UPDATED IN DECEMBER 24, 2024
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
1,553,069 species worldwide in
141,678 genera at
7,399 families, with
126,588 species in Brazil, in
26,470 genera within
3,436
families, as of December 25, 2024. We classify Metazoa into 152 lineages, 127 of which have representatives in Brazil, while 25 are absent. 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.
INTRODUCTION
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 ENDEMICS
MEGAFAUNA and PALEONTOLOGY
BRAZILIAN CAVE FAUNA
AMPHIBIA DETAILS
SOUTH AMERICAN BIRDS
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), marked as ▮¹ or Zhang (2013).
▪ Freshwater Animal Diversity Assessment, by Balian et al. (Hydrobiologia, 2008), symbolized as ▮², or 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.
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, PORIFRA, PLACOZOA, CNIDARIA, XENACOELOMORPHA, CHAETOGNATHA, GNATHOSTOMULIDA, MICROGNATHOZOA, SYNDERMATA, ORTHONECTIDA, DICYEMIDA, GASTROTRICHA, PLATYHELMINTHES, ENTOPROCTA, CYCLIOPHORA, NEMERTEA, MOLLUSCA, ANNELIDA, BRACHYOPODA, BRYOZOA, PHORONIDA, LORICIFERA, KYNORHYNCHA, PRIAPULIDA, NEMATOMORPHA, NEMATODA, TARDIGRADA, ONYCHOPHORA, ARTHROPODA, HEMICHORDATA, ECHINODERMATA, CEPHALOCHORDATA, TUNICATA and CRANIATA. A list of several Zootaxa publications by group can be accessed at HERE.
According to data in our survey, Metazoa have 152 canonic lineages (after exclusion of Thaliacea and requalifications in Placozoa, Platyhelminthes and Arthropoda/Pancrustacea). Depending on the phylum, the main strains vary from classes to genera (such as in Phoronida). Of these lineages there are 25, including 3 whole phyla (marine parasitics Dicyemida, Orthonectida and Cycliophora), never collected in the national territory, and 127 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).
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).
METAZOA PHYLOGENY FOR LAUMER C.E. ET AL. (SEE, 2023), LACKING NEMATOMORPHA, KINORRHYNCHA, LORICIFERA, DICYEMIDA AND ORTHONECTIDA
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. Data with (▇) are dispensable in accounting and offset by other data.
Some groups in Annelida, Mollusca and Echinodermata lack any source that clearly provides the number of genera. In an attempt to give an estimate, it was agreed that the number of genera in each of these groups is twice the number of genera in Brazil or the number of families in the group, whichever is greater. The total estimate, with this extrapolation, differs from the real one, but is extremely practical and logical. To stand out from the accurately referenced data, the extrapolated data is in orange color (white in gray lines).
|
MAIN GROUPS |
FAMILIES |
GENERA |
SPECIES |
NOTES and REFERENCES |
|
|
1. CTENOPHORA |
Tentaculata |
8 (25) |
10 (44) |
11 (178) |
|
|
Nuda |
1 (1) |
1 (2) |
2 (26) |
|
|
|
|
9 (26) |
11 (46) |
13 (205) |
|
|
|
2. PORIFERA |
Calcarea |
9 (23) |
21 (74) |
68 (685) |
|
|
Hexactinellida |
9 (19) |
12 (120) |
17 (689) |
|
|
|
Holoscleromorpha |
2 (2) |
4 (7) |
15 (85) |
|
|
|
Demