sørensen, Herranz, Neves, Kristensen & Garraffoni, 2023, Pliciloricidae), Galapagos Is. (Spinoloricus neuhausi Neves & Kristensen, 2016 and S. turbatio Heiner & Neuhaus, 2007, both Nanoloricidae), both coasts of U.S.A. (3/9), N Atlantic (1/2), Mediterranean (1/1), Faroe Is. (3/5), Italy (1/1), France (2/3), Spain (1/1), Guinea Gulf (1/1), Namibia (2/3), Comores (1/1), Russia (1/1, Laptev Sea), Japan (2/2), SE Australia (2/2), Papua New Guinea (1/1), Antartic waters (1/1) and New Zealand (1/1). Consistent records also in Mexico (4/4, Cardoso Neves et al., Front. Mar. Sci., 2022). Only U.S.A., N Atlantic, Galapagos, Atacama trench, SE Mexico, Faroe Is., France, Namibia, Japan and SE Australia has more a than a single species.
23. KINORHYNCHA ‣ (10:33)348 spp. worldwide (Herranz et al., Mol., Phyl. Evol., 2022 | World Kinorrhyncha Database, WKD | Catalogue of Life) and (5:6/)8 in Brazil (data below), nominaly in two classes.
Gulf of California in Pacific Mexico includes (2:4/)10 spp. of Kinorhyncha (SEE): Pycnophyidae includes Pycnophyes (2) and Kinorhynchus (5), and Echinoderidae includes Echinoderes (2) and Fissuroderes (1). Mexican part of Gulf of Mexico includes 24 spp. (SEE). In summary, Mexico includes 34 spp. of Kinorrhyncha.
CYCLORHAGIDA
(5:17/)228 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life) in three subclades: Xenosomata (1 family), Kentrorhagata (3 families, including the aberrant Zelinkaderes) and Echinorhagata (1 family), with (6:1/)199 spp. Brazil has at least 4 spp.: Echinoderes ajax Sørensen, 2014, E. marthae Sørensen, 2014 and E. astridae Sørensen, 2014, all collected from coast of São Paulo state (Echinoderidae, Echinorhagata, Sorensen, Fapesp, 2014), and one Centroderis sp. from E coast (GBIF, Kentrohagata).
ALLOMALORHAGIDA
(5:16/)120 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life) in two subclades: Pycnophyidae (8/99, MAP) and Anomoirhaga (4:8/21 spp.). Brazil includes at least four species in this group, in three families: Pycnophyes sp. and Kinorhynchus sp. in Pycnophyidae (Amaral et al., Biota Fapesp-Araçá, 2018), and two Anomoirhaga: Cateria styx Gerlach, 1956 (Cateriidae, M. Herranz et al., Zoologischer Anzeiger, 2019, also from Chile) and Franciscideres kalenesos Dal Zotto, Di Domenico, Garraffoni & Sørensen, 2013 (Franciscideridae, M. dal Zotto et al., Systematics and Biodiversidad, 2013 | also from E Argentina, Rucci et al., Zootaxa, 2020).
24. PRIAPULIDA ‣ small marine group comprising (5:7/)24 spp. across four clades, three of which are successively basal (microscopic and meiofaunal) and one derived, macroscopic clade (Raeker, J. et al., Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2025). The work of van der Land (Zoologische Verhandelingen, 1970) is referenced here as A/1972.
Meiopriapulus
Includes only Meiopriapulus fijiensis Morse, 1981, collected in Adaman islands in Bengal Bay, Fiji islands and Cheju island in South Korea (SEE).
TUBILUCHIDAE
11 spp. worldwide in a single genus: Tubiluchus corallicola (Panama, Curazao, Barbados, Bermuda, Bonaire, Bahamas, Florida), T. remanei (Egyptian coast of Red Sea, SEE), T. philippinensis (Mactan island near Cebu, C Philippines, SEE), T. australensis (Australian Great Barrier Reef), T. arcticus (White Sea and Barents Sea in Russia), T. vanuatuensis (New Hebrides island in Vanuatu), T. troglodytes (submarine caves in Apuglia, SE Italy), T. lemburgi (Canary Islands, Spain), T. soyoae, T. pardosi (Kouri island near Okinawa in Ryukyu Islands, and Suruga Bay in SE Honshu, Japan, SEE), complemented by several reports of undetermined Tubiluchus specimens, e.g. from Playa Caletones in NE Cuba, Kos area in SW Turkiye (SEE), Hawaii, Koster area in SW Sweden and Cantabrian Sea in N Spain, by Schmidt-Rhaesa (Zoologischer Anzeiger, 2013 | 2017).
MACCABEIDAE
A single genus, Maccabeus with two spp. from SE coast of Cyprus and Andaman Sea at 2,000 m deep (SEE | SEE).
MACROSCOPIC PRIAPULIDA
Two families and (4/)10 spp. of macroscopic Priapulids.
Halicryptidae - a single genus, Halicryptus, and two species.
Halicryptus higginsi Shirley & Storch, 1999 (coast of Alaska, SEE).
Halicryptus spinulosus von Siebold, 1849 (Labrador, coast of Alaska, E Greeland, Iceland, coasts of N Russia, N Scandinavia and Baltic Sea, A/1972).
Priapulidae - (3/)8 spp. Some deep records was made in Pacific coast from NW Mexico to America Central, and around Java in Indonesia (A/1972), and lack specific definition.
Acanthopriapulus horridus Théel, 1911 (SE Brazil to Chile, Rhaesa et al., Zoologischer Anzeiger, 2022, known only from six specimens, three from Brazil).
Priapulopsis australis de Guerne, 1886 (New Zealand, South Africa, southern Chile and Argentina, A/1972).
Priapulopsis bicaudatus Danielssen, 1868 (NE U.S.A to Newoundland in Canada, around Greenland, North Sea to Severnaya Zemlya in Russia, A/1972).
Priapulopsis cnidephorus Salvini-Plawen, 1973 (incompletely described, questionable, Mediterranean Sea, SEE).
Priapulopsis papillatus Schmidt-Rhaesa & Raeker, 2025 (endemic to New Zealand, SEE).
Priapulus abyssorum Menzies, 1959 (off coast of Costa Rica, 5,680 m deep, SEE).
Priapulus caudatus Lamarck, 1816 (Alaska to California, Artic Alaska and Canada, over coasts of Greenland, NE U.S.A to Newoundland in Canada, Iceand to Chukotka in Russia, Kamchatka from Japan, A/1972).
Priapulus tuberculatospinosus Baird, 1868 (New Zealand, around Antartida, southern Chile and Argentina, A/1972).
25. NEMATOMORPHA ‣ (3:19/)361 spp. worldwide, parasitoid animals superficially similar to nematode worms in morphology, in two higher groups. Adult worms are free-living, but the larvae are parasitic on aquatic and terrestrial Arthropoda. (3:7/)23 in Brazil (CTFB/Nematomorpha).
NECTONEMATOIDA
5 marine species in a single genus, Nectonema: N. agile Verrill, 1879 (Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean and Black Seas), N. melanocephalum Nierstrasz (Indonesia), N. munidae Brinkmann, 1930 (Bergen and Norway), N. svensksundi Bock, 1913 (Spitzbergen, Norway) and N. zealandica Poinar & Brockerhoff 2001 (New Zealand), the first in Brazil (Kakui et al., Parasitology Research, 2021).
GORDIOIDA
(2:18/)356 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life) and (2:6/)22 in Brazil (CTFB). Nine genera of both families in South America (CTFB / KNAF/2020), all these in Brazil except Gordionus (KNAF/2020). 77 spp. occur in Neotropical region (KNAF/2020).
26. NEMATODA ‣ roundworms show high homogeneity in their morphology and anatomy, with a transparent body, filiform, usually small in free living forms (length 0.2–3mm), pointed at one or both ends, covered by smooth cuticle, and without appendages. It is very large group living in all habitats: terrestrial and aquatic (sea bottom and all kinds of freshwater), and as parasites in plants, animals, and humans. Parasitic species living in cultivated plants or breeding animals are well known whereas the free-living nematodes are still poorly recognized. Many free-living species are eurytopic — such species can be found in different environments (terrestrial or aquatic) as well as in various climatic zones. They are very resistant to unfavorable life conditions such as food and oxygen scarcity, and their presence was even discovered in paleometeoric waters (3,000 – 12,000 years old) at the depth 0.9 – 3.6 km. These are first multicellular organisms found in such deep subsurface of the Earth. Their eggs are resistant to desiccation and extreme temperatures so they can be easily transported for long distances by wind or water (White & Culver, Enciclopedia of Caves, 2019, 3rd edition).
(266:2,456/)20,359 spp. in two classes: Enoplea with (80:725/)6,743 spp. (Catalogue of Life) and Chromadorea with (186:1,731/)13,616 spp. (Catalogue of Life). In Brazil, by CFTB/Nematoda, are (31:82/)188 spp. of Enoplea and (94:485/)1,383 in Chromadorea.
Possibly 8,000-9,000 Nematoda parasites Craniata, and lists of Brazilian parasitic nematodes are available for the following host groups: Actinopteri and alies fishes (Luque et al., Zootaxa, 2011 - 74/215 spp.), Amphibia (Vicente et al., Rev. Bras. Zool., 1990 - 14:24/63 spp.), reptiles (Vicente et al., Rev. Bras. Zool., 1993 - 23:55/121 spp.), Avialia (Vicente et al., Rev. Bras. Zool., 1995 - 23:75/257 spp.) and Mammalia (Vicente et al., Rev. Bras. Zool., 1997 - 45:160/495 spp.). For a excelent work of all 15 lineages of parasitic Nematoda - with hosts - see Blaxter & Koutsovoulos (Parasitology, 2015). Marine nematodes in Brazil, in April, 2017, includes (72:372/)450 spp. in 11 orders (Venekey, Zootaxa, 2017).
Placentonema gigantissima Gubanov, 1951 (Tetrameridae) is potentially the largest nematode worm ever described, with a length of 8.4 metres (28 ft) and a diameter of 2.5 centimetres, discovered in the 1950s around the Kuril Islands, Russia; this species develops its parasitic nature by utilizing nutrients found in the endometrium of female sperm whales and forming as spiriud (small, embroyonated) eggs; it can parasitize not only the placenta, but also the uterus, reproductive tract, mammary glands, or subdermis of the sperm whale (Wikipedia).
■ endemic families in New World: Berntsenidae (1/2, Chromadorea, U.S.A).
27. TARDIGRADA ‣ (33:157/)1,461 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life) across three classes: Mesotardigrada (1:1/1), Eutardigrada (17:80/898), and Heterotardigrada (15:76/562). Brazil includes (7:20/)43 spp. of Eutardigrada and (12:29/)53 of Heterotardigrada (CTFB/Tardigrada).
Mesotardigrada is a monotypic class, endemic to eastern Kyushu Island in S Japan, however, the type material has been lost, and the class is now considered nomen dubium (Grothman, Zoological Science, 2017). Barros, R.C. (Arquivos de Zoologia, 2020) recognized 100 species of tardigrades in Brazil, of which 70 are terrestrial and 30 marine, distributed between Eutardigrada (3 orders: 20 families / 43 species) and Heterotardigrada (10 orders: 29 families / 57 species). Mexico, by contrast, includes only 41 species (SEE). Additionally, Kaczmarek et al. (Zootaxa, 2015) listed 197 marine tardigrade taxa, with 2,240 records from 39 oceans and seas around the world.
For South America diversity of non-marine Tardigrada, see Kaczmarek et al. (Zootaxa, 2015); following this source, Brazil has the third freshwater diversity in South America (20/61), being surpassed by Argentina (30/111) and Chile (21/63). Only eight species are endemic to Brazil (numbers 4, 24, 68, 139, 145, 181, 185 and 198 of this work), none belong to a endemic genus. Only the family Oreellidae in South America does not occurs in in Brazil (SEE).
28. ONYCHOPHORA ‣ (54/)220 valid spp. worldwide (Onychophora Website) in two families, Peripatopsidae (41/135) and Peripatidae (13/82). None country has the two families simultaneously.
The main characteristics distin-guishing the two taxa include (1) the position of the genital opening between the last (Peripatopsidae) or pen-ultimate leg pair (Peripatidae), (2) the presence (Peripatidae) or absence of a diastema (Peripatopsidae) on theinner blades of the jaws, (3) the structure of the primary dermal papillae with (Peripatidae) or without a con-striction (Peripatopsidae), (4) the solubility (Peripatidae) or dissolubility of body pigments (Peripatopsidae) inethanol, and (5) the number of leg pairs ranging from 13 to 29 in Peripatopsidae and from 19 to 43 in Peri-patidae (Mayer, Zootaxa, 2007).
PERIPATIDAE
(13/)82 spp. in Cerradopatus (1), Eoperipatus (4), Epiperipatus (30), Heteroperipatus (2), Macroperipatus (4), Mesoperipatus (1), Mongeperipatus (2), Oroperipatus (18), Peripatus (16) and Plicatoperipatus (1), Principapillatus (1), Speleoperipatus (1) and Typhloperipatus (1).
Eoperipatus (4) occurs only in Malaysia (continental and part of Borneo), extreme SE Thailand and C & S Vietnan, and is unknown in Indonesia (SEE). Typhloperipatus (1) is endemic to Arunachal Pradesh state in NE India, recently collected after 111 years (SEE). Mesoperipatus (1) is endemic to W Gabon, in a small area in Ogoou´e River Basin (SEE). Speleoperipatus and Plicatoperipatus are endemic to Jamaica. Mongeperipatus is endemic to Costa Rica. Heteroperipatus occurs disjunctly in Panama and El Salvador. All remaining 4 genera occur in South America and in Brazil.
With the currently described species and the above circumscription, the three greatest diversities in the genus among New World countries are, individually, Costa Rica (5), Jamaica (5), Brazil (4), Colombia (3), and Panama (3). For species, the leading countries are Brazil (22, additional but different data in Zoologia, 2009), Colombia (12), and Costa Rica (8). In numbers: Costa Rica (5/8), Jamaica (5/5), Brazil (4/22), Colombia (3/12), Panama (3/7), Trinidad (2/7), Venezuela (2/7), Haiti (2/6), Ecuador (1/6), Peru (1/5), Bolivia (1/3), Surinam (1/3), French Guiana (1/2), Mexico (1/1), El Salvador (1/1), Porto Rico (1/1), Virgin Islands (1/1), Dominica (1/1), São Vicente (1/1), Barbados (1/1), Guatemala (1/1) and Guyana (1/1). Brazil includes species in Oroperipatus (2, see Contreras-Felix, Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad, 2018 | C. S. Costa et al., Zoologia, 2018), Cerradopatus (1), Peripatus (2) and Epiperipatus (17).
Important changes can come from the information already pre-released from G. Giribet et al. (Invertebrate Systematics, 2018). However, almost all definitions about this family in unclear; works shows five distinct lineages: Asian members; Gabon member; Oroperipatus; Colombian-Ecuador lineage; remaining Neotropical taxa (Baker et al., Mol. Biol. Evol., 2021). Mongeperipatus, assignated as a new genus for Costa Rica (Barquero-González, Revista de Biologia Tropical, 2020), is strongly discrepant against Neopatida phylogeny (SEE).
PERIPATOPSIDAE
(41/)138 spp. (135 valids and 3 nomina nuda), almost all genera endemic to Australia (34/74), except two endemic from Chile (Metaperipatus and Parospisthopatus, joined 2 spp.), two endemic from South Africa (Peripatopsis and Opisthopatus, 34 spp.), Paraperipatus in New Guinea and Maluku achipelago in Indonesia (6), Ooperipatellus (8, in Australia, 2 in New Zealand) and Peripatoides (3, New Zealand).
29. ARTHROPODA ‣ 17 classes. For taxonomy of Crustacean lineages, see Zhang et al. (SEE) and Bernot, J.P. et al. (Molecular Biology and Evolution, 2023). For Chilopoda, Pauropoda and Symphyla, see Zhang et al. (SEE). For Diplopoda, see Zhang et al. (SEE). For Insect orders, see Zhang et al. (SEE). Arthropoda sumary in Zhang et al. (SEE), with a very gross error when declaring Xiphosura as extinct, with 4 living species. For endemic families we follows Intreasures (SEE). Some families of this reference are not found in Zhang's works.
Our extensive research identified 104,885 spp. of Arthropoda in Brazil, in 19,661 genera within 1,584 families. For a list of Brachipoda, Malacostraca and Hexanauplia from Santa Catarina state, see Boos et al. (Check List, 2012).
PHYLOGENY OF LIVING ARTHROPODA, BASED ON WIKIPEDIA (SEE) and Bernot, J.P. ET AL. (MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION, 2023).
29.1 PYCNOGONID CLASS ‣ a single order, Pantopoda (Zhang. et al., Zootaxa, 2013), with (12:77/)1,346 spp. worldwide. Lucena & Christoffersen (Zootaxa, 2018) reported that Brazil has 65 spp. in 11 families (exception is Ascorhynchoidea incertae sedis, with 9-10 genera, a list of these can be found in Pycnobase) among 20 genera, including deep-sea species and 20 endemic ones. A book covering all species, with numerous images of Brazilian types, is available from Editora UFPB. Mexico has (10:19/)58 spp. (SEE).
Endoparasitism of Pycnogonida in Hydrozoa is rare, reported from Argentina, Australia, Germany, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, South Africa, U.S.A. and Brazil, with two records on the coast of Paraná state (Bettim, A.L. & Haddad, M.A., Biota Neotropica, 2013), Anoplodactylus stictus Marcus, 1940 on hydroid species of Podocoryna (Hydractiniidae).
29.2 ARACNID CLASS ‣ (788:12,650/)123,191 spp. in 17 orders (data below), 16 of these in Brazil (excludes Merostomata). Mexico no includes Holothryda.
Based on Wikipedia (SEE), Arachnida can be divided in five main taxa: Acaromorpha (Parasitiformes [Opilioacarida, Holothryda, Ixodida, Mesostigmata], Acariformes [Trombidiformes, Sarcoptiformes] and Pseudoscorpiones), Opilionomorpha (Opiliones), Solifugomorpha (Palpigradi, Solifugae, Ricinulei and Xiphosura), Scorpionomorpha (Scorpiones) and Pantetrapulmonata (Araneae, Amblypygi, Schizomida and Thelyphonida).
ACAROMORPHA
ORDER OPILIOACARIDA
A single family worldwide (Opilioacaridae), with (13/)47 spp. collected in New World, Italy, Hellas, Algeria, tropical Africa, Madagascar, Yemen, Kazakhstan, India, Thailand and Australia. (4/)25 spp. occur in New World (Berbardi & Borges-Filho, Subterranean Biology, 2018). Brazil has the highest known diversity to date, with (4/)11 spp.: Brasilacarus and Amazonacarus are endemic to the country, while Neocarus and Caribeacarus also occur in other regions (Bernardi et al., Subterranean Biology, 2020). Mexico has (2/)8 spp. (M. Perez et al., Rev. Mex. de Biodiv., vol. 85, 2014).
ORDER HOLOTHRYDA
(3:13/)27 spp. (Zhang, 2013). Allothyridae and Holothyridae do not occur in the New World. New World family Neothyridae has six spp. in three genera: Neothyrus ana Lehtinen, 1981, from Peru, Neothyrus sp. from Venezuela, Diplothyrus schubarti Lehtinen, 1999 and D. lehtineni Vázquez, Araújo & Feres, 2016 from Brazil, D. lecorrei Klompen, 2010 from French Guiana, and Caribothyrus barbatus Kontschán et Mahunka, 2004 from Dominican Republic (Bernardi L. F. O. et al., Acarologia, 2011 | Vázquez M.M. et al., Acarologia, 2016).
ORDER IXODIDA
(3:23/)871 spp. Nuttalliellidae is monotypic and restricted to Africa. In Brazil there (2:9/)70 spp. documented (Dantas-Torres et al., Science Direct, 2019, assignated here as DT/2019). World checklist of all Ixodida is available in S. C. Barker & A. Murrell (BOOK, 2008). Mexico has (2:10/)100 spp. in this order (M. Perez et al., Rev. Mex. de Biodiv., vol. 85, 2014).
Argasidae ‣ (5/)193 spp. in World (Wikipedia), (4/)23 spp. in Brazil (DT/2019), 18 of them belong to Ornithodorus. Otobius megnini Dugès, 1883, is an economically important soft tick as it parasitizes livestock mostly cattle, goats, sheep, and horses and also infests humans. Its original center of distribution is considered to be the SW North America from where it spread to Central and South America (Rajakaruna & Diyes, Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens, 2018), and considered non-native to Brazil.
Ixodidae ‣ (17/)c. 700 spp. worldwide (Wikipedia), (5/)47 spp. in Brazil (Dantas-Torres, 2019), 32 in Amblyomma.
ORDER MESOSTIGMATA
(109:878/)11,424 spp., mainly free living mites. Laelapidae is recognized as the most diverse mesostigmatic family, with over (90/)1,300 spp. described worldwide (Nemati et al., Persian J. Acarol., 2021). Brazil has (56:215/)987 spp. (CTFB). Mexico has (50:158/)507 spp. in this order (M. Perez et al., Rev. Mex. de Biodiv., vol. 85, 2014).
■ endemic families in New World: Antennochelidae (1/1, Costa Rica), Costacaridae (1/1, Mexico).
ORDER TROMBIDIFORMES
(151:2,235/)25,821 spp. (Zhang, 2013). Brazil has (73:433/)1,435 spp. (CTFB). Mexico has (78:328/)1,208 spp. in this order (M. Perez et al., Rev. Mex. de Biodiv., vol. 85, 2014).
■ endemic families in New World: Ferradasiidae (1/1, Argentina), Amoenacaridae (1/3, U.S.A.), Amphotrombiidae (1/1, U.S.A.), Crotalomorphidae (1/1, U.S.A.).
ORDER SARCOPTIFORMES
(259:2,426/)16,305 spp. (Zhang, 2013) in three groups: Astigmata (placed here within Oribatida), Endeostigmata (10:27/108, Zhang, 2013) and Oribatida (inc. Astigmata, 249:2,399/16,197, Zhang, 2013). Brazil has (139:456/)1,120 spp. (CTFB). Mexico has (154:402/)801 spp. in this order (M. Perez et al., Rev. Mex. de Biodiv., vol. 85, 2014).
■ endemic families in New World: Enantioppiidae (1/1, Bolivia), Tubulozetidae (1/1, Ecuador), Brazilobatidae (1/1, Brazil), Elliptochthoniidae (1/9, U.S.A.), Proteonematalycidae (1/1, U.S.A.).
ORDER PSEUDOSCORPIONA
WAC (SEE) in 2025 cites (26:475/)4,292 spp. worldwide. Brazil has (16:65/)186 spp. (LIST). A notable record is the family Feaellidae, which includes three genera with 13 spp., and the monotypic Iporangella from Alto do Ribeira area in São Paulo state (Harvey et al., Journal of Arachnology, 2016).
U.S.A. (433 spp.), Spain (286), Italy (276), China (257), Australia (245), Brazil (186), Mexico (175), South Africa (166) and India (164) leads worldwide (distribution browse). Mexican families Neobisiidae, Menthidae and Stemophoridae do not occur in Brazil. For images of species from all families, see Pseudoscorpions of the World/Families.
OPILIONOMORPHA
ORDER OPILIONES
(49:1,663/)6,513 spp. in 4 living suborders (Wikipedia), all of which are represented in Brazil: Cyphophthalmi (6:36/200 spp., three families in New World), Eupnoi (200/1,700), Dyspnoi (43/365, northern Hemisphere to Mexico and Thailand, Australia, South Africa, also Brazil to Chile, SEE | SEE) and Laniatores (4,000 spp.). For a global diversity overview of Opiliones by country, see Checklist of valid genera of Opiliones of the World (by Adriano Kury). Brazil has (19:304/)1,008 spp., 960 endemic, the highest diversity worldwide (CTFB), followed by Venezuela (380), Indonesia (341), and the U.S.A. (302), by Kury et al. (Zootaxa, 2025).
■ endemic families in New World: Otilioleptidae (1/1, Argentina), Cryptomastridae (2/4, U.S.A.).
SOLIFUGOMORPHA
ORDER XIPHOSURA
4 spp. in a single family, Limulidae: Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda Latreille, 1802 (S & SE Asia), Limulus polyphemus L., 1758 (Atlantic coast of U.S.A. and the SE Gulf of Mexico), Tachypleus gigas O. F. Müller, 1785 (Indo-Pacific, Indonesian, Indian, S & SE Asia) and T. tridentatus Leach, 1819 (SE & E Asia), based on Vestbo et al. (Frontiers in Marine Science, 2018).
ORDER PALPIGRADA
WAC (SEE) in 2025 cites (2:6/)138 spp. worldwide. Brazil (1:3/24, LIST), Madagascar (2:3/19), Italy (18), Spain (12) and France (11) have the highest species diversity worldwide.
Eukoeneniidae ‣ comprises four genera: Allokoenenia (3) from Guinea (1) and Brazil (2, Bahia and Pará states, Souza M.F.V.R & Ferreira R.L, European Journal of Taxonomy, 2022), Eukoenenia (115), cosmopolitan, with 20 spp. recorded in Brazil (Sousa & Ferreira, Zootaxa, 2020), Koenenioides (8) from E Africa to SE Asia and China, and Leptokoenenia (5) in Saudi Arabia (1), Italy (1), Congo (1) and in two caves from SE Pará state in N Brazil (2).
Prokoeneniidae ‣ two genera: Prokoenenia (7), recorded from Chile, China (SEE) and Thailand one each, U.S.A. (Texas) and Indonesia two each; and Triadokoenenia, monotypic endemic to Madagascar.
ORDER SOLIFUGAE
WAC (SEE) in 2025 cites (12:144/)1,223 spp. worldwide, in two groups: Boreosolifugae (5 families, only Eremobatidae in New World) and Australosolifugae (7 families, Ammotrechida, Mummuciidae and Daesiidae in New World), by Kulkarni, S.S. et al. (iScience, 2023). Kulkarni, S.S. et al. (Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2024) adds three new families (one Boreosolifugae and two Australosolifugae, none in New World), totaling 15 overall.
(2:6/)14 spp. in Brazi, ranking only 32nd in global diversity (LIST). U.S.A. (176 spp.), South Africa (163), Namibia (128), Mexico (83), Iran (70), Israel (65), Somalia (54) and Ethiopia (52) have the highest species diversity worldwide (distribution browse).
Daesiidae (77/129) ‣ three genera in New World, Ammotrechelis (1, Chile), Syndaesia and Valdesia (both monotipics endemic to Argentina).
Eremobatidae (8/214) ‣ from NW Canada to Honduras. All genera in U.S.A. (one endemic), seven of these extend to Mexico, and two reach Canada. Eremobates is the most diverse genus, with 97 spp.
Mummuciidae (8/30, exclusvely from South America) ‣ by TAOS, Suesdek (Journal, 2009), Sousa Carvalho et al. (Zootaxa, 2010), Trujillo (Arthropod Systematics and Phylogeny, 2017), Trujillo (Journal of Arachnology, 2016), Trujillo et al. (The J. of Arachnology, 2019) and Souza, Ferreira & Carvalho (Zootaxa, 2021), eight genera belongs this family: four genera are national endemic in Argentina (Cordobugida, Curanahuel), Peru (Vempyroniellla) and Paraguay (Mummucipes), and four are widely distributed: Mummucina (6, Ecuador, Peru, Chile), Uspallata (1, from Argentina, Chile, Peru and Brazil), Mummucia (6, Brazil/2, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, Uruguay) and Gaucha (13, Brazil/10, Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay). Brazil has (4/)13 spp. and Argentina has (5/)8 spp.
Vempironiella aguilari Botero-Trujillo, 2016, endemic to coast of Lima regin, Peru, is the smallest solifugae worldwide, with males measuring 3.90–5.85 mm in total body length, with the second smallest being the southern African Lawrencega minuta Wharton, 1981 whose males measure 5–8 mm (Trujillo, Journal of Arachnology, 2016).
Ammotrechidae (22/83, exclusive New World, by Botero-Trujillo, Arthropod Systematics and Phyogeny, 2023) ‣ five subfamilies, three of these subfamilies contain only a single genus endemic to Argentina (SEE), and 17 genera in New World, all in South America, 10 national endemic and 7 are widely distributed. Endemic genera in Argentina (6, Procleobis, Titanopuga, Notopuga, Oltacola, Dasycleobis and Cuyanopuga), Ecuador (Campostrecha), Chile (Chileotrecha and Sedna) and Peru (Chinchippus). Widely genera includes Saronomus (1, Colombia and Venezuela), Eutrecha (3, Colombia and Venezuela), Xenotrecha (1, Brazil and Venezuela), Pseudocleobis (21, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina), Ammotrecha (10, U.S.A. to Costa Rica, Brazil and Chile one endemic each), Ammotrechella (15, U.S.A. to Panama, Caribbean, one extending to Ecuador and Venezuela) and Ammotrechula (U.S.A., Mexico, America Central, one in Colombia and Ecuador). Argentina has (7/)24 spp., followed by Chile (4/8), Colombia (4/5), Venezuela (4/4), Peru (3/9), Ecuador (3/3), Brazil (2/2) and Bolivia (1/4).
ORDER RICINULEI
WAC (SEE) in 2025 lists (3/)104 spp. worldwide, all in Ricinoididae: Ricinoides (16, W Africa), Cryptocellus (47, 14 from Nicaragua to Panama, and the remaining 33 from Suriname to Peru and N Brazil) and Pseudocellus (41, Texas to Panama and Caribbean, mainly in Mexico and Cuba). Mexico (1/21), Brazil (1/13, LIST), Cuba (1/12) and Colombia (1/10) have the highest species diversity worldwide (distribution browse).
Molecular and morphological data published by S. Sato et al. (Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2024) suggest the existence of 3 to 5 lineages consistent with genus level in Ricinulei: Ricinoides (basal, Africa), rogue Pseudocellus (Mexico) + Cryptocellus, and Cryptocellus magnus group (Andes) + Pseudocellus s.s. However, the new lineages suggested as valid genera have not yet been formalized.
SCORPIONOMORPHA
ORDER SCORPIONA (THE SCORPION FILES)
(24:235/)2,851 spp. in December 24, 2024 (The Scorpion Files Newsblog).
BRAZIL
Joined data for LEE (2023, SEE) and some updates, Brazil has the third highest diversity worldwide, with (5:25/)171 native spp. in Ananteridae (1/31, Ananteris-31), Buthidae (8/79, Ischnotelson-2, Jaguajir-3, Microtityus-2/SEE, Physoctonus-2, Rhopalurus-1, Tityus-66, Troglorhopalurus-2, Zabius-1), Chactidae (11/46, Auyantepuia-5, Broteochactas-6, Brotheas-10, Chactas-2, Chactopsis-5, Chactopsoides-1, Guyanochactas-2, Hadrurochactas-5, Neochactas-3, Teuthraustes-5 and Vachoniochactas-2), Bothriuridae (4/22, Bothriurus-17, Brachistosternus-1, Thestylus-3, Urophonius-1) and Hormuridae (1/3, Opisthacanthus-3), behind Mexico (9:38/281) and Venezuela (4:/230, being 128 Buthidae, 97 Chactidae, 2 Hormuridae and 3 Diplocentridae), and ahead of India (114), U.S.A. (111) and South Africa (104).
Brazilian yellow scorpion Tityus serrulatus Lutz & Mello, 1922 (Buthidae), widely distributed but endemic to country, is one of most poisonous in the world, and the worst in the New World (Fatal Stingers | Planet Deadly — details in Cologna et al, Protein & Peptide Letters, 2009). Microtityus adriki Moreno-González, Bertani & Carvalho, 2024 (Buthidae), endemic to Roraima state, is the smallest scorpion of Brazil, mensuring 12.39-19.47 mm (Moreno-González et al., Zoosystema, 2024).
WORLD DISTRIBUTION OF FAMILIES
10 families occur only in Old World: Akravidae (1/1, Israel), Belisariidae (2/3, France, Spain, Italy), Chaerilidae (1/54, Asia), Hemiscorpiidae (1/17, Middle East and eastern parts of Asia), Heteroscorpionidae (1/6, Madagascar), Iuridae (7/14, Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Hellas), Pseudochactidae (5/7, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Afeganisthan, China, Laos and Vietnan), Rugodentidae (1/1, India), Scorpionidae (18/196, Old World) and Scorpiopidae (2/108, Asia).
Five occur only in North America up to Panama zone: Anuroctonidae (1/1, U.S.A. to NW Mexico), Hadruridae (2/9, U.S.A. and N Mexico), Superstitioniidae (1/1, U.S.A. and N Mexico), Typhlochactidae (4/11, E & C Mexico) and Vaejovidae (25/236, SW Canada to Guatemala).
Five families are endemic to South America or widely in southern Hemisphere: Anatheridae (7/128, mainly distributed in South America, also in Asia and Africa), Caraboctonidae (2/26, Galapagos, mainland Ecuador, Peru and Chile), Hormuridae (11/115, Caribbean to South America, SE Asia to Australia), Troglotayosicidae (1/6, S Colombia and Ecuador) and Bothriuridae (17/166, mainly Ecuador to Argentina and Brazil, also Lisposoma and Brandbergia in Namibia, and Cercophonia in Australia).
Four families are widely distyributed worldwide: Buthidae (100/1,370, worldwide), Chactidae (14/209, North to South America, Nullibrotheas allenii Wood, 1863 is the only representative in the Nearctic region), Euscorpiidae (6/109, disjunct in Mexico, Guatemala and Mediterranean region) and Diplocentridae (10/140, Mexico, SW U.S.A., Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Colombia, Venezuela, Greater & Lesser Antilles, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Yemen).
MEXICO/SOUTH AMERICA
Three families of scorpions occur in South America but have no representatives in Brazil: Troglotayosicidae (exclusive), Caraboctonidae (exclusive) and Diplocentridae (in South America represented by a restricted genus, Tarsoporosus, with 5 spp. in Colombia and Venezuela). (5:15/)82 spp. in Colombia (SEE).
Mexico has (9:38/)281 spp. (Santibáñez-Lápez et al., Toxins (Besel), 2016) in Buthidae (2/44), Hadruridae (2/9, in Mexico all genera and species), Chactidae (1/1), Diplocentridae (3/58), Euscorpiidae (3/8), Superstitioniidae (1/1), Anuroctonidae (1/1), Typhlochactidae (4/11) and Vaejovidae (21/149).
Tityus achilles Laborieux, endemic to C Colombia (Cundiramarca), 2024 in the first toxungen-spraying scorpion in South America (Laboriuex, ZJLS, 2024).
■ endemic families in New World: Typhlochactidae (4/10, Mexico).
PANTETRAPULMONATA
ORDER ARANEAE
World Spider Catalogue (SEE), in March 01, 2025, lists 52,774 spp. of spiders in World in 4,427 genera at 136 families. Worldwide highest diversities are China (5,476), Australia (4,034), Brazil (73:659/3,960, including 2,784 endemic, Brescovit et al., Biota Neotropica, 2011), U.S.A. (3,558), Russia (2,497), Mexico (66:534/2,295, SEE) and South Africa (2,253), by Zamani et al.(Diversity, 2023).
There are three maing groups of spiders (Wikipedia): Mesothelae has a single family, Liphistiidae, with (8/)194 spp. from Japan to Sumatra, and two clades widely worldwide. 97 families in New World.
TAXONOMY
MYGALOMORPHA
31 families, 15 in Brazil (highest family-diversity in New World, 8 in Brescovit/2011 plus Entypesidae, Microstigmatidae, Paratropididae, Pycnothelidae, Mecicobothriidae, Rhytidicolidae and Ischnothelidae).
Unbrazilian families includes two restricted from U.S.A. (Megahexuridae and Microhexuridae), Australasia region (Anamidae, Atracidae), southern Africa (Stasimopidae) and New Zealand (Porrhothelidae); Macrothelidae is restricted for Old World; Antrodiaetidae occurs only in Japan and United States; Atypidae occurs worldwide except South America and Australia; Bemmeridae occurs in Asia an southern Africa; Euagridae occurs in Africa, Australasia region to Malaysia, U.S.A. to Costa Rica, Taiwan, Central Asia, Argentina and Chile; Euctenizidae and Hexurellidae from U.S.A. to Mexico; Halonoproctidae is found in North and America Central, Australasia, Asia, southern Europe and North Africa, Venezuela; Hexathellidae occurs from Australasia, Chile and Argentina; Migidae occurs in Africa, Madagascar, Australia, Chile and Argentina.
ARANEOMORPHA
98 families, 59 in Brazil (42 in Brescovit/2011 plus Amaurobiidae, Anapidae, Cheiracanthiidae, Desidae, Dyctinidae, Diguetidae, Drymusidae, Dysderidae, Eresidae, Ochyroceratidae, Orsolobidae, Telemidae (a described species, Pinelema elinae Brescovit, Gallão & Cizauskas, 2023/SEE, and a unnamed species, also in Bahia state, SEE), Tetrablemmidae, Trachelidae, Trochanteriidae, Viridasiidae and Xenoctenidae). Mexico has 61 families and U.S.A. has 60 among this clade.
Among New World families, outsiders are Archoleptonetidae (USA, Mexico, Guatemala, Panama), Austrochilidae (Chile, Argentina and Tasmania), Cyatholipidae (Africa, Madagascar and New Zealand, Jamaica), Cybaeidae (northern Hemisphere, Sumatra, Colombia, Venezuela and Peru), Gallieniellidae (Australia, South Africa, Madagascar and Argentina), Homalonychidae and Myrmecicultoridae (U.S.A., Mexico), Hypochiidae (North America, Mexico and E Asia), Leptonetidae (U.S.A. to Panama, Mediterranean region, E Asia), Liocranidae (Canada to Peru, Argentina, Old World), Malkaridae (Australia, Chile and Argentina), Mecysmaucheniidae (New Zealand, Chile and Argentina), Phrurolithidae (Canada to Mexico, Europe to Australia), Physoglenidae (Australia, Chile), Pimoidae (North America, Europe and Asia), Plectreuridae (U.S.A. to America Central and Cuba) and Trogloraptoridae (U.S.A.).
NOTES
In Brazil, following data in Castanheira et al. (Biodiversity Data Journal, 2016), there are 875 spp. in São Paulo state and 808 in Rio Grande do Sul state. Nogueira et al. (CheckList, 2014) lists 529 spp. (many only morphospecies and undescribed) of spiders was found in Mount Neblina.
THERAPHOSIDAE
Among Theraphosidae (163/1071), notable centers of diversity include Brazil (47/202), Mexico (17/99), and Colombia (22/43). In Mexico, all species belong to Theraphosinae, except for Psalmopoeus victori Mendoza, 2014. The country hosts the largest endemic genera: Hemirrhagus (27) and Bonnetina (16). The U.S.A. has 29 species, all in the genus Aphonopelma.
Six subfamilies are absent from the New World: Eumenophorinae (54, Sub-Saharan Africa, southern Arabian Peninsula, Madagascar, and India), Harpactirinae (59, widespread in the Old World), Ornithoctoninae (26, SE Asia), Poecilotheriinae (1/15, India and Sri Lanka), Selenocosmiinae (11/127, SE Asia to Australia), Stromatopelminae (3/9, Africa), Selenogyrinae (3/9, Africa, India, and Sri Lanka), and Thrigmopoeinae (1/9, S & E Asia).
Six subfamilies occur in New World: Glabropelmatinae (1/4, Melloina, from Panama, Colombia and Venezuela), Psalmopoeinae (5/32 | all genera in Brazil, none endemic), Schismatothelinae (5/33 | 3 genera in Brazil, Sickius endemic, two from Panama to Peru, east up to T.Tobago), Ischnocolinae (17/108 | five genera exclusively in Old World, 12 in tropical America, five in Brazil, with the highest generic diversity, none endemic | national or locally endemic genera in India/2, Seychelles/1, Belize/1 and Hispaniola/1), Aviculariinae (7/31, all genera in Brazil except Antillena from Dominican Republic, being four endemic) and Theraphosinae (43/553 spp., 26 genera in Brazil, highest generic-diversity | Brazil e Mexico 7 endemic genera each).
RECORDS
Atrax robustus complex (3 spp., Atracidae) are iconic Australian species and considered among the most dangerously venomous spiders for humans (Novataxa). Theraphosa blondi Latreille, 1804 is found in northern South America, it is the largest spider in the world by mass (175 g) and body length (up to 13 cm), and second to the Heteropoda maxima Jäger, 2001 (Sparassidae, endemic to Laos) by leg span (Wikipedia).
■ endemic families in New World: Megahexuridae (1/1, U.S.A.), Microhexuridae (1/2, U.S.A.) and Trogloraptoridae (1/1, U.S.A.).
ORDER AMBLYPYGI
WAC (SEE) in 2025 lists (5:18/)280 spp. worldwide, only Charontidae (1/7, SE Asia and N Australia) absent in New World. For this source, Brazil (4/51, LIST) and Mexico (3/30) have the highest species diversity worldwide (distribution browse).
Charinidae ‣ (4/)150 spp. (Miranda G.S. et al., EJT, 2021), in Catageus (8, Asia), Weygoldtia (4, in Camboja, Laos and Vietnam), Sarax (38, Italy to Seychelles and Palau) and Charinus (100, widely distributed, 44 in Brazil).
Paracharontidae ‣ two monotypic genera, Paracharon from Guinea Bissau and Jorottui endemic to N Colombia (American Museum Novitates, 2023).
Phrynichidae ‣ 7 genera, six from Africa to SE Asia and Trichodamon (1) in E Brazil (Bahia, Goiás and Minas Gerais states).
Phrynidae ‣ (6/)86 spp. in Acanthophrynus (1, Mexico and U.S.A.), Heterophrynus (19, N & C South America, six in Brazil, SEE), Paraphrynus (22, U.S.A. to Ecuador, mainly in Mexico, with new undescribeds species in SW U.S.A. and NW Mexico, SEE) and Phrynus (42, U.S.A. to northern South America, one in Brazil, one also in Africa).
ORDER SCHIZOMIDA
WAC (SEE) in 2025 lists (2:71/)377 spp. worldwide. Australia (74), Mexico (16/60), Cuba (14/57) and Brazil (6/19, 3 endemic genera, LIST, all endemic) have the highest species diversity worldwide.
Hubbardiidae ‣ (76/)361 spp., 37 genera in New World. 32 are national endemic in Cuba (10), Mexico (9), Brazil (3, Adisomus, Naderiore, Cangazomus), Belize (1), U.S.A. (1), Puerto Rico (1), Venezuela (3), Colombia (2), Ecuador (Tayos) and Jamaica (1). Five genera are widely distributed: Surazomus (24, 7 in America Central, 7 in Andes and 10 in Amazon, all these in Brazil), Rowlandius (62, almost all in Caribbean except 4 in N & NE Brazil and 1 in Venezuela), Piaroa (9, Costa Rica to Venezuela), Hansenochrus (17, in Venezuela/4, Suriname/3, T.Tobago/3, Guyana/2, Panama/1, Dominica/1 and Costa Rica/3) and Stenochrus (10, Florida and Mexico/6 to Ecuador, Brazil/1, Caribbean and Europe).
Jipai is a new genus of Hubbardiidae not counted here, collected in Amazonas state in southern Venezuela (Colmenare, P.A. et al., Zootaxa, 2025).
Protoschizomidae ‣ (2/)16 spp. restricted from Mexico (all species) and southern U.S.A.
ORDER THELYPHONIDA/UROPIGY
(17/)140 spp. (Wikipedia) in a single family, 11 genera occur in New World: Mastigoproctus (23, widely in tropical New World excluding Brazil, 10 in Mexico), Mimoscorpius (1, Guatemala), Mayacentrum (3, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador), Valeriophonus (1, Costa Rica), Ravilops (2, Dominican Republic), Sheylayongium (1, Cuba), Wounaan (1, Colombia, SEE), Yekuana (1, Venezuela, SEE), Thelyphonellus (4, Colombia to Suriname and N Brazil/1), Amauromastigon (1, endemic to C & SE Brazil, SEE) and Heptatarsus (2, endemic to C & SE Brazil, SEE). (3/)8 spp. in Brazil.
29.3 CHILOPODA CLASS ‣ 5 orders and (18:437/)3,327 described species (Chilobase). Outside Geophilomorpha, almost all families absent in Brazil are mutually disjunct in range. Brazil has (12:30/)134 spp. (CTFB). Mexico has (12:67/)162 spp. in Chilopoda.
ORDER CRATEROSTIGMOMORPHA
Only two species in a single family, Craterostigmidae, known only from Tasmania (1) and New Zealand (1).
ORDER GEOPHILOMORPHA
7 families (Bonato et al., Cladistics, 2013 | Foddai et al., Amazoniana, 2000, for America Latina). (16/)57 spp. in Brazil, (28/)61 spp. in Mexico. For a lists of all Geophilomorpha genera in Neotropical region and all Geophilomorpha from Brazilian Amazon, see D. Foddai et al. (Anales del Instituto de Biología, 2004).
Geophilidae (syn. Aphilodontidae, Dignathodontidae, Linotaeniidae, Macronicophilidae) ‣ (114/)649 spp. worldwide, 43 genera in America Latina, being 8 diffuse: Ribautia (northern South America), Aphilodon (Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay), Macronicphilus (Brazil, Ecuador, Venezuela), Eurytion (Argentina, Peru, Chile), Nesidiphilus (Caribbean, America Central), Pachymerium (Chile, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico), Polycricus (Mexico to Panama, Caribbean, Chile), Tuoba (Caribbean, Chile); 6 more restricted, in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay (3 genera), Mexico to Honduras (two), disjucnt Mexico/Brazil (1); and 29 genera locally restricted: Chile (10), Mexico (6), Brazil (3), Caribbean (3), Panama (2), Ecuador (1), Cuba (1), Argentina (1), Peru (1), Guyana (1). Brazil has (8/)15 spp., Mexico (10/)32. Additionally, Brazil includes Plutogeophilus (SEE).
Mecistocephalidae ‣ (11/)170 spp. worldwide, only two genera in New World: Mecistocephalus (80, 5 in New World, U.S.A., Panama, Caribbean, Brazil, Clipperton Is. and Venezuela) and Tygarrup (15, Old World, one sp. in Guyana). Two spp. in Brazil.
Oryidae ‣ (18/)45 spp. worldwide, 17 spp. in New World in 7 genera: 3 in Brazil (5 spp. in total, Heniorya a endemic geners), two endemic in Chile, Pentorya in Venezuela and Old World, and Titanophilus in Haiti, Venezuela and Peru. The unique luminescent Chilopoda is member of this family, the pantropical Orphaneus brevilabiatus Newport, 1845 (Shimomura & Yampolsky, BOOK, 2019). A single species in Mexico.
Schendylidae (syn. Ballophyidae) ‣ (47/)80 spp., 29 genera in America Latina: Pectinunguis, Ityphilus and Schendylops widely in tropical New World; five more scattered: Ballophilus (Argentina, Peru, Puerto Rico), Dipeltmus (Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico, Colombia, Peru), Taeniolinum (Brazil, Panama, Caribbean), Zygethmus (Ecuador, Colombia) and Nyctunguis (Mexico, Peru); and all remaining genera locally restricted, in Mexico (4), Guatemala (3), Puerto Rico (3), Peru (2), Panama (2), Haiti (1), Bahamas (1), Ecuador (1), Venezuela (2), T.Tobago (1) and Honduras (1). (4/)35 spp. in Brazil, (8/)14 in Mexico.
Schendylops oligopus Pereira, Minelli & Barbieri, 1995 and S. ramirezi Pereira, 2013, both endemic to Brazil, are therefore the unique representative of the order Geophilomorpha characterized by having 27 pairs of legs; the latter is one of the smallest members in this group of centipedes with 6-7 mm long (Pereira, L.A., Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia, 2013).
Gonibregmatidae (syn. Neogeophilidae and Eriphantidae) ‣ (11/)20 spp., three genera in America Latina, all endemic to Mexico (5 spp. in total, SEE).
Zelanophilidae ‣ (3/)7 spp. in Australasia.
Himantariidae ‣ (19/)70 spp., Macaronesia through the Mediterranean region and Middle Asia to India, known also from the Korean Peninsula and Japan, as well as from western part of North America to C Mexico (SEE). 10 spp. in America Latina, (6/)9 in Mexico (3 endemic genera) and Arcophilus gracillimus Verhoeff, 1938 from Bolivia.
ORDER LITHOBIOMORPHA
15 trunk segments Chilopoda, in two families worldwide.
Henicopidae ‣ 22 genera (Hollington & Edgecombe, Records of the Australian Museum, 2004 | Faralieva, Zalesskaja & Edgecombe, Arthropoda Selecta, 2004 | Shear, Zootaxa, 2018): Pleotarsobius (1, Hawaii), Speleopsobius (1, U.S.A.), Buethobius (5, U.S.A.), Yobius (1, U.S.A.), Zygethobius (5, North America), Rhodobius (1, Hellas), Dzhungaria (Khazakhstan), Ghilaroviella (Tajikistan), Cermatobius (6, Indonesia, Japan, Kirghizia, China), Hedinobius (1, China), Shikokuobius (1, Japan), Anopsobiella (1, Vietnam), Analamyctes (2, Argentina), Catanopsobius (1, Chile), Anopsobius (11, Argentina, Chile, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand), Lamyctopristus (7, South Africa, Angola, Algeria), Remilamyctes (1, Madagascar), Dichelobius (2, Australia, New Caledonia), Easonobius (2, New Caledonia), Henicops (5, Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia), Paralamyctes (Australia, New Zealand, southern South America, India, Madagascar, and South Africa) and Lamyctes (all continents except Antarctica and on many oceanic islands).
For Lamyctes (unique genus in Brazil and Mexico), besides L. coeculus Brolemann, 1889, and L. emarginatus Newport, 1844, reported here as invasive species, few species occur in New World, namely in Peru (7), mainland U.S.A. and Hawaii (6), Chile (6), Mexico (2), Bolivia (2), Caribbean (2), Argentina (1) and Brazil (1, L. adisi Zalesskaja, 1994, known only from Amazonas state).
Lithobiidae ‣ (43/)1,000 spp., (25/)58 spp. in Mexico, by Cupul-Magaña (BIOCYT, 2009).
ORDER SCOLOPENDROMORPHA
Chilopoda with 21 to 23 segments (25 in a single species from T.Tobago, SEE). Five families, three in Brazil: Cryptopidae (2/c. 170 worldwide), Scolopendridae (21/ca. 420 worldwide) and Scolopocryptopidae (8/ca. 80 worldwide); and two absent: Mimopidae (1/1, endemic to China, ZooKeys) and Plutoniumidae (2/7, North America, S Europe and China, Di et al., Zootaxa, 2010). (3:11/)39 spp. occur in Mexico, in Cryptopidae (2/4), Scolopendridae (5/21) and Scolopocryptopidae (4/14), at Cupul-Magaña (BIOCYT, 2009). In Brazil, there are (1/)7 spp. in Cryptopidae, (7/)50 in Scolopendridae and (5/)29 in Scolopocryptopidae (CTFB).
Despite being quite popular, the largest Chilopoda worldwide does not occurs in Brazil: Scolopendra gigantea L., 1758 is native from N Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad, Isla Margarita, Curaçao and Aruba (Shelley & Kiser, Tropical Zoology, 2000). The largest Chilopoda in Brazil is S. viridicornis Newport, 1844, which occurs throughout South America (Souza & Chagas Jr., Dissertation, 2019), and is a very aggressive species, and has been recorded preying on bats (Noronha et al., Acta Amazonica, 2015).
ORDER SCUTIGEROMORPHA
Three families, scarce in New World.
Pselliodidae ‣ Wikipedia cites 6 spp. (SEE). However, based on Perez-Gelabert and Edgecombe (Novitates Caribaea, 2013), Würmli (Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment, 1978) and Stoev (Historia Naturalis Bulgarica, 2002), three are rejected here: Gonethella nesiotes Chamberlin, 1918, from the Cayman Islands, Gonethina grenadensis Chamberlin, 1918, from Grenada, and G. fijiana Chamberlin, 1920, from Fiji. The three remaining species are kept and recognized as valid here: Sphendononema chagualensis Kraus, 1957, known only the type collection in Marañon Valley in Peru; S. guildingii Newport, 1845, widely in New World; and S. rugosa Newport, 1844, restricted to Africa.
Scutigerinidae ‣ (1/)3 spp. in Scutigerina, known from South Africa, Madagascar, Swaziland, Lesotho and Zimbabwe (Giribet & Edgecombe, Invertebrate Systematics, 2003).
Scutigeridae ‣ (17/)50 spp. worldwide, with 8 native species in New World: Dendrothereua linceci Wood, 1867 (S U.S.A. to Caribben and North Colombia, Edgecombe & Giribet, Cladistics, 2009 | Jiménez & Amazonas Chagas-Jr, CheckList, 2022), Theruella peruana Charberlin, 1955 (Peru), Edgethereua (2, Argentina and Chile), Scutigera sanguinea Meinert, 1886 (Argentina), S. parcespinosa Bücherl, 1949 (Brazil), Thereuoquima admirabilis Bücherl, 1949 (Brazil) and Brasiloscutigera viridis Bücherl, 1939 (Brazil), based on Porta & Giribet (Invertebrate Systematic, 2024).
29.4 DIPLOPODA CLASS ‣ (147:1,868)7,753 spp. based on Zhang (Diplopoda), 146 families based on FMNH (SEE), in 16 orders. Number of species and complements by Sierwald & Bond (Pubmed, 2007). All data below folows FMHN. Golovatch & Kime (Soil Organisms, 2009) brings many observations about the group's ecological adaptations. Brazil has (22:162/)541 spp. (CTFB). Mexico has (39:117/)498 spp. (BOOK). A excelent work about Diplopoda in Neotropics found in Hoffman, Golovaych, Adis and Morais (Amazoniana, 1996).
NO NEW WORLD ORDERS (2)
ORDER SIPHONOCRYPTIDA
A single family, Siphonocryptidae, and (2/)7 spp., scattered in Canary Islands, Caucasus, China, peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra in Indonesia (Wikipedia).
ORDER SPHAEROTHERIDA
Two families and (23/)340 spp. from S Africa, Madagascar, S & SE Asia, Australia and New Zealand (Wikipedia).
NEW WORLD NON-BRAZIL ORDERS (6)
ORDER CALLIPODIDA
(7:)201 spp. in two families, Abracionidae and Schizopetalidae, both in New World, both from U.S.A. to northern Mexico ((5/)7 spp.), the former up to Asia.
ORDER CHORDEUMATIDA
(49:)1,237 spp. with 12 families in New World: 11 in U.S.A. (six endemic), two of them up to Canada, one up to Alaska and Siberia, Cleidogonidae up to Panama, Trichopetalidae up to Mexico, and Eudigonidae endemic to Chile in South America. (4/)52 spp. in Mexico.
■ endemic families in New World: Eudigonidae (2/4, Chile, SEE), Adritylidae (1/3, U.S.A.), Apterouridae (1/2, U.S.A.), Branneriidae (1/2, U.S.A.), Buotidae (1/1, U.S.A.), Microlympiidae (1/1, U.S.A.) and Urochordeumatidae (1/1, U.S.A.).
ORDER GLOMERIDA
(3:)271 spp., all of these from southern Europe plus Doderiidae up to Morocco and Glomeridae also in SE Asia and from California to Guatemala in New World (1/12 spp. in Mexico).
ORDER JULIDA
16 families and 1,321 spp. worldwide, seven families only in Old World, five endemic to U.S.A., three from U.S.A./Canada and other areas in Old World, and Parajulidae from Siberia to Guatemala (being the unique family in Neotropics). (7/)17 spp. in Mexico.
■ endemic families in New World: Aprosphylosomatidae (1/1, U.S.A.), Chelojulidae (1/1, U.S.A.), Paeromopodidae (2/16, U.S.A.), Telsonemasomatidae (1/1, U.S.A.) and Zosteractinidae (2/2, U.S.A.).
ORDER PLATYDESMIDA
Two families and 69 spp.: Andrognathidae from U.S.A., Mexico (1/1), China, Japan, Italy, Hellas and Portugal, and Platydesmidae from Mexico (1/10) to Panama.
ORDER SIPHONIULIDA
Order with only two species in Siphoniulidae: Siphoniulus alba Pocock, 1894, from E Sumatra island in Indonesia (known only two fragments), and S. neotropicus Hoffman, 1979, from S Mexico and Guatemala (Sierwald, Zool. Syst. Evol. Research, 2001).
BRAZILIAN ORDERS
ORDER GLOMERIDESMIDA
Two families and 28 spp. in this order: Termitodesmidae (1/5, tropical Asia), and Glomeridesmidae (1/16) in Mexico (1), America Central, Caribbean, parts of Asia, N Brazil (Glomeridesmus spelaeus Iniesta & Wesener, 2012, troglobic from ferriculous caves in SE Pará state) and Ecuador. Termitodesmidae is the only myriapod family known to depend on insects in such a commensal relationship (Wikipedia).
ORDER PENICELLATA
Four families (148 spp., SEE), Synxenidae (3/10) in Africa, Hypogexenidae endemic to Argentina, Lophoproctidae and Polyxenidae (19/49, SEE) widely distributed, both in Brazil (Ishii, Amazoniana, 1999) and in Mexico (2/4). Brazil includes two Lophoproctidae (Ancistroxenus and Lophoturus one each) and (4/)8 spp. of Polyxenidae. Hypogexenidae possibly occurs in Brazil (Sousa et al., International Journal of Speleology, 2021).
■ endemic families in New World: Hypogexenidae (1/1, Argentina).
ORDER POLYDESMIDA
28 families and 5,156 spp. In New World there are 16 families. In South America are 12, all in Brazil: Aphelidesmidae, Chelodesmidae, Cryptodesmidae, Cyrtodesmidae, Dalodesmidae (1/1), Fuhrmannodesmidae, Haplodesmidae, Oniscodesmidae, Paradoxosomatidae, Platyrhacidae, Pygrodesmidae, and a family endemic to Brazil, Dobrodesmidae (Shear et al., Zootaxa, 2016, known only from Ituaçu municipality, southern Bahia state). Bioluminescent Diplopoda belongs 10 spp., nine Motyxia in Xystodesmidae from W U.S.A. (Shimomura & Yampolsky, BOOK, 2019), at Polydesmida, and one Spirobolellidae (Spirobolida) from Japan. (59/)262 spp. in Mexico and (118/)351 in Brazil (CTFB).
■ endemic families in New World: Dobrodesmidae (1/1, Brazil), Dorsoporidae (1/1, Panama) and Tridontomidae (2/4, Guatemala).
ORDER POLYZONIIDA
Three families and 127 spp. Polizoniidae and Hirudisomatidae families occur in northern Hemisphere (the latter up to Mexico), and Siphonotidae raches in South America, Africa, SE Asia and New Zealand. Eumillipes persephone Marek, 2021, in the latter family, is endemic to Western Australia, has 1,306 legs, the species with the most legs on Earth and the first millipede discovered to have 1,000 legs or more (Wikipedia). In Mexico there are (2:2/)2 spp. Polyzoniida in Brazil includes Siphonotus Brandt, 1837 and Burinia Attems, 1926 (Iniesta, L.F.M. et al., Pap. Avulsos Zool., 2021).
ORDER SIPHONOPHORIDA
(2:)116 spp. Siphonorhinidae has five genera, three in Asia and South Africa, Illacme in California (with second leggest animal of world, with 618 legs, Wikipedia) and Notorhinus in Chile (Novataxa). Siphonophoridae has (12/)110 spp., widely in World, with (3/)8 spp. in Brazil (Read H.J. & Enghoff H., EJT/2018, EJT/2019) and (2/)3 spp. in Mexico.
ORDER SPIROBOLIDA
(12:)1,248 spp., ten families in New World (7 of these in Mexico): six only from U.S.A. to America Central, Spirobolidae from North America and Asia, and remaining three in to South America: Pachybolidae (Africa, Madagascar, India, Sri Lanka to Borneo, and two genera in Brazil, SEE), Rhinocricidae and Spirobolellidae (1/1 in Brazil), both also in Mexico (9:25/81) and in Brazil (3:13/84). Bioluminescent Diplopoda belongs 10 spp., Paraspirobolus lucifugus Gervais, 1836 (Spirobolellidae) from Japan, and nine in Polydesmida from W North America.
■ endemic families in New World: Hoffmanobolidae (1/1, Mexico), Typhlobolellidae (5/6, Mexico) and Floridobolidae (1/1, U.S.A.).
ORDER SPIROSTREPTIDA
12 families and 1,894 spp., only four in New World, Choctellidae endemic to U.S.A. (1/2, Tennessee to Alabama), Cambalidae for U.S.A., Mexico and Belize (Jarmika), Hawaii, New Zealand, Australia and Chile (2, in Zinagon), Pseudonannolenidae and Spirostreptidae widely in New World, Africa to Arabia, both in Brazil (2:23/94). For notes of biogeography of Pseudonannolenidae (absent in U.S.A. and Mexico), see Iniesta & Ferreira (Zootaxa, 2014). Mexico includes 37 spp. in Spirostreptidae (68 in Brazil) and 4 in Cabalidae (absent in Brazil).
■ endemic families in New World: Choctellidae (1/2, U.S.A.).
ORDER STEMMIULIDA
A single family, Stemmiulidae, with 124 spp., from New Guinea, Indonesia, SE Asia, central Africa and tropical America. In Brazil has only 4 spp., all endemic, three in Amazonas and one in Pará state (Iniesta & Ferreira, Zootaxa, 2015). Mexico has three spp. in a single genus.
29.5 PAUROPODA CLASS ‣ two orders and 12 families (Minelli, BOOK, 2011), with 832 spp. (4:11/)62 spp. in Brazil (CTFB).
ORDER HEXAMEROCERATA
A single family, Millotauropodidae, with 8 spp. in a single genus, Millotauropus (Minelli, BOOK, 2011), from Brazil (M. acostae Scheller, 1997, unique record in New World), Africa to Madagascar, Seychelles and Nippon.
ORDER TETRAMEROCERATA
(11:44/)824 spp. (Minelli, BOOK, 2011). 7 families occur in New World, and four are absent: Antichtopauropodidae (1/1, W Australia), Sphaeropauropodidae (1/14, Nepal to Borneo and Japan), Eirmopauropodidae (1/1, New Zealand) and Collinapauropodidae (1/3, Japan, Reunion and Philippines). (3:10/)61 spp. in Brazil.
Amphipauropodidae ‣ only Amphipauropus (2), in from Canada in New World, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, France and Japan.
Brachypauropodidae ‣ (6/)28 spp.: Aletopauropus (2, U.S.A., Japan), Borneopauropus (5, Borneo, Australia, New Zealand), Brachypauropoides (7, Madagascar, New Zealand), Brachypauropus (9, U.S.A., Germany, Poland, France, Austria, Switzerland, Romania, Spain, Italy, Greece), Deltopauropus (4, U.S.A., Japan) and Zygopauropus (1, U.S.A.).
Diplopauropodidae ‣ two genera, Diplopauropus (2, U.S.A., Virgin Is. one ach) and Adelphopauropus (1, endemic to Manaus region in N Brazil, in Scheller, Zootaxa, 2013).
Eurypauropodidae ‣ (4/)62 spp.: Acopauropus (12, Europe, N Africa, Koreas), Eurypauropus (5, U.S.A. and Japan), Samarangopus (35, Africa, Asia and Oceania) and Trachypauropus (10, Europe, Israel).
Hansenauropodidae ‣ (3/)6 spp.: Antillauropus (1, Jamaica), Hansenauropus (3, Panama, Madagascar, New Zealand) and Virginopauropus (2, Virgin Islands, Sierra Leone).
Pauropodidae ‣ (22/)679 spp. in both Hemispheres. (7/)48 spp. in Brazil.
14 genera in New World (Brazilian in bold): Allopauropus (96, subcosmopolitan, 11 in Brazil), Cauvetauropus (5, Brazil/1, France, Sri Lanka, Maghreb, Ivory Coast, Madagascar), Decapauropus (377, subcosmopolitan, 27 in Brazil), Desmopauropus (1, U.S.A.), Donzelotauropus (27, northern Hemisphere), Hemipauropus (20, Jamaica, Colombia, Brazil/2, Caribbean, Italy, Hellas, Sri Lanka, New Caledonia, Guam, Madagascar, Mauritius, mainland Africa), Juxtapauropus (9, Israel, Morocco, Jamaica, Argentina, Chile and New Zealand, reported in Brazil in Minelli/2011, however absent in CTFB), Pauropus (52, subcosmopolitan), Perisopauropus (4, Africa, Chile and 1 in Brazil), Propepauropus (1, U.S.A.), Rabaudauropus (5, Chile, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, New Caledonia, Mauritius, Seychelles, Japan, Marocco, France, Romania, Hellas), Scleropauropus (15, Brazil/5, Mexico, U.S.A., Europe, Madagascar, mainly Africa), Stylopauropoides (25, Brazil/1, Argentina, Crozet, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia) and Stylopauropus (23, Europe and northern Africa to SE Asia, Canada and U.S.A.).
8 genera only in Old World: Afropauropus (1, Guinea), Eburniopauropus (2, Ivory Coast), Ferepauropus (2, disjunct Sierra Leone and New Caledonia), Hystrichopauropus (1, France), Kionopauropus (3, SE Asia), Multipauropus (1, Hellas), Nesopaurpus (8, Gabon, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, New Zealand) and Pounamopauropus (1, New Zealand).
Polypauropodidae ‣ (3/)29 spp.: Fagepauropus (2, Canada, Morocco, Mongolia, Japan, Gambia), Polypauropoides (12, U.S.A., Brazil/6, Argentina, France, Ivory Coast, Mauritius, Sri Lanka) and Polypauropus (15, Brazil/6, Argentina, U.S.A., Europe, Africa, Madagascar, Mauritius, Reunion, Sri Lanka, Australia). (2/)12 spp. in Brazil.
29.6 SYMPHYLA CLASS ‣ no order, two families and 197 spp. worldwide (Camacho, Dissertation, 2010), (2:4/)12 in Brazil (CTFB | Scheller, Amazoniana, 2007). Mexico has (5/)15 spp. (GBIF). South America includes 5 genera: Scolopendrellopsis (4) in Brazil/2, Argentina/2 and Paraguay/1; Symphyllela (6) in Argentina/3, Brazil/2, Venezuela/2 and Paraguay/1; Ribautiella (2) in Brazil (also in Africa); Scutigerella (1) in Argentina and Chile; and Hanseniella (8) in Brazil/6, Argentina/5 (one recent, SEE), Venezuela/2, Uruguay, Paraguay, Ecuador, Chile and Colombia one each (Scheller, Amazoniana, 1992).
Scutigerellidae ‣ (5/)124 spp., three genera in the New World: Hanseniella (c. 80, subcosmopolitan, 5 in Brazil, 3 in Mexico), Scopoliella (1, endemic to Mexico, possibly in Colombia, SEE) and Scutigerella (35, subcosmopolitan, 1 in South America, absent in Brazil, six in Mexico).
Hanseniella guerreroi Porta, Parra-Gómez & Fernández, 2024 from Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego and Isla de los Estados in Argentina represents the southernmost record for a Symphyla worldwide (Osvaldo Porta, A. et al., Zoosystematics and Evolution, 2024).
Scolopendrellidae ‣ (9/)73 spp., composed in New World by Geophilella (2, Europe and North America), Ribautiella (10, 8 in Africa and two in Brazil), Scolopendrellopsis (17, subcosmopolitan, Brazil and Mexico two each) and Symphyllela (44, subcosmopolitan, two in Brazil, 3 in Mexico).
29.7 OLIGOSTRACA CLASS ‣ a complex class comprising 11 orders, including small, bivalved aquatic arthropods found in all types of aquatic ecosystems. It includes endo- and ectoparasitic forms, as well as free-living species. A total of 7,894 species have been recorded (Zhang, 2013, including Branchiura and Pentastomida). In Brazil, (48:162/)415 spp. have been documented (CTFB). In Mexican seas, 883 spp. of Ostracoda have been reported — 506 in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean, and 418 in the Pacific Ocean — although approximately 45% may be synonyms (Bousquets et al., Conabio, 2000).
Some sources, such as Wikipedia, consider Oligostraca to be a superclass comprising three distinct classes (SEE). Here, however, we treat it as a single class, with the classes recognized by Wikipedia regarded as subclasses, alongside other already established subclasses.
SUBCLASS BRANCHIURA
A single order, Arguloida, (4/)173 spp. in a single family, Argulidae (Aguiar et al., Zootaxa, 2017; Wikipedia), with four genera: Argulus, Chonopeltis, Dipteropeltis and Dolops, primarily ectoparasites of freshwater fish (c. 3/4 of diversity), but in some exceptional cases specimens have been found attached to marine fishes, and more rarely still, to amphibians and reptiles. Neotropical region has one of the highest diversity of species and, with the exception of A. peruvianus Oliva, Duran & Verano, 1980 (endemic to coast of Peru near Callao), all the remaining species occur in freshwater. 31 spp. have been reported using freshwater fish as hosts in South America. In Brazil occur (3/)22 spp. (Chonopeltis is found only in Africa), with 6 endemic. (1/)6 spp. in Mexico (Bousquets et al., Conabio, 2000).
SUBCLASS PENTASTOMIDA
Here, besides two-family classification of Zhang et al. (2012), we follows Christoffersen and De Assis (Zoologische Mededelingen, 2013) in classificaton of Pentastomida (25/131). Brazil has the largest diversity of this group in New World, with (7:11/)24 spp. (5 endemic).
ORDER CEPHALOBAENIDA
Two spp., one valid (Cephalobaena recurvocaudata Motta, 1963, from snakes of South America) and other doubtful (Bothropsiella bicornuta Cavalieri, 1967, known only a female collected in a snake form Argentina), both in the single family Cephalobaenidae.
ORDER RAILLIETIELLIDA
(2/)42 spp. in a single family, Raillietiellidae. Raillitiella has 12 spp. in New World, 7 in Brazil (2 endemic). Brazilian absent species are from North America (2, one also in Madagascar) plus Puerto Rico, Mexico and Colombia one endemic each. One genus endemic to Australia.
ORDER REIGHARDIIDA
(2/)3 spp. in a single family, Reighhardiidae. Only a single species in New World, the cosmopolitan Reighardia sternae Diesing, 1863, collected mainly in sea birds, in Brazil in sacs of Larus dominicus.
ORDER POROCEPHALIDA
(19/)84 spp. in 4 families. All families, and all eight genera of New World occur in Brazil (15, 3 endemic). Brazilian absent species are in Caribbean (3), Mexico (2), U.S.A. (1), and one in Crocodylus acutus range, from northern South America to Florida, America Central and Caribbean. Sambonia, cited in work for Uruguay, is now Porocephalus crotali (Carbajal-Márquez, Journal of Parasitic Diseases, 2018).
SUBCLASS MYODOCOPA (OSTRACODS)
Traditionally, the Myodocopa and Podocopa have been classified as subclasses within the class Ostracoda, although there is some question about how closely related the two groups actually are. The Myodocopa are defined by possession of a poorly calcified carapace, and 8–9 articles in the exopod of the second antenna.[2] The ventral margin of the carapace is not concave, and the valves do not overlap to a great extent (Wikipedia).
ORDER MYODOCOPIDA
Five families and (27/)868 spp. worldwide (Zhang, 2013). Many species of the Myodocopida have lateral compound eyes. Two spp. in Brazil, each in a own family: Cylindroleberididae and Cypridinidae (CTFB).
ORDER HALOCYPRIDA
Three families and (72/)393 spp. worldwide (Zhang, 2013), Polycopidae, Halocyprididae, Thaumatocyprididae, primarily planktonic, all in Brazil, with (5/)7 spp. in country (CTFB).
SUBCLASS MYSTACOCARIDA
Tiny worm-like crustaceans, in a single order and (2/)13 spp. in a single family Derocheilocarididae: Ctenocheilocaris (5, 1 in coastline of Chile, 3 in Brazil, and 1 in W Australia) and Derocheilocaris (8, E North America, SW coast of Europe to Africa and Israel), by Olesen (BOOK, 2020).
SUBCLASS PODOCOPA (OSTRACODA)
ORDER PLATYCOPIDA
A single family, (6/)126 spp. (Zhang, 2013). (3/)8 spp. in Brazil (CTFB).
ORDER PALAEOCOPIDA
A single family, (2/)3 spp. (Zhang, 2013), endemic to high-energy shallow marine environments of New Zealand (Wikipedia).
ORDER PODOCOPIDA
44 families, the most diverse of the five orders of ostracods, and the only one with freshwater species, with (691/)6,187 spp. (Zhang, 2013). (34:167/)396 spp. in Brazil (CTFB). (295/)2,420 spp. of former Ostracods are freshwaters worldwide, within 20 families. 451 spp. are known in Neotropical freshwaters, domined by Cyprididae (Meisch, C. et al., EJT, 2024).
29.8 THECOSTRACA CLASS ‣ although widely accepted as separate groups, here we treat Tantulocarida as a branch of Thecostraca and provide a unified discussion for both (Bernot, J.P. et al., Molecular Biology and Evolution, 2023). (56:313/)1,724 spp. worldwide (Zhang, 2013). (15:44/)76 spp. in Brazil (CTFB). 55 spp. of Thecostraca occur in Mexico (none Tantulocarida), 48 in Pacific coast and 7 in Atlantic Coast (Bousquets et al., Conabio, 2000).
Facetotecta clade contains a single genus, Hansenocaris, known only from the tiny planktonic nauplii y-larvae. These larvae have no known adult form, though it is suspected that they are parasites, and their affinity is uncertain. Some researchers believe that they may be larval tantulocaridans. No larval tantulocaridans are currently known (Wikipedia/Thecostraca).
SUBCLASS FACETOTECNA (planktonic)
A single family, Hansenocarididae, with 12 spp. in Hansenocaris (Zhang, 2013 | Wikipedia | B.K.K. Chan et al., ZJLS, 2021), unknown in Brazil.
SUBCLASS ASCOTHORACICA (parasites, WIKI)
ORDER DENDROGASTRIDA
(3:8/)56 spp. worldwide (B.K.K. Chan et al., ZJLS, 2021), parasitics in found throughout the world on Echinoderms, unknown in Brazil.
ORDER LAURIDA
(3:15/)60 spp. worldwide (B.K.K. Chan et al., ZJLS, 2021), parasitics in found throughout the world mainly on Cnidarians and sometimes in Echinoderms, unknown in Brazil.
SUBCLASS CIRRIPEDIA (sessile)
ORDER CRYPTOPHIALIDA
(1:2/)21 spp. (B.K.K. Chan et al., ZJLS, 2021), burrowing into calcareous rocks and structures, such as limestone, shells, or corals, unknown in Brazil (CTFB).
ORDER LITHOGLYPTIDA
(2:9/)49 spp. worldwide (B.K.K. Chan et al., ZJLS, 2021), unknown in Brazil (CTFB).
INFRACLASS RHIZOCEPHALA (ORDER EQUIVALENT LEVEL)
(13:43/)260 spp. worldwide (B.K.K. Chan et al., ZJLS, 2021), (2:5/)6 spp. in Brazil (CTFB). The family Lernaeodiscidae cited in the CTFB is synonymized with Peltogastridae according to B.K.K. Chan et al. (2021).
ORDER IBLOMORPHA (THORACICA)
(2:4/)7 spp. worldwide (B.K.K. Chan et al., ZJLS, 2021), barnacles that use calcium phosphate in their shell, and species that protect themselves against predators with poison, unknown in Brazil (CTFB).
ORDER POLLICIPOMORPHA (THORACICA)
(2:2/)5 spp. (B.K.K. Chan et al., ZJLS, 2021), only one in Brazil (CTFB).
ORDER CALANTICOMORPHA (THORACICA)
A single living family, Calanticidae, with (11/)58 spp. (B.K.K. Chan et al., ZJLS, 2021), unknown in Brazil (CTFB).
ORDER SCALPELOMORPHA
(9:62/)412 spp. worldwide (B.K.K. Chan et al., ZJLS, 2021), (4:13/)23 spp. in Brazil (CTFB). The family Oxynaspididae cited in the CTFB is synonymized with Heteralepadidae according to B.K.K. Chan et al. (2021).
ORDER VERRUCOMORPHA
A single family worldwide with (12/)73 living spp. (B.K.K. Chan et al., ZJLS, 2021), (3/)5 spp. in Brazil (CTFB).
ORDER BALANOMORPHA
(13:121/)672 spp. worldwide (B.K.K. Chan et al., ZJLS, 2021). (6:21/)40 spp. in Brazil (CTFB). The families Platylepadidae and Archaeobalanidae, listed in the CTFB as of April 13, 2025, are treated in B.K.K. Chan et al. (2021) as synonyms of Coronulidae and Balanidae, respectively.
SUBCLASS TANTULOCARIDA
(5:23/)38 spp., unplaced in a order. Tantulocaridans as a whole have been reported with a worldwide distribution but only four species collected in all New World waters (A. S. Petrunina & R. Huys (Journal of Crustacean Biology, 2020, a list of all species worldwide): Tantulacus coroniporus Arbizu & Petrunina 2018 and Aphotocentor kolbasovi Petrunina & Huys, 2020 (Cumoniscidae) in Atlantic Ocean (specifically from the Argentinian abyssal plain and the Campos Basin, off SE Brazil, respectively), Basipodella harpacticola Becker, 1975 and Rimitantulus hirsutus Huys & Conroy-Dalton, 1997 in Pacific Ocean (Peru-Chile trench, and Galapagos islands, Ecuador). Six species also occur in Drake passage in southern South America.
This sources includes the citation of the world's smallest arthropod, Serratotantulus chertoprudae Savchenko & Kolbasov, 2009, with a total body length of only 76 micrometres, or ~1/14 of a milimeter, from Indian Ocean.
29.9 MALACOSTRACA CLASS ‣ (757:7,544/)47,316 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life, data sectioned) and (280:886/)2,174 spp. in Brazil (CTFB/Malacostraca). 18 orders, mainly shrimp-like organisms. Decapoda, Amphipoda and Isopoda represents the bulk of Malacostraca. Brazil has the largest or second largest number of orders worldwide, 14, being exceptions Anaspidacea, Stygiomysida, Thermosbaenaceae and Mictacea. This 18 orders are placed in three well defined groups: basal Leptostraca, Stomatocarida (Stomatopoda, Bathynellacea, Anaspidacea, Euphausiacea and Decapoda) and Peracarida (Amphipoda, Stygiomysida, Mysida, Tanaidaceae, Cuamcea and Isopoda), however six clades are unplaced within this groups: Thermosbaenacea, Mictacea, Bochusacea, Lophogastrida, Ingolfiellida and Spelaeogriphacea (Bernot, J.P. et al., Molecular Biology and Evolution, 2023).
Bathynellacea, Leptostraca, and Lophogastrida have no data in the CTFB. Mictacea, Ingolfiellida, and Spelaeogriphacea have no data in the Catalogue of Life.
ORDER LEPTOSTRACA
(4:12/)68 spp. (Catalogue of Life). Some Nebalia occur in Brazil (Wakabara, Crustaceana, 1965). Only two species occur in Mexico, both endemic to Gulf of Mexico (Bousquets et al., Conabio, 2000).
ORDER STOMATOPODA
(17:68/)450 spp. worldwide (Zhang et al. | Catalogue of Life). In Brazil occur (3/)47 spp. in Eurysquillidae and Gonodactylidae (CTFB).
ORDER BATHYNELLACEA
(81/)322 spp. in two freshwater families. (2:9/)10 spp. in Brazil.
BATHYNELLIDAE
(36/)112 spp. worldwide (Perina, G. et al, ZJLS, 2024), 4 genera in New World (Lopreto & Morrone, Zoologica Scripta, 1998): Austrobathynella (subantarctic areas, only a single species in Argentina at region), Bathynella (cosmopolitan, only Chile in region, with 2 spp.), Nannobathynella (2, one in SE Brazil, another in Africa) and Pacifibathynella (W North America and E Asia). Only one sp. in Brazil.
PARABATHYNELLIDAE
(45/)210 spp. worldwide (Camacho et al., Journal of Natural History, 2020), 12 in New World, 11 in South America (Lopreto & Morrone, Zoologica Scripta, 1998, Iberobathynella absent), 19 spp. in continent: Atopobathynella (4, 1 in Chile and 3 in Oceania), Brasilibathynella (1 sp., endemic to Brazil), Chilibathynella (2, Chile and Australia one each), Ctenobathynella (6, 1 in Brazil, 4 in Africa, 1 in Israel), Hexabathynella (10, Brazil, Argentina, Madagascar, New Zealand one each, 4 in Europe and 2 in Australia), Leptobathynella (2, Brazil, one up to Argentina and Paraguay), Noodtibathynella (2, Brazil and Argentina one each), Odontobathynella (1, endemic to Brazil), Parvulobathynella (3, Brazil, Chile and Paraguay one each), Psallidobathynella (1, Venezuela) and Thermobathynella (2, one in Brazil, another in Africa). (8/)9 spp. in Brazil.
ORDER ANASPIDACEA
(12/)25 spp. in five families: Anaspididae (3/12), Koonungidae (2/2) and Psammaspididae (2/2) are found in Australia and Tasmania; Patagonspididae (1/1, aquifers in Rio Negro, S Argentina, SEE) is restricted to Argentina; and Stygocarididae (4/8) occur in Argentina (3, Parastygocaris/SEE), Chile (1 Oncostygocaris/SEE, 1 Stygocaris/SEE), Australia (1 Stygocaris, SEE) and New Zealand (1 Stygocarella/SEE, 1 Stygocaris/SEE). All the Neotropical species (2:4/6, Plazi) are stygobionts that inhabit aquifers and hyporheic interstitial environments, and mostly are cited only for their type locality (Plazi).
■ endemic families in New World: Patagonaspididae (1/1, Argentina).
ORDER EUPHAUSIACEA
(2:11/)88 spp. in two families (Catalogue of Life), full marine: Euphausiidae (10/87) and Bentheuphausiidae (Bentheuphausia amblyops G.O. Sars, 1885, a bathypelagic krill living in deep waters below 1,000 m), with (7/)31 spp. in Brazil (Gibbons et al., South Atlantic Zooplankton, 1999 | CTFB | Demoner, Thesis, 2017). 4 genera do not occur in Brazil: Meganyctiphanes (1, North Carolina/Mauritania line nortwards in Northern Atlantic, SEE), Nyctiphanes (Pacific coast of North and South America, SW Africa Atlantic, northern Europe, southern Australia, SEE), Pseudeuphausia (2, Somalia to Australia in Indic Ocean, Japan to New Caledonia in Pacific Ocean, SEE) and Tessarabrachion (1, Japan to California in northern Pacific, SEE). For some notes for possibly new species in Atlantic Ocean, see Kulagin, D.N. et al. (Invertebrate Systematics, 2023).
ORDER DECAPODA
(272:3,210)19,772 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life), from caves to abyssal zones in sea. 12 lineages in two high claes: Dendrobranchiata and Pleocyemata. Three patters was found in this order: shrimp-like (Dendrobrachiata, Stenopodidea, Carines, Procarididea, Glypheidea), crab-like (Anomura and Brachyura) and lobster-like (Gebiidea, Axiidae, Achelata, Polychelida and Astacida). (110:411/)1,022 spp. in Brazil, in all Decapoda lineages except Procaridoidea and Glypheidea.
For freshwater decapods in South America, see Kawai (BOOK, pg. 10, 2016). For deep-sea Decapods in Brazil (below 500m), see Cardoso et al. (BOOK, 2021). Brazil has 99 in freshwater and 904 in coast. Mexico includes (114:536/)1,776 spp. of Decapoda, 1,597 marine and 177 freshwater (Álvarez et al., Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad, 2014 | HM | Kawai & Cumberlidge, BOOK, 2014 | KC).
DENDROBRACHIATA
(7:)530 spp. (Wikipedia; [HM]), sister of remaining Decapoda (Pleocyemata), all marine except Acetes paraguayensis Hansen, 1919 (Sergestidae; this genus includes also marine species) from Venezuela and Ecuador to E Brazil and NE Argentina, only Dendrobranchiata known in the world that inhabits totally fresh water (Sergestidae, Planeta Invertebrados). (38/)65 spp. in Brazil, in all families (CTFB, also Costa et al., Biota Neotropica, 2003). (33/)102 spp. in Mexico ([HM]).
STENOPODIDAE
(13/)92 spp. (Bochini et al., Journal of Crustacean Biology, 2020) in 3 families (Wikipedia). (4/)6 spp. in Brazil in two families (three, if Macromaxillocarididae be considered including Chicosciencea and Microprosthema): Chicosciencea pernambucensis Bochini, Cunha, Terossi & Almeida, 2020 (endemic to Brazil), Microprosthema semilaeve von Martens, 1872 (Bahamas to Bahia, Brazil) in Spongicolidae; and 4 in Stenopodidae: Stenopus hispidus Olivier, 1811 from SE U.S.A. to SE Brazil, also Pacific Panama S. scutellatus Rankin, 1898 from SE U.S.A. to NE Brazil (Ramos-Porto & Coelho, Sér. Ci. Aquat., 1998), Odontozona lopheliae Goy & Cardoso from coast off SE Brazil, coast of SE U.S.A., and Gulf of Mexico, and O. meloi Anker & Tavares from coast off SE Brazil, 2013 (Goy & Cardoso, Zootaxa, 2014). (2:3/)7 spp. in Mexico ([HM]).
■ endemic families in New World: Macromaxillocarididae (1/1, Bahamas).
PROCARIDOIDEA
A single genus and family, Procaris, with 6 spp., from Mexico, Hawaii, Bermuda, Ascencion and Christmas Is. (Wikipedia).
CARIDEA
True shrimps, in 14 superfamilies (15 by Wikipedia). (25:86/)275 spp. in Brazil, (22:106/)430 in Mexico [HM]. Agostocarididae, Alvinocarididae, Disciadidae, Stylodactylidae, Anchistioididae and Gnathophyllidae are Mexican non Brazilian families. Lysmatidae, Merguiidae, Merhippolytidae, Thoridae, Disciadidae, Pseudochelidae, Campylonotidae, Acanthephyridae, Euryrhynchidae are Brazilian non Mexican families. 14 families worldwide occur in freshwater, with c. 665 spp. (Balian, 2008), five of them in New World.
Xiphocarididae (1/2) ‣ restricted for Caribbean and Venezuela (SEE).
Alpheidae ‣ mostly marine, except for a few freshwater species in the circumtropical genera Potamalpheops and Alpheus, including one Mexican freshwater species (P. stygicola Hobbs, 1973b) from two caves in northern Oaxaca [KC]. Freshwater species do not occur in Brazil (Planeta Invertebrados).
Euryrhynchidae (3/9) ‣ rare shrimps, with Euryrhynchus (7) in South America from Colombia to French Guiana, Peru and Brazil (6, 3 endemic), see Gurgel, Dissertation, 2016) and two monotypics Euryrhynchina and Euryrhynchoides from W Africa.
Atyidae ‣ (4/)10 freshwater spp. in South America. Among the five New World genera in riverine habitats, Micratya and Jonga endemic to Caribbean up to Mexico, Costa Rica and Panama (Torati et al., ChekList, 2011); Typhlatya (17, widely in France, Spain, Ascension, Caribbean region, Yucatan, Bermuda and Galapagos, Wikipedia); Potimirim and Atya occur in mainland South America, both in Brazil (2 and 3 spp. in country, respectively, Planeta Invertebrados). (4/)11 in Mexico [KC].
Palaemonidae (includes Kakaducarididae, SEE) ‣ ten freshwater genera in New World, being Cryphiops, Macrobrachium, Palaemon and Pseudopalaemon and 53 spp. in South America (Planeta Invertebrados). (4/)30 of them in Brazil. In Mexico occur (6/)35 spp. in Cryphiops, Macrobrachium, Creaseria, Palaemonetes, Neopalaemon and Troglomexicanus [KC]. Troglocubanus is endemic to Cuba, and the monotypic Calathaemon (former Kakaducarididae) is endemic to Texas, U.S.A.
■ endemic families in New World: Anchialocarididae (1/1, Mexico).
GLYPHEIDEA
(2/)2 spp. known only by 18 specimens collected in Timor Sea, Philippines and Coral Sea (Wikipedia).
ACHELATA
Marine lobsters. A single family occurs in Brazil, Palinuridae (4/6), by Cruz et al. (Diversity, 2021). (2/)8 spp. in Mexico [HM].
POLYCHELIDA
Marine lobsters. Two families in Brazil: Scyllaridae (4/8) and Polychelidae (1/4), totaling (5/)12 spp. in in over coast (Cruz et al., Diversity, 2021). (10/)16 spp. in Mexico [HM].
ASTACIDAE
Five families, two of marine lobsters and three of freshwater crayfishes.
The two lobster families at this suborder occur in Brazil: Nephropidae (3/6 in country) and Enoplometopidae (1/1 in country), totaling (4/)7 spp. in in over coast (Cruz et al., Diversity, 2021). Also (4/)7 spp. in Mexico, in Nephropidae [HM].
Freshwater crayfishes includes three Astacidea families: Astacidae (6/39, 5/31 in Asia, and Pacifascatcus-8 in North America), Cambarididae (12/445, Cambaroides-7 in Asia and remaining diversity from Canada to Mexico-2/56, HM), and Parastacidade (15/300, in Australia, some up to New Guinea, one in New Zealand-1/2, one in Madagascar-1/9 and three in S Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, and S Brazil in South America-14).
Huber (Dissertation, 2018) lists South American genera: Parastacus (16, two in Chile and 14 in Brazil, some up to NE Argentina and Uruguay), Samastacus (2, NW Argentina and C Chile) and Virilastacus (4, Chile). Planeta Invertebrados lists 14 spp. of crayfishes in Brazil (SEE, with personal pages for somes species), except two new additions (Huber et al., Zootaxa, 2022).
AXIIDEA
Here we adopt the Coelho et al. (Zootaxa, 2017, ZY) reference for it, with complements for each family. In total, Brazil has (5:17/)25 spp. (7:22/)45 spp. in Mexico [HM].
Axiidae (inc. Calocarididae) - (5/)7 in Brazil [ZY]. (6/)13 in Mexico [HM].
Callianassidae (including Callichiridae) - (7/)12 in Brazil [ZY; updates in Mantellato et al., Zootaxa, 2022]. (11/)24 in Mexico [HM].
Callianideidae - absent in Brazil [ZY]. (1/)1 in Mexico [HM].
Ctenochelidae - (3/)3 in Brazil [ZY]. (1/)1 in Mexico [HM].
Eiconaxiidae - (1/)1 in Brazil [Ramos-Porto et al., Biota Neotropica, 2008]. (1/)4 in Mexico [HM].
Gourretiidae - absent in Brazil [ZY]. (1/)1 in Mexico [HM].
Micheleidae - (1/)2 in Brazil [ZY]. Absent in Mexico [HM].
Strahlaxiidae - Pacific and Indico Oceans. In New World, from Mexico (1/1, [HM]) to Costa Rica.
GEBIIDEA
Here we adopt here Coelho et al. (Zootaxa, 2017, ZY) reference for it, with complements for each family. In total, Brazil has (2:3/)11 spp. (2:3/)19 in Mexico [HM].
Laomediidae (including Axianassidae) - (1/)1 in Brazil [ZY]. (1/)2 in Mexico [HM].
Thalassinidae - absent in Brazil and Mexico.
Upogebiidae - (2/)10 in Brazil [ZY]. (2/)17 in Mexico [HM].
ANOMURA
19 families (16 exclusivelly marine). (13:51/)181 spp. in Brazil (CTFB) and (14:75/)340 in Mexico [HM]. Mexican families Galatheidae and Coenobitidae do not occur in Brazil. Brazilian family Aeglidae does not occur in Mexico.
Only three Anomuras are found in freshwater envioronments: Aeglidae (1/87), Clibanarius fonticola McLaughlin & Murray, 1990 endemic to Vanuatu (Espírito Santo island, in a pool fed by springs near the village of Matevulu, Wikipedia), and Coenobitidae (15), with two spp. in New World, Coenobita compressus H. Milne-Edwards from Pacific coast up to Chile (Wikipedia), and C. clypeatus Fabricius from Caribbean region, Colombia and Venezuela (Wikipedia), fully absent in Brazil (Lemaitre & Tavares, Zootaxa, 2015).
Among Aeglidae, Aegla is the only extant genus, containing 87 spp. from S Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, S & SE Brazil (55), Paraguay and Uruguay, two are found exclusively in lakes (both in Chile), four troglobics (all in SE Brazil, unique troglobic Decapoda in country), and the remaining 81 are found mainly in rivers (Trombetta et al., Zootaxa, 2019).
BRACHYURA (CRAB DATABASE)
7,000 spp. of true crabs in 98 families (Wikipedia). (49:206/)406 spp. in Brazil (CTFB). (51:272/)740 in Mexico [HM]. Mexican families Dynomenidae, Bythograeidae, Cancridae, Oregoniidae, Atelecyclidae, Trapeziidae, Hexapodidae, Goneplacidae, Oziidae, Ucididae and Glyptograpsidae do not occur in Brazil. Brazilian families Belliidae, Cymonomidae, Platyxanthidae, Latreilliidae, Hymenosomatidae, Carcinidae, Geryonidae, Pseudoziidae and Trichopeltariidae do not occur in Mexico.
For freshwater crabs, eight families are known, only two in New World, Trichodactylidae and Pseudotelphusidae, with 311 spp. in region (Neil Cumberlidge et al., ZooKeys, 2014). Colombia (21/102) has the largest diversity, being Pseudothelphusidae (15/90, six endemic genera) and Trichodactylidae (9/15). Mexico has the second diversity in region, with (16/)67 spp., all endemic, in Pseudothelphusidae (14/61, 11 endemic genera, Moreno-Juaréz, Zootaxa, 2022) and Trichodactylidae (2/5). Brazil has the 3rd diversity in freshwater crabs (16/50, 17 endemic) with a fauna that is dominated by Trichodactylidae (10/31, in two subfamilies), and fewer Pseudothelphusidae (6/19 species, all Pseudothelphusinae/Kingsleyini). Brazil has 2✕ as many Trichodactylidae as Colombia, which in turn has more than 4✕ more Pseudotelphusidae tham our country. In 2020 (by Campos et al., Nauplius, 2020) Colombia was considered the most species-rich country for freshwater crabs (109, 86 endemic) in South America and the second worldwide after China (243).
New species added to Brazil after Cumberlidge (2014) were: Fredius beccarii (Zanetti et al., Nauplius, 2018), F. ibiapaba (Santos et al., PeerJ, 2020), Kingsleya parnaiba (Pralon et al., Nauplius, 2020), K. attenboroughi (Pinheiro & Santana, Zootaxa, 2016) and K. castrensis (M. Pedraza et al., Zoologia, 2015). In Planeta Invertebrados, with individual page for many species, Brazil has (17/)58 spp. (SEE).
■ endemic families in New World: Garthopiulmnidae (1/1, Ecuador).
ORDER AMPHIPODA
(243:1791/)10,672 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life), c. 1,870 spp. in freshwater (Balian, 2008), in 53 families and 293 genera, but only 27 families are strictly limited to continental waters. Brazil has (73:180/)389 spp. at CTFB (SEE). Serejo e Siqueira (Zootaxa, 2018) lists (56:142/)303 spp. distributed in the suborders Amphilochidea and Senticaudata and Ingolfiellida that have been described or reported for the Brazilian coast and continent.
Six suborders make up order Amphipoda, 4 in Brazil: Amphilochidea, Colomastigidea (known in Brazil only for Colomastix trispinosa Alves & Senna, 2019, SEE), Hyperiidea and Senticaudata; and two absent: Hyperiopsidea (2:5/15, widely worldwide/SEE including Mexico/SEE) and Pseudingolfiellidea (1:1/4, freshwater known only from South America and some subantarctic islands, SEE).
Senticaudata includes the only family of Amphipoda with terrestrial representatives, Talitridae (84/257, SEE), with four spp. along the Brazilian coast: the three Brazilian endemic Chelorchestia darwinii Müller, 1864, Atlantorchestoidea brasiliensis Dana, 1853 and Talorchestia tucurauna Müller, 1864; and the Atlantic Platorchestia monodi Mateu et al., 1986, SEE).
Currently five families of amphipods are known for subterranean ecosystems in Brazil (SEE): Hyalellidae (1/81, Canada to Patagonia, 44 in Brazil, SEE), Mesogammaridae (Korea, Japan, Indian subcontinent, southern Alaska and caves from Rio Grande do Norte state in NE Brazil SEE | SEE), Seborgidae (Vietnan, islands in adjacences of Papua New Guinea, Texas and caves from from Rio Grande do Norte state in NE Brazil, SEE), Bogidiellidae (at least Megagidiella, SEE | SEE) and Artesiidae (2/10, Artesia in Texas, U.S.A., and Spelaeogammarus in Brazil, SEE | SEE).
C. Fiser et al. (Systematics and Biodiversity, 2013) cites ten families in freshwater habitats in South America: Bogidiellidae (also Balian, 2008), Hyalellidae (syn. Dogielinotidae | also in Balian, 2008), Falklandellidae, Pseudingolfiellidae, Seborgidae (these three described in Lowry & Miers, Zootaxa, 2012), Corophiidae (also in Balian, 2008), Phreatogammaridae (also in Balian, 2008), Mesogammaridae (also in Balian, 2008) and Paraleptamphopidae (also in Balian, 2008). All of these except Falklandellididae and Hyalellidae have a transoceanic distribution and South American members are found only from subterranean waters.
Hyalella is the only known freshwater Amphipoda genus in Brazil to occur in superficial environments (42, Deotti, CM et al., Nauplius, 2025). Hyalella imbya Rodrigues & Bueno, 2012, known only in a small area in W Rio Grande do Sul state in southern Brazil, is the first hypothelminorheic Arthropoda from South America (Stella Gomes Rodrigues et al., ZooKeys, 2012).
■ endemic families in New World: Allocrangonyctidae (1/2, U.S.A.), Miramarassidae (1/1, Cuba), Magnoviidae (1/1, Brazil).
ORDER STYGIOMYSIDA
16 spp. in Lepidomysidae (9, all in Spelaeomysis, in Mexico, Caribbean, Italy, India and Kenya, SEE) and Stygiomysidae (7, all in Stygiomysis, in Caribbean, SE Mexico, Florida and Italy, SEE), found primarily in subterranean waters, but always in waters with a marine influence (Meland, K., et al., PlosOne, 2015). Stygiomysida has traditionally been considered part of the order Mysida, but was separated from it on phylogenetic grounds. Unknown in Brazil.
ORDER MYSIDA
Two families worldwide, Mysidae and Petalophthalmidae, with (185/)1,238 spp. (Catalogue of Life). (14/)30 spp. in Brazil (CTFB), all in Mysidae. Approx. 80 are freshwater, nine in Brazil, in two genera: Parvimysis and Surinamysis (Planeta Invertebrados). 23 spp. occur in Mexico (Bousquets et al.,Conabio, 2000).
ORDER TANAIDACEA
(46:349/)1,616 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life), (17:46/)62 spp. in Brazil (CTFB). Only four in freshwater: one in Baikal Lake, two in Oceania, and Sinelobus stanfordi Richardson, 1901, a marine, freshwater, hypohaline and hypersaline species inland waters of Galapagos, Japan, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, Kurile Islands, Caribbean, Florida and Brazil (Balian, 2008; also Planeta Invertebrados). 24 spp. in Mexico (Bousquets et al., Conabio, 2000).
ORDER CUMACEA
(8:162/)1,758 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life), (6:34/)90 spp. in Brazil (CTFB). 32 spp. in Mexico, being eigth in Gulf of Mexico, 11 in Caribbean Sea and 13 in Pacific Ocean (Bousquets et al., Conabio, 2000).
All species are marine except (11/)21 spp. in freshwater, all Pseudocumatidae from Caspian basin except two New World species, in Nannastacidae: Almyracuma proximoculi Jones and Burbanck, 1959 from intertidal freshwater springs at Cape Cod, and limnetic zone of Lower Hudson river, NE U.S.A., and Claudicuma platense Roccatagliata, 1981 from Río de la Plata (Argentina), from Buenos Aires to Punta del Indio (Roccatagliata, Marine Biodiversity, 2017).
ORDER ISOPODA
(142:1,632/)11,136 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life), with around 4,500 spp. found in sea, mostly on the seabed, 500 in freshwater, and more than 5,000 on land (Wikipedia).
Brazil includes (61:176/)487 spp., being (58:170/)481 spp. in CTFB plus two families of Calabozoidea (5/5 spp. in country, Brazilian Cave Fauna) and Limnoriidae (at least 1 sp., SEE). All suborders in Isopoda occur in Brazil except Phoratopidea (continental shelf at Encounter Bay and Fowlers Bay, South Australia, Wikipedia), Phreatoicidea (freshwater environments in South Africa, India, and Oceania, SEE) and Tainisopidea (Tainisopidae).
■ endemic families in New World: Colypuridae (1/1, Panama), Brasileirinidae (1/1, Brazil).
ORDER THERMOSBAENACEA
(4:8/)45 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life). Thermosbaenidae includes a single species from saline hot springs from Tunisia. Tulumellidae includes (1/)3 spp. from anchialine caves in SE Mexico (1) and Bahamas (2). In Halosbaenidae there are four genera: Salishbaena (1, Montana, U.S.A., SEE) and Theosbaena (3, in Thailand-2 and Cambodia-1) are fully troglobics; Limnosbaena (2) are freshwater species in wells and lakes from Bosnia, Italy and S France; Halosbaena (5) includes three marine-cave species from S Japan-2 and Canary Island-1, one coastal marine species in Curaçao, Bonaire, Venezuela, San Andres Island in Colombia, Cuba and Jamaica, and H. tulki, a troglobic from W Australia. Monodellidae includes two genera: Monodella (1) in oligohaline caves and wells near coast in NW Italy; and Tethysbaena (29) widely widespread in Texas (1), Cuba (3), Haiti (2), Dominican Republic (2), Puerto Rico (2), British Virgin Island (3), U.S. Virgin Islands (1), Spain (2), France (2), Italy (2), Morocco (1), Croatia (1), Greece (1), Somalia (1), Israel (1), Oman (3), and Socotra (1). Unknown in Brazil.
ORDER MICTACEA
A single family, genus and species, Mictocaris halope Bowman & Iliffe, 1985, endemic to anchialine caves in Bermuda, and grows up to 3.5 mm long (Wikipedia). Unknown in Brazil.
■ endemic families in New World: Mictocarididae (1/1, Bermudas).
ORDER BOCHUSACEA
A single family, Hirsutiidae, possibly a part of a wider Mictacea, and six species in three genera (Catalogue of Life): Hirsutia bathyalis Saunders, Hessler & Garner, 1985 (depth of 1000 m at 300 km off coast of Suriname, Sanders et al., Journal of Crustacean Biology, 1985), H. sandersetalia Just & Poore, 1988 (depth of 1,500 m in the South Pacific, off SE Australia), Thetispelecaris remex Gutu & Iliffe, 1998 (anchialine and marine caves in the Exuma Cays, Bahamas), T. yurikago Ohtsuka, Hanamura & Kase, 2002 (in submarine cave on Grand Cayman Island), T. kumejimensis Shimomura, Fujita & Naruse, 2012 (Japan, SEE), and Montucaris distincta Jaume, Boxshall & Bamber, 2006 (619–778 m depth off coast of SE Brazil, D. Jaume et al., ZJLS, 2006).
ORDER LOPHOGASTRIDA
(3:9/)53 spp. (Catalogue of Life). In Brazil at least two species and families was collected: Neognathophausia ingens Dohrn, 1870 in Lophogastridae, and Gnathophausia zoea Willemoes-Suhm, 1873 in Gnathophausiidae (Serejo et al., BOOK, 2007), from Bahia to Rio Grande do Sul. Few informations about Eucopiidae (10). Absent in Mexico (Bousquets et al., Conabio, 2000).
ORDER INGOLFIELLIDA
(5/)46 spp. worldwide in two families, Metaingolfiellidae and Ingolfiellidae (Wikipedia), 5 in South America, all in latter family (Rodriguez, M. et al., Zootaxa, 2017): Ingolfiella uspallatae Noodt, 1965 (Argentina), I. manni Noodt, 1961 (Chile), I. ruffoi Siewing, 1958 (Peru, SEE), I. rocaensis Senna & Serejo, 2005 (unique record of Ingolfiellida in Brazil, from Rocas Atoll, Senna & Serejo, Zootaxa, 2005), and Yacana ventania Rodriguez, Armendáriz & Rodrígues Capítulo, 2017 (E Argentina).
ORDER SPELEOGRIPHACEA
(3/)4 fully freshwater species in a single family, Spelaeogriphidae: Potiicoara in W Brazil, Mangkurtu in W Australia and Spelaeogriphus in South Africa (Balian, 2008). Brazilian member is the obligatory subterranean species Potiicoara brasiliensis Pires, 1987, known only caves from SW Mato Grosso and W Mato Grosso do Sul states.
29.10 CEPHALOCARIDA CLASS ‣ small class composed only of a single family in its own order, Hutchinsoniellidae, with (5/)12 spp. (Addis, Thesis, 2008): Chiltoniella (1, New Zealand), Hampsonellus (1, Brazil, restricted to the coast of São Paulo), Hutchinsonella (1, disjunct SE Brazil and E U.S.A.), Lightiella (5, coasts from Canada to Florida, Mexico, Caribbean, Mediterranean and New Caledonia) and Sandersiella (4, Korea, Japan, Namibia and Peru).
29.11 BRANCHIOPODA CLASS ‣ 4 orders and (32:142/)1,185 spp. worldwide (Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment, 2020). Brazil has (24:74/)258 spp. (CTFB | Rogers, 2020 | Pessac et al., Zootaxa, 2011 / Fonseca et al., Wetlands, 2017). Mexico has 143 spp. in all groups: Anostraca (20), Spinicaudata (11), Cyclestherida (1), Cladocera (106), Laevicaudata (2) and Notostraca (3), by Maeda-Martínez et al. (Hydrobiologia, 1997).
ORDER ANOSTRACA
(8:28/)313 spp. on all continents, including Antarctica (Zhang, 2013). Brazil has (3:5/)15 spp. (7/)53 spp. in freshwater Neotropics (Rogers, 2020), in 4 families: Artemiidae (1/2, one in Brazil), Branchinectidae (1/19, two in Brazil), Streptocephalidae (1/8 in Neotropics, all from Mexico and Caribbean) and Thamnocephalidae (4/24, (3/)12 in Brazil. Phallocryptus is endemic to Argentina). CTFB recognizes only 8 Thamnocephalidae in Brazil (SEE).
ORDER DIPLOSTRACA
(22:109/)821 spp. worldwide in three suborders (Zhang, 2013). (20:68/)242 spp. in Brazil.
SPINICAUDATA
Three families: Cyzicidae (4/90, 1/4 in Neotropics, in Brazil (2), Mexico and Cuba), Leptestheriidae (3/37, 1/5 in Neotropics, in Venezuela, Mexico, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina and Brazil (1), by Rogers 2020 and Weddingen and Rabet, Zoological Studies, 2020) and Limnadiidae (5/61, 2/9 in Neotropics, widely in several areas, five Eulimnadia in Brazil). All families in Brazil, with (3/)8 spp.
CYCLESTHERIDA
A single species, Cyclestheria hislopi Baird, 1859, pantropical, widely in southern Hemisphere, inc. Brazil (Yashima, Braz. J. Biol., 2011).
CLADOCERA
(18:96/)632 spp., (9:50/)186 spp. in Neotropics by Balian (2008). Brazil has (11:64/)233 spp. of Cladocerans (CTFB). (7:33/)106 spp. in Mexico (Bousquets et al., Conabio, 2000).
ORDER LAEVICAUDA
Only a single family, Lynceidae, with (3/)36 spp. worldwide (Zhang, 2013). (2/)8 spp. in Neotropics (Rogers, 2020), collected from Mexico (2/7, KNF/2016; KNAF/2020) and South America, only 4 in this continent: Lynceus aequatorialis Daday,1927 and L. rotundirostris Daday, 1902 from Argentina, L. tropicus Daday, 1927 from Colombia and Venezuela, and Paralimnetis rapax Gurney, 1931 from Paraguay and Brazil (Pessac et al., Zootaxa, 2011 / Fonseca et al., Wetlands, 2017). This record in Brazil does not cited in CTFB in April 13, 2025 (SEE).
ORDER NOTOSTRACA
Only a single family with (2/)15 spp. worldwide in Triops and Lepidurus (Zhang, 2013). (2/)2 spp. in Neotropics, collected in Mexico (2/2, KNAF/2020; KNF/2016), Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina and Caribbean (Rogers, 2020), unknown in Brazil.
■ endemic families in New World: Dumontidae (1/1, U.S.A.).
29.12 COPEPODA CLASS ‣ (241:2,039/)15,950 spp. worldwide in two infraclasses and current 10 orders (Zhang, 2013). (79:288/)854 spp. in Brazil (CTFB | Alvarez, MPJ., Journal of Natural History, 1985 | Araújo & Neumann-Leitão, Annals of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, 2015). In Mexico occur (7:31/)78 spp. in freshwater and (50:122/)479 in marine environments (Bousquets et al., Conabio, 2000).
Copepoda includes ten orders, six of which (Platycopioida, Calanoida, Misophrioida, Cyclopoida, Harpacticoida, Gelyelloida) contain stygobiotic representatives.
INFRACLASS PLATYCOPIIDA
ORDER PLATYCOPIOIDA (1 ORDER)
(4/)11 spp. in a single family from Bermudas, Barents Sea, North Sea, E North America, Bahamas, Mauritania and Japan (Wikipedia). Absent in Brazil (CTFB).
INFRACLASS NEOCOPEPODA (9 ORDERS)
ORDER CALANOIDA
(46:332/)3,141 spp. (Zhang, 2013) worldwide, (28:97/)320 spp. in Brazil (CTFB). Calanoida are rare in fresh ground water, represented only by 10 species in the family Diaptomidae, all of which lead a planktonic mode of life in subterranean lakes.
ORDER MISOPHRIOIDA
(3:16/)37 spp. (Zhang, 2013), worldwide. Only one sp. in Brazil, Archimisophria squamosa Alvarez, 1985, uncited in CTFB in April 13, 2025 (CTFB) but accepted here (Alvarez, MPJ., Journal of Natural History, 1985). Almost all Speleophriidae species occur in anchialine coastal habitats, the only exceptions being the two species of Archimisophria, both of which occur in the deep hyperbenthic community in the tropical Atlantic (Boxshall, G.A., Zootaxa, 2014).
ORDER CYCLOPOIDA
(89:684/)4,165 spp. (Zhang, 2013; (20/)30 spp. unplaced), (13/67:)255 spp. in Brazil (CTFB). Cyclopoida are groundwater copepods par excellence, represented by over 330 stygobiotic species in the family Cyclopidae.
ORDER GELYELLOIDA
(1/)2 spp. in groundwater in saturated karstic areas of S France and W Switzerland (Wikipedia); no published records are available from surface habitats.
ORDER MORMONILLOIDA
(2/)5 spp. in a single family, widely in Atlantic Ocean, Pacific and Meditteraneam Basin (WoRMS), including records of Mormonilla phasma Giesbrecht, 1891 in Rio Grande do Norte state, NE Brazil (Araújo & Neumann-Leitão, Annals of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, 2015), uncited in CTFB in April 13, 2025 (CTFB).
ORDER HARPACTICOIDA
(56:626/)5,838 spp. worldwide (Zhang, 2013; (8/)12 spp. unplaced, excludes data from current Canuelloida), (23:65/)140 in Brazil (CTFB, excludes current Canuelloida). Bernot, J.P. et al. (Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2025) recognizes Canuelloida (two families, Canuellidae and Longipediidae) as a valid order separate from Harpacticoida. Harpacticoida are groundwater copepods par excellence, containing some 640 truly freshwater stygobionts belonging to at least five families. Families Canthocamptidae, Parastenocarididae and Ameiridae have radiated very successfully in groundwater habitats. Sporadically, members of the predominantly marine Ectinosomatidae and Miraciidae (formerly Diosaccidae) are recorded from fresh ground water. The Chappuisiidae are only known from Europe, being exclusively found in alluvial aquifers and in the hyporheic habitat. The Phyllognathopodidae are occasionally found in ground water.
ORDER CANUELLOIDA
(2:19/)129 spp. (Zhang, 2013; (8/)12 spp. unplaced) in Canuellidae (18/106) and Longipediidae (1/23). In Brazil occurs only one genus of Canuelloida, Longipedia, with six species in country (CTFB).
ORDER SIPHONOSTOMATOIDA
(41:349/)2,466 spp. worldwide (Zhang, 2013; (8/)12 spp. unplaced), (14:54/)124 spp. in Brazil (CTFB).
ORDER MONSTRILLOIDA
A single family, (6/)156 spp. worldwide (Zhang, 2013), (4/)14 in Brazil (Suárez-Morales, E. et al., Zoologia, 2024 | CTFB).
■ endemic families in New World: Codoboidae (Siphonostomatoida, 1/1, South Georgia, UK).
29.13 REMIPEDIA CLASS ‣ (8:12/)28 spp. within a single order Nectiopoda (Remipedia Database) in Caribbean, Mexico, Belize, Canary Is. and NW Australia.
Cryptocorynetidae (3/5, Bahamas and Turks y Caicos), Godzilliidae (2/4, Bahamas and Turks y Caicos), Micropacteridae (1/1, Turks y Caicos), Pleomothridae (1/2, Bahamas), Speleonectidae (2/7, Bahamas, Turks y Caicos and SW Cuba in southern Matanzas coast), Xibalbanidae (1/4, anchialine caves in Caribbean coast of SE Mexico/3 and Belize/1), Kumongidae (1/1, Ningaloo Cape in NW Australia, unique southern Hemisphere species) and Morlockiidae (1/4, Bahamas/2, SE Dominican Republic/1 and Lanzarote in Canary Islands in Spain/1).
■ endemic families in New World: Pleomothridae (1/2, Bahamas) and Micropacteridae (1/1, Turks y Caicos).
29.14 COLLEMBOLA CLASS ‣ (33:763/)8,130 spp. worldwide (Zhang. et al., Zootaxa, 2013) and (21:118/)457 spp. in Brazil, belonging all four known orders (Rafael et al., BOOK, 2024 | includes numbers below | do not include new cave species, which can be seen in Brazilian Cave Fauna). Colombia has (16:21/)38 spp. (Cipola, Zootaxa, 2023). (24:105-107/)582 spp. in Mexico (Palacios-Vargas, Rev. Mex. de Biodiv., vol. 85, 2014). Mexican families Poduridae, Actaletidae, Coenaletidae and Tomoceridae do not occur in Brazil. Brazilian Sturmiidae does not occur in Mexico. An illustrated guide with photos of almost every family in the order is available at Checklist of the Collembola (SEE).
In following families Mexico certainly has more species than Brazil: Hypogastruridae (80 ✕ 30), Odontellidae (16 ✕ 1), Onychiuridae (21 ✕ 4) at Poduromorpha; Oncopoduridae (5 ✕ 2) in Entomobryomorpha; Katiannidae (8 ✕ 3), Bourletiellidae (10 ✕ 9) and Dicyrtomidae (15 ✕ 4) in Symphypleona; and Neelidae in Neelipleona (10 ✕ 3).
ORDER PODUROMORPHA
(11:)3,154 spp., (7:49/)138 spp. in Brazil, in Neanuridae (70), Hypogastruridae (30), Brachystomellidae (24), Tullbergiidae (7), Onychiuridae (4), Isotogastruridae (2) and Odontellidae (1).
ORDER ENTOMOBRYOMORPHA
(11:)3,753 spp., (5:44/)241 spp. in Brazil, in Entomobryidae (106), Isotomidae (78), Paronellidae (39, including Cyphoderus), Orchesellidae (18) and Oncopoduridae (2).
ORDER SYMPHYPLEONA
(10:)1,188 spp., (8:13/)45 spp. in Brazil, in Sminthurididae (25), Sminthuridae (21), Bourletiellidae (9), Arrhopalitidae (9), Dicyrtomidae (4), Katiannidae (3), Sturmiidae (1) and Collophoridae (1).
Sphaeridia pilleata Bretfeld and Gauer, 1994 (Sminthurididae) from Brazil, is arguably the smallest known adult hexapod, with its smaller males measuring about 0.12 mm (Bellini, Weiner & Winck, Diversity, 2023).
ORDER NEELIPLEONA
A single family, Neelidae, with (3/)47 spp. worldwide, (2/)3 in Brazil, including Megalothorax minimus V.Willem, 1900 from Pará and Neelus minimus Womersley, 1932 from Espírito Santo states.
29.15 PROTURA CLASS ‣ (7:72/)748 spp. worldwide in three orders (Galli et al., ZooKeys, 2018). Brazil has (2:9/)26 spp. (Rafael et al., BOOK, 2024). (2:6/)17 spp. occur in Mexico (Palacios-Vargas & Figueroa, Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad, vol. 85, 2014).
ORDER ACERENTOMATA
Three families: Hesperentomidae (3 genera) from in East and Central Asia, Europe and North America, Protentomidae (6 genera) in Japan, China, Pacific Islands, tropical Asia, Reunion, North America and Argentina (see Vidal Sarmiento, Physis, 1971 for South America), and Acerentomidae (50 genera), with (7/)14 spp. in Brazil and (4/)6 spp. in Mexico.
ORDER SINENTOMATA
Two families with a single genus each, Fujientomidae and Sinentomidae, known only from China, Japan and North Korea.
ORDER EOSENTOMATA
Two families, Antelientomidae (one genus, endemic to China) and Eosentomidae, with 10 genera, six restricted from China and Japan, Styletoentomon from North America, Madagascarentomon endemic to Madagascar, and Isoentomon and Eosentomon widely distributed in World, both in Brazil (2/12) and Mexico (2/11).
29.16 DIPLURA CLASS ‣ three superfamilies (all in Brazil) and (10:141/)1,008 spp. worldwide, but no formal order (Sendra, Insect Conservation and Diversity, 2021), (4:11/)31 in Brazil (Rafael et al., BOOK, 2024). South America has (35/)154 spp., Mexico has (6:17/)48 spp. (Palácios-Vargas & García-Goméz, Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad, 2014), and U.S.A. has (7:23)170 spp.
CAMPODEOIDEA
Two families: Procampodeidae (1/2, one in Italy, another in California, Wikipedia) and Campodeidae (58/491, widely worldwide, 4/5 in Brazil and 9/33 in Mexico).
JAPYGOIDEA
5 families (Reddell, BOOK, 1985): Japygidae (61/340) widely worldwide (3/12 spp. in Brazil, (2/)5 in Mexico), Evalljapygidae (5/47, with 34 in western regions of North America including 10 in Mexico, and 12 in South America), Parajapygidae (4/66, with Parajapyx (55) worldwide (5 in Mexico), Ectasjapyx (5, Central Africa), Miojapyx (1, U.S.A.), Lacandonajapyx (1, Mexico, Montejo-Cruz, Zootaxa, 2021) and (1/)3 in Brazil)), Heterojapygidae (4/10, Australia and Madagascar) and Dinjapygidae (1/6, Peru and Bolivia).
The circumscription of Evalljapygidae varies from reference to reference, with Sendra (Insect Conservation and Diversity, 2021) citing 5 genera without specifying which ones, and indicating (3/)12 spp. in South America. Wikimedia (SEE) lists only 3 genera, with Mixojapyx being cited for Brazil (Figueredo, Dissertation, 2009). Gracía-Goméz (BSEA, 2010) cites only two, none of them in South America, a position reinforced by Allen (TAES, 2002) at subfamily Evalljapyginae. Therefore, we adopted a very conservative version, aligned with the last two references.
PROJAPYGOIDEA
Three families: Anajapygidae (2/5, Holartic, Oriental, Neotropical, 2 in Mexico), Octostigmatidae (1/3, Asia, Australia), and Projapygidae (4/42, widely worldwide, 3/11 in Brazil, 2 in Mexico).
29.17 INSECTA CLASS ‣ based on the following numbers, there are (1,210:89,280/)1,057,040 spp. in World and (693:15,800/)91,465 spp. in Brazil. Three references will be very recurrent here: Rafael et al. (Insetos do Brasil, 2012), Foottit & Adler (Insect Biodiversity, 2018) and Book of Insects Records (SEE).
ORDER ARCHAEOGNATHA
(65/)548 spp. worldwide in two families (Foottit & Adler, vol. 2, 2009, pg. 156). Machilidae has (38/)250 spp. worldwide, only nine genera in New World, from Canada to Mexico (Foottit, 2018). Meineterllidae has (19/)170 spp. worldwide (Wikipedia), (2/)25 spp. in Brazil. Four of six South American genera are continentally confined to Argentina and Chile (Rafael, 2012). Mexico has (2:9/)15 spp. in this order, being (5/)7 spp. in Machilidae and (4/)8 spp. in Meineterllidae (Palacios-Vargas, BOOK, 2004), and U.S.A. has (14/)36 spp., being (10/)27 in Machilidae and (4/)9 in Meineterllidae (Bristletails of North America).
ORDER ZYGENTOMA
(149/)594 spp. wordlwide in five families (Foottit & Adler, vol. 2, 2009, pg. 156), only Nicoletiidae (6/13) and Lepismatiidae (6/10) in Brazil, with (12/)23 spp. in the country (Rafael et al., BOOK, 2024). Lepidotrichidae (1/1) is endemic to U.S.A. Maindroniidae has four spp. in Sudan, Arabian Peninsula, and Maindronia neotropicalis Bouvier, 1897 in Atacama desert on Chile and Peru. Protrinemuridae has (4/)10 spp. worldwide, only two in New World, both Trinemophora collected in W South America (Foottit, 2018).
■ endemic families in New World: Lepidotrichidae (1/1, U.S.A.).
ORDER EPHEMEROPTERA
(42:450/)3,240 spp. worldwide (Wikipedia), (10:80/)426 in Brazil (Rafael et al., BOOK, 2024), including one endemic family.
■ endemic families in New World: Melanemerellidae (1/1, Brazil).
ORDER ODONATA
(40:678/)6,313 spp. worldwide (Families and Genera of Odonata). In Brazil occur (15:140/)809 spp. (South America Odonata), in all South American families except Neopetaliidae (1, known only from Argentina and Chile, Wikipedia), Petaluridae (5/11, E Asia, Australia, New Zealand, North America, Argentina and Chile, SEE), Mesagrionidae (1/1, endemic to Colombia), and Austropetaliidae (Argentina, Chile and Australia).
Odonata is composed of three suborders: two are widely distributed and occur in Brazil (Zygoptera and Anisoptera), while the third, Anisozygoptera, includes only two species restricted to Indian subcontinent, E Asia, and SE Asia (Wikipedia).
■ endemic families in New World: Mesagrionidae (1/1, Colombia).
ORDER ORTOPTERA
(40:4,588/)26,207 spp. in two clades, Ensifera and Caelifera (Orthoptera Species Files). (18:571/)1,866 spp. in Brazil (Rafael et al., BOOK, 2024). (274/)c. 920 spp. in Mexico (Insecta/MX). Classification from Rafael (2024).
CAELIFERA
27 families (Orthoptera Species Files/Caelifera), (2,477/)11,894 spp. worldwide (Foottit & Adler, vol. 2, 2009, pg. 257). (9:266/)924 spp. in Brazil.
ACRIDIDEA
24 families, 14 families absent in New World: 11 from Africa, three of them up to Eurasia and New Guinea, two from India to New Guinea, and one restricted for in Australasian region. Nine in New World, six in Brazil (822 spp. in country): Tetrigoidea (subcosmopolitan , 62 spp. in Brazil), Acrididae (cosmopolitan to subcosmopolitan), Eumastacidae (cosmopolitan to subcosmopolitan) and Pyrgomorphidae (cosmopolitan to subcosmopolitan), Romaleidae (North to South America), and Proscopiidae (Costa Rica to South America). Families unknown in Brazil are Tanaoceridae (W U.S.A. to NW Mexico), Episactidae (Mexico to Costa Rica, Hispaniola, Madagascar and E Asia), Xyronotidae (endemic to Mexico), and Tristiridae (Peru to S Argentina).
TRIDACTYLIDEA
Subcosmopolitan, three families, Tridactylidae subcosmopolitan (21 in Brazil), Ripipterygidae in tropical America (12 in Brazil), and Cylindrachetidae from Argentina, disjunct with New Guinea to Australia, unknown in Brazil.
ENSIFERA
13 families (Orthoptera Species Files/Ensifera, excludes Oecanthidae), (2,111/)14,313 spp. (Foottit & Adler, vol. 2, 2009, p255). (9:305/)942 spp. in Brazil.
GRYLLIDEA
Six families, all in Brazil (104/272): Gryllidae (38/87, CTFB, including Oecanthidae), Gryllotalpidae (4/12, CTFB), Mogoplistidae (1/2, CTFB), Myrmecophilidae (1/63, SEE, one sp. in Brazil, Colavite et al., Zootaxa, 2025), Phalangopsidae (42/118), and Trigonidiidae (18/52).
TETTIGONIIDEA
7 families. Four do not occur in Brazil: Schizodactylidae (Turkiye to Indochina, and SW Africa), Prophalangopsidae (5 genera, Cyphoderris in NW America, Paracyphoderris in Siberia, Aboilomimus in China, Prophalangopsis in Indian subcontinent, and Tarragoilus in China), Rhaphidophoridae (Alaska to Guatemala, Eurasia to New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina and Chile), and and Stenopelmatidae (5/50, two genera in New World, Ammopelmatus from SW U.S.A. and NW Mexico and Stenopelmatus from America Central and Ecuador in New World, Wikipedia).
Three families (201/670) occur in Brazil: Anostostomatidae (3/8 in Brazil, CTFB), Gryllacrididae (8/22 in Brazil, CTFB), and Tettigoniidae (190/640 in Brazil, CTFB).
NOTES
The most massive insects are wētā from New Zealand (6, Deinacrida, Anostostomatidae), with one mention of a individual of D. heteracantha White, 1842 specimen from extreme northern country weighing 71g (Williams, BOOK, 2005).
■ endemic families in New World: Xyronotidae (Caelifera, 2/4, Mexico).
ORDER PHASMIDA
(473/)3,039 spp. worldwide (Foottit & Adler, vol. 2, 2009, pg. 285) in 14 families (Wikipedia plus Tinematidae), 900 in New World and (5:43/)231 in Brazil (Rafael et al., BOOK, 2024) among five families: Diapheromeridae, Heteronemiidae, Pseudophasmatidae, Prisopodidae, and Phasmatidae. Agathemeridae (8) occurs only in Argentina, Bolivia and Chile (SEE), and Tinematidae (21) occurs from Oregon to Baja California in NW Mexico (Wikipedia). All remaining families are invalid or absent in New World.
The longest known insect, based on leg length, is a species not described in Phasmatidae from China, from captivity, which reached 64cm (Wikipedia).
ORDER EMBIOPTERA (EMBIOPTERA SPECIES FILES)
(13:94/)476 spp. worldwide, (5:22/)57 in Brazil (Anisembiidae, Archembiidae, Clothodidae, Oligotomidae and Teratembiidae) and (4:11/)58 in Mexico (Rafael et al., BOOK, 2024). Eight families are absent in New World. Andesembiidae (2/8, Colombia to Peru) is the only New World family that is absent from Brazil.
ORDER NOTOPTERA
Former Grylloblattodae and Mantophasmatodea. Nowdays theses two orders composes order Notoptera, each of them composing a family of their own. (20/)48 spp.
GRYLLOBLATTIDAE
(5/)33 spp., in Galloisiana (12, NW China, North and South Korea, SE Russia, and Japan), Grylloblattina (2, Primorsky Region of far‐eastern Russia), Grylloblattella (3, Altai and Khakassia republics in Russia, and N Xinjiamg regin of China), Namkungia (2, northern South Korea) and Grylloblatta (14, California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Alberta and British Columbia), by Schoville & Graening (Zootaxa, 2013), Wipfler, B. et al. (Journal of Insect Biodiversity, 2014) and Foottit & Adler (Insect Biodiversity, 2018).
MANTHOPHASMATIDAE
(13/)21 spp., with Tanzaniophasma in Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique, and all remaining diversity in W & C Namibia (6 genera, 5 endemic) and W & SW South Africa (7 genera, 6 endemic), in Benjamin Wipfler et al. (ZooKeys, 2017).
ORDER PLECOPTERA (PLECOPTERA SPECIES FILES)
(17:309/)3,788 spp. worldwide (Zhang et al. | Zootaxa, 2013 | Plecoptera Species File) in two suborders, both with a single family in Brazil (Rafael, 2024): Antarctoperlaria with Gripopterygidae (4/57, CTFB) and Arctoperlaria with Perlidae (6/145, CTFB). In Brazil are known (10/)202 spp. Brazilian families in bold.
ANTARCTOPERLARIA/EUSTHENIOIDEA
Diamphipnoidae (Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, SEE) and Eustheniidae (Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, Australia, New Zealand, SEE).
ANTARCTOPERLARIA/LEPTOPERLOIDEA
Austroperlidae (Argentina, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, SEE) and Gripopterygidae (South America except Venezuela, Australia to New Zealand, SEE).
ARCTOPERLARIA/SCOPURIDAE
Scopuridae (Korea and Japan, SEE).
ARCTOPERLARIA/EUHOLOGNATHA
Capniidae (300, Alaska to Mexico, Arctic to Algeria, India, also Java, SEE), Leuctridae (390, Alaska to Mexico, Arctic to Algeria, India and Indonesia, SEE), Nemouridae (Arctic to Mexico, over Eurasia to Australia, northern Africa, SEE), Notonemouridae (700, Alaska to Mexico, Arctic to Algeria, India, also Java, SEE) and Taeniopterygidae (110, Alaska to U.S.A., Arctic to Algeria and India, SEE).
ARCTOPERLARIA/SYSTELLOGNATHA
Chloroperlidae (180, Arctic to NW Mexico, Marocco, Syris, Pakistan, Thailand, also in Java, SEE), Kathroperlidae (Alaska to California, Korea, SEE), Perlidae (400, cosmopolitan, SEE), Perlodidae (350, Artic to NW Mexico, Algeria, Syria, India and Thailand, SEE), Peltoperlidae (68, Canada to U.S.A., Kazakhstan, India, NE Russia to Indonesia, SEE), Pteronarcyidae (12, Arctic to Mexico, Central Asia, Siberia to Korea, SEE) and Styloperlidae (10, China, Vietnan, Taiwan, SEE).
NOTES
Capnia lacustra Jewett, 1965 from Lago Tahoe (U.S.A.) and Baikaloperla (Lake Baikal), both Capniidae, are the only fully aquatic life cycle insects (Planeta Invertebrados).
ORDER DERMAPTERA (DERMAPTERA HOME PAGE)
(11:203/)1,930 spp. worldwide (Foottit & Adler, vol. 2, 2009, p316), 303 in South America, (7:43/)147 in Brazil (CTFB | Earwings Online). All New World families occur in Brazil, which holds the largest diversity of Dermaptera in New World and the fouth worldwide after India (239), China (229) and Indonesia (204), by Earwings Online. (5:27/)51 spp. in Mexico (Insecta/MX).
ORDER ZORAPTERA
(9/)37 spp. in two families (Kočárek et al., MDPI, 2021). Brazil has the largest diversity of genera worldwide (2:4/6).
ZOROTYPIDAE
Three genera, Zorotypus (Kenya, Guinea, Ghana, and Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Mauritius and Brazil), Usazoros (endemic to U.S.A.) and Spermozorus (China, Malaysia, Indonesia).
SPIRALIZORIDAE
Six genera, Latinozoros (Panama, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, T.Tobago, French Guiana, Brazil, SEE), Spiralizoros (China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Philippines), Centrozoros (U.S.A, Jamaica, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, Mexico/1-SEE, Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru), Brazilozoros (Brazil, Peru, Guyana, Ecuador), Cordezoros (Fiji) and Scapulizoros (Papua New Guinea).
ORDER MANTODEA
(31:426/)2,494 spp. worldwide (Foottit & Adler, vol. 2, 2009, p395), (15:71/)230 in Brazil (CTFB). Neotropics has, for this source, (91/)474 spp.
ORDER BLATTODEA
(17:800/)7,314 spp. worldwide. (9:221/)1,078 spp. in Brazil (CTFB: BLA | Rafael, 2024 | ISO). Six clades, five clades (and 8 families) of cockroaches sucessively systers of remaining groups. Phylogeny based on Wikipedia (SEE). Among cockroaches, China and Australia have the largest diversities of families in World, six each.
BLABEROIDEA
Two families, Ectobiidae (64/456 in Brazil, CTFB, including Anaplectidae, paraphyletic, SEE) and Blaberidae (48/230 in Brazil, CTFB), both in Brazil. Luminescent insects includes only members of Coleoptera and Diptera, thus the evidence for genuine bioluminescence in Lucihormetica cockroaches (Blaberidae) from Ecuador is anecdotal and inconclusive, though there is evidence for autofluorescence (Wikipedia).
CORYDIOIDEA
Two families, Corydiidae (11/18 in Brazil, CTFB) and Nocticolidae (9/32, Africa, Asia and Australia, MAP).
BLATTOIDEA
Two families, Blattidae (11/22 in Brazil, CTFB) and Tryonicidae (2/17, Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, MAP).
LAMPROBLATTIDAE
A single family, (2/)4 spp. in Brazil (Rafael, 2024).
CRYPTOCERCOIDEA
Only one family, Cryptocercidae (1/12, North America to Mexico, E Europe, China to Japan and Koreas in Asia, MAP).
TERMITOIDEA
Nine families of termites (Termites Database), 4 in Brazil (85/349, SEE | CTFB for genera): Serritermitidae (2/2, only in Brazil, Guyana and French Guiana), Kalotermitidae (28), Termitidae (305) and Rhinotermitidae (5/14). Absent families in Brazil: Hodotermitidae (3/18, Africa to S India), Mastotermitidae (1/1, Australia), Archotermopsidae (3/11, one genus in North America o Mexico and two in E Asia), Stolotermitidae (2/10, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Porotermes quadricollis Rambur, 1842 in Argentina and Chile) and Stylotermitidae (1/34, Bangladesh, China, India, and Malaysia).
Hodotermitidae, Archotermopsidae, Stolotermitidae and Serritermitidae are fully disjunct range families. South America has (5:75/)422 spp. (Constantino, Encyclopedia of Entomology, 2008). In New World, Brazil, Guyana, French Guiana, Argentina and Chile has the largest family-diversities, with 4 each. Such as cockroaches, curiously, China and Australia have the largest diversities of families in World, five each.
ORDER PSOCODEA
The insect order Psocodea includes the two groups historically recognized as the orders Psocoptera (free-living) and Phthiraptera (ectoparasites), which were treated as separate orders over time. However, phylogenetic studies based on morphological and molecular data have confirmed that Psocoptera and Phthiraptera together constitute a natural group. Some Troctomorpha, such as Liposcelis (which are similar to lice in morphology), are often found in birds' nests, and it is possible that a similar behavior in the ancestors of lice is at the origin of the parasitism seen today (Wikipedia).
(65:778/)11036 spp. worldwide (Wikipedia | Foottit & Adler, BOOK, 2009, p459). In Brazil there are (45:250/)987 spp. (Rafael, 2024 | CTFB). All suborders and infraorders of New World in this order occur in Brazil. Mexico has (37:105/)755 spp. in former Psocoptera (Garcia-Aldrete, Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad, vol. 85, 2014).
In former Phthiraptera, 7 families do not occur in Brazil, 6 in Anoplura, and Haematomyzidae (3, from elephants and warthogs, Wikipedia). Echinophthiriidae (5/13, unknown in Brazil) are parasites of seals and the river otter, and are the only insects that infest aquatic hosts (Wikipedia). Pedicinidae (1/14) infects only Old World monkeys (Wikipedia).
ORDER TYSANOPTERA (WIKITRIPS)
(9:782/)6,174 spp. worldwide (Foottit & Adler, vol. 2, 2009, p487), (6:156/)627 in Brazil (CTFB for genera | Rafael et al., BOOK, 2024). 8 families in U.S.A. Families unknown in Brazil are Melanthripidae (4 genera: Cranothrips in Australia and South Africa, Dorythrips in Australia and W South America, Ankothrips in U.S.A., Europe and South Africa, and Melanthrips in Europe, Africa, India and North America), Fauriellidae (4/5, one in California, two from S Africa, and two from S Europe) and Stenurothripidae (13 /25, two in W North America, remaining in Old World).
ORDER HEMIPTERA
(191:13,391/)104,091 spp., as discussed below, in four bigger clades (Wikipedia). (117:2,330/)9,601 in Brazil (CTFB).
AUCHENORRHYNCHA
(33:5,965/)43,024 spp. worldwide (Foottit & Adler, vol. 2, 2009). (24:878/)3,747 spp. in Brazil (CTFB, manual counting). Auchenorrhyncha includes Cicadomorpha and Fulgoromorpha; for a complete phylogeny of Fulgoromorpha, see Bucher et al. (Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2023).
COLEORRHYNCHA
A single family, Peloridiidae, (17/)36 spp., known from Chile, Argentina, New Zealand, New Caledonia, and E Australia, living in the wet moss of temperate and subantarctic rainforests (Burckhardt, Larochelle & Lariviere, BOOK, 2011).
HETEROPTERA
(90:5,819)42,347 spp. worldwide (Foottit & Adler, vol. 1, 2009). (59:1,090/)4,811 spp. in Brazil (CTFB, manual counting).
Despites for some members of Collembola, Diptera, Coleopera and Hemiptera in intertidal or coastal areas worldwide (M. Springer, BOOK, 2009), true marine insects belongs only in genus Halobates (Gerridae). Most species are coastal and typically found in sheltered marine habitats (a habitat where a few other genera of water striders also live), but five live on the surface of the open ocean and only occur near the coast when storms blow them ashore; these are the only known truly oceanic, offshore insects (Wikipedia). The majority of the 46 extant spp. of Halobates are found in the tropical parts of the Indo-West Pacific region, roughly between latitudes 30˚N and 30˚S. H. robustus Barber, 1925 (endemic to the Galápagos Islands) and the oceanic species H. sobrinus White, 1883, H. splendens Witlaczil, 1886 (E Pacific Ocean), and H. micans Eschscholtz 1822 (Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and eastern Pacific Ocean) are the only sea-skaters that occur outside this region (N. M. Andersen & L. Cheng, Oceanography and Marine Biology, 2004). Only one spp. occurs in costal Brazil, H. micans, widely distributed in tropical waters worldwide (MAP), colected several times along coast of Brazil (Dias, JF. and Lopes, CL., Braz. J. Biol., 2009).
STERNORRHYNCHA
(106:2,279/)18,327 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life). (34:346/)949 spp. in Brazil (CTFB, manual counting).
■ endemic families in New World: Curaliidae (1/11, U.S.A.), Pityococcidae (2/5, U.S.A.).
ORDER HYMENOPTERA
(132:8,423/)153,088 spp. worldwide (Aguiar et al., Zootaxa, 2013). Almost all Hymenoptera are wasps except two lineages, family Formicidae and Apoidea clade (11 families, Wikipedia). (90:1,675/)11,273 in Brazil (CTFB).
BEES
7 families, 5 in Brazil (Andrenidae, Apidae, Colletidae, Halictidae, Megachilidae), Melittidae (187, Africa and northern Hemisphere) and Stenotritidae (2/21, endemic to Australia), by Wikipedia (Bees) and Rafael (2012). Bombus has 250 spp. widely distributed in the World, but occurring mainly in the cool subtropical and temperate areas of the Nearctic and, especially, Palearctic regions. In South America, most of the species of Bombus are distributed along the Andes and in temperate regions, with only a few species recorded in the warm lowlands—the later, actually, are the only bumblebees to occur in such environments in the world. Only six spp. of the genus are generally referred to occur in Brazil (JE Santos Júnior, Plos One, 2015).
By Engel et al. (ZooKeys, 2023), Neotropical Meliponi includes (16/)475 spp., with 16 genera widely widespread from Mexico to Brazil (joined 449 spp.), sometimes up to Argentina, Uruguay or Bolivia, plus two only from Mexico to Panama (3), Ptilotrigona and Nogueirapis from Costa Rica to Brazil (12), Paratrigonoides (1) endemic to Colombia, Mourella and Schwarziana from Brazil and adjacent C & S South America (5), Duckeola (2) from Brazil, Ecuador, French Guiana, Colombia, and Friesella (1) and Trichotrigona (2) both endemic to S Brazil.
FORMICIDAE
Following the Ant Wiki (SEE), Brazil has the greatest diversity of genera in the West Hemisphere (117) and the 2nd in the world, behind only Indonesia (126) and China (also 117); 3rd largest diversity of endemic genera (9), behind only Australia (16) and tied with Madagascar; 3rd largest species diversity (1,525), behind only Australia (1,617) and Indonesia (1,556), and with c. 400 spp. more than the next placed, Mexico (1,128); 3rd country with the most endemic species, with 536, behind only Australia (1,406) and Madagascar (744).
SOCIAL WASPS
Among wasp families, only Vespidae contains eusocial species, exclusively in Vespinae and Polistinae (Wikipedia). In Brazil there are (20/)381 spp., 2/3 in Mischocyttarus (144), Polistes (43) and Polybia (51) genera (Somavilla et al., Springer, 2020). All South American social wasps are Polistinae (Rafael, 2024), subfamily of which Brazil has the largest diversity worldwide, with 21 of 25 genera - exceptions are the four genera of Ropalidiini, subtribe from Afrotropical, Indomalayan and Australasian biogeographical regions. (PCS Barroso, A Somavilla, R Boldrini, Sociobiology, 2017).
Vespinae includes 4 genera (Wikipedia), mainly in Old World. In New World, natively, occur only Vespula (14 in region, 12 in U.S.A./Canada, six in Mexico [one endemic] and one in Guatemala [endemic]) and Dolichovespula (6) from Canada and U.S.A. (Kimsey & Carpenter, Journal of Hymenoptera Research, 2012 | Dvorak, Entomological Problems, 2006).
RECORDS
Two Mymaridae wasps are incredible minuscule: Dicopomorpha echmepterygis Mockford, 1997 is the smallest known insect, with a body length averaging 186 μm (smaller than certain species of Paramecium and amoeba, which are single-celled organisms), know as an idiobiont parasitoid of the eggs of a lepidopsocid barklouse, Echmepteryx hageni, in Illinois, U.S.A. (Wikipedia); and Kikiki huna Huber & Beardsley, 2000, known from Hawaii, Costa Rica, Argentina (SEE), S India and T.Tobago; at 0.15 mm, it is the smallest flying insect known as of 2019 (Wikipedia).
Xylocopini (carpenter bees) produced the largest insect eggs in absolute terms (Vicidomini, POST, 2005).
Dinoponera may have a body length exceeding 3.5cm, making them the genus with the largest known ant workers; they are exclusively South American, with their center of diversity in Brazil, the only country where all described species can be found (Dias & Lattke, EJT, 2021).
ORDER STREPSIPTERA
(10:47/)609 spp. worldwide (Foottit & Adler, vol. 2, 2009, p684). Brazil has (13/)35 spp. in 7 families, one endemic (Rafael et al., BOOK, 2024). All families of New World occur in Brazil (Tolweb) except Bohartillidae (3, Honduras and Hispaniola, Wikipedia). (5:)16 in Mexico (SEE | SEE).
■ endemic families in New World: Bahiaxenidae (1/1, Brazil).
ORDER COLEOPTERA
(176:29,500/)386,500 spp. worldwide (Slipinski et al., Zootaxa, 2011). E. Caron et al. (Zoologia, 2024) cites (116:4,958)35,699 spp. of Coleoptera in Brazil (accepted here), including representatives of all extant suborders and superfamilies, being the richest on the planet, concentrating 1/11 of the world species diversity. The most diverse family in numbers of genera is Cerambycidae (1,056 genera), while in number of species it is Chrysomelidae (6,079 spp.). Conotrachelus Dejean, 1835 (Curculionidae) is the most species-rich genus, with 570 spp.
The three basal suborders Archstemata, Myxophaga and Adephaga has 20 families, 11 in Brazil. Italy and Russia one endemic each, two scattered in Old World, Sphaeriusidae (22) is highly centered in Asia (Zu-long Liang & Fenglong Jia, ZooKeys, 2018) with a single described species in Argentina (Beuteu & Raffaini, Koleopt. Rdsch., 2003). Lepiceridae is found from Mexico to Venezuela and Ecuador (Wikipedia). Amphizoidae (5) has three species in W North America and two in eastern palearctic. Meruidae (1) contains only Meru phyllisae Spangler & Steiner 2005 from aquatic places in Venezuela. Trachypachidae (6) has four species of Trachypachus in northern Eurasia and N North America, and two species of Systolosoma in Chile.
FIREFLIES
Luminescent insects includes only members of Coleoptera and Diptera. The presence of bioluminescence in Coleoptera is exclusive in the six families: Elateridae (147), Phengodidae (34/263, all luminescent/SEE, 53 in Brazil), Rhagophthalmidae (Old World) and Lampyridae (2,000 spp., all luminescent/SEE, 362 in Brazil), Omalisidae (factum dubia) and Staphylinidae (in two undescribed species of Xantholius exclusive from Brazil, Rosa, Revista Brasileira de Entomologia, 2010).
147 spp. of Elateridae are able to emit light, in four lineages: Agrypninae (Pyrophorini, 30/159, SEE), Thylacosterninae (Balgus schnusei Heller from Bolivia, Brazil, Peru and French Guiana, SEE), Sinopyrophorinae (Sinopyrophorus schimmeli Bi & Li, 2019, China, SEE) and Campyloxeninae (Campyloxenus pyrothorax Fairmaire, S Chile and Argentina, SEE).
In these numbers, there are approx. 2,410 spp. of fireflies in the world, with Brazil having the largest diversity of luminescent beetles in the world, about 417-557 described species, corresponding about 23% of described species in the world.
NOTES
One high remarkable beetle from Brazil (and Bolivia) is the Pharaxonotha cerradensis Skelley & Segalla 2019 (Erotylidae), highly associated with Zamia boliviana (Brongniart) A. DC. (Cycadales: Zamiaceae), by Skelley & Segalla (Zootaxa, 2019). Xenomorphon baranowskii Ferreira & Barbosa & Bocakova & Solodovnikov, 2023 (Lycidae) is the unique completely anelytrous and wingless adult male beetle, known only from S Mexico (Ferreira et al., Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2023). Onychocerus albitarsis Pascoe, 1859 (Cerambycidae) is a relatively rare species of beetle from the Amazon in N Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and S Peru, and Atlantic Forest regions in E Brazil, remarkable for be the only known beetle that has a venomous sting (as opposed to spraying toxins like bombardier beetles or secreting toxins from the body like blister beetles) and the only known arthropod that stings with its antennae (Wikipedia).
RECORDS
Titanus giganteus L., 1771 (Cerambycidae) is the largest Coleoptera worldwide, measurng up to 16,3cm body lenght, known widely in northern South America (Wikipedia). Scydosella musawasensis Hall, 1999 (Ptiliidae) is regarded as the smallest free-living insect, as well as the smallest beetle (0.300 mm in length), and is known disjunctly from Nicaragua and C Colombia (Wikipedia).
■ endemic families in New World: Diphyllostomatidae (1/3, U.S.A.), Jurasaidae (2/5, Brazil), Meruidae (1/1, Venezuela).
ORDER NEUROPTERA
(15/671/)6,434 spp. worldwide (Foottit & Adler, vol. 2, 2009, p638), (10:75/)432 spp. in Brazil (211 endemic, Machado & Martins, Revista Brasileira de Entomologia, 2022). Nevrothidae (19) occurs only in Meditteranean zone, China, Japan and Australia. Mexico has (10:)349 spp. in this order (Contreras-Ramos, Rev. Mex. de Biodiv., vol. 85, 2014).
ORDER MEGALOPTERA
(2:28/)400 spp. worldwide (Martins C.C. et al., EJT, 2022). (4/)23 spp. in Brazil in both families. (2:5/)13 spp. in Mexico (Contreras-Ramos & Rosas, Rev. Mex. Biodiv., 2014).
CORYDALIDAE
(25/)315 spp. worldwide, 7 genera in Neotropics: Chloronia (18, Neartic and Neotropical, 5 in Brazil), Corydalus (39, Asia and New World, 14 in Brazil), Platyneuromus (3, Mexico to America Central), Archichauliodes (21, Chile, Australia, New Zealand), Neohermes (6, U.S.A. to Mexico), Nothochauliodes (1, Chile), Protochauliodes (13, U.S.A., Australia, Chile) and Puri (1, endemic to Brazil). Two genera in Chile, three in Brazil and U.S.A. each, 4 in Mexico.
SYALLIDAE
(9/)85 spp. worldwide, two genera in Neotropics: Caribesialis (1, Cuba) and Ilyobus (10, Mexico to South America, 3 in Brazil).
ORDER RAPHIDIOPTERA
(33/)248 spp. in two families from northern Hemisphere, Raphidiidae (26/206) and Inocelliidae (7/42), by Foottit & Adler (vol. 2, 2009, p638). In New World, they are found west of the Rocky Mountains, and range from SW Canada to the Mexican-Guatemalan border, which is the farthest south they have been found in the western hemisphere (Wikipedia), being 30 spp. in region (Aspock, Acta Zool. Fennica, 1998). (4/)14 spp. in Mexico in both families (Aguna, Alena, Indianoinocellia, and Negha, Contreras-Ramos & Rosas, Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad, 2014).
TRICHOPTERA
(49:601/)14,999 spp. worldwide (Holzenthal et al., Zootaxa, 2011). (16:70/)656 in Brazil (Rafael et al., BOOK, 2024 | Brazilian Caddisflies for genera).
ORDER LEPIDOPTERA
(126:16,650)155,181 spp. (Foottit & Adler, vol. 1, 2009, pg. 334). (78:2,985/)14,234 in Brazil (Rafael et al., BOOK, 2024 | CTFB for genera). Mexico has 14,507 spp. in this order (Llorente-Bousquets et al., Rev. Mex. de Biodiv., vol. 85, 2014). 4 groups.
TAXONOMY
AGATHIPHAGIDAE
(1/)2 spp. found along the NE Queensland (Australia), Fiji to Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands (Wikipedia).
HETEROBATHMIINA
(1/)10 spp. in Heterobathmia, from S Argentina and Chile (Wikipedia).
ZEUGLOPTERA
(20/)180 spp. at Micropterigidae (SEE), found in all continents, but only five genera in New World: Magnijuxta and Sporaphaga endemic to Costa Rica (Wagner & Davis, ESAAM, 2014), Squamicornia in Costa Rica and Ecuador, Hypomartyria in Osorno region in Chile (Wikipedia) and Epimartyria (3) for British Columbia to California, and Quebec to Georgia (SEE).
GLOSSATA
Remaining all members of order.
NOTES
Very aberrant lifestyles appear so often in moths and butterflies, such as females, apterus or sessile, ephemeral adults that do not feed, predatory larvae and some social ones. The adults of a primitive family (Micropterigidae, unknown in Brazil), retains chewing jaws, and caterpillars in some genera of Pyralidae and Arctiidae are aquatic. Larvae of at least two moth species, one of Arctiidae and the other of Saturniidae, are of medical interest, as they cause 'lepidopterism' or allergies that lead to hypersensitivity and, not infrequently, to death; many other larvae from these families and also from Limacodidae and Megalopygidae (fire caterpillars or caterpillars) cause very painful burns (FAPESP, link down). Hapialidae includes one genus of bizarre giant moth, Trichophassus giganteus Herrich-Schäffer, 1853, endemic to Brazil (X). Some Andean species of Nymphalidae overflying rocky slopes and resting directly on snow-covered surfaces, which is an exceptionally unusual behaviour among butterflies (Pyrcz, T. et al., ZJLS, 2024). Bombycidae has a Gondwanan origin (Lin, R.J. et al., Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2024).
Danaus plexippus L., 1758 (monarch butterfly, Nymphalidae) executes the most incredible insect migration known, flying, in generations, more than 3,000 km from western North America to a mountainous region between the Mexican states of Jalisco and Mexico. However, it should be noted that its two congeneric species, D. erippus Cramer, 1775 from South America and D. cleophile Godart, 1819 from the Caribbean, do not migrate. Not even all populations of D. plexippus migrate, and some more isolated groups migrate in a much more discreet way to other areas of North America (Wikipedia).
RECORDS
Thysania agrippina Cramer, 1776 (Erebidae), native from S Texas to Uruguay, has a measure of wingspan of 289mm for a Brazilian specimen (IMAGE), record for any insect (Kons, POST, 2005); a note about the larva of this insect is published on Facebook (POST).
■ endemic families in New World: Neotheoridae (2/4, Brazil).
ORDER DIPTERA
(159:9,825/)159,294 spp. (Pape et al., Zootaxa, 2011). (102:2,039/)12,241 in Brazil (CTFB). For Neotropical Diptera and many notes of presence of families in Neotropics, see Amorim (Chapter, 2009).
NOTES
One of the most fantastic diversity of diptera in the world is the Drosophillidae from Hawaii. As of 2022, 689 spp. have been described, including 273 spp. in the genus Scaptomyza, of which 148 are endemic to the Hawaiian archipelago, and 416 Hawaiian endemic species in the genus Drosophila (Wikipedia).
Luminescent insects includes only members of Coleoptera and Diptera. In Diptera, luminescence is found in Mycetophilidae (fungus-gnats), especifically in the Australasian Arachnocampa, Euroasiatic Keroplatus, North American Orfelia fultonii Fisher, 1940, and Brazilian Neoceroplatus betaryiensis Falaschi, Johnson & Stevani, 2019, known only S São Paulo state, unique in Neotropics (PHOTOBIOLOGY | Falaschi, Johnson & Stevani, Nature, 2019). A world checklist of all fly Keroplatidae is available in Evenhuis (Bishop Museum Press, 2006); Neotropics is the poor region in diversity: only 92 out of a total of 952.
RECORDS
The most mortal family of animals, Culicidae, has (42/)3,492 spp. among 12 tribes. 24 genera occur in Neotropics (Balian, 2008), with 1,069 spp. Chagasia, Galindomyia, Isostomyia, Johnbelkinia, Limatus, Onirion, Sabethes, Shannoniana and Trichoprosopon are endemic to Neotropics. Tribe Ficalbiini and Hodgesiini are the unique absent in Neotropics. Only one Aedeomyiini occurs in New World (Aedeomyia squamipennis Lynch Arribálzaga, 1878, Nascimento Pereira et al., CheckList, 2017).
The smallest of all Diptera worldwide is Megapropodiphora arnoldi Brown, 2018 (Phoridae), known from a single specimen from a site near Manaus, N Brazil, is only 0.395 mm in body length, slightly smaller than the currently recognised smallest fly, Euryplatea nanaknihali Brown, 2012 from Thailand (Brown, Biodiversity Data Journal, 2018). On the other hand, the largest of all Diptera is Gauromydas heros Perty 1833, mensuring up to 70mm body, known only from E & C Brazil up to E Paraguay (Calhau et al., Zootaxa, 2015).
Belgica antarctica Jacobs, 1900 (Chironomidae) is a species of flightless midge, endemic to the continent of Antarctica. At 2–6 mm long, it is the largest purely terrestrial animal native to the continent and has the smallest known insect genome as of 2014, with only 99 million base pairs of nucleotides and about 13500 genes. It is also the only insect that can survive year-round in Antarctica (Wikipedia).
■ endemic families in New World: Evoocoidae (1/1, Chile).
ORDER SIPHONAPTERA
(19:249/)2,215 spp. worldwide (Bossard et al., Diversity, 2023). In Brazil occur (8:19/)63 spp., in Ceratophyllidae (1), Ctenophthalmidae (5), Ischnopsyllidae (5), Leptopsyllidae (1), Pulicidae (5), Rhopalopsyllidae (35), Stephanocircidae (1) and Tungidae (10, Rafael et al., BOOK, 2024). Pygiopsyllidae (W Amazonia) and Malacopsyllidae (known in Argentina) occur in neighboring countries and will probably be registered in Brazil. Mexico (8:51/172, Acosta-Gutiérrez, Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad, vol. 85, 2014) and Argentina (108) has more species than Brazil, and Neotropics has (52:)280 spp. in 52 genera. Three genera (Rothschildopsylla, Hechtiella, Neotropsylla) and 17 spp. are Brazilian endemic (Fapesp). All Mexican families occur in Brazil except Hystrichopsyllidae, and Brazilian Stephanocircidae does not occurs in Mexico.
Mexican diversity ✕ Brazilian diversity: Ceratophyllidae (MX 18/69 ✕ 1/1 BR), Ctenophthalmidae (MX 12/45 ✕ 1/5 BR), Ischnopsyllidae (MX 5/10 ✕ 5/5 BR), Leptopsyllidae (MX 2/3 ✕ 1/1 BR), Pulicidae (MX 8/20 ✕ 3/5 BR), Rhopalopsyllidae (MX 2/8 ✕ 5/35), Hystrichopsyllidae (MX 2/8 ✕ 0 BR) and Tungidae (MX 2/2 ✕ 1/10 BR).
ORDER MECOPTERA
(9:38/)737 spp. worldwide (Foottit & Adler, vol. 2, 2009, p706), (2:5/)26 in Brazil (CTFB). In Neotropics occur four families and 67 spp.: Meropidae (2/3, Merope in U.S.A./Canada, Austromerope in Australia and Brazil, one each, Wikipedia), Eomeropidae (1/1, endemic to Chile), Nannochoristidae (3, Chile and Argentina), and Bittacidae (16 genera: 5 endemic to Australia, Anomalobittacus from South Africa, three from SW U.S.A. to Mexico, Kalobittacus in America Central, 4 from Panama to Brazil — all in Brazil, Neobittacus endemic, one endemic to Chile, and Bittacus worldwide). Mexico has (2:5/)47 spp. in this order (Contreras-Ramos, Rev. Mex. de Biodiv., vol. 85, 2014)
■ endemic families in New World: Eomeropidae (1/1, Chile).
DEUTEROSTOMIA
30. ECHINODERMATA ‣ five living class and (200:1,334/)7,636 accepted living spp. (Catalogue of Life), all in Brazil (92:208/353 spp., CTFB). Taxonomy follows Wikipedia. For all 61 spp. of Echinodermata from Santa Catarina state (Brazil), see Slivak, N.N. et al. (Pap. Avulsos Zool., 2022). Currently, 643 spp. are known from Mexico, in Ophiuroidea (197), Asteroidea (185), Echinoidea (119), Holothuroidea (113) and Crinoidea (29), by Solís-Marín et al. (Echinoderm Research and Diversity in America Latina, 2012). Only 7 of 38 orders worldwide do not occur in Brazil (Cyrtocrinida, Hyocrinida, Pedinoida, Echinoida, Phymosomatoida, Holectypoida and Peripodida).
CRINOIDEA
(32:195/)678 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life), (8:15/)19 in Brazil (CTFB), in two of four Crinoidea orders (exceptions are Cyrtocrinida/8 and Hyocrinida).
HOLOTHUROIDEA (SEE)
(29:246/)1,816 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life) and (16:42/)72 in Brazil, in all seven orders within this class (CTFB). A. K. Miller et al. (Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2017) proposed a new classification based on genetic aspects, where some of the 5 traditional groups were dissolved. This file brings a beautiful art about the diversity of Holothuroidea. For some species in Brazil, see Moura et al. (Zootaxa, 2015).
An abundant population of elpidiid holothurians collected at 10,908 m in the Mariana Trench represents the deepest known deuterostome taxon (Gallo, N.D. et al, Oceanographic Research Papers, 2015).
ECHINOIDEA
(64:264/)1,013 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life) in 13 orders, four of these absent in Brazil (Pedinoida, Echinoida, Phymosomatoida and Holectypoida). (24:41/)54 spp. in Brazil (CTFB | Manso, C.L.C., Biota Neotropica, 2008, for record of Temnopleuroida order in Brazil, uncited in CTFB in April 13, 2025).
OPHIUROIDEA
(34:261/)2,135 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life), within 270 genera and 33 families (Goharimanesh M. et al., European Journal of Taxonomy, 2021) and (24:61/)138 in Brazil (CTFB), in all six orders within this class.
ASTEROIDEA
(41:367/)1,994 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life). (20:49/)70 spp. in Brazil in seven of eight orders (CTFB). The unique absent is Peripodida (4, Xyloplax, SEE) from Bahamas, New Zealand and northern Pacific from Canada to Costa Rica (SEE).
31. HEMICHORDATA ‣ (7:25)139 spp. in two classes (Catalogue of Life): Enteropneusta (4:22/113) and Pterobranchia (3:3/26). Tassia et al. (Plos One, 2016) lists all Hemichordata worldwide, in areas referenced in Spalding et al. (BioScience, 2007). (4:6/)8 spp. in Brazil.
ENTEROPNEUSTS
4 families and (22/)113 spp. worldwide.
Harrimaniidae ‣ (10/)40 spp. in Harrimania, Horstia, Mesoglossus, Meioglossus (8, Defourneaux et al., PRE-PRINT, 2023), Ritteria, Protoglossus, Saccoglossus, Saxipendium, Stereobalanus and Xenopleura. Only one sp. in Pacific Mexico, Saccoglossus pusillus Ritter, 1902 (Deland et al., Zootaxa, 2010).
Torquaratoridae ‣ (5/)7 spp. (Jabr. et al., Canadian Journal of Zoology, 2013), all in northern Hemisphere, in Artic Canada, N Atlantic, Russia Arctic and E & NE Pacific.
Ptychoderidae ‣ (3/)46 spp. (Wikipedia) in Ptychodera, Balanoglossus and Glossobalanus. 5 spp. in Brazil (Tassia et al., Plos One, 2016): Balanoglossus gigas Fr.Müller, 1893, B. clavigerus Delle Chiaje, 1829, Ptychodera bahamensis Sprengel, 1983, Glossobalanus minutus Kowalevsky, 1866 (collected only in Brazil, Italy and Portugal - Sealifebase) and G. crozieri van der Horst, 1924 (collected only in Brazil and Bermuda - Petersen & Ditadi, Marine Biology, 1971).
Spengelidae ‣ (4/)20 spp. in Spengelia, Glandiceps, Willeyia and Schizocardium, found exclusively in tropic and sub-tropic waters, with only six spp. found outside the latitudinal boundaries of the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, and none are known from wholly temperate regions. Two spp. in Brazil, Schizocardium brasiliense Spengel, 1893 and Willeyia loya Petersen, 1965 (Tassia et al., Plos One, 2016).
PTEROBRANCHIA
26 spp. in three monogeneric families (Catalogue of Life): Atubariidae (1/1), Cephalodiscidae (1/18) and Rhabdopleuridae (1/7). Here we consider a record of Cephalodiscus in Brazil, an unnamed species, unfortunately it was never identified, based on 16 individuals collected during prospecting between 1996 and 1997 and 10 collected in 2001-2002, in Rio Grande do Sul (Haimovici, REVIZEE, 2004; Haimovici, REVIZEE, 2008).
32. CEPHALOCHORDATA ‣ a group characterized by significant data inaccuracies and constantly shifting genera and taxonomic ranks. In Zhang et al. (Frontier of Physiology, 2018), for instance, three genera are listed under a single family, Brachiostomatidae. In the case of Brazil, based on the data presented below, there are (2/)4 spp.
Asymmetron
Asymmetron, taken here as a single species, A. lucayanum Andrews, 1893, is reported to be composed of 5 lineages, three of which have already been nominally described: A. inferum Nishikawa, 2004 (Japan, Nishikawa, Zoological Science, 2004), A. lucayanum (Indo-West Pacific Clade), Red Sea Clade (A. rubrum Subirana, Farstey, Bertrand & Escriva, 2020, SEE), Atlantic Clade (C, Caribbean Basin from Bermudas to Yucatan and Lesser Antilles) and West-Central Pacific (B), by Subirana, L. et al. (Plos One, 2020). The distribution for the genus accepted here is the combination of: GBIF (SEE), Copepedia (SEE), Kon et al. (Marine Biology, 2006) and J. E. Carvalho et al. (Int. J. Dev. Biol., 2017, pg. 4), excluding Baltic records of Copepedia.
The status of Asymmetron in Brazil is ambiguous. Its occurrence in the country has never been recorded for adult individuals. Bjornberg (Bol. Inst. Oceanogr., 1954) made a historical record of Acrania larvae (two speciemens) in Fernando de Noronha, from a taxon that is sometimes considered valid as Amphioxides pelagicus (Günther) 1889 in some sources (Goldschmidt, Biological Bulletin, 1933| Tommasi, L.R. et al., Boletim Marítimo do Instituto Oceanográfico, 1972), while in others it is assigned to Asymmetron (Rodrigues, S.A., SBZ, 1987), which would validate the species presence in the country. Adopting the second option, we accept Asymmetron in Brazil, as supported by OBIS (SEE, 2025) and CTFB (SEE).
Epigonichthys
Accepted here as a single species, E. cultellus Peters, 1877, from Pacific, northern Indian Ocean near Thailand, mainly around Australia. Copepedia Website lists 5 spp. of Epigonichthys, none in New World (SEE).
Branchiostoma
28 spp., widely distributed in the mid-low latitudes of the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean, and the Pacific Ocean (Poss & Boschung, Israel Journal of Zoology, 1996). For Brazil, we followed Alves et al. (Tropical Oceanography, 2001), which marks three species in country (only two in CTFB, SEE).
33. TUNICATA ‣ many references (such as Catalogue of Life and CTFB) treat Tunicata as part of the phylum Chordata, including three orders (Ascidiacea, Thaliacea, and Appendicularia). In this work, we adopt Tunicata as an independent phylum, with Chordata restricted to the clade Craniata. We also accept the synonymization of Thaliacea under Ascidiacea (Kocot K.M. et al., Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2018), thereby reducing Tunicata to just two classes. With these changes, we consider Tunicata a phylum comprising (35:214/)3,134 spp. worldwide and (23:69/)221 spp. in Brazil.
ASCIDIACEA
After the inclusion of Thaliacea in Ascidiacea, both with three orders, here we take six orders and 30 families in the class. (32:200/)3,066 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life/Thaliaceae | Catalogue of Life/Ascidiacea) and (20:59/)177 in Brazil (CTFB, under Craniata).
Records of the predatory tunicate Octacnemidae sp. observed nine times at 7799 m in the Mariana Trench and once at 8077 m in the Izu-Ogasawara Trench (NW Pacific Ocean) are the deepest worldwide from Tunicata (Jamieson, AJ et al., Marine Biology, 2023).
APPENDICULARIA
(3:14/)68 spp. worldwide (Catalogue of Life), (10/)44 in Brazil in all three families (CTFB).
34. CRANIATA ‣ the classification of Craniata is subject to some controversy in the current literature. Some sources group Cephalochordata and Tunicata together with Craniata within a broader phylum called Chordata. In this work, however, we treat these three groups as distinct phyla. Fish and reptiles are often addressed under Craniata in a broad sense. Here, however, we focus strictly on monophyletic units. Following Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes (SEE), 'fish' is used as a general term for eight distinct and basal classes within the phylum (the nomenclature of the eight classes adopted here follows Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes). 'Reptiles' are treated here as comprising five lineages: Squamata, Testudines, Crocodylia, Rhynchocephalia, and Aves (modern dinosaurs). Accordingly, Craniata includes 15 lineages, which we treat as canonical in this study.
PHYLOGENY OF CRANIATA
Of these 15 lineages, 11 occur in Brazil. Cladistii is restricted to African rivers; Coelacanthi is found only in parts of the Indian Ocean near Africa and SE Asia; Rhynchocephalia is limited to islands in northern New Zealand; and Petromyzonti occurs only in temperate regions of both hemispheres — being the only one among these four to also occur in the New World. Within this context, South America holds the highest global concentrations of birds, mammals, and amphibians, as shown in the maps below. Among New World, the highest diversity in clades are in Argentina by records simultaneous of Dipneusti and Petromizontida.
34.1 MYXINE
91 spp. in six genera of a single family - Myxinidae - and order (Eschmeyer's CF, May 01, 2025). (3/)5 spp. occur in Brazil (Fish Base, Nov 16, 2024), two endemic (Intreasures, Nov 16, 2024). Absent genera in Brazil are Rubicundus (4, in the isolated collection: Tasman Sea, Galapagos Is., Taiwan, and off SE U.S.A., SEE), Notomyxine (1, Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, SEE), and Neomyxine (2, coasts of New Zealand, SEE).
34.2 PETROMYZONTI
(11/)49 spp. in three families a single order (Eschmeyer's CF, May 01, 2024; for data from all species described until 2011, with pictures and maps, see Renaud, FAO), Petromyzontiformes, absent in Brazil: Geotridae (1/2, SEE), from cold waters of Argentina (inc. Malvinas), Chile, Uruguay, Australia and New Zealand (MAP); Mordaciidae (1/3, SEE), in Chile and Australia (MAP); and Petromyzonti (9/44, SEE), exclusively from northern Hemisphere, describeds below. Petromyzonti have the highest number of chromosomes (164–174) among vertebrates (Wikipedia).
Caspiomyzon (3) ‣ E Europe and NW Asia, in Hellas, Volga (Russia), Ural (Russia, Kazakhstan), Kura (Azerbaijan) and Sefid (Iran) systems.
Entosphenus (6) ‣ Lake Cowichan and Mesachie Lake (Canada) and Klamath (U.S.A.) systems for five smaller-range species, E. tridentatus J. Richardson, 1836 distributed along the northern Pacific of Baja California to Hokkaido, Japan.
Eudontomyzon (5) ‣ 4 spp. in SE Europe, and one in NE Asia, in Yalu (China and North Korea) system.
Ichthyomyzon (6) ‣ Hudson Bay to the Gulf of Mexico (none, however, from Mexico).
Lampetra (14) ‣ North Pacific, North America and Europe, with a notable three spp. endemic to Portugal.
Lethenteron (7) ‣ North America, Asia and Europe.
Petromyzon (1) ‣ skirting the North Atlantic from Florida to NW Africa.
Tetrapleurodon (2) ‣ Celio, Jacona, Duero, Zamora and Lerma rivers, and Lake Chapala in Jalisco and Michoacán states, Mexico. All these drain into the Pacific Ocean through the Santiago River.
Geotriidae and Mordaciidae are only found in the Southern Hemisphere. Geotriidae includes two anadromous species, Geotria australis J. E. Gray, 1851 and G. macrostoma Burmeister, 1868, while Mordaciidae includes three species: Mordacia mordax J. Richardson, 1846 (anadromous, Australia), M. lapicida J. E. Gray, 1851 (anadromous, Chile), and M. praecox Potter, 1968 (resident and non-feeding, Australia). In South America, Geotria occurs in the central-southern regions of Chile and Argentina, with records in the lower Paraná River, near Buenos Aires, and along the coast of Uruguay, less than 350 km from the Brazilian coast (MAP).
34.3 ELASMOBRANCHII
(65:211/)1,180 spp. in 13 orders (Eschmeyer's CF, May 01, 2024). (36:87/)185 spp. occur in Brazil in 10 orders (CTFB/Chondricthyes: Hexanchiformes, Orectolobiformes, Lamniformes, Carcharhiniformes, Squaliformes, Pristiophoriformes, Squatiniformes, Torpediniformes, Rajiformes, and Myliobatiformes): (4/)23 freshwater, 161 marine, and one amphidromous. 27 species are endemic to Brazil (Intreasures, May 01, 2024, 13 marine and 14 freshwater).
The orders in Eschmeyer's CF (May 01, 2024) and CTFB are consistent, except for Rhinopristiformes in Eschmeyer's CF (May 01, 2024), which CTFB recognizes as Pristiformes, with the CTFB version placing the family Rhinobatidae in Rajiformes (and not in Rhinopristiformes/Pristiformes).
All orders of Elasmobranchii occur in Brazil except Heterodontiformes (sharks in a single family and genus and 8 spp. from the Indian and Pacific Ocean, three of these on the Pacific coast of the New World: Heterodontus franciscii Girard, 1855 in California, Baja California and possibly Ecuador and Peru, H. mexicanus from Mexico to Peru, and H. quoyi Fréminville, 1840 from Peru and Galápagos), and Pristiophoriformes (a single family with two genera and 10 spp. from western Indico Ocean from Arabia to South Africa, east up to Mauritius, around Australia, Japan to Taiwan, Philippines, and off coast of Bahamas to Cuba and Puerto Rico in Atlantic Ocean). 162 marine species in Mexico (FishBase/Mexico).
Species of Elasmobranchii that are confined to freshwaters belongs two families: Potamotrygonidae in South America (Amazon, Río de la Plata, Orinoco, Magdalena, Maracaibo, Parnaíba, and the Guianas Basins, 6/40; this family also includes a single marine species, Styracura schmardae (Werner, 1904), widely and collected in Brazil. 29 freshwater species in Brazil, 14 endemic) and Dasyatidae in Africa (Congo, Niger, Sanaga, and Cross) and SE Asia (Mekong, Irrawaddy, Maekhlong, Chao Phraya, and Bornean, Sumatran and peninsular Malaysian rivers), by Lucifora et al. (CBM, 2015).
34.4 HOLOCEPHALI
(3:6/)60 spp. in a single order (Eschmeyer's CF, May 01, 2025). Six species occur in Brazil in four genera, in all three families of this class (CTFB). One species is endemic to country (Intreasures). Two genera does nor occur in Brazil: Chimaera and Neoharriotta (3, SEE).
34.5 ACTINOPTERI
(534:5,058/)35,765 spp. in 53 orders worldwide (Eschmeyer's CF, May 01, 2024). (221/1,297)4,668 spp. native in Brazil by CTFB/Actinopterigii, in May 01, 2025.
The CTFB database used here presents a significant inconsistency: the search for 'Actinopteri/Nativas' yields the numbers used in this text. However, the search for 'Actinopteri/Todos' returns the same number of genera and species but lists 258 families — an increase of 39 families — including some that are clearly not native to Brazil, such as Acipenseridae and Salmonidae, as well as genuinely native ones like Myrocongridae. In light of this, we chose to rely on the data from the 'Actinopteri/Native' search, even though it may not encompass all native species.
Six species and two genera native to Brazil are absent from the broader CTFB search; these have been added here to the national total. Accordingly, we adopt a final count of (221:1,300/)4,674 native Actinopteri species in Brazil. These are: Eustomias lucenae (Stomiidae, SEE), Pseudocyttus maculatus (Oreosomatidae, new genus for Brazil, SEE), Petrotyx sanguineus (Bythitidae, new genus for Brazil, SEE), Chaunax pictus (Chaunacidae, SEE), Epigonus macrops (Epigonidae, SEE), and Pontinus rathbuni (Scorpaenidae, SEE).
FRESHWATERS
Fish biodiversity and conservation in South America (R. Reis et al., Journal of Fish Biology, 2016) makes a significant contribution to the understanding of fish diversity, particularly Actinopteri, in both freshwater and marine environments of South America.
In terms of freshwater fish species, considering that the overwhelming majority belong to Actinopteri, Brazil leads globally with around 3,631 spp. (SEE), ahead of China in second place (1,616) and well ahead of other notable countries such as Mexico (576), Australia (360), and Indonesia (1,250). All freshwater fishes from Brazil are Actinopteri except 29 Elasmobranchii in Potamotrygonidae and one Lepidosirenidae in Dipneusti.
Of the 74 families of Actinopteri with freshwater species in South America, 66 are found in Brazil. The remaining 8 include: four families mostly restricted to Argentina and Chile (some also occurring in Oceania), one Andean family, two widely distributed families, and two primarily tropical families. These are: Cyprinodontidae (9-10/103, Cyprinodon up to NE Colombia, Venezuela, possibly in Guyana; Orestias (45) in 2,800–4,600 m in the Andes of C & S Peru, W Bolivia, and NE Chile; Pseudorestias (1) in N Chile; Yssolebias in Rio Madalena in Colombia), Gobiesocidae (53/189, seven freshwaters in Gobiesox from North America to Venezuela and Peru; Gobiesox includes saltwaters in Brazil), Astroblepidae (1/82, Panama to Bolivia, mainly in Andean region, all freshwater), Anguillidae (1/15, Anguilla rostrata Lesueur, 1817, from Greenland up to Colombia and Venezuela, MAP, PDF), Nematogenyidae (1/1, C Chile), Diplomystidae (2/7, W Argentina and E Chile), Percichthyidae (7/23, Australia, Argentina and Chile), and Galaxiidae (7/66, mainly Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania, (3/)7 spp. in Argentina and Chile, and one in South Africa).
In these 8 families, (14/)154 spp. occur in South America (4/5 in Austroblepus or Orestias), being eight only in Argentina and Chile, three only in Colombia and Venezuela, and three wider (Astroblepus, Orestias, Gobiesox).
MARINE
When it comes to marine fish, mainly Actinopteri, Brazil’s diversity is paradoxically underrecognized compared to many other countries, ranking only 21st worldwide (1,256, in November 16, 2024) and ranking below Australia (4,677), Japan (3,869), Indonesia (3,646), Philippines (3,123), Taiwan (2,756), Papua New Guinea (2,601), New Caledonia (2,345), Mexico (2,132, FishBase/Mexico), U.S.A. (2,111), South Africa (1,948), China (1,808), Vietnam (1,742), India (1,679), Palau (1,530), Mozambique (1,450), Thailand (1,407), Malaysia (1,366), Fiji (1,265) and Panama (1,262), and ahead Colombia (1,229) and Micronesia (1,227).
For large marine fishes of Brazil (mainly Actinopteri), see Grandes Peixes Oceânicos da Costa Brasileira (Alfredo Carvalho Filho's Lab, BOOK, 2020, 107 spp.). 225 marine spp. occur in Saint Peter and Saint Paul's Archipelago off Brazil (Carvalho-Filho et al., Journal of Fish Biology, 2020). 36 deep-sea fishes occur in northern coast of Brazil (Klautau et al., Neotropical Ichthyology, 2020). 273 spp occur in Vitória-Trindade Seamount Chain (Pinheiro et al., Plos One, 2015). 250 spp. occur in Fernando de Noronha Is. (Pimentel et al., Neotropical Ichthyology, 2020). For 111 endemic reef-fishes in SW Atlantic, see Pinheiro et al., Diversity and Distribution, 2018).
ENDEMISMS
Brazilian Actinopteri includes 2,485 endemic species (Intreasures, May 01, 2025), being 2,364 freshwater, 100 in shallow salt sea, and 21 in deep sea below 200m).
For endemic freshwater species, Brazil has 2,313 spp. (Intreasures in November 16, 2024, excluding one Lepidosirenidae abd 29 Potamotrygonidae), more than the sum of the joint endemic species of China and the U.S.A., the following in the list, and about 7✕ those of Mexico. 485 of these are Loricariidae, 437 Characidae, 293 Rivulidae and 138 Cichlidae. In addition, there are 118 genera (Intreasures, November 16, 2024) endemic (in 21 families), with notable emphasis on Hypsolebias (52, Rivulidae), Pareiorhaphis (28, Loricariidae) and Aspidoras (18, Callichthyidae). 34 of these genera are Loricariidae and 30 are Characidae. Mexico has 33 endemic genera of freshwater fish (in 12 families), 16 of which are Goodeidae and 2 Cyprinidae. Of the 318 spp. of freshwater fish endemic to Mexico, 43 are Goodeidae, 27 Cyprinodontidae and 70 are Poeciliidae; remarkable are Chirostoma (20, Atherinopsidae) and Tetraplueurodon (2, Petromyzonti) .
Among New World countries, only Chile, U.S.A., and Brazil host endemic families of freshwater fishes, all within Actinopteri. In Brazil, Tarumaniidae (1/1, Tarumania walkerae Pinna, Zuanon, Py-Daniel & Petry, 2017) and Spintherobolidae (2/5) are endemic family. In Chile, Perciliidae (1/2) and Nematogenyidae (1/1) are endemic, while in the U.S.A., the endemic families include Amblyopsidae (6/9), Aphredoderidae (1/1), and Elassomatidae (1/7). Lacantuniidae was once considered endemic to Mexico but has also been recorded in Guatemala (Quintana et al., CheckList, 2019).
All families with endemic genera of freshwater fish in some country in South America are Actinopteri and have them in Brazil, except: Chenuchidae (only in Peru), Lebiasinidae (only in Guyana), Galaxiidae, Nematogeniidae and Perciliidae (these only in Chile).
For endemic marine Actinopteri, Brazil have only 104 in swallow water and 30 in deep sea. Brazil has the 10th position worldwide in overall endemic marine fishes, with Australia (933), Indonesia (241) and Japan (240) leading in this regard, and with U.S.A. (220) and Mexico (162) also in front of us (Intreasures, November 16, 2024). By marine endemic genera in Actinopteri, Brazil had only four of them (Storrsia, Akko, Asarcenchelys and Leucogrammolycus) in 4 families. U.S.A. has five genera in five families, and Mexico has 11 genera in nine families. Asarcenchelys (Ophichtidae) occurs from Pará to Bahia state coasts (A. Carvalho-Filho et al. Marine Biodiversity Records, 2011).
INVASIVE
A recent study detected 352 spp. of non-native fish from some region of Brazil, being 255 translocated and 97 exotics (Silva Rocha, Biological Invasions, 2023).
WORLD RECORDS
A maximum depth record for Actinopteri has been set at 8336m deep in the Izu-Ogasawara Trench (NW Pacific Ocean) represented by video imagery of a snailfish probably Pseupodoliapris belyaevi or a new, endemic species since no physical specimen was captured (Jamieson, AJ et al, Deep Sea Research Part I Oceanographic Research Papers, 2023). Two of three smallest fishes (possibly the smallest worldwide) are Brazilian Leptophilypnion (Eleotridae, fishes only 9mm lenght, by Wikipedia), genus with only two species, endemic to the states of Amazonas and Pará each, but the genus is not recognized as endemic to Brazil in Intresures.
TAXONOMY and ORDERS
Based on FishBase (SEE), Eschmeyer's CF (SEE, Nov 16, 2024), and CTFB, there are 12 orders of Actinopteri absent in Brazil. Gymnotiformes, Symbranchiformes and Osteoglossiformes do not occur in North America.
ACTINOPTERI PHYLOGENY, WITH 3 BASAL ORDERS ABSENT IN BRAZIL
ACIPENSERIFORMES
Two primitive families.For a excellent sourve among this order, see Pond Life.
Polyodontidae ‣ diotypic family with very remarkable distribution: Polyodon spathula Walbaum, 1792 from the Mississipi Basin and adjacent flows, U.S.A. (MAP) and Psephurus gladius Martens, 1862, only Yang-Tse river in China, this extinct (MAP).
Acipenseridae ‣ (4/)25 spp.: Acipenser: Aleutian islands to NW Mexico, inland in some stremas in NW U.S.A. and SW Canada (2), Quebec to Lousiana and several strems inland E U.S.A. and E Canada (2), one Mississipi Basin, Canadian rivers, Greater Lakes (1), Hainan to Sakhalin, inland in Yang Tze-River and , Amur river in NE China and SE Russia and Japan (4), Iceland, Kola peninsula do Marocco, northern Mediterranean from Algeria to Turkyie, Black Sea and Caspian Lake shores, inland in Pó, Danube, Dniepre, Don, Volga, Ural, Kura, Ghezel Ozan in N Iran, Dvina, Ob and Yenissei rivers (7), and Artic and Asian Russia into Kazhakhstan and Baikal Lake (1); Huso: 2, one in Black, Azov, Caspian and Adriatic sea basins from N Italy to European Russia and N Iran/SEE, and one in the Amur basin in BE China, SE Russia, North Korea, Sakhalin and Hokkaido island in Japan/SEE); Pseudoscaphyrhynchus: 3, endemic to the extinct Aral Lake, currently in Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and perhaps Afghanistan/SEE; and Scaphyrhynchus: 3, S. albus S. A. Forbes & R. E. Richardson, 1905 and S. platorynchus Rafinesque, 1820 from Montana to Louisina along Mississipi river and smal tributaries; and S. suttkusi J. D. Williams & Clemmer, 1991 in Alabama river in Alabama state.
LEPISOSTEIFORMES
A single living family, 7 spp. in two genera from North America, America Central and Caribbean. Brazilian fossils in PaleoZoo (SEE).
Atractosteus - three spp.: A. spatula Lacépède, 1803 (S U.S.A.), A. tristoechus Bloch & J. G. Schneider, 1801 (W Cuba and the Isla de la Juventud) and A. tropicus T. N. Gill, 1863 (S Mexico to Costa Rica).
Lepisosteus - 4 spp.: L. oculatus Winchell, 1864 (Ontario to Texas in eastern half of U.S.A.), L. osseus L., 1758 (SE Canada to New Mexico and E Mexico), L. platostomus Rafinesque, 1820 (Montana to the west and the Ohio River to the east, southwards to the Gulf Coast) and L. platyrhincus DeKay, 1842 (Georgia and Florida).
AMIIFORMES
Composed only by Amiidae and Amia calva L., 1776, from the E U.S.A. (from Minnesota to Texas and Florida) and extreme SE Canada. Brazilian fossils in PaleoZoo (SEE).
LEPIDOGALAXIIFORMES
Only one sp., Lepidogalaxias salamandroides Mees, 1961, endemic to extreme point of Western Australia, in a very small range.
ANABANTHIFORMES
8 families (26/)281 spp., from Africa and tropical Asia from India to Philippines (Eschmeyer's CF, Nov 16, 2024).
SALMONIFORMES
(15/)272 spp., composed by the family Salmonidae (11/259, Balcans to Korea and Canada to Mexico; only Oncorhynchus in latter), Esocidae (3/10 spp., Canada. U.S.A., Asia to the Amur and Europe) and Umbridae (1/3, Canada. U.S.A., Europe and Asia).
OSMERIFORMES
4 families and (17/)49 spp., three from E Russia to New Zealand, and Osmeridae in New World, from North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans, as well as rivers, streams and lakes in Europe, North America and NE Asia. Excludes Argentiniformes.
PERCOPSIFORMES
Three families and (8/)15 spp.: Percopsidae (1/2), Amblyopsidae (6/9, all from the U.S.A.) and Aphedoderidae (1/4, exclusively from the U.S.A.)., Alaska to Quebec and southward to Missouri and Kentucky, eastern United States, primarily lowlands of Atlantic drainage from Long Island southward, Gulf of Mexico slope, Mississippi Valley, and part of Great Lakes drainage.
HIODONTIFORMES
Only Hiodontidae and two spp. in a single genus of the U.S.A. and Canada (primarily Mackenzie, Saskatchewan, Mississippi, and St. Lawrence river systems).
CYPRINIFORMES
(321/)3,268 spp. in six families, only two in New World: Catastomidae (15/85 spp., almost endemic to North America except species in Russia and China one each) and Cyprinidae (162/1780), from Old World and (53/)286 spp. New World, 52 of them endemic, from Canada to south Mexico, and Phoxinus also in Eurasia. In U.S.A., diversities includes 119 in Mississippi Basin, 80 in Cuberland and Tennesseee Basins, 47 in Mobile Basin, 31 in Hudson Bay Basins, 16 in Colorado Basin, 43 in Rio Grande Basin; in Mexico, diversities includes Panuco (11), Balsas (2), Papaloapan (1, Atlantic southermost record, Veracruz) and Atoyac (1, Pacific southermost record, Oaxaca), both with Hybopsis species (Winfield & Nelson, BOOK, 1991). (17/)77 spp. in Mexico (FishBase), 50 endemic (and 7 endemic genera, SEE).
GONORYNCHIFORMES
(4:7/)40 spp., in Gonorrhynchidae (1/5, only G. gonorhynchus L., 1766, cited for the New World, in Chile, rare in southern Atlantic, e.g., St. Helena), Phractolaemidae (monotypic, Niger Delta and Malebopool and Zaire systems), Kneriidae (4/33, Africa) and Chanidae (1/1, Chanos chanos Forsskål, 1775, tropical and subtropical Indian and Pacific, rare in eastern Pacific from southern California and Mexico to Peru).
GALAXIFORMES
Single-family order with (7/)66 spp., mostly in Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania, but three genera occur elsewhere: Aplochiton (3, exclusive to Argentina and Chile), Brachygalaxias (2, endemic to Chile), and Galaxias, which also has three of its species in South America and one in South Africa.
■ endemic families in New World: Polyodontidae (1/1, U.S.A.), Amblyopsidae (6/9, U.S.A.), Aphredoderidae (1/1, U.S.A.), Elassomatidae (1/7, U.S.A.), Nematogenyidae (1/1, Chile), Perciliidae (1/2, Chile), Spintherobolidae (2/5, Brazil) and Tarumaniidae (1/1, Brazil).
34.6 CLADISTII
A class with 14 spp. in two genera (Erpetoichthys and Polypterus, Eschmeyer's CF, Nov 16, 2024) within a single family (Polypteridae) in order Polypteriformes, in freshwater bodies from N Senegal to SW Tanzania, north along Nile river up to Egypt, highly centered in Congo River system (Moritz & Britz, Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters, 2019).
34.7 DIPNEUSTI
A class with six spp. in three genera and three families in a single order Ceratodontiformes (Eschmeyer's CF, Nov 16, 2024): Neoceratodontidae (only one sp., Neoceratodon forsteri Krefft, 1870, endemic to coastal basins in Queensland, Australia), Protopteridae (4 spp. in Protopterus, tropical Africa) and Lepidosirenidae (only Lepidosiren paradoxa Fitz, 1836, from Brazil and several adjacent countries except Peru and Uruguay).
34.8 COELACANTHI
Coelacanthi has only two species in a single genus and family: Latimeria chalumnae Smith, 1939 from Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Madagascar, Comoros Archipelago up to South Africa, and L. menadoensis Pouyaud et al., 1999 from north of Sulawesi to N New Guinea island in Indonesia (Kadashuman, Scientific Reports, 2020).
34.9 AMPHIBIA
WORLD HOTSPOT OF AMPHIBIAN DIVERSITY (BM)
Two main sources for Amphibians: Amphibian of the World (accepted here) and Amphibia Web. By AW are 8,886 spp. worldwide, (58:465/)7,831 Anura, (9:71/)828 Caudata and (10:32/)224 Gymnophiona among 77 families and 568 genera worldwide, in May 10, 2025 (SEE). For list updates see UPDATES 2025.
In May 10, 2025, Brazil has (27:121/)1,245 spp., being (22:107/)1,201 Anura, (4:13/)39 Gymnophiona (36 non-Caecilia) and (1:1/)5 Caudata (SEE). Colombia has 39 spp. of Gymnophiona (16 non-Caecilia), 27 of Caudata and 799 of Anura. Worldwide, India leads in Gymnophiona (41), Brazil in Anura, and U.S.A. in Caudata (232). Mexico includes 273 Anura, 154 Caudata and 3 Gymnophiona.
In New World occur 43 families, being 30 Anura, 8 Caudata and 5 Gymnophiona. All New World families occur in South America except the anuran Ascaphidae (1/2, Canada to U.S.A.), Rhinophrynidae (1/1, Texas to Costa Rica), and Scaphiopodidae (2/7, Canada and U.S.A. south to S Mexico), and seven families in Caudata, Amphiumidae (3, endemic to U.S.A.), Rhyacotritonidae (4, endemic to U.S.A.), Ambystomatidae (30, U.S.A. up to Canada and Mexico), Sirenidae (5, U.S.A. up to Canada and Mexico), Salamandridae (132), Cryptobranchidae (4) and Proteidae (9), the last three also in Old World.
AMPHIBIAN FAMILIES IN SOUTH AMERICA ABSENT IN BRAZIL
Five South American amphibian families do not occur in Brazil: Telmatobiidae (Anura, 1/63), with Telmatobius from Ecuador to Argentina and Chile; Batrachylidae (Anura, 4/12), restricted to Chile and Argentina; Calyptocephalellidae (Anura, 2/15), endemic to central Chile; Rhinodermatidae (Anura, 2/3), from Argentina and Chile; and Dermophidae (Gymnophiona), the only family of the order to occur in Mexico, with 4 genera, two in Africa, Gymnops (2) in America Central, and Dermophis (7) from America Central, centered in Costa Rica, but two extend to S Mexico, and two to NW Colombia.
For some curiosities of Amphibia, see Amphibia Facts.
ENDEMICS
In endemic species, Brazil has 862 spp. (Intreasures in May 10, 2025). In the Mexico ✕ Brazil duel among endemic species we have Caudata with 134 ✕ 4, Gymnophiona with 1 ✕ 26 and Anura with 172 ✕ 832. 179 of the 229 U.S.A. endemic amphibians are Caudata. Mexico, Peru, Colombia and Brazil are among the few countries in the World with endemic species in the three orders of Amphibian.
In endemic genera, in Brazil there are 30 genera: 3 in Gymnophiona (in Siphonopidae and Typhlonectidae) and 27 in Anura (in nine families: Brachycephalidae, Cyclorhamphidae, Eleutherodactylidae, Hemiphractidae, Hylidae, Hylodidae, Microhylidae, Odontophrynidae and Strabomantidae). Emphasis on the genera Brachycephalus (42), Bokermannohyla (32) and Cycloramphus (28). Mexico there are nine endemic genera (3 in Hylidae and 6 in Plethodontidae), with the notable presence of Thorius (29). All eight genera of Amphibia endemic to the U.S.A. are from Urodela. Colombia has 5 endemic genera in Strobomantidae (2), Dendrobatidae (1), Centrolenidae (1) and Siphonopidae (1). Dryadobates (Aromobatidae), endemic to E Brazil, was described in 2025 (SEE).
ANURA
Unbrazilian genera in South America belongs Alsodidae, Aromobatidae, Batrachylidae, Bufonidae, Calyptocephallelidae, Centrolenidae, Ceratophryidae, Craugastoridae, Dendrobatidae, Eleutherodactylidae, Hemiphractidae, Hylidae, Rhynodermatidae, Strabomantidae and Telmatobiidae.
Batrachylidae, Calyptocephallelidae, Rhynodermatidae and Telmatobiidae do not occur in Brazil. In Craugastoridae, Bufonidae, Hylidae, Eleutherodactylidae and Hemiphractidae Brazil has the largest diversity of genera and species.
In Alsodidae and Ceratophryidae, Brazil has one more less genera that Argentina. In Strabomantidae Brazil has the largest diversity of genera after Peru (which has six endemic genera, Phrynops with 35 spp.); Brazil has 55 spp. and Colombia has 266. In Aromobatidae, Colombia and Venezuela has one genera more than Brazil; Brazil has 30 spp. against 15 in Colombia. In Centrolenidae, Colombia and Ecuador has 10 of 11 genera, respectively (including Centrolene); Venezuela has one endemic genus; Brazil has 13 spp., and Colombia has 74. In Dendrobatidae, Colombia has (14/)111 spp. and Brazil has (5/)55 spp. (only 7 endemic).
The large family Eleutherodactylidae has 4 genera (one of them endemic to Brazil). Eleutherodactylus has 204 spp., only one in South America, E. johnstomei Barbour, 1914. Large genera few represented in Brazil includes Hyloxalus (63, Dendrobatidae, only two in Brazil) and Pristimantis (569, only 35 in Brazil). 1/3 of all Colombian Anura are Pristimantis.
Only two amphibians in the world are venomous, both Hylidae endemic to E Brazil: Nyctimantis brunoi Miranda-Ribeiro, 1920, and Corythomantis greeningi Boulenger, 1896 (NHM). Brachycephalus dacnis Toledo, Botelho, Carrasco-Medina, Gray, Ernetti, Gama, Lyra, Blackburn, Nunes, and Muscat, 2024 from coastal forests from NE São Paulo and SW Rio de Janeiro states in SE Brazil is among the smallest known vertebrate (Toledo et al., PeerJ, 2024).
Sperandei, V.F. et al. (Biota Neotropica, 2024) discuss Anura in caves in Brazil, citing 54 species that have already been collected in caves. Oreobates antrum Vaz-Silva, Maciel, Andrade and Amaro, 2018 has only been found inside caves, in the states of Goiás and Tocantins. However, there are no known records of troglobic Anura worldwide.
CAUDATA
All Caudata from southern Mexican Plateau are Bolitoglossines. Mexican diversity of Caudata (the second worldwide, SEE) is concentrated in Plethodontidae (15/141, 6 genera endemic), and the only exceptions are Ambystomidae (1/11), a single Sirenidae (Siren nettingi Goin, 1942) and a single Salamandrideae (Notophthalmus meridionalis Cope, 1880).
NEOTROPICAL GENERA OF BOLITOGLOSSINES BY REGION
Data in Jaramillo et al. (Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2020) suggests the existence of 36 new species of Bolitoglossa in the Amazon. If confirmed, the current diversity of the genus will increase in Colombia (25 to 26, excluding B. altamazonica Cope, 1874), Ecuador (8 to 17, excluding B. altamazonica), Peru (6 to 28) and Brazil (5 to 8, 7 endemic and one shared with Peru, excluding B. altamazonica).
GYMNOPHIONA
In Gymnophiona, all New World genera occur in Brazil except Dermophis (7, Mexico to Colombia), Amazops (1, endemic to Ecuador), Gymnopis (2, Mexico to Panama) and Epicrionopis (7, Venezuela to Peru, possibly in Brazil). By Acosta-Galvis et al. (ZooKeys, 2019), Siphonopidae is paraphyletic with respect to Dermophiidae due to the placement of Parvicaecilia (Microcaecilia nicefori Barbour, 1924, endemic to Colombia).
Hopkins & Brodie (Herpetological Monographies, 2015) lists 144 spp. in 28 families of amphibians in saline habitats, some collected in Brazil, including the single record of this feature at Gymnophiona, the Brazilin endemic Atretochoana eiselti Taylor, 1968. A. eiselti is also the largest lungless tetrapod worldwide (Hoogmoed et al., Bol. Mus. Para. Emílio Goeldi, 2011).
■ endemic families in New World: Amphiumidae (Caudata, 1/3, U.S.A.), Calyptocephalellidae (Anura, 2/5, Chile), Cyclorhamphidae (Anura, 3/37, Brazil), Neblinaphrynidae (Anura, 2/2, Brazil), Rhyacotritonidae (Caudata, 1/4, U.S.A.)
34.10 RHYNCHOCEPHALIA
Only extant species, Sphenodon punctatus Gray, 1842 (SEE), restricted of small islands aroung North Island in New Zealand. This lineage is the highest degree of national endemism in a country among the Craniata and one of the largest in Metazoa.
34.11 SQUAMATA
(70:1,178/)12,181 spp. worldwide (Repfocus/Lizards + Repfocus/Amphisbaenia + Repfocus/Snakes, in May 10, 2025) in nine high lineages. 37 families occur in New World, 25 in Mexico. All endemic families in New World belong Amphisbaenia clade: U.S.A., Mexico and Cuba one endemic each. In all Brazilian families, the own Brazil has the first diversity of genera in New World (shared or isolated) except Anguidae, Iguanidae, Liolaemidae and some families in Serpentes.
Brazil includes 778 spp. (SAU | SER | AMP) in 165 genera (SAU | SER | AMP) at 25 families (SEE/SEE), in November 27, 2024. At this date, Brazil has the third largest diversity of Squamata worldwide, after Australia (1,020) and Mexico (897), and ahead Indonesia (764). Brazil has the fifth largest diversity in endemic Squamata (418), after Australia (1,011), Mexico (578), India (478), Madagascar (429), and ahead Indonesia (375), by Intreasures, in November 27, 2024. In families, Brazil has 25, Mexico 26, Colombia 24, U.S.A. only 11. Among endemic genera in New World, Brazil has 40 (in seven families, including 13 in snakes, all Colubridae), Mexico 18 (in six families, 14 in snakes, in 3 families), Colombia only one (in Gymnophthalmidae) and U.S.A. has 8, all in snakes (Intreasures in May 10, 2025).
13 Squamata families in New World do not occur in Brazil: Rhineuridae (1/1, Florida and Georgia, U.S.A.), Cadeidae (1/1, W Cuba), Leiocephalidae (1/24, Jamaica, Cuba, Bahamas, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico), Dibamidae (23, 1 C in Mexico, 22 in SE Asia), Eublepharidae (6/48, S U.S.A. to Panama, Old World), Xanthusiidae (3/38, SW U.S.A. to Panama), Bipedidae (1/3, NW & C Mexico), Helodermatidae (1/5, W U.S.A. to S Mexico), Xenosauridae (1/14, E Mexico to Honduras), Phrynosomatidae (9/178, W to E U.S.A. to Costa Rica), Crotaphytidae (2/12, W & C U.S.A. to N Mexico), Corytophanidae (3/11, C Mexico to N Ecuador and Venezuela) and Loxocemidae (1/1, Pacific coast from C Mexico to NW Costa Rica).
For all 67 spp. of marine Squamata (sea snakes and marine iguane), see Bertolero et al. (EOLSS, no data). Of these, none occur in Brazil.
DIBAMIDAE CLADE
A single family.
DIBAMIDAE
27 spp. in two disjunct genera, one from Mexico (Anelytropsis, SEE) and Dibamus (26) from Vietnan, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines up to NW New Guinea, almost legless except male of some species, with small flap-like hind limbs.
GEKKOTA
Families absent in New World are Diplodactylidae (25/137, Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia), Pygopodidae (7/48, Australia and New Guinea) and Carphodactylidae (7/34, Australia). 17 genera in New World, 11 in Brazil (the largest diversity in New World, one endemic).
EUBLEPHARIDAE
(6/)48 spp., mainly Africa and Asia, but Coleonyx (8) from SW U.S.A. to Costa Rica, mainly in Mexico.
SPHAERODACTYLIDAE
(12/)234 spp. from C Mexico to E Brazil and West Indies, as well as in southern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and into Central Asia. (5/)16 spp. in Brazil (8 endemic in three genera). Only two another genera occur in New World: Aristelliger (9, Caribbean, 1 in Belize) and Sphaerodactylus (108, C Mexico to Ecuador, Venezuela and Caribbean, 7 in South America). (3/)6 spp. in in Mexico. Largest diversities worldwide are Venezuela (28) and Dominican Republic (25); Brazil has the seventh (SEE).
PHYLLODACTYLIDAE
(9/)170 spp., New World, North Africa, Europe and the Middle East. (4/)12 spp. in Brazil (7 endemic in two genera, with Gymnodactylus a endemic genus). Three New World genera do not occur in Brazil: Garthia (2, endemic to Chile), Phyllodactylus (69, California to Chile in western flank of New World) and Tarentola (34, Africa and Europe, one in Caribbean). Mexico has (2/)19 spp. (15 endemic). Largest diversities are Mexico (21), Peru (17), Ecuador (14) and Brazil (12, SEE).
GEKKONIDAE
(64/)1,640 spp. worldwide. Only two genera occur naturally in New World, from S U.S.A. to Uruguay and Caribbean: Lygodactylus (98, 96 in Africa and two in C Brazil, one of them up to Bolivia and Paraguay) and Hemidactylus (202). Brazil has the greatest diversity in the New World, but only the 92nd in the world (SEE). Only 4 spp. of Hemidactylus occur in New World, H. agrius Vanzolini (NE Brazil), H. brasilianus Carranza & Arnold 2006 (NE & C Brazil), H. haitianus Powell, Henderson, Adler & Dundee 1996 (Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti) and H. palaichthus Kluge (N Brazil, Colombia, Guyana, Saint Lucia, Surinam, Trinidad & Tobago and Venezuela), being Gekkonidae absent natively in North and America Central.
SCINCOMORPHA
Four families, two only Old World: Gerrhosauridae (7/38, Africa and Madagascar) and Cordylidae (10/69, S & E Africa). Only one family in South America.
XANTHUSIIDAE
(3/)38 spp. in Xantusia (14, SW U.S.A. and Baja California), Cricosaura (1, endemic to SE Cuba) and Lepidophyma (23, S Mexico to N Panama).
SCINCIDAE
(168/)1,782 spp. worldwide. Mexico has (4/)37 spp. in Marisora in Mabuyinae, Mesoscincus and Plestiodon in Scincinae, and Scincella in Sphenomorphinae. All South American members of this family are Mabuyinae (Pereira & Schrago, PeerJ, 2017), subfamily with 25 genera, being nine only in Old World, Alinea, Capitellum, Mabuya and Spondylurus endemic to Caribbean islands, Maracaiba only in Venezuela and Colombia, Morisora only in Mexico, America Central and Caribbean, and all remaining 10 genera present in Brazil (16 spp., 7 endemic in 4 genera, with two endemic genera, Brasiliscincus and Psychosaura, and curiously Trachylepis, genus widely distributed and restricted of Africa except Trachylepis atlantica Bauer 2003, endemic to Fernando de Noronha Is. off NE Brazil). In New World the two largest diversities are Mexico (34, 19th in World) and Brazil (15, SEE, 42nd in World).
LACERTIFORMATA
Only one family, Lacertidae (43/384), a large lineage absent in New World, from Scandinavia and British islands to South Africa, Madagascar, up to Siberia, Japan, Java and Borneo, absent in Philippines and Australasia.
AMPHISBAENIA
Six families, two only in Old World: Blanidae (1/7, Europe, northern Africa) and Trogonophidae (4/8, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and western Iran). All South American genera occur in Brazil (RepFocus).
AMPHISBAENIDAE
(16/)196 legless lizards, nine genera in Africa and adjacent regions and seven in South America: Amphisbaena (89, Panama to S Argentina and West Indies, 50 in Brazil), Anops (3, C Brazil, and S Brazil, N Argentina, Uruguay and S Bolivia), Aulura (1, endemic to N Brazil), Bronia (4, endemic to N & C Brazil), Cercolophia (6, Brazil to E Bolivia, Paraguay and N Argentina), Leposternon (11, Brazil and adjacent Bolivia, Paraguay and NE Argentina) and Mesobaena (2, one in Colombia and Venezuela, another in N Brazil). Phylogeny of Amphisbaenidae can found in Vidal et al. (Biology Letters, 2008).
RHINEURIDAE
Only one sp., Rhineura floridana Cope, 1861, endemic to N & C Florida and adjacent Georgia, SE U.S.A.
BIPEDIDAE
Only one genus, Bipes, with three spp., all endemic to Mexico, one in S Baja California Sur, and two in C Mexico (possibly reports in SW U.S.A. by Rorabaugh in U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2024).
CADEIDAE
Two spp. in Cadea, endemic to W Cuba and adjacent islands.
ANGUIMORPHA
Three families absent in New World: Shinisauridae (1/1, SE China and N Vietnam), Lanthanotidae (1/1, N Borneo) and Varanidae (1/89, Turkyie and Caspain region to S Australia and Pacific islands). Both South American genera occur in Brazil. Mexico has the highest diversity in New World.
HELODERMATIDAE
5 spp. in Heloderma, 3 spp. from Pacific coast of Mexico, one up to SW Nevada in U.S.A., and one endemic to SE Guatemala.
XENOSAUDIDAE
14 spp. in Xenosaurus, from NE Mexico to C Guatemala.
ANGUIDAE
(21/)140 spp. (RepFocus), with 16 genera in New World, only two in South America and both in Brazil: Diploglossus and Ophiodes. Mexico has the largest diversity worldwide (6/52), Brazil is the 9th (5, 2 endemic, SEE).
TEIIFORMATA
Both families occur in South America. 74 genera, 48 in Brazil (24 endemic).
GYMNOPHTHALMIDAE
(56/)301 spp. (37/)99 spp. in Brazil (largest diversity worldwide, SEE), 23 endemic. There are more endemic genera in Brazil than outside of it. Only one species occurs in Mexico, Gymnophthalmus speciosus Hallowell, 1861. Genera absent in Brazil: Centrosaura (Costa Rica and Panama), Anadia (Costa Rica to Ecuador and Guyana), Echinosaura (Panam to Ecuador), Pholidobolus (Panama to Peru and Venezuela), Kaieteurosaurus, Pantepuisaurus, Rheosaurus, Yanomamia (Guyana), Adercosaurus (Venezuela), Riama (Venezuela to Ecuador), Euspondylus (Venezuela to Peru), Magdalenasaura (Colombia), Andinosaura, Gelanesaurus (Colombia and Ecuador), Macropholidus, Selvasaura (Ecuador and Peru), Dendrosauridion, Petracola and Wilsonosaura (Peru).
In vertebrates, true parthenogenesis is found only in Squamata and (mostly) originates via interspecific hybridization after secondary contact (Brunes et al., Mol. Phyl. and Evol., 2019). Leposoma percarinatum Müller, a parthenogenetic species from northern South America, has 66 chromosomes: one of the few known examples of a triploid genome in vertebrates (Catalogue of Organisms).
TEIIDAE
(18/)179 spp. in New World. (7/)42 spp. in Brazil. 7 genera do not occur in Brazil: Aspidoscelis (46, Mexico and U.S.A.), Aurivela (2, Argentina), Dicrodon (3, Peru to Ecuador), Holcosus (18, Mexico to Ecuador), Medopheos (1, Peru and Ecuador), Pholidoscelis (20, Caribbean) and Callopistes (4, Ecuador to Chile). Brazil has the largest diversity of genera, with a endemic Glaucomastix. However, the largest diversity of species are in Mexico (54) within two genera: Aspidoscelis and Holcosus. Brazil has the second diversity (SEE).
IGUANIA
Three families only in Old World: Chamaeleonidae (12/234, mainly in Madagascar), Opluridae (2/8, Madagascar and Grande Comores) and Agamidae (62/623). Brazil has 7 families, and Mexico has 5. South America has 28 genera, 17 of them in Brazil, three endemic.
PHRYNOSOMATIDAE
(9/)178 spp. from SW Canada to Panama, 121 in Sceloporus.
CROTAPHYTIDAE
(2/)12 spp. from SW U.S.A. to NW Mexico (SEE).
LEIOCEPHALIDAE
Only Leiocephalus, with 24 spp., all from West Indies (SEE).
CORYTOPHANIDAE
(3/)19 spp., C Mexico to Ecuador and Venezuela. Two genera (Basiliscus and Corytophanes) and 4 spp. occur in South America (SEE). Unknown in Brazil.
IGUANIDAE
(9/)47 spp., highly diverse in Mexico (5/19), America Central and West Indies. 4 genera occur in South America: Amblyrhynchus and Conolophus, endemic to Galapagos in Ecuador, Ctenosaura (15, NW Mexico to Panama, one up to NW Colombia) and Iguana (4, two in Lesser Antilles, one from Mexico to Costa Rica, and one from Costa Rica to South America and Lesse Antilles). I. iguana Van Denburgh 1898 is one of the most comoon lizards in urban areas in N & NE Brazil.
ANOLIDAE
(8/)455 spp., SE U.S.A. to SE Brazil (SEE). Six genera outside South America, mainly Caribbean: Anolis (45, SE U.S.A., Mexico to Honduras and Caribbean), Audantia (14, Hispaniola), Chamaelinorops (8, Hispaniola), Ctenonotus (43, Caribbean), Xiphosurus (14, Cuba, Hispaniola and Porto Rico), Deiroptyx (32, Cuba, Hispaniola and Porto Rico). Two occur in South America: Dactyloa (98, Costa Rica to N South America, disjunct E Brazil, and Caribbean) and Norops (201, NW Mexico to S Brazil and Caribbean). Highest diversities in Colombia (77), Cuba (65) and Mexico (55), and Brazil has only 18 spp. (7 in Dactyloa and 11 Norops, SEE).
POLYCHROTIDAE
8 spp. in a single genus, Polychrus, from Nicaragua to NE Argentina and SE Brazil (SEE). Highest diversities are Ecuador (5), Peru (5), Bolivia (3) and Brazil (3, SEE).
HOPLOCERCIDAE
(3/)22 spp. in northern South America (absent in Mexico, SEE), Enyalioides (18, Colombia to Peru and NW Brazil), Hoplocercus (1, C Brazil and e Bolivia) and Morunasaurus (3, Panama to N Peru). Largest diversities are Peru (12), Ecuador (11), Colombia (8) and Brazil (3, SEE).
TROPIDURIDAE
(8/)147 spp. in tropical and subtropical South America (absent in Mexico, SEE), all genera in Brazil (two endemic) except Microlophus (24, Galapagos and Ecuador to Chile). Highest diversities in Peru (57) and Brazil (42, SEE).
LEIOSAURIDAE
(6/)35 spp. from Brazil and adjacent Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay (absent in Mexico and Colombia, SEE). 4 genera in Brazil (two endemic) and two outside: Diplolaemus and Pristidactylus, both from Argentina and Chile. Highest diversities in Argentina (17) and Brazil (15).
LIOLAEMIDAE
(3/)358 spp. from Peru to Patagonia and S Brazil (SEE), including the largest Squamata genus, Liolaemus, with 303 spp., highly centered in Argentina. In Brazil occur three spp., two endemic (SEE), slightly disjuncts from coast of Rio de Janeiro state to S Rio Grande do Sul state (SEE). The other genus are Phymaturus (56, Argentina and Chile) and Ctenoblepharys (1, endemic to coasts of Peru).
SERPENTES
27 families worldwide. Gerhophilidae (2/30, non venomous, India, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand), Xenophidiidae (1/2, non venomous, Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo), Uropeltidae (7/73, non venomous, India and Sri Lanka), Anomochilidae (1/3, non venomous, Peninsula Malaysia, Sumatera and Borneo), Cylindrophiidae (1/15, non venomous, India to Sulawesi), Xenopeltidae (1/3, non venomous, India to Sulawesi), Pythonidae (10/40, non venomous, tropical Africa, India to S Australia), Acrochordidae (1/3, aquatic, non venomous, India to NE Australia and Philippines), Xenodermidae (6/37, non venomous, S India to Java and Japan), Pareidae (4/46, non venomous, E India and S China to Sulawesi), Homalopsidae (29/60, non solenoglyphous venomous, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, E India to NE Australia) and Lamprophiidae (62/337, sometimes venomous, S Europe, Africa, C, S & SE Asia) do not occur in New World. Brazil has the second largest diversity of snakes worldwide (420), after Mexico (438, SEE), in December 12, 2024. 8 genera of snakes non-Colubridae occur in South America but non in Brazil. Two higher lineages: Scolecophidia and Alethinophidia (divided in five sublineages).
LEPTOTYPHLOPIDAE
No venomous. SW U.S.A. to C Argentina, Caribbean, Africa to India. 7 genera in New World, Tetracheilostoma in Lesser Antilles, Mitophis in Hispaniola, Rena from U.S.A. to Mexico, and 4 in Brazil (largest diversity in New World along French Guiana). Brazil has the 2nd diversity in World (18, after Peru, 19, SEE).
TYPHLOPIDAE
No venomous. (19/)280 spp., pantropical, in New World from S Mexico to NE Argentina and Caribbean. Brazil has 21st diversity in World (7 spp. in a single genus, SEE) and 3rd in New World after Cuba (12) and Haiti (10). Cuba and Bahamas has two genera each.
ANOMALEPTIDAE
No venomous. (4/)23 spp., Costa Rica to Paraguay and Brazil. Brazil has (2/)9 spp., largest diversity of species (SEE), however Colombia and Ecuador has three genera each (including Anomalepis and Helminthophis). Unknown in Mexico.
ANILIDAE
No venomous. A single sp., Anilius scytale Oken 1816, from Caribbean and Choco region up to C and NE Brazil in Ceará state (MAP).
TROPIDOPHIDAE
No venomous. (2/)37 spp., in Trachyboa (3, Panama to Ecuador) and Tropidophis (35, 28 in Caribbean, 4 from Ecuador to Peru, and three endemic to Brazil, 3th diversity worldwide after Cuba and Ecuador, SEE). Unknown in Mexico.
BOIDAE
No venomous. (14/)67 spp., nine genera in New World, 4 in Brazil and Charina (2, U.S.A. and Canada), Chilabothrus (14, insular Caribbean), Exiliboa (1, Mexico), Lichanura (U.S.A. to Mexico) and Ungaliophis (1, Mexico to Colombia). Brazil has the largest diversity of species worldwide (12, SEE). 5 genera in Colombia. Eunectes akayima Rivas et al., 2024, for northern South America is described in Rivas, J.A. et aL. (Diversity, 2024), but non valided in Repforcus in May 10, 2025 (SEE).
LOXOCEMIDAE
No venomous. Only one sp., Loxocemus bicolor Cope, in Pacific coast from C Mexico to NW Costa Rica.
ELAPIDAE
(57/)410 spp. (SEE), including terrestrial and marine forms, many very venomous. 4 genera in New World: Hydrophis (1, Indo-Pacific), Leptomicrurus (4, northern South America, Amazonas, Pará, Roraima and Amapá states in Brazil), Micruroides (1, W North America from Arizona to C Mexico) and Micrurus (86, E U.S.A. to C Argentina, excludes Caribbean). Among terrestrial species, Brazil has the second diversity in World (37, SEE, after Australia). Among all New World, Brazil has the largest diversity, ahead Colombia (31) and Ecuador (21).
UNBRAZILIAN SNAKE GENERA IN SOUTH AMERICA EXCEPT COLUBRIDAE AND VIPERIDAE
Sea snakes are now considered part of the family Elapidae. They were previously regarded as one or two separate families, Hydrophiidae and (or including) the sea kraits, Laticaudidae (or Laticaudinae). Sea snakes live all their lives in the sea and are absolutely absent in the Atlantic. In the New World there is only one species, exactly the wider distributed, Hydrophis platurus L., 1766, having been collected from California to the extreme NW Peru (Quiñonez et al., CheckList, 2014). For sea snakes and world diversity, see Elfes et al. (Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 2013). About why there are no sea snakes in the Atlantic, see Lillywhite et al. (BioScience, 2018).
VIPERIDAE
All vipers in New World are Crotaliinae, with 12 genera in region, nine in Mexico, the center of diversity of family (72, inc. two endemic genera). Brazil has 3rd world diversity, with (4/)31 spp. (Repfocus, after Mexico and China).
Mexico is the center of diversity of this family. Six New World genera do not occur in South America: Agkistrodon and Sistrurus from E U.S.A to Mexico, Mixcoatlus and Ophryacus endemic to Mexico; and Metlapilcoatlus and Cerrophidion from Mexico to America Central. Four genera reaches to Mexico to South America: Bothrops (51, 2 in Caribbean, one widely in South America up to Mexico, and remaining 48 only South America, with 27 in Brazil, 13 endemic, and endemic also in Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela and Ecuador), Crotalus (51, 49 from Canada to Panama, one endemic to Venezuela, and the widely distributed South American restricted C. durissus L., 1758), Porthidium (9, Mexico southward through America Central to Ecuador in the Pacific lowlands, northern Venezuela in the Atlantic lowlands, 3 in South America, absent in Brazil) and Bothriechis (19, Mexico, through America Central to Colombia, western Venezuela, Ecuador and northern Peru, only one in South America, absent in Brazil). 3 genera do not occur in Mexico: Atropoides (1, Costa Rica and Panama), Bothrocophias (8, Colombia to Brazil. 2 in Brazil, endemic in Ecuador and Colombia) and Lachesis (4, Costa Rica to Bolivia and C Brazil, 1 in Brazil, 3 in South America).
Lachesis rhombeata Wied, 1825, endemic to Atlantic Forest of E Brazil, is revalidated in Hamdan, B. et al. (Systematics and Biodiversity, 2024), but non valided in Repforcus in December 13, 2024 (SEE). Five new species and three revalidated species of Bothriechis in Arteaga, A. et al. (Evolutionary Systematics, 2024) are recorded in Repfocus on December 13, 2024, but not cited nominally in the records.
SOUTH AMERICAN RANGE OF UNBRAZILIAN VIPERIDAE GENERA IN SOUTH AMERICA
COLUBRIDAE
(268/)2,163 spp. in December 18, 2024 (RepFocus), 103 genera in Old World and 165 in New World, being 62 only in South America, 71 only North America to Panama and Caribbean, and 32 in both areas. Here we follow Wikipedia with regard to families, unifying in the form of subfamilies under Columbridae several groups that the other master reference for snakes, Wallach et al. (BOOK, 2014, parameter used in this discussion) segregates as independents; however, here we take Carpophiidae as subfamily, which Wikipedia does not highlight. Thus, five subfamilies occur in New World. Brazil has 302 spp., second diversity worldwide, after Mexico with 323 (Repfocus).
SIBYNOPHIINAE
Two genera, Sibynophis from SE Asia and Scaphiodontophis (2) in New World, from E Mexico to NW Colombia, ovelapping species only in Honduras and Nicaragua.
COLUBRINAE
126 genera, 52 genera in New World, mainly in U.S.A. (13, Cemophora endemic), Mexico (33, Conopsis, Geagras, Pseudoficimia and Sympholis endemic). Brazil has 12 genera (Chironius, Dendrophidion, Drymarchon, Drymobius, Drymoluber, Leptophis, Mastigodryas, Oxybelis, Palusophis, Phrynonax, Simophis, Spilotes and Tantilla), none endemic. In South America also occur Lampropeltis (Canada to Venezuela and Ecuador), Masticophis (U.S.A. to Colombia and Venezuela), Rhinobothryum (Nicaragua to Venezuela to Ecuador) and Stenorrhina (Mexico to Ecuador and Venezuela).
CARPOPHIINAE
(4/)10 spp. in southern Canada to center Mexico: Carphophis (U.S.A.), Contia (U.S.A. and Canada), Diadophis (Canada to Mexico) and Farancia (U.S.A.).
SOUTH AMERICAN RANGE OF COLUBRIDAE EXXOGENERA EXCEPT DIPSADINAE
DIPSADINAE
103 genera, Thermophis endemic to Central Asia and all 102 remaining restricted of New World. 14 genera endemic to Caribe, 28 in Mexico (7 endemic, Cenaspis, Chersodromus, Cryophis, Manolepis, Pseudoleptodeira, Rhadinophanes, Tantalophis), 51 in Brazil (12 endemic, Amnesteophis, Caaeteboia, Cercophis, Coronelaps, Ditaxodon, Elapomorphus, Gomesophis, Lioheterophis, Ptychophis, Rodriguesophis, Sordellina and Tropidodryas), 9 from U.S.A/Mexico/America Central to Colombia/Venezuela/Ecuador (Amastridium, Diaphorolepis, Enuliophis, Enulius, Geophis, Nothopsis, Pliocercus, Rhadinaea and Tretanorhinus), three from Venezuela to Ecuador region (Emmochliophis, Plesiodipsas, Saphenophis), one endemic to Argentina (Pseudotomodon) and 7 in Peru but non in Brazil (Arcanumophis, Coniophanes, Incaspis, Pseudalsophis, Synophis, Tachymenis and Urotheca, the first endemic, three also in Colombia). Brazil has the largest diversity in species and genera (also in endemic genera) in this subfamily worldwide.
NATRICINAE
37 genera worldwide, 10 genera in New World, six endemic to U.S.A. (Clonophis, Haldea, Liodytes, Regina, Tropidoclonion, Virginia), Nerodia, Storeria, Thamnophis all from Canadá to America Central, and Adelophis endemic to Mexico
Chrysopelea, commonly known as the flying snake or gliding snake, is a genus of snakes that belongs to the family Colubridae, native from N India to S China, uo to Sulawesi and Philippines, and are known for their ability to glide between trees (Wikipedia).
■ endemic families in New World: Bipedidae (Amphisbaenia, 1/3, Mexico), Cadeidae (Amphisbaenia, 1/2, Cuba), Rhineuridae (Amphisbaenia, 1/1, U.S.A.).
34.12 TESTUDINES
(14:96/)377 worldwide (Repfocus, May 01, 2025), with the highest diversity found in the U.S.A. An outstanding reference for this group, including images and distribution maps for nearly all species, is the Turtle Taxonomy Working Group (2017, SEE). All South American genera occur in Brazil except Chelydra. Brazil ranks third in global turtle diversity, with (8:19/)36 spp. — the same number as Indonesia and Colombia — surpassed only by the U.S.A. (62) and Mexico (52), according to Repfocus (SEE). Of the 25 genera of Cryptodira found in the New World, only nine are present in South America. Brazil may hold the 7th highest diversity of endemic Testudines, with 7 endemic species in the families Chelidae and Emydidae. This places it after the U.S.A. (40), Australia (29), Mexico (22), Ecuador (14), China (12), and Indonesia (11), based on data from Intreasures (May, 01, 2025, SEE). There are two major clades in Testudines: Cryptodira and Pleurodira.
PLEURODIRA
Three families of turtles from South America, Africa, SW Arabian peninsula, Madagascar, Australia and New Guinea. In Pleurodira the neck is bent in the horizontal plane, drawing the head into a space in front of one of the front legs. A larger overhang of the carapace helps to protect the neck, which remains partially exposed after retraction. This differs from the method employed by Cryptodirans, which tucks its head and neck between its forelegs, within the shell.
CHELIDAE
(15/)67 spp. are distributed across four clades: Chelodininae and Pseudemydurinae comprise (8/)44 spp., restricted to Australia and New Guinea; and Hydromedusinae and Chelinae include (7/)23 spp., occurring in South America. All South American species occur in Brazil (second diversity worldwide of this family with 20 spp., Repfocus), except Acanthochelys pallidipectoris Freiberg, 1945 from Argentina, Paraguay and Bolivia, and two Mesochlemys from Colombia and Venezuela, one endemic each.
PELOMEDUSIDAE
(2/)9 spp. from Mauritania to South Africa, E Africa, Yemen and Madagascar.
PODOCNEMIDIDAE
(3/)8 spp.: Erymnochelys in Madagascar, and two in northern South America: Podocnemis (6, all occur in Colombia, 4 up to Brazil) and Peltocephalus (one sp. in over northern continent).
CRYPTODIRA
10 families worldwide, Platysternidae (SEE) does not occurs is New World. In New World, Tryonichidae (only Apalone in New World), and Dermatemydidae (monotypic from S Mexico, Guatemala and Belize) occurs from Canada to America Central but non in South America. The seven remaining families worldwide occur in South America:
CHELONIDAE
(5/)6, sea-turtles. All species in Brazil except Lepidochelys kempii Baur, 1890, breeding only in Veracruz state of Mexico and some places in SE U.S.A. (NOAA), and Natator depressus Limpus, 1988 nesting only in northern Australia) an southern New Guinea.
CHELYDRIDAE
(2/)7 spp., with Macrochelys (1) endemic to U.S.A. and Chelydra (3) from North America to Colombia and Ecuador in South America (only C. acutirostris Babcock, 1932 in continent).
DERMOCHELYIDAE
Only one sp., Dermochelys coriacea Blainville 1816, widely in tropical and subtropical oceans. In Brazil D. coriacea nests regularly in northern coast of Espírito Santo state, by Almeida et al. (Endangered Species Research, 2011).
EMYDIDAE
(12/)57 spp. worldwide. 8 genera occur only in U.S.A. and Mexico (with two endemic genera in U.S.A.), plus Emys (2, from Europe to Iran and Kazakhstan) and Trachemys, genus with 16 spp., mainly Mexico and U.S.A., also Caribbean, and four spp. in South America: two in Colombia and Venezuela, one very disjunct in S Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina, and one endemic to Maranhão and Piauí states in NE Brazil.
GEOEMYDIDAE
(19/)77 spp. worldwide, only one genus occurs in New World: Rhinoclemmys, with 9 spp., 4 only in Mexico to America Central, two only from Venezuela to Ecuador, and three from Mexico to South America, including the single Brazilian member, R. punctularia Daudin, 1801.
KINOSTERNIDAE
(4/)33 spp., mainly from Mexico: Sternotherus (2) up to Canada, Claudius (2) and Staurotypus (6) up to America Central and Kinosternon (21) up to South America. Only three in South America, all in Colombia (one endemic), and only K. scorpioides in Brazil. Mexico has 8 endemic species, all in Kinosternon.
SOUTH AMERICAN RANGE OF ALL FIVE LAND CRYPTODIRA GENERA IN REGION
TESTUDINIDAE
(17/)58 spp., only two genera in New World: Gopherus (5, Mexico and U.S.A.) and Chelinioides(17, 3 in mainland South America, two in Brazil, and 14 endemic to Galapagos Is).
34.13 CROCODILIA
(3:9/)28 spp. (Repfocus). All Crocodylia from New World occur in Brazil except the four Crocodylus (Crocodylidae) and one Alligator (Alligatoriidae); four of these species are mutually nationally disjuncts: C. rhombifer Cuvier, 1807 (endemic to W Cuba), C. moreletii Dumeril & Bibron, 1851 (SE Mexico, W Belize and N Guatemala), C. intermedius Graves, 1819 (E Colombia and W Venezuela) and Alligator mimississipiensis Gray, 1831 (endemic to SE U.S.A.). The fifth, C. acutus Cuvier, 1807, occurs sympatrycally with all four, plus range also in Peru, Ecuador, El Salvador to Panama, and other Greater Antilles (SEE). Brazil and Colombia has the largest diversities worldwide (Repfocus).
Crocodylus intermedius has records extremely close to Brazil, with the most notable one located only 200 km from our borders, in the northeast of the Guainia department up NW Amazonas state (Data Basin), but notably the species does not occurs in the national territory. Other maps in Morales-Betancourt, M.A. et al. (Biota Colombiana, 2014).
Recent studies (Ávila-Cervantes et al., Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2025) suggest the existence of two likely Crocodylus species endemic to small islands off the coast of Yucatán, Mexico. If confirmed, Mexico would become the global hotspot for these reptiles.
34.14 AVES
WORLD HOTSPOT OF AVIAN DIVERSITY (BM)
Worldwide there are 11,145 spp. within 254 families (Birds of the World, in 27.11.2024), in 2,302 genera (Wikipedia, SEE, 27.11.2024). For details of diversity in South America, see South American Birds. For an overview of migratory birds in Brazil, see Somenzari, M. et al. (Papeis Avulsos de Zoologia, 2018).
46 living orders worldwide, 12 not breeds in New World: Struthioniformes (1:1/2), Apterygiformes (1:1/5), Casuariiformes (1:2/4), Mesitornithiformes (1:2/3), Pterocliformes (1:2/16), Otidiformes (1:12/16), Musophagiformes (1:5/23), Podargiformes (1:3/16), Aegotheliformes (1:1/10), Coliiformes (1:2/6), Leptosomiformes (1:1/1) and Bucerotiformes (4:19/75), and 34 breeds in New World: Rheiformes, Tinamiformes, Anseriformes, Galliformes, Columbiformes, Cuculiformes, Caprimulgiformes, Nyctibiiformes, Steatornithiformes, Apodiformes, Gruiformes, Charadriiformes, Phoenicopteriformes, Podicipediformes, Opisthocomiformes, Eurypygiformes, Phaethontiformes, Gaviiformes, Sphenisciformes, Procellariiformes, Ciconiiformes, Suliformes, Pelecaniformes, Cathartiformes, Accipitriformes, Strigiformes, Trogoniformes, Coraciiformes, Galbuliformes, Piciformes, Carimifomes, Falconiformes, Psittaciformes and Passeriformes. All orders that breed in the New World also breed in South America, except Gaviiformes. Only two orders that breed in South America do not breed in Brazil: Sphenisciformes and Phoenicopteriformes. Two breeding orders in Brazil, Rheiformes and Cariamiformes, do not breed in Colombia. Cariamiformes, Opisthocomiformes, Steatornithiformes, and Rheiformes — all of which breed in Brazil — do not breed in either Mexico or the U.S.A.
BRAZILIAN NUMBERS
For birds, there are many sources available to quantify avian diversity, with five being particularly relevant: CTFB (733/1969 spp., SEE), Mongabay (1,813 spp. for Brazil in 2019, SEE), BirdLife Data Zone (1,816 spp. for Brazil as of May 1, 2025, SEE), WikiAves (1,963 spp. for Brazil as of May 1, 2025, SEE), and Birds of the World (1,818 spp, as of May 1, 2025, SEE). All these databases include vagrant and migratory species. Here, at Brazilian Metazoa, we choose to include only bird species that breed in Brazil. Therefore, our reference is a custom compilation, primarily based Brazilian Metazoa/South America Birds. In this compilation, we accept a total of (81:650/)1,712 breeding bird species in the national territory.
ENDEMISMS
In endemic species, Brazil has more than any other country in the Western Hemisphere and in the World is 3th only to Indonesia and Australia: 263 spp. in Intreasures (SEE, in November 27, 2024) and 257 in BirdLife (SEE, in November 27, 2024). In endemic genera, Brazil has 25 against 8 Mexicans, 3 Colombians and 11 Peruvians. With the exception of Passeriformes and Apodiformes, Brazil has 5 endemic genera (3 Psittaciformes, 1 Tinamiformes and 1 Piciformes), Colombia 1 (in Psittaciformes), Peru 1 (in Strigiformes) and Mexico 3 (in Galliformes, Psittaciformes and Trogoniformes, 1 each).
U.S.A.
Among Passeriformes, including vagants, U.S.A. has 18 Brazilian outsider families (Laniidae, Paridae, Alaudidae, Remizidae, Aegithalidae, Sylviidae, Regulidae, Phylloscopidae, Sittidae, Certhiidae, Cinclidae, Icteriidae, Spindalidae, Calcariidae, Bombycillidae, Ptiliogonatidae, Acrocephalidae, and Peucedramidae), and Brazil has 12 outsider U.S.A.'s (Thamnophilidae, Pipridae, Cotingidae, Pipritidae, Melanopareiidae, Formicariidae, Furnariidae, Donacobiidae, Oxyruncidae, Conopophagidae, Rhinocryptidae and Mitronspingidae).
MEXICO
Except for Passeriformes, seven families breed in Mexico but not in Brazil.: Alcidae (4, Ptychoramphus aleuticus, Synthliboramphus scrippsi, S. hypoleucus and S. craveri), Phasianidae (2, Maleagris), Diomedeidae (Phoebastria immutabilis, breeding only off NW Mexico, and in Hawaii), Hydrobatidae (7 breeding species in Pacific coast of Mexico, 4 endemics), Pelecanidae (Pelecanus occidentalis), Pandionidae (1) and Phoenicoptridae (1). Except Passeriformes, Brazil includes 8 breeding families which do not beeds in Mexico: Rheidae, Opistochomidae, Cariamidae, Anhimidae, Psophiidae, Steatornitidae, Rostratulidae and Capitonidae. 12 breeding Passerifomes families in Mexico do not occur in Brazil: Alaudidae, Paridae, Aegithilidae, Remizidae, Ptiliogonatidae, Cinclidae, Regulidae, Sittidae, Rhodinocichlidae, Peucedramidae, Icteriidae and Spindalidae.
Among species in non-Passeriformes, Mexico has endemic species in 8 families in which Brazil do not have them: Odontophoridae, Apodidae, Momotidae, Falconidae and several seabirds: Hydrobatidae, Procellariidae, Laridae, Alcidae, and Brazil has 6 non-Mexican endemic species container (Anatidae, Accipitridae, Psophiidae, Galbulidae, Bucconidae, Capitonidae). Already on the South American neighbors, families in the same situation are found in Venezuela (Odontophoridae, Apodidae), Colombia (Odontophoridae, Podicipedidae), Ecuador (Spheniscidae, Diomedeidae, Procellariidae, Phalacrocoracidae, Laridae), Peru (Podicipedidae, Hydrobatidae), Chile (Oceanitidae, Procellariidae, Laridae) and Argentina (Podicipedidae, Laridae).
SOUTH AMERICA
Five South American breeding families are absolutely absent in Brazil - Sapayoidae (1/1, Panama to Ecuador, SEE), Cinclidae (1/5, one in North America, two in Eurasia, and two in South America, SEE), Rhodinocichlidae (1/1, Mexico to Colombia and Venezuela, in a very fragmented range, SEE), Pluvianellidae (1/1, Chile and Argentina, with recent records in Uruguay - SEE) and Semnornithidae (1/2, one species from Costa Rica and Panama, another from Colombia and Ecuador, SEE). It is worth mentioning Sapayoa, the only member of the New World of the Eurylaimides group (Moyle et al., American Museum Novitates, 2006), which is perhaps the most notable disjunction of birds in the South American continent. Bombycillidae is commonly reported as Colombian, however it´s a vagant/accidental/migrant up to NW Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador (with only seven records in continent, SEE), being excluded in our list.
SOUTH AMERICAN RANGE OF ALL LAND BIRD EXXOFAMILIES
NOTES FOR SOME GROUPS
GALIFORMES
In Cracidae, only a half of 10 genera in this family occur in Brazil. Outsiders are Pauxi and Aburria (Venezuela to Bolivia), Penelopina and Oreophasis (Mexico to Nicaragua), and Chamaepetes (Costa Rica to Peru).
STEATORNITHIDAE
A single species in this order, Steatornis caripensis Humboldt, 1817, an enigmatic bird whose occurrence in national territory is quite shrouded in imprecision. Wiki Aves reports only one occurrence in Brazil, with photos, in Manaus (SEE), ignoring a record made in 1998 at the Palmari reserve, of an individual killed and predated (SEE), record reinforced by Tello et all. (Journal of Ornitology, 2008); both citations become insignificant in the face of Herrera (Bol. Soc. Venezolana Espeleol., 2003), who record in quite extraordinary reports the presence of the species forming colonies in Brazilian territory, just a few hundred meters from the border in Wei Tepui, northern Roraima state - things of nature.
SPHENISCIFORMES
Spheniscidae is the unique family in this order, with (6/)18 spp., six spp. breeds only in Australia and New Zealand, one only in southern Africa, five only Antartida and/or austral islands in Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and six in South America: Aptenodytes patagonicus Miller, JF, 1778 breed in Kerguelen and Crozet, Prince Edward, Heard and McDonald, and Macquarie, South Georgia, Malvinas, southern Chile, South Sandwich and South Shetland (SEE); Eudyptes chrysolophus Brandt, 1837, the most common penguin, breeds Chile, Malvinas in Argentina, South Georgia and the South Sandwich, the South Orkney and South Shetland, Bouvet, Prince Edward and Marion, Crozet, Kerguelen, Heard and McDonald and very locally on the Antarctic Peninsula (SEE); E. chrysochrome Forster, JR, 1781 breeds in Malvinas islands off Argentina, Tierra del Fuego, Prince Edward and Marion, Crozet, Kerguelen, Heard and McDonald (SEE); Spheniscus magellanicus Forster 1781 breeds on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of South America, in 67 sites in Argentina, at least 31 in Chile, and at least 100 in Malvinas Islands in Argentina (SEE); S. humboldti Meyen 1834 breeds in 49 sites from Isla Foca (5° 12´S) in Peru down to Isla Guafo (43° 32´S) in southern Chile (SEE); S. mendiculus Sundevall 1871 is endemic to the Galápagos archipelago (SEE).
Non South American Spheniscidae: Spheniscus demersus (breeds at 26 localities in N Namibia and E South Africa, SEE), Megadyptes antipodes (SE coast of South Island in New Zealand, Stewart and outliers, Auckland group, and Campbell, SEE), Eudyptes robustus (breeds on the Snares, 200 km south of New Zealand, SEE), Eudyptes pachyrhynchus (W to SW coast of the South Island, New Zealand, SEE), Eudyptes sclateri (breeds on the Antipodes and Bounty Islands in New Zealand, SEE), Eudyptes schlegeli (breed only on Macquarie, Australia, SEE), Eudyptula minor (not continuous from W Australia to New South Wales in Australia, Chatham to mainland New Zealand, SEE), Eudyptes moseleyi (only southern islands, Tristan da Cunha, Gough, Amsterdam and St Paul, SEE), Aptenodytes forsteri (54 colonies in Antartida, SEE), Pygoscelis papua (Fish Islands on the Antarctic Peninsula to the Crozet Islands, SEE), P. adeliae (entire Antarctic coast and at some of its nearby islands, SEE), and P. antarcticus (Antarctica, South Sandwich, South Orkneys, South Shetland, South Georgia, Bouvet and Balleny, SEE).
PROCELLARIIFORMES
Only two species in this order breeds in Brazil, both in Procellariidae: Puffinus lherminieri Lesson, 1839, widely in topical areas, breeding only in Fernando de Noronha and Espírito Santo state in Brazil (SEE), and Pterodroma arminjoniana Giglioli & Salvadori, 1869, who breeds only in Trindade Is. in Brazil, and in a small islet in Mauritius (SEE).
APODIFORMES
Brazil has only the 5rd diversity of Trochilidae, with 84 spp., after 164 in Colombia, 135 in Ecuador, 133 in Peru and 104 in Venezuela.
PHOENICOPTERIFORMES
Phoenicopteridae, the sole family in this order, breeding in South America with Phoenicopterus: in Buenos Aires and Córdoba provinces in Argentina for P. chilensis (SEE); coast of Venezuela and Galapagos islands in Ecuador for P. ruber (SEE, vagant in Brazil, very rare in N Colombia), and Phoenicoparrus (breeding from Peru to Argentina and Chile, some vagant in Brazil). Mexico has one breeding species, in Yucatan region.
CATHARTIFORMES
Brazil has all the members of this order (with a single family, Cathartidae) except the two condors: Gymnogyps californianus Shaw, 1797, the California Condor, from SW U.S.A. to NW Mexico; and Vultur gryphus L., 1758, Andean Condor, from NW Venezuela to Tierra del Fuego in W South America, one of the largest flying birds in the world, and is generally considered to be the largest bird of prey in the World.
PICIFORMES
Four of five genera of Ramphastidae occur in Brazil, the exception is Andigena (W).
PSITTACIFORMES
There is a single parrot family in the New World, Psittacidae, with Brazil hosting 88 species. Ten New World genera within this family are absent from Brazil: Conuropsis (USA), Rhynchopsitta (Mexico), Bolborhynchus (Mexico to Bolivia and Venezuela), Hapalopsittaca (Venezuela to Peru), Ognorhynchus (Colombia), Leptosittaca (Colombia to Peru), Thectocercus (Colombia to Argentina), Psilopsiagon (Peru to Argentina and Chile), Cyanoliseus (Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay), and Enicognathus (Chile and Argentina). Genera that are nearly restricted to Brazil include Pionopsitta (also found in Argentina and Paraguay) and Alipiopsitta (also in Bolivia). Brazil holds the highest diversity of Psittacidae genera in the New World — including three endemic genera — and also the greatest number of Psittaciformes species globally (Australia, by comparison, has only 56). In addition to the New World genera, two others in this family occur in Africa, while Australasian species belong to a separate family, Psittaculidae.
■ endemic families in New World: Teretistridae (1/2, Cuba).
35.15 MAMMALIA
WORLD HOTSPOT OF MAMMAL DIVERSITY (BM)
There are (167:1,353/)6,753 spp. of mammals (ASM Mammal Diversity, in December 04, 2024). One of the best souces of mammals: the free pack of Handbook of the Mammals of the World.
Here, despite the existence of numerous references, we choose to consider Cetartiodactyla as divided into five distinct orders. This decision is based on the fact that it is simply too strange and taxonomically inconsistent to group Cetacea and Giraffidae within the same order. The relatively recent inclusion of Cetacea within Artiodactyla represents one of the most unusual outcomes that molecular phylogenetics has produced in recent years. What stands out most — and remains undeniably striking — is the profound morphological divergence between these groups, which makes their placement within a single order highly questionable. The idea of maintaining them together seems unnatural, so splitting Cetartiodactyla into separate orders appears to be the most coherent and scientifically sound alternative. However, it is important to note that there is currently no formal taxonomic restructuring in this direction. What exists, rather, is a growing recognition in the scientific literature that the group comprises five major clades, a division that has been strongly supported by multiple recent phylogenetic studies.
Accordingly, of the 31 orders in our concept, 5 occur only in Africa to Madagascar or Middle East (Ancodonta, Afrosoricida, Tubulidentada, Macroscelida and Hyracoidea), 2 only in tropical Asia (Dermoptera, Scadentia), 2 widely from Africa to Asia (Proboscidea, Pholidota), 5 only from Australia to New Guinea and Australasia (Monotrema, Dasyuromorpha, Diprodontia, Notoryctemorphia, Peramelemorphia), and 17 in New World, all in South America, 13 in Brazil (Didelphimorphia, Sirenia, Pilosa, Cingulata, Rodentia, Lagomorpha, Primates, Cetacea, Ruminantia, Suina, Carnivora, Chiroptera and Perissodactyla) and 4 absent (Eulipotyphla, Paucituberculata, Microbiotheria and Tylopoda).
PHYLOGENY OF MAMMALS AND ALL EXTANT SPECIES OF BASAL MONOTREMATA, RESTRICTED FOR EAST WALLACE LINE
BRAZIL
By a most recent checklist of mammals in country (Sociedade Brasileira de Mastozoologia/EXCEL, 2023: SBM/Brazil), Brazil has (49:248/)778 spp., in 13 orders: Didelphiomorpha (15/68), Pilosa (5/13), Cingulata (5/12), Chiroptera (68/182), Primates (20/130), Carnivora (25/36), Cetacea (28/49), Sirenia (1/2), Perissodactyla (1/1), Ruminantia (6/9), Suina (2/2), Rodentia (75/267) and Lagomorpha (1/4).
SOUTH AMERICA
South America has 343 genera of mammals in 64 families (2/3 bats or rodents). Brazil has the largest diversity of mammals worldwide, followed by Indonesia (670), China (551) and Mexico (523), by Mongabay (SEE). Colombia includes (50:213/)543 mammals (Ramírez-Chaves et al., Mammology Notes, 2020). In all orders Brazil has more species than Colombia except Chiroptera, Perissodactyla and the absent Paucituberculata and Eulypotyphla.
ENDEMISMS
Brazil has endemic genera in three orders (Chiroptera, Primates and Rodentia), Mexico in 5 (Chiroptera, Didelphiomorpha, Eulipotyphla, Lagomorpha, Rodentia) and U.S.A. in 2 (Chiroptera and Rodentia). Excepting Rodentia, endemic genera in South American countries occur in Brazil, Peru (Tomopeas: Molossidae), Ecuador (Cabreramops: Molossidae) and Argentina (Chlamyphorus: Chlamyphoridae; Chacodelphys and Lestodelphys: Didelphidae). Among endemic species, Brazil has the 3rd diversity worldwide (258), ahead Indonesia (338) and Australia (291), by Intreasures (SEE, in December 07, 2024). Brazil has endemic species of opossuns, river dolphins, armadillos, sloths, anteaters, bats, rabbits, fox, deers and monkeys.
ALBINISM IN ANIMALS
Several records of albinism in Brazilian and South American wildlife have been reported, including cases in Chiroptera (Leopoldo Ferreira de Oliveira Bernardi et al., Subterranean Biology, 2019), Coendou rufescens (Romero et al., Mammalia, 2017), Eira barbara (Aximoff & Rocha, Oecologia Australis, 2016), Lama guanicoe (Derlindati et al., The Southern Naturalist, 2013), and Proechimys spp. (Dalapicolla et al., Fapesp, 2020). Additionally, a high frequency of leucism has been documented in a population of Anoura geoffroyi in Minas Gerais, Brazil (Reis et al., Biota Neotropica, 2019).
UNBRAZILIAN GENERA AND FAMILIES
Four South American orders do not occur in Brazil: Tylopoda (2/4, in Camelidae), Eulypotyphla (1/11, Cryptotis, Soricidae), Paucituberculata (3/7 spp. in Caenolestidae) and Microbiotheria (1/1, in Microbiotheriidae), with joined (5/)19 spp.
Among Brazilian orders, the seven exxofamilies are: Neobalaenidae (Caperea marginata Gray, 1846, found in temperate waters of the Southern Hemisphere, found in southern Chile and Argentina in South America), Ursidae (Tremarctos ornatus Cuvier, 1825 in east slopes of Andes from NW Venezuela to NW Argentina), Abrocomidae (2/10, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina), Octodontidae (7/14, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina), Chinchilidae (3/7, Ecuador to Chile and Argentina, SEE), Heteromyidae (5, all in Heteromys, from Venezuela to Ecuador) and Geomyidae (Orthogeomys dariensis Goldman, 1912, in NW Colombia).
SOUTH AMERICAN RANGE OF ALL LAND MAMMALIAN EXXOFAMILIES EXCEPT RODENTIA
SOUTH AMERICAN RANGE OF ALL RODENTIA EXXOFAMILIES
South America still has 96 unbrazilian genera, being in Paucituberculata (3), Microbiotheria (1, Dromiciops), Eulypotyohla (1, Cryptotis), Didelphiomorpha (2, Lestodelphys and Chacodelphys), Cingulata (3, Calyptophractus, Chlamyphorus and Zaedyus), Chiroptera (10), Carnivora (Lyncodon, Nasuella, Urocyon, Tremarctos and six Pinippedia), Cetacea (1, Caperea), Suina (1, Parachoerus in Tayassuidae), Ruminantia (4, Bisbalus, Hippocamelus, Pudella and Pudu in Cervidae), Tylopoda (1, Lama in Camelidae) and Rodentia (60, being 39 in Cricetidae, Dolichotis in Caviidae, Diplomys, Hoplomys, Olallamys, Pattonomys and Santamartamys in Echymyidae, Heteromys in Heteromyidae, Orthogeomys in Geomyidae, Lagostomus, Chinchilla and Lagidium in Chinchillidae, Cuscomys and Abrocoma in Abrocomidae, and Tympanoctomys, Pipanacoctomys, Salinoctomys, Octomys, Octodontomys, Octodon, Aconaemys, Spalacopus in Ocotodontidae).
ORDERS
ORDER AUCITUBERCULATA
(3/)7 spp. in Caenolestidae (ASM Mammal Diversity): Caenolestes (5, W Venezuela to N Peru), Lestoros inca O. Thomas, 1917 (SE Peru to W Bolivia, above 2,000m) and Rhyncholestes raphanurus Osgood, 1924 (S Chile and S Argentina).
ORDER MICROBIOTHERIATwo spp. in Dromiciops (ASM Mammal Diversity), from S Chile and S Argentina.
ORDER DIDELPHIOMORPHA(18/)126 spp. in Didelphidae (ASM Mammal Diversity), from U.S.A. to Uruguay. Brazil leads (fully or tied) in number of species in all genera of Didelphidae except Marmosa (Peru more 3, Colombia more 2), Lutreolina (Argentina and Bolivia more 1), Thylamys (Argentina and Bolivia more 1), and the three absent: Tlacuatzin (5, Mexico), Chacodelphis (1, Argentina) and Lestodelphys (1, Argentina). For several Marsupialia in South America, see Louise & Myers (Field Museum, 2001).
ORDER SIRENIA4 living species (ASM Mammal Diversity): Dugong dugon Müller, 1776 (Mozambique to New Caledonia and Taiwan, MPA), Trichechus manatus L., 1758 (Atlantic coasts from Virginia in U.S.A. to Bahia state in NE Brazil, Caribbean), T. senegalensis Link, 1795 (Mauritania to Angola, inland up to Mali and Niger) and T. inunguis Natterer, 1883 (Amazon System rivers, from Venezuela to Bolivia and N Brazil).
ORDER PILOSA(4:5/)17 spp., living anteaters and sloths (ASM Mammal Diversity). All Pilosa occur in Brazil (including four endemic) except by Cyclops catellus (Bolivia), C. dorsalis (W Ecuador, Colombia, America Central, S Mexico), Tamandua mexicana (C Mexico to Venezuela and Peru), and Bradypus pygmaeus (endemic to Isla Escudo de Veraguas, a small island off the Caribbean coast of Panama).
ORDER CINGULATA(9/)22 spp. (ASM Mammal Diversity) from S U.S.A to southern South America in two families, highly centered in Chaco region in South America and in Argentina, rarely in northern South America.
DASYPODIDAE
8 spp. in Dasypus. Brazil leads (5). Unbrazilian species: D. sabanicola (Colombia and Venezuela), D. pilosus (Peru) and D. mazzai (N Argentina).
CHLAMYPHORIDAE
14 spp., 7 in Brazil and 7 absent: Cabassous centralis (Mexico to Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela), C. chacoensis (Paraguay and Argentina), Chaetophractus vellerosus (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Paraguay), C. villosus (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Paraguay), Calyptophractus retusus (Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina), Zaedyus pichiy (Argentina and Chile) and Chlamyphorus truncatus (Argentina). Calyptophractus, Chaetophractus, Zaedyus and Chlamyphorus do not occur in Brazil.
ORDER RODENTIA
(35:536/)2696 spp. in five high lineages. 8 New World families do not occur in Brazil: five from North America up to Ecuador (Zapodidae, Aplodontiidae, Castoridae, Geomyidae and Heteromyidae) and three from Ecuador to Argentina and Chile (Chinchillidae, Abrocomidae and Octodontidae).
Brazil and Mexico has simultaneously Erethizontidae (Brazil 12 ✕ 2 Mexico), Dasyproctidae (Brazil 9 ✕ 2 Mexico), Cuniculidae, Sciuridae (Brazil 8 ✕ 36 Mexico) and Cricetidae (Brazil 42/155 ✕ 24/139 Mexico). Mexico includes three unbrazilian families: Castoridae (1 in country), Geomydidae (19 in country) and Heteromyidae (41 in country), all Castorimorpha. Brazil includes 4 unmexican families: Caviidae (9), Ctenomyidae (1/8), Dinomyidae (1/1) and Echimyidae (17/64).
ANOMALUROMORPHA
Three families, Anomaluridae (2/6), Pedetidae (1/2) and Zenkerellidae (1/1), all from tropical Africa.
CASTORIMORPHA
Three families: Castoridae (1/2, Alaska to N Mexico, and France to C Russia and N Kazakhstan, MAP), Geomyidae (7/42, SE Canada to NW Colombia, MAP) and Heteromyidae (5/70, SE Canada to Ecuador and Venezuela, MAP).
HYSTRICOMORPHA
17 families, 7 only in Old World: Bathyergidae (5/26, sub-Saharan Africa), Ctenodactylidae (4/5, Africa), Petromuridae (1/1, SW Africa), Thryonomyidae (1/2, Africa), Heterocephalidae (1/1, Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya), Hystricidae (3/11, Europe and the Levant, most of Africa, India, and SE Asia as far east as Flores), and Diatomyidae (1/1, Laos); and 10 in New World: Erethizontidae (3/18), Chinchillidae (3/6), Dinomyidae (1/1), Caviidae (6/24), Dasyproctidae (2/15), Cuniculidae (1/2), Abrocomidae (2/10), Ctenomyidae (1/68), Echimyidae (35/101) and Octodontidae (7/15).
Brazil includes 7 families, and Mexico only 5 spp., in Erethizontidae (2), Dasyproctidae (2) and Cuniculidae (1). Chinchillidae (Ecuador to Uruguay, MAP), Abrocomidae (SE Peru, SW Bolivia, NW Argentina, NE Chile, MAP) and Octodontidae (SW Bolivia, E Chile, W Argentina, MAP) do not occur in Brazil.
Echimyidae includes 27 genera, 17 in Brazil (64 spp. in country and five genera endemic to Brazil, including the two bigger endemic genera of mammals for a any New World country, Phyllomys and Trinomys) and 10 absent: five in Caribbean islands (Capromys, Geocapromys, Mesocapromys, Mysateles, Plagiodontia), and five from Nicaragua to Peru and Venezuela: Diplomys (Panama to NW Ecuador), Hoplomys (1, Honduras to Ecuador), Olallamys (2, NW Venezuela and Colombia), Pattonomys (5, Venezuela to S Peru) and Santamartamys (1, N Colombia).
MYOMORPHA
Nine families, 7 only in Old World: Calomyscidae (1/12, Syria, Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan), Dipodidae (14/41), Sminthidae (1/19), Muridae (162/850, largest family of mammals), Nesomyidae (22/71, Africa and Madagascar), Platacanthomyidae (2/7, Asia) and Spalacidae (7/41, Africa and Eurasia), and two in New World: Zapodidae (3/11) and Cricetidae (156/859).
Cricetidae includes five subfamilies, two of which are exclusive to the Old World (Arvicollinae and Cricetinae), and three restricted to the New World. Of the New World subfamilies, Tylominae (4/10) and Neotominae (16/140) are primarily centered in North America and have only two species in South America. Sigmodontinae, in contrast, is predominantly South American (all genera occur here), despite the type genus of the group being native to North America. Only the tribes Sigmodontini, Ichthyomyini, and Oryzomyini extend beyond South America, and just 10 genera within these three tribes occur outside the continent (Sigmodon, Ichthyomys, Melanomys, Nephelomys, Oligoryzomys, Oryzomis, Sigmodontomys, Tanyuromys, Transandinomys, and Zygodontomys). In total, Cricetidae comprises about 106 genera in the Americas, 88 of which are found in South America — 76 of them exclusively (Paton, BOOK, 2015). Brazil alone is home to (42/)155 spp. Colombia includes (30/)82 spp. of Cricetidae (Ramírez-Chaves et al., Mammology Notes, 2020).
SUBFAMILY NEOTOMINAE
Four tribes and (16/)140 spp. from Canada to Ecuador (Lynx). Two genera in South America: Isthmomys (2, one in South America) and Reithrodontomys (20, Canada to Ecuador, only one in South America).
SUBFAMILY SIGMODONTINAE
11 subtribes and four genera incertae sedis. The circumscription adopted by Lynx (Banner), Patton (2015), and SBM/Brazil (2023) are largely congruent, differing primarily in the inclusion of a few species described after Patton (2015) and cited in SBM/Brazil (e.g., in Delomys, Juliomys, Rhagomys, Deltamys, Scapteromys, 8 new in Neacomys, all from Brazil), as well as in the allocation of several genera listed as Incertae Sedis by Patton (2015), but now assigned to specific tribes in Lynx (Banner) and SBM/Brazil (e.g., Juliomys placed in Wiedomyini), and a inclusion of Daptomys (recognized in SBM/Brazil) under Neustocomys in Patton (2015).
Sigmodontini - 14 spp. in Sigmodon (U.S.A. to northern South America, Lynx). One sp. in Brazil and 4 in South America.
Ichthyomyini - (5/)18 spp. (Lynx) in Anotomys (N Ecuador), Chibchanomys (2, Colombia to Peru), Neusticomys (6, northern South America, two in Brazil), Ichthyomys (4, Panama to Venezuela and Peru) and Rheomys. The last genus is not recognized in Paton (2015), and Brazilian list recognizes Daptomys as distinct from Neusticomys. (1/)2 spp. in Brazil.
Incertae sedis - (4/)8 spp. (Lynx) in Abrawayaomys (2, one in SE Brazil, one in NE Argentina and Paraguay), Chinchillula (1, S Peru, W Bolivia and N Chile), Delomys (3, SE Brazil and NE Argentina), and Neomicroxus (2, Venezuela to Colombia). (2/)4 spp. in Brazil.
Reithrodontini - only Reithrodon (3, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and S Brazil, Lynx, one sp. in last).
Oryzomyini - (29/)141 spp. in Aegialomys (2, Ecuador, Galapagos and Peru), Amphinectomys (1, NE Peru), Cerradomys (8, all in Brazil, also in Bolivia and Paraguay), Drymoreomys (1, SE Brazil), Euryoryzomys (1, N Peru), Eremoryzomys (6, widely in tropical South America, 5 in Brazil), Handleyomys (3, Colombia and Ecuador), Holochilus (6, widely in tropical South America, 5 in Brazil), Hylaeamys (7, widely in tropical South America, 5 in Brazil), Lundomys (1, S Brazil and Uruguay), Melanomys (6, Honduras to Peru and Venezuela), Microakodontomys (1, C Brazil), Microryzomys (2, Venezuela to Bolivia in Andean region), Mindomys (1, Ecuador), Neacomys (15, tropical South America, 13 in Brazil), Nectomys (5, tropical America, 3 in Brazil), Nephelomys (13, Costa Rica to Bolivia and Venezuela), Nesoryzomys (3, Galapagos), Oecomys (16, widely in tropical America, 15 in Brazil), Oligoryzomys (23, Mexico to Argentina and Chile, Caribbean, 10 in Brazil), Oreoryzomys (1, Ecuador to N Peru), Oryzomys (5, North America to Colombia and Venezuela), Pseudoryzomys (1, Peru to Argentina and Brazil), Scolomys (2, Ecuador, S Colombia, N Peru and S Brazil, one in latter), Sigmodontomys (1, Honduras to Ecuador and Venezuela), Sooretamys (1, S Brazil, Paraguay and NE Argentina), Tanyuromys (1, Costa Rica, Panama, and Ecuador), Transandinomys (2, Costa Rica to Peru), and Zygodontomys (2, Costa Rica to Brasil, one in latter country). (15/)71 spp. in Brazil.
Akodontini - (16/)83 spp. in Akodon (38, widely in tropical South America, 11 in Brazil), Bibimys (3, S Brazil, NE Argentina, Paraguay, 1 in Brazil), Blarinomys (1, E Brazil to NE Argentina), Brucepattersonius (7, Brazil to Argentina, 4 in former country), Castoria (1, S Brazil and NE Argentina), Deltamys (2, E Argentina, S Brazil and Uruguay, both in Brazil), Gyldenstolpia (2, N Argentina and C Brazil one each), Juscelinomys (2, C Brazil and E Bolivia one each), Kunsia (1, C Brazil to N Bolivia), Lenoxus (1, SE Peru to Bolivia), Necromys (7, widely in tropical South America, two in Brazil), Oxymycterus (15, Peru and Brazil to Argentina, 9 in Brazil), Podoxymys (1, Venezuelan side of Mount Roraima, unknwon in Brazilian side), Scapteromys (3, S Brazil, NE Argentina, Uruguay), Thalpomys (2, C Brazil), and Thaptomys (1, S Brazil, NE Argentina and Paraguay). (14/)40 spp. in Brazil.
Thomasomyini - (5/)74 spp. (Lynx) in Aepeomys (2, Venezuela), Chilomys (2, Venezuela to Ecuador), Rhagomys (3, one in Peru and Bolivia, another in SE Brazil, and one in Rondonia state in W Brazil), Rhipidomys (23, over tropical South America, 16 spp. in Brazil) and Thomasomys (44, tropical South America, NW Venezuela to W Bolivia). (2/)18 spp. in Brazil.
Andinomyini - (2/)3 spp. (Lynx) in Andinomys (1, S Peru to NW Argentina and NE Chile) and Punomys (1, highest elevational range of any species of mammals in the Neotropics, in SE Peru and W Bolivia).
Euneomyini - (3/)6 spp. (Lynx) in Euneomys (4, S Argentina and Chile), Irenomys (1, S Argentina and Chile) and Neotomys (1, C Peru to NW Argentina and Chile).
Wiedomyini - (4/)8 spp. (Lynx): Juliomys (4, SE Brazil, Paraguay and NE Argentina), Phaenomys (1, SE Brazil), Wiedomys (2, endemic to NE Brazil), and Wilfredomys (1, S Brazil and Uruguay).
Abrotrichini - (5/)17 spp. (Lynx) in Abrothrix (8, C Peru to Tierra del Fuego), Chelemys (2, WC Argentina to C Chile), Geoxus (1, S Chile and adjacent Argentina), Notiomys (1, S Argentina) and Pearsonomys (1, SW coast of Chile).
Phyllotini - (11/)59 spp. (Lynx) in Andalgalomys (3, SE Bolivia, N Argentina and Paraguay), Auliscomys (3, Peru to Chile and Argentina), Calassomys (1, Minas Gerais state in SE Brazil), Calomys (21, one sp. in Colombia and Venezuela, and remaining 20 from Brazil and Peru to Patagonia, 9 in Brazil), Eligmodontia (7, SE Peru to Chile and Argentina), Galenomys (1, SE Peru to NW Bolivia), Graomys (4, Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay), Loxodontomys (1, C & S Chile and S Argentina), Phyllotis (15, Ecuador to Patagonia), Salinomys (1, N Argentina) and Tapecomys (2, C Bolivia to N Argentina). (2/)10 spp. in Brazil.
SUBFAMILY TYLOMYINAE
(4/)10 spp. in Nyctomys, Otonyctomys, Ototylomys and Tylomys (Lynx). Only one genus in South America, Tylomys, with a single species in continent, T. mirae Thomas, in Colombia and Ecuador.
SCIUROMORPHA
Three families: Aplodontiidae (1/1, Aplodontia rufa Rafinesque, 1817, from British Columbia to C California), Gliridae (9/30, Africa, Asia and Europe) and Sciuridae (64/321, worldwide). Brazil includes only (3/)8 spp., all Sciuridae, in Sciurus (6), Microsciurus (1) and Sciurillus (1).
ORDER LAGOMORPHA(2:11/)111 living spp. wordlwide (ASM Mammal Diversity) in Ochotonidae (1/34) and Leporidae (10/77). Only three genera occur in New World: Lepus (35, 27 in Old World from Europe to Southern Africa, Siberia and SE Asia, and 8 in New World, from Canada and Greenland to Mexico), Romerolagus (R. diazi Ferrari-Pérez, 1893, C Mexico) and Sylvilagus (30, New World from Alaska to Patagonia).
Sylvilagus includes 30 spp., 28 confined to a single zone: Canada/U.S.A. (6), U.S.A/Mexico (3), Mexico and America Central (8), Venezuela to Peru (9, one widely, one endemic to Venezuela, 5 endemic to Colombia and two endemic to Ecuador), Suriname (1) and Brazil (1, S. tapetillus O. Thomas, 1913). Two remaining species are widely distributed: S. brasiliensis L., 1758, widely in South America, and S. floridanus J. A. Allen, 1890, from Canada to Colombia and Venezuela.
ORDER PRIMATA(84/)517 spp. in 16 families (ASM Mammal Diversity), 11 in Old World: Galagidae (6/19, sub-Sahara Africa), Lorisiidae (5/17, central Africa as well as in south and southeast Asia), Tarsiidae (3/14, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines), Cheirogaleidae (5/41, Madagascar), Daubentoniidae (1/1, Madagascar), Indriidae (3/19, Madagascar), Lemuridae (5/21, Madagascar), Lepilemuridae (1/25, Madagascar), Cercopithecidae (23/164, Old World), Hylobatidae (4/20, E Bangladesh to NE India to S China and Indonesia) and Hominidae (4/8, including domesticated Homo sapiens L., 1758, wild in Africa and SE Asia).
Five primate families are restricted to tropical America. A recent phylogenetic revision proposed the division of Saguinus into several new genera (Brcko et al., Mol. Phyl. and Evol., 2022), including a genus for the Oedipomidas (O. geoffroyi, O. oedipus, O. leucopus), which does not occur in Brazil and is distributed from Panama (O. geoffroyi) to Colombia (all, one endemic) — geographically disjunct from the core Saguinus s.s. Brazil, along with the DR Congo, Madagascar, and Indonesia, holds a leading position in global primate diversity (Estrada et al., PeerJ, 2018), with 130 recorded species, including 18 endemic ones (SBM/Brazil, 2023). The country hosts four endemic genera — exclusively found in the Atlantic Forest — and a larger near-endemic genus, Mico. Brazil harbors representatives of nearly all New World primate genera, with the exception of Oedipomidas, found in Panama and Colombia, and the highest number of species for all genera, except for Oedipomidas, Aotus, and Cebus, which are less represented or absent.
PITHECIDAE
(6/)60 spp., 14 spp. do not occur in Brazil: Cheracebus aquinoi (Peru), C. medemi (Colombia), Pithecia milleri (Colombia, Ecuador and Peru), P. napensis (Ecuador and Peru), P. aequatorialis (Peru), P. isabela (Peru), Plecturocebus caquetensis (Colombia), P. ornatus (Colombia), P. discolor (Colombia, Ecuador and Peru), P. urubambensis (Peru), P. oenanthe (Peru), P. aureipalatii (Peru and Bolivia), P. olallae (Bolivia) and P. modestus (Bolivia).
ATELIDAE
(4/)23 spp., 8 absent in Brazil: Alouatta pigra (Mexico, Guatemala and Belize), A. palliata (Mexico to Peru), A. arctoidea (Venezuela), A. sara (Peru and Bolivia), Ateles geoffroyi (Mexico to Panama), A. fusciceps (Panama, Colombia and Ecuador), A. hybridus (Colombia and Venezuela), and Lagothrix flavicauda (Peru).
CEBIDAE
(3/)19 spp., only two do not occur in Brazil: Cebus capucinus (Honduras to Colombia and Ecuador) and Saimiri oerstedii (Costa Rica and Panama).
CALLITRICHIDAE
(7/)55 spp., 8 absent in Brazil: Oedipomidas leucopus (Colombia), O. oedipus (Colombia), O. geoffroyi (Panama and Colombia), Saguinus lagonotus (Ecuador and Peru), S. tripartitus (Ecuador and Peru), S. illigeri (Peru), S. leucogenys (Peru) and S. nigrifrons (Peru).
AOTIDAE
A single genus, Aotus, and 11 spp., five in Brazil and six absent: A. zonalis (Panama to Colombia), A. brumbacki (Colombia), A. jorgehernandezi (Colombia), A. griseimembra (Colombia and Venezuela), A. lemurinus (Colombia and Ecuador) ,and A. miconax (Peru).
ORDER EULIPOTYPHLA(4:61/)589 spp. worldwide, sometimes called true insectivores (including fossorial and venomous mammals), with four families, three of these in New World (ASM Mammal Diversity):
SOLENODONTIDAE
Two species: Atopogale cubana W. C. H. Peters, 1861 from Cuba and Solenodon paradoxus J. F. von Brandt, 1833 from Hispaniola.
SORICIDAE
(28/)488 spp. worldwide, 220 in Crocidura, the largest mammal genus/SEE. Five genera in New World: Cryptotis (54, Canada to Peru and Venezuela, one in Canada, two in U.S.A., 14 in Mexico and 15 in South America), Sorex, Notiosorex (4, N & C Mexico, two up to S U.S.A., in California and Texas), Blarina (4, E North America from C Canada to Florida) and Megasorex (1, center Pacific coast of Mexico).
South America Cryptotis species occur in W Colombia (7, six endemic, Therya, 2020), Ecuador (4, two endemic, SEE), NW Venezuela (4, 3 endemic, MAP) and N Peru (2, one endemic). Colombian/Venezulan species are fully disjunct with Ecuador/Peru diversity.
TALPIDAE
(19/)65 spp. worldwide, five genera in New World: Condilura cristata L., 1758 (star-nosed mole, SE Canada to Minnesota and Florida), Parascalops breweri Bachman, 1842 (SE Canada to Kentucky), Neurotrichus gibbsii Baird, 1858 (SW British Columbia to California), Scalopus aquaticus L., 1758 (E North America to SE Canada to extreme NE Mexico) and Scapanus (5, British Columbia to Baja California del Norte, U.S.A. and Mexico one endemic each, three in U.S.A. and adjacent countries, two up to Canada and one up to Mexico).
ORDER CHIROPTERA
(236/)1,474 spp. in 20 families (ASM Mammal Diversity). Yinpterochiroptera includes 7 families, all exclusive from Old World: Pteropodidae (46/196), Hipposideridae (9/92), Rhinolophidae (1/114), Rhinonycteridae (4/9), Craseonycteridae (1/1), Megadermatidae (6/6) and Rhinopomatidae (1/6). Yangochiroptera includes 14 families, 5 only Old World: Miniopteridae (1/41), Cistugidae (1/2), Myzopodidae (1/2), Nycteridae (1/14) and Mystacinidae (1/2); and nine in New World: Phyllostomidae (61/230), Vespertilionidae (60/531), Molossidae (21/135), Noctilionidae (1/2), Natalidae (3/11), Thyropteridae (1/5), Furipteridae (2/2), Emballonuridae (14/55) and Mormoopidae (2/18).
IN SOUTH AMERICA
All families in South America occur in Brazil; remarkably, six of them has exactly a single outsider genus (mainly with restricted distribution). Phyllostomidae has four outsiders (and three endemic genera in Brazil).
Unbrazilian South American genera in Chiroptera are nine: Balantiopteryx (3, Emballonuridae, two spp. in South America, in Ecuador and Colombia), Chilonatalus (3, Natalidae, Caribbean, one in San Andrés islands of Colombia), Centurio (1, Phyllostomidae, one sp. from S U.S.A. to Colombia and N Venezuela), Leptonycteris (1, Phyllostomidae, Colombia, Venezuela and ABC island), Platalina (Phyllostomidae, one sp. from Peru and Chile), Echisthenes (Phyllostomidae, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Peru, T.Tobago, and Venezuela; there is a single record from the United States state of Arizona), Mormoopsis (Mormoopidae, Belize, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Peru, T.Tobago, Venezuela, and Texas in the United States), Amorphochilus (Furipteridae, Ecuador to N Chile), Tomopeas (1, Vespertilionidae, endemic to Peru) and Mormopterus (2, Molossidae, Peru and Chile).
BRAZIL ✕ COLOMBIACompared to Brazil, Colombia has a global advantage of 33 spp. (Sociedade Brasileira de Mastozoologia, 2023 ✕ Ramírez-Chaves et al., Mammology Notes, 2020). By families, the positive advantages for Colombia (in parentheses) places only in three families: Mormoopidae (2), Natalidae (2) and Phyllostomidae (37).
BRAZIL ✕ MEXICO
In Phyllostomidae, Colombia has advantagae in 17 Brazilian genera: Sturnira (9), Anoura (7), Artibeus (4), Platyrrhinus (4), Choeroniscus, Gardnerycteris, Lonchorhina, Uroderma, Vampyressa and Vampyrodes two each, Carollia, Hsunycteris, Lonchophylla, Lichonycteris, Rhinophylla, Mimon and Vampyriscus one each. Colombian Centurio, Enchisthenes, Leptonycteris and Chiroderma do not occur in Brazil. Brazilian Dryadonycteris, Scleronycteris, Neonycteris, Xeronycteris, Chrotopterus, Ametrida and Pygoderma do not occur in Colombia.For Chiroptera, we accepted for Mexico (8:66/)120 spp. for List of Mammals from Mexico (Wikipedia), and (9:68/)199 spp. for Brazil by Quintela et a. (2020, cited ahead). In Noctilionidae, the same two species occur in both countries. In Natalidae, both countries has a single Natalus species. In Thyropteridae, both countries has the same genus, however Brazil has 5 spp. and Mexico only one. Furipteridae, with a single species in Brazil, does not occurs in Mexico.
In Emballonuridae Brazil has (7/)17 spp. and Mexico has (6/)9 spp. In all Mexican genera in this family Brazil has equal/more species except in Balantiopteryx, absent in Brazil.
In Molossidae Brazil has (8/)29 spp. and Mexico has (6/)18. In all Mexican genera in this family Brazil has equal/more species except in Nyctimops, where Mexico has 3 against 2 in Brazil.
In diotypic Mormoopidae, both countries has 4 Pteronopus, however Mexico has a species of Mormoops.
In Phyllostomidae Mexico has (37/)55 spp., and Brazil has (43/)95 spp. Mexico includes Centurio, Enchisthenes, Macrotus, Choeronycteris, Hylonycteris, Leptonycteris and Musonycteris absent in Brazil, and more species in Glossophaga, Mimon and Dermanura.
In Vespertilionidae Mexico has (12/)47 spp., and Brazil has only (5/)29. Mexico includes Lasionycteris, Antrozous, Baueru, Corynorhinus, Euderma, Idionycteris, Nycticeius and Pipistrellus absent in Brazil, and more species in Myotis and Rhogeessa.
ORDER TYLOPODA
(2/)7 spp. worldwide, all in Camelidae (ASM Mammal Diversity). Three occur only in Old World: Camelus bactrianus L., 1758 (domesticated and feral, Asia), C. dromedarius L., 1758 (domesticated and feral, N Africa and Middle East) and C. ferus Przewalski, 1878 (wild, NW China and SW Mongolia). Four occur in montane habitats in South America, all in Lama: L. glama L, 1758 (domesticated, 3.23 M worldwide, 3/5 in Bolivia, SEE), L. guanicoe Müller, 1776 (wild, negligent populations in C Peru to SW Bolivia, and from S Bolivia to S Argentina along western mountains, and adjacent Chile, 600 K in Argentina, 220 K in Chile MAP, SEE, also in NW Paraguay, SEE), L. pacos L, 1758 (domesticated, 3.02 M worldwide, 4/5 in Peru, SEE), and L. vicugna Molina, 1782 (wild, C Peru to NW Argentina and N Chile, MAP). Guanaco is the wild ancestor of the llama, while the vicuña is the wild ancestor of the alpaca (Kadwell, M., National Library of Medicine, 2001). For Camelidae from Peru, see FAO/2005.
ORDER SUINA
(9/)21 spp. worldwide in two families (ASM Mammal Diversity): Suidae (6/18) from Old World and Tayassuidae in New World with three monotypic genera: Dicotyles tajacu L., 1758 from S U.S.A. to Uruguay; Tayassu pecari Link, 1795 from C Mexico to NE Argentina and S Brazil; and Parachoerus wagneri Rusconi, 1930, from SE Bolivia, W & C Paraguay and N Argentina, slightly closed for Brazilian border (MAP).
ORDER RUMINANTIA
(83/)223 spp. in six families (ASM Mammal Diversity), with three only in Old World: Tragulidae (3/10), Moschidae (1/7) and Giraffidae (2/5); and three in New World: Cervidae (22/57 worldwide), Bovidae (54/153 worldwide) and Antilocapridae (1/1).
BOVIDAE
(54/)153 spp. worldwide, with four genera and 5 spp. in New World: Oreamnos americanus Blainville, 1816 (Alaska to Colorado in W U.S.A.), Ovibos moschatus Zimmermann, 1780 (natively in Greenland and N Canada), Bos bison L., 1758 (former natively from Alaska to N Mexico), Ovis canadensis Shaw, 1804 (British Columbia to NW Mexico), and O. dalli Nelson, 1884 (Alaska to British Columbia).
ANTILOCAPRIDAE
For feral bubals in Brazil, see Carvalho et al. (Management of Biological Invasions, 2021) and a journalist reporting at Globoplay (SEE).Sister of Giraffidae with a single species, Antilocapra americana Ord, 1815, known from SW Canada, W U.S.A., N & NW Mexico.
CERVIDAE(22/)57 spp. worldwide in five tribes. All 23 spp. from Cervidae in New World are Odoicoileini except the two massive, huge species native from Asia and North America: Cervus canadensis Erxleben, 1777 (Cervini), and Alces alces L. (Alceini), 1758, both the largest Cervidae in New World, the former up to N Mexico.
Odoicoleini (11/21) includes one genus in Rangiferini (Rangifer), two genera in Odocoileina: Odocoileus (3) and Mazama (7), and 8 in Bastocerina (all exclusives of South America). In Blastocerina, four genera are absent in Brazil: Bisbalus (1, endemic to Venezuela), Pudella (2, Venezuela to C Peru), Pudu (1, Argentina and Chile) and Hippocamelus (2, Peru to NW Argentina); and four occur in Brazil: Passalites (1, northern South America up to Brazil and Bolivia), Blastocerus (1, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay), Ozotocerus (1, Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay) and Sabulo (1, Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay).
Mazama includes 7 spp., being M. americana Erxleben, 1777 (South America except Chile and Uruguay), M. jucunda O. Thomas, 1913 (SE Brazil, SEE), M. chunyi Hershkovitz, 1959 (Peru to Bolivia), M. nanus Hensel, 1872 (Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay), M. rufa Illiger, 1815 (Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, SEE), M. rufina Pucheran, 1851 (Colombia, Ecuador and Peru) and M. temama Kerr, 1792 (Mexico to Colombia). Brazil leads with 4 spp.
All Odocoleini species occur in South America except two Odocoileus and one Rangifer, and all species are restricted except three Odocoileus, one Rangifer and one Mazama. Brazilian records of Odoicoleus virginianus E. A. W. von Zimmermann, 1780 in Brazil are scarce, centred in Amapá state and are listed in Mendes-Oliveira et al. (Check List, 2011).
CETACEA(41/)96 spp. in 14 families (ASM Mammal Diversity), being four Mysticeti and 10 Odontoceti, the two higher clades.
MYSTICETIFour families and (6/)15 spp.: Balaenidae (2/4, Balaena and Eubalanea, 3 in northern Hemisphere and one in southern Hemisphere), Cetotheriidae (Caperea marginata Gray, 1846, southern Oceans), Balaenopteridae (2/9, Balaeonoptera and Megaptera) and Eschrichtiidae (Eschrichtius robustus Lilljeborg, 1861, Korea and Japan to NW Mexico). Six species are not cited for Brazil, in Balaena (1), Eubalaena (2), Caparea (1), Eschrichtius (1) and Balaeonoptera (1, B. ricei Rosel et al., 2021, known only from Gulf of Mexico). Eight species no breeds in Brazil, in Balaena (1), Eubalaena (2), Caparea (1), Eschrichtius (1) and Balaeonoptera (3).
Of the nine Mysticeti cited for Brazil in Sociedade Brasileira de Mastozoologia (EXCEL), 2023, there are consistent or possibly records of reproduction in Brazilian territory for 7: Balaenoptera borealis Lesson, 1828 (Sei whale, ICMBio), B. bonaerensis Burmeister, 1867 (Antarctic minke whale, ICMBio), B. edeni Anderson, 1879 (Bryde's whale, ICMBio), B. physalus L., 1758 (Fin whale, Glienke, D., Dissertation, 2021), B. acutorostrata Lacépède, 1804 (Common minke whale, ICMBio), Megaptera novaeangliae Gray, 1846 (humpback whale, Morete, ME et al., LAJAM, 2022) and Eubalaena australis Desmoulins, 1822 (southern right whale, Seyboth, E. et al., Sci Rep, 2016). For two of them, there is no confirmed record of reproduction: B. musculus L., 1758) (Blue whale, ICMBio), and B. omurai Wada, Oishi & Yamada, 2003, known physically only by a 4.16 m female calf found stranded in Pecem beach, Ceará state, in 2010 (Wiki | Cipriano-Souza, A. et al., Marine Mammal Science, 2016), and by vocal records in St. Paul and St. Peter Rocks (Moreira, SC et al., Journal of Mammology, 2020).
BRAZILIAN MISTYCETI ADULTS IN SCALE
For records of large whales in Brazil, including the only recent blue-whale in country, see Jornal Nacional, 2020, and TV Tribuna, 2019; the records of blue-whale in Brazil are scarce: 1948, 1962, 1965, 1992 and the recent in 2020 (ICMBIO, 2011). For exact data, including the deepest dive from blue-whale in literature, see Monitoramento de Cetáceos (2020) and Relatório PMC (SEE), including the first monitoring data on the migration of the blue whale in the South Atlantic, and the indication of 7 visual records of the species off the coast of Brazil. Three records of mother-calf pairs was made in Ceará and Espirito Santo states in 2014 (Rocha et al., Marine Biodiversity Records, 2019).
ODONTOCETI(35/)81 spp. in 10 families: Lipotidae (1/1, China, extinct), Platanistidae (2/2, South Asian river dolphins, Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bangladesh), Iniidae (1/4, Amazon river dolphins, northern South America), Pontoporiidae (1/1, La Plata dolphins, SE Brazil to NE Argentina), Monodontidae (2/2, belugas and narwhals, Actic waters) - these five families fully disjuncts except two in Brazil - Physeteridae (1/1, Physeter macrocephalus L., 1758, widely in seas, known in Brazil), Kogiidae (1/2, widely in seas, both known in Brazil/SEE), Ziphiidae (6/22, Berardius and Hyperoodon two species each, one in each Hemisphere; Indopacetus and Tasmacetus are both monotypic and scattered highly rare in southern waters, absent in Brazil; Ziphius cavirostris Cuvier, 1823 widely in all oceans; Mesoplodon, 16, widely in world seas, 5 of them cited for Brazil), Phocoenidae (3/8, Neophocaena three spp. from Persian Gulf up to Taiwan and rivers of China, Phocoenoides monotypic from northern Pacific from Japan to NW Mexico, these overlapping in Japan, and Phocoena with 4 spp., North and Southern Hemispheres one each, one in NW Mexico, and one around southern South America up to Ecuador and Brazil) and Delphinidae (17/37, oceanic dolphins, widely in world seas, detailed above).
At Delphinidae, all 17 spp. of following 11 genera occur in Brazilian waters: Delphinus (1), Steno (1), Orcinus (1), Grampus (1), Lagenodelphis (1), Globiocephala (2), Feresa (1), Peponocephala (1), Pseudorca (1), Sotalia (2) and Stenella (5). In other 4 genera, Brazil has only a single species each: Tursiopsis, Cephalorhynchus, Lissodelphis and Lagenorhynchus. Absent in Brazil in these are 10: Cephalorhynchus hectori (New Zealand), C. eutropia (Chile to Tierra del Fuego), C. heavisidii (Angola to South Africa), Tursiops aduncus (South Africa to New Caledonia and Japan), Lissodelphis borealis (Japan to NW Mexico in northern Hemisphere), Lagenorhynchus obliquidens (China to NW Mexico in northern Hemisphere), L. acutus (NE U.S.A. to Barents SEA), L. albirostris (NE U.S.A. to Barents SEA), L. cruciger (southern Ocean) and L. obscurus (widely but scattered in southern Hemisphere). 4 these in U.S.A., two in Mexico. And two genera fully absent in Brazil: Sousa (4, Mauritania to Gabon, South Africa to New Caledonia and China) and Orcaella (2, India to Australia). All New World genera occur in Brazil, and 17 off 24 spp. in continent.
Of the 8 families of Odontoceti in the New World, Brazil has all the species from six of them in the region, except for 10: Inia boliviensis (Bolivia), Phocoena sinus (NW Mexico), P. phocoena (northern Hemisphere), Cephalorhynchus eutropia (Chile to Tierra del Fuego), Lissodelphis borealis (Japan to NW Mexico in northern Hemisphere), Lagenorhynchus obliquidens (China to NW Mexico in northern Hemisphere), L. acutus (NE U.S.A. to Barents SEA), L. albirostris (NE U.S.A. to Barents SEA), L. cruciger (southern Ocean) and L. obscurus (widely but scattered in southern Hemisphere). Ziphiidae is widely worldwide. Monodontidae does not occurs in tropical America.
Ten Mesoplodon do not occur in Brazil: M. eueu (South Africa, Australia and New Zealand), M. bowdoini (Australia and New Zealand), M. ginkgodens (tropical Indo-Pacific, in New World from California to Chile), M. traversii (New Zealand and Chile), M. hotaula (scattered from Seycheles, Maldives, Sri Lanka, India, Taiwan, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii and NW Mexico), M. carlhubbsi and M. stejnegeri (northern Pacific), M. perrini (off California), M. peruvianus (Mexico to Peru) and M. bidens (Northern Atlantic).
Other rare species in Brazil includes the northemost record of four spp., Phocoena dioptrica, Mesoplodon layardii, Cephalorhynchus commersonii and Lagenorhynchus australis, all by Pinedo (Aquatic Mammals, 2002), and all in Rio Grande do Sul coast. Other relevant references are the record of 40 sperm whales 300 km from the coast (G1), and the records of cetaceans and sirenians stranded in Brazil since 1980 (ICMBIO). A ramerkable record on sperms whales in Brazil happened in 2019 off coast of São Paulo state (Conexão Planeta).
ORDER PERISSODACTYLA
(3:6/)18 spp. worldwide (ASM Mammal Diversity), only Tapiridae living in New World, family with four spp. in Tapirus: T. indicus Desmarest, 1819 (Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand), T. bairdii Gill, 1865 (Mexico, America Central and NW Colombia), T. terrestris L. 1758 (over South America except Chile and Uruguay), and T. pinchaque Roulin, 1829 (mountains in Colombia, Ecuador and N Peru). Highest diversities in Colombia (3), Ecuador and Peru (2 each).
ORDER CARNIVORA
(129/)312 spp. in 16 families (ASM Mammal Diversity). Ailuridae, Eupleridae, Herpestidae, Nandiniidae, Prionodontidae, Viverridae and Hyaenidae do not occur in New World. For data from Carnivora, see Sepúveda & Marín (Mammalian Biology, 2022) and Carnívoros Brasileiros ( ICMBIO).
CANIDAE
All Canidae species in New World occur in Brazil except both species of Urocyon (2), Canis (4 in NW) and Vulpes (4 in NW, two boreal, two in center), and four species of Lycalopex. Among Lycalopex (SEE), Argentina, Chile and Peru has three spp. each, Ecuador, Brazil and Bolivia two each, and and Uruguay have ony one.
FELIDAE
All Felidae species in New World occur in Brazil except two Lynx and two Leopardus. All Felidae in New World occur in Argentina except both Lynx. For questionable Brazilian endemic Leopardus emilieae Thomas, 1914, see Nascimento e Feijó (Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia, 2017). For possibly new species recognized in the Leopardus colocola complex for S & E South America, see Nascimento et al. (Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2021).
PROCYONIDAE
Ten Procyonidae do not occur in Brazil, in Bassariscus (2, fully absent, U.S.A. to Panama), Nasuella (2, fully absent, Venezuela to Ecuador), Procyon (two absent), Nasua (one absent, exclusive Venezuela) and Bassaricyon (3 absent, from Honduras to Ecuador).
URSIDAE
Four Ursidae occur in New World: Ursua americanus Pallas, 1780 (black, from Alaska to C Mexico), U. arctos L., 1758 (brown, Europe to Canada and NW U.S.A.), U. maritimus Phipps, 1774 (white, in Artic shore in Russia, Alaska/U.S.A., Canada and Greenland), and Tremarctos ornatus Cuvier, 1825 (black, from NW Venezuela to NW Argentina in Andean forests).
MUSTELIDAE
(12/)20 spp. of Mustelidae occur in New World. Taxidea and Pekania are monotypics and occur from Canada and U.S.A., the former up to C Mexico. Martes includes 8 spp., two in North America in U.S.A. and Canada. Mustela includes 16 spp., 5 in New World, three exclusives from Canada and U.S.A., and two Holartic, all absent in Mexico. Enydra is monotypic from northern Pacific from Japan to NW Mexico. Gulo is monotyíc and occurs in Scandinavia, Russia, Mongolia, China, and from Alaska to NW U.S.A. These six genera occur primarily in Canada and U.S.A. except two genera up to Mexico. Lyncodon in monotypic and occurs in Argentina and Chile. Lontra includes 4 spp., one in North America, one Neotropical and two in SW & S South America. Neogale includes 4 spp., one in Amazon forest, one in Canada and U.S.A., one from Canada to Bolivia, and one in Colombia. Brazil includes all species of Ptenoura, Galictis and Eira. All America Latina's genera occur in Brazil except Taxidea, Enydra and Lycondon. For details among Colombia wessel, see (Therya, 2019). For details about the very rare Neogale africana Desmarest, 1818, native to Brazil, see Ramírez-Chavez et al. (Mammalian Species, 2014).
MEPHITIDAE
Mephitidae includes (4/)15 spp., in Mydaus (2, Sumatra, Borneo and Palawan), Mephitis (2, C Canada to Nicaragua), Conepatus (4) and Spilogale (7, SW Canada to Costa Rica). The situation of Conepatus is confusing: C. chinga G.I.Molina, 1782 (Brazil and Peru southwards) and C. leuconotus H.Lichtenstein, 1832 (SW U.S.A. to Nicaragua) are fully recognized on Wikipedia (SEE) and ASM Mammal Diversity. C. semistriatus P. Boddaert, 1785 is recognized in both with a distribution from Mexico to N Peru and W Venezuela, but on Wikipedia, it is listed with a distribution in NE Brazil, which is not mentioned in ASM Mammal Diversity. Wikipedia recognizes C. humboldtii Gray, 1837 (S Argentina and Chile), and ASM Mammal Diversity recognizes C. amazonicus (H. Lichtenstein, 1838. Carnívoros Brasileiros (ICMBio) recognizes C. semistriatus. Here, we follow the distribution proposed on Wikipedia.
ODOBENIDAE
Odobenus rosmarus L., 1758, the sole member of Odobenidae, occurs in NW Canada to Greenland, Beringia Zone in Alaska and NW Russia, and some points of northern coast of Russia (Wiki).
PHOCIDAE
Includes (14/)19 spp. in four geographycally consistent ranges, three mutually disjuncts:
Phocinae - (7/)10 spp. from northern Hemisphere: Halichoerus (1, NW U.S.A., Canada, Iceland, N Europe up to Barents Sea), Histriophoca (1, Japan to Alaska), Pagophilus (1, Canada to Greenland up to N Russia), Pusa (3, Artic, Caspain and Baikal Lakes), Phoca (2, China to Mexico, Florida to Spain and Barents Sea), Erignathus (1, Japan to Alaska, Canada, NE U.S.A., Greenland and some points in Norway and Russia) and Cystophora (1, NE U.S.A., Canada, Greenland and Iceland).
Lobodontini - 4 monotypic genera from Antarctica: Leptonychotes, Hydrurga, Lobodon and Ommatophoca.
Monachini - two genera: Neomonachus (1, Hawaii) and Monachus (1, Mediterranean Sea and NW coast of Africa up to Mauritania).
Miroungini - one genera, the unique genus in both Hemispheres: Mirounga (2, one from Alaska to Mexico, another around in Antarctica and austral Oceans).
SBM/Brazil (2023) includes four Phocidae species in country. However, all are errant and none of them breeds in Brazil, counted only anedoctal records: Lobodon carcinophaga Hombron & Jacquinot, 1842 (Rio de Janeiro to Rio Grande do Sul - Rodrigues, Steinwender & Ribeiro, Natureza Online, 2018), Mirounga leonina L., 1758 (in same area and records in Abrolhos, Bahia state - Salvatore et al., Boletim do Laboratório de Hidrobiologia, 2020, and Buloto & Mayorga, Natureza Online, 2015), Hydrurga leptonyx Blainville, 1820 (informal records, as OECO, 2019) and Leptonychotes wedellii Lesson, 1826 (Trindade island - Fainer et al., Polar Biology, 2018, the single record in Brazil and the northermost of ones).
OTARIIDAE
Includes (3/)12 spp. worldwide in Callorhinus (1, Korea to Mexico in northern Pacific), Zalophus (3, Japan and Korea, Alaska to Mexico, and Galapagos) and Arctocephalus (8, three around South America from Galapagos to Uruguay, two in Austral Oceans, one from SW U.S.A. and NW Mexico, two around Australia and New Zealand, one of them also in Africa).
SBM/Brazil (2023) includes four species of Otariidae in country (Sociedade Brasileira de Mastozoologia, 2023), however, as like Phocidae, none of them breeds in Brazil. Two of these are non breeding but have some opulation in some places of Rio Grande do Sul state: Arctocephalus australis Zimmermann, 1783 (Amorim, Tese, 2018), species with their large population (approx. 3/5) in Uruguay, and Otaris flavescens Shaw, 1800 (ICMBIO, 2011). The two remainig species are errant in country: A. tropicalis Gray, 1872 and A. gazella Peters, 1875 (ICMBIO, 2011).
LAST UPDATES
2025
May 10, 2025 ‣ numerical updates and textual corrections were made in Insecta, Amphibia, Squamata and Testudines. These change make the numbers as: Brazil from (3,488:27,054/)127,365 spp. to (3,495:27,117/)127,739 spp., and the World from (7,424:150,415/)1,555,512 spp. to (7,424:150,422/)1,555,408 spp.
May 05, 2025 ‣ we include the record of Craniiformea in Brazil, based on a collection made off the coast of Bahia in 1997 (Invertbase/Voos Marine Invertebrate Collection). These change make the numbers as: Brazil from (3,487:27,053/)127,364 spp. to (3,488:27,054/)127,365 spp., and the World from (7,424:150,415/)1,555,512 spp. to (7,424:150,415/)1,555,512 spp.
May 01, 2025 ‣ numerical updates and textual corrections were made in Myxine, Petromyzonti, Elasmobranchii, Actinopteri, Holocephali, Cladistii, and Aves. These changes make the numbers as: Brazil from (3,549:27,081/)127,643 spp. to (3,487:27,053/)127,364 spp., and the World from (7,502:150,645/)1,556,450 spp. to (7,424:150,415/)1,555,512 spp.
April 27, 2024 ‣ update in Brachiopoda species, in Onychophora species and genera, and huge updates in Phoronida, with revision of species worldwide, including the reclassification of the group and the reduction from two to one canonical lineages, along with a decrease in the total number of recognized species worldwide from 146 to 145. These changes make the numbers as: Brazil from (3,549:27,082/)127,650 spp. to (3,549:27,081/)127,643 spp., and the World from (7,502:150,642/)1,556,455 spp. to (7,502:150,645/)1,556,450 spp.
April 26, 2024 ‣ thorough and comprehensive revision and update of Syndermata, Nemertea, Gastrotricha, Tardigrada, Kinorhyncha, Nematomorpha, Malacostraca and Tunicata, including nomenclatural, numerical, orthographic, and taxonomic changes after CTFB and Catalogue of Life (SEE), changes in Chaetogantha, Entoporcta, Bryozoa and Hemichordata, including the reclassification of these three phylla and the reduction from three to two canonical lineages in first, four to 2 in the second, four to three in third, and three to two in the last, along with a decrease in the total number of recognized species worldwide from 151 to 146. These changes make the numbers as: Brazil from (3,511:26,985/)127,263 spp. to (3,549:27,082/)127,650 spp., and the World from (7,295:149,030/)1,548,863 spp. to (7,502:150,642/)1,556,455 spp.
April 25, 2024 ‣ updates in Nematoda: revision of phylum numbers worldwide (Catalogue of Life) and in Brazil (CTFB/SEE), including the reclassification of the group and the reduction from three to two canonical lineages (Dorylaimea was removed), along with a decrease in the total number of recognized species worldwide from 152 to 151. These changes make the numbers as: Brazil from (3,491:26,635/)127,121 spp. to (3,511:26,985/)127,263 spp., and the World from (7,296:149,446/)1,553,547 spp. to (7,295:149,030/)1,548,863 spp.
April 17, 2024 ‣ thorough and comprehensive revision and update of Ctenophora, Cnidaria, Placozoa, Porifera, Xenacoelomorpha, Annelida, Mollusca and Nematoda, including numerical, orthographic, and taxonomic changes after CTFB and Catalogue of Life (SEE). These changes make the numbers as: Brazil from (3,466:26,547/)126,745 spp. to (3,491:26,635/)127,121 spp., and the World from (7,429:142,505/)1,555,380 spp. to (7,296:149,446/)1,553,547 spp.
April 13, 2025 ‣ numerical updates in Copepoda (taxonomic adjustments, with slight additions of families, genera, and species: CTFB | Alvarez, MPJ., Journal of Natural History, 1985 | Araújo & Neumann-Leitão, Annals of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, 2015), Thecostraca (numerical and texonomic: CTFB | Chan, B.K.K. et al., ZJBS, 2021), Branchiopoda (slight additions of families, genera, and species: CTFB | Rogers, 2020 | Pessac et al., Zootaxa, 2011 / Fonseca et al., Wetlands, 2017) and Echinodermata (CTFB | Manso, C.L.C., Biota Neotropica, 2008 | Catalogue of Life). These changes make the numbers as: Brazil from (3,437:26,476/)126,613 spp. to (3,466:26,547/)126,745 spp., and the World from (7,405:141,827/)1,554,751 spp. to (7,429:142,505/)1,555,380 spp.
April 04, 2025 ‣ updates in Pauropoda numbers and taxonomy (SEE | SEE), Chilopoda numbers (437/3,327, SEE), Cephalochordata in Brazil (SEE | SEE | SEE | SEE | SEE | SEE, with a exclusion of two canonic lineages) and in numbers and phylogeny of Priapulida (SEE | SEE, with the additon of two canonic lineages: Meiopriapulus and Maccabeus). These changes make the numbers as: Brazil from (3,436:26,470/)126,600 spp. to (3,437:26,476/)126,613 spp., and the World from (7,401:141,725/)1,554,486 spp. to (7,405:141,827/)1,554,751 spp.
March 15, 2025 ‣ non numerical updates among orders of Copepoda (SEE) and notes for future updates among Haplotaxida (SEE).
March 01, 2025 ‣ updates in Uropygi in Brazil (Invertebrates Systematics, 2025), in World and in Brazil in Amblypygi, Solifugae (genera and species numbers), Pseudoscorpiona, Ricinulei, Palpigradi and Schizomida by World Arachnida Catalogue (SEE), world numbers for Araneae by WSC/Statistics (SEE), and additon of a new species in Micrognathozoa (SEE). These changes make the numbers as: Brazil from (3,436:26,470/)126,588 spp. to (3,436:26,470/)126,600 spp., and the World from (7,399:141,678/)1,553,069 to (7,401:141,725/)1,554,486 spp.
2024
December 24, 2024 ‣ huge updates in Coleoptera for Brazil (SEE), Araneae (SEE), Opliona (SEE), Solifugae (SEE), Scorpiona (SEE) and Thelyphonida (SEE). These changes make the numbers as: Brazil from (3,434:26,449/)126,628 spp. to (3,436:26,470/)126,588 spp., and the World from (7,396:141,602/)1,551,907 to (7,399:141,678/)1,553,069 spp.
December 23, 2024 ‣ major updates in the Pancrustacea group, with the inclusion of Brachiura and Mystacocarida in an expanded form of Ostracoda, namely here as Oligostraca, and the partition of Hexanauplia into Copepoda and Thecostraca (including Tantulocarida), based on Bernot, J.P. et al. (Molecular Biology and Evolution, 2023). This change does not alter the numbers of families, genera, or species, but modifies the arrangement of the canonical classes in Metazoa, with the numerical reduction of one group.
December 22, 2024 ‣ updates in Scalibregmatidae/Travisidae (SEE | SEE) and Aeolosomatidae/Hrabeiellidae (SEE). These changes make the numbers as: Brazil from (3,433:26,447/)126,621 spp. to (3,434:26,449/)126,628 spp., and the World from (7,395:141,601/)1,551,907 to (7,396:141,602/)1,551,907 spp.
December 17, 2024 ‣ huge, numeric, textual and estrutural updates in Platyhelminthes, and relisting of canonic lineages of Metazoa, including down of Haplopharyngida. These changes make the numbers as: Brazil from (3,427:26,451/)126,594 spp. to (3,433:26,447/)126,621 spp., and the World from (7,356:141,019/)1,552,159 to (7,395:141,601/)1,551,907 spp.
December 9, 2024 ‣ updates in Spionida (SEE) and Siboglinidae (SEE) in Annelida. These changes make the numbers as: Brazil from (3,424:26,445/)126,577 spp. to (3,427:26,451/)126,594 spp., and the World from (7,356:141,019/)1,552,159 to (7,356:141,019/)1,552,159 spp.
December 7, 2024 ‣ updates in Mammalia. These changes make the numbers as: Brazil from (3,426:26,444/)126,577 spp. to (3,424:26,445/)126,577 spp., and the World from (7,348:140,994/)1,551,052 to (7,356:141,019/)1,552,159 spp.
November 27, 2024 ‣ updates in Avialia and Squamata. These changes make the numbers as: Brazil from (3,425:26,448/)126,575 spp. to (3,426:26,444/)126,577 spp., and the World from (7,348:140,994/)1,551,052 to (7,356:141,009/)1,551,960 spp.
November 25, 2024 ‣ restructuring, optimization, and updating in Amphibia and Testudines, restructuring in Avialia, optimizations in Sphenodontia and Crocodylia. These changes make the numbers as: Brazil from (3,422:26,444/)126,590 spp. to (3,425:26,448/)126,575 spp., and the World from (7,344:140,984/)1,550,866 spp. to (7,348:140,994/)1,551,052 spp.
November 16, 2024 ‣ inclusion of Micrognathozoa in the list of Brazil, with consequent updates in various parts of the text (Coppo, G. et al., Peerj, 2023). Huge numerical and strutural updates in Fish clades, after Eschmeyer's CF, Fish Base, and Intreasures, all in Nov 16, 2024. Simple numerical updates in Hydrozoa (- 3 spp.), Cheilostomata in Bryozoa (10,000 to 4,921 spp.) and Cycliophora (2 to 3 spp.). Huge taxonomic updates in Placozoa, with reduction of non Brazilian canonic lineages and expansion of family, genera and species in this phyllum (Frontiers, 2023). Textual corrections and optimization in Porifera (SEE), Myxozoa, Acoela, Gnathostomulida, Priapulida, and many other groups. Addition of a endemic family for Peru, Atamatamidae (Trematoda, SEE). These changes make the numbers as: Brazil from (3,409:26,416/)126,358 spp. to (3,422:26,444/)126,590 spp., and the World from (7,334:140,921/)1,555,398 spp. to (7,344:140,984/)1,550,866 spp.
April 29, 2024 ‣ updates in Squamata (news), Ricinulei (notes about possibly new genera), notes from Brazilian scorpions, new remarkable data from Scutigeridae in Chilopoda and Mostrilloidea at Copepoda; huge updates in numbers of Tunicata (Rocha, R.M. et al., Zoologia, 2024), including a synonimization of Thaliacea under Ascidiacea, rearranged canonic lineages from Metazoa by reduction of 1 unit and altering the numbers of the phylum and the total Metazoa; updates in Scalibregmatidae, with 8 new species, in Pseudoscalibregma (3, SEE), Scalibregma (8, SEE), and Oligobregma (3, SEE). United, these changes the numbers as: Brazil from (3,410:26,411/)126,308 spp. to (3,409:26,416/)126,358 spp., and the World from (7,337:140,921/)1,555,228 spp. to (7,334:140,921/)1,555,398 spp.
21∙01∙2024 ▸ updates in Scorpiona, based on The Scorpion Files.
20∙01∙2024 ▸ notes on Placozoa, including possible requalification of canonic lineages at Metazoa (SEE); structural revision in Isopoda, Amphipoda and Decapoda after CTFB (SEE).
16∙01∙2024 ▸ exclusion of the Maxillopoda group due to its poliphyleticity, and the recognition of 3 new classes in Arthropoda: Mystacocarida, Ichthyostraca and Hexanauplia (Wikipedia); exclusion of Merostomata as a class, and its recognition as an order of Arachnida, according to Balasteros et al. (SEE); huge numeric updates at Copepoda.
14∙01∙2024 ▸ huge updates in Decapoda for several small sources, and at Insecta, Collembola, Diplura and Protura after Rafael et al. (BOOK).
10∙01∙2024 ▸ huge updates in Hemichordata and the exclusion of Hirudinidae family from Brazil.
07∙01∙2024 ▸ huge numerical updates in Arachnida, Insecta and Mammals at high precision counting by available data. After corrections, Insecta wins 70 families, 426 genera and 847 spp., and Arachnida wins 112 families, 559 genera and 1,660 spp. in Brazil. Brazilian diversity went from (3,221:25,596/)121,461 to (3,403:26,579/)123,993.
04∙01∙2024 ▸ updates among Cyprinidae (SEE); huge updates and organization in Serpentes, Insecta, Arachnida and mammals, and rearrangement of various numbers, and inclusion of several references about Mexico; updates in Lepidochelys kempii (NOAA).
2023
19∙12∙2023 ▸ several numerical, textual and spelling corrections in Aracnida and Insecta.
29∙12∙2023 ▸ number updates in Brazilian Maxillopoda, Branchiopoda and Malacostraca, mainly by CTFB search (SEE).
27∙12∙2023 ▸ updates among Elasmobranchii in Brazil and Mexico (FishBase), and new data about Chilopoda in Mexico (SEE) and Brazil (SEE).
19∙12∙2023 ▸ addition of notes for Conocyemidae (SEE and SEE) and Pelmatosphaeridae (SEE), nanoparasitics Mesozoa.
18∙12∙2023 ▸ addition of notes for marine Brazilian Nematoda (SEE), world marine Tardigrada (SEE), Siboglinidae (SEE) and Sinelobus (SEE).
18∙12∙2023 ▸ huge updates in Brazilian Mollusca, by F.M. Machado et al. (Zoologia, 2023).
18∙12∙2023 ▸ addition of notes for Onychophora, with 20 more species (SEE), Leopardus emilieae (Felidae, SEE), freshwater Cumacea (SEE), Leuconidae (Cumacea, SEE).
18∙12∙2023 ▸ addition of notes for mammals (in Proechimys), in Xyloplax at Asteroideae (SEE), in Scolopendromorpha (SEE) and Araneae/Telemidae (SEE).
04∙12∙2023 ▸ addition of data on the first occurrence of Lingulidae (Brachiopoda) in Brazil (SEE).
12∙11∙2023 ▸ huge updates on Cephalopoda (mainly by SEE), and corrections in Gastropoda numbers.
10∙11∙2023 ▸ updates on Loricifera, with the inclusion of the first species described for Brazil, Scaberiloricus samba (SEE).
06∙11∙2023 ▸ updates in Avialia, where we now consider only breeding species as full natives (SEE).
04∙11∙2023 ▸ several updates and inclusion of records of a new phylla from Brazil: Gnathostomulida (SEE), and new generic and familiar records for Kinorhycnha (SEE).
03∙11∙2023 ▸ updates in numbers of Acanthocepala for Brazil (SEE) and World (SEE).
03∙11∙2023 ▸ huge updates in Priapulomorpha.
03∙11∙2023 ▸ add lineage, Octocorallia distinct of Hexacorallia in Cnidaria, rejecting the broad circumscription of Anthozoa, and updates of the numbers of Octocorallia (SEE).
21∙10∙2023 ▸ addition of the Cephalodiscus record in Brazil, based on collections made in Rio Grande do Sul (REVIZEE, 2004; REVIZEE, 2008).
16∙10∙2023 ▸ huge updates in Arachnida (many orders), Chilopoda, Scalibregmatidae (SEE) and over Annelida), with minor text corrections and some notes at mammals.
06∙09∙2023 ▸ huge updates in Schizomida, Solifugae, Araneae (these Arachnida), Chilopoda, Diplopoda, Insecta, Symphyla, Pauropoda and Pentastomida.
02∙09∙2023 ▸ huge updates in Gnathostomulida.
28∙08∙2023 ▸ update data distribution of Gnosonesimida in Cuba (SEE) and detailing in Orthonectida.
25∙07∙2023 ▸ update data from Mexico based on references cited in Bousquets et al. (Conabio, 2000).
24∙07∙2023 ▸ additional notes in mexican amphibians and reptiles (ZooKeys, 2023), and inclusion of Ophidion holbrookii (Ophidiidae, Zootaxa) in Brazilian marine fishes.
20∙07∙2023 ▸ updates in Amblipigy.
15∙07∙2023 ▸ updates in Loricifera in South America.
13∙07∙2023 ▸ updates in Ammotrechidae, Diplopauropodidae, Echinoidea orders and Copepoda orders.
06∙07∙2023 ▸ updates in Diplopoda and social wasps, and severall small corrections.
03∙07∙2023 ▸ updates in Nereidae in Annelida.
27∙06∙2023 ▸ updates in Gnosonesimida, Haplopharyngida (Platyhelminthes) and Monoplacophora (Mollusca).
19∙06∙2023 ▸ updates in Kinnorhyncha.
10∙06∙2023 ▸ updates in aquatic Clitellata (Annelidae), Rhabdocoela in Platyhelminthes, and data in Colombian Collembola.
09∙06∙2023 ▸ inclusion of links about Mammals/Carnivorous, Arachnida/Scorpiones and Mollusca/Heterobranchia.
03∙06∙2023 ▸ updates in Siboglinidae (Annelidae).
09∙05∙2023 ▸ updates in Porifera, pisces and Amphibia numbers.
09∙05∙2023 ▸ updates in Gymnophiona numbers, with Colombia suprasing Brazil in species diversity.
02∙05∙2023 ▸ updates on taxonomy of gastropoda, cephalopoda and bivalvia, and new numbers in Brachiopoda (Terebratullida).
20∙03∙2023 ▸ huge updates in Annelida/Clitellata and Branchiopoda.
04∙01∙2023 ▸ a huge update in many groups.
06∙08∙2022 ▸ a huge update in Insecta numbers and text.
06∙08∙2022 ▸ huge updates in Annelida, with inclusion of Echiura and Sipuncula inside the former, and other providences.
2022
24∙07∙2022 ▸ a major review and data optimization, inclusion of references and textual corrections.
11∙07∙2022 ▸ updates in Carideae, with the exclusion of Kakaducarididae (now inside Palaeomonidae).
11∙07∙2022 ▸ updates in Onychophora (phylogeny) and Rotifera (data from Mexico).
10∙07∙2022 ▸ recognition of Nemamyxine kreffti (Myxinidae) in Brazil.
27∙06∙2022 ▸ exclusion of Cyptogeobiidae as endemic Opiliones family in Brazil
27∙06∙2022 ▸ inclusion of data from Allokoenenia in Brazil.
13∙06∙2022 ▸ updates in many numbers in almost all classes.
20∙03∙2022 ▸ inclusion of data on the new Jurasaidae family of Coleoptera, endemic to Brazil.
11∙02∙2022 ▸ updates in Rotifera (new family added in numbers) and changes in Hypoechinorhynchidae name in Acanthocephala.
2021
04∙12∙2021 ▸ additional data of albinism.
26∙11∙2021 ▸ updates in Polipodiozoa and bioluminescent Clitellata and Mollusca.
20∙11∙2021 ▸ updates in lobsters (Decapoda).
20∙11∙2021 ▸ updates in Schizomida.
18∙11∙2021 ▸ some data in birds and mexican endemic marine fihes.
18∙11∙2021 ▸ addition of informations about Lama (Camelidae).
18∙11∙2021 ▸ additon of south american number of bird species, and Capitonidae as Mexican outsider.
12∙11∙2021 ▸ spell checking, text optimization and light restructuring.
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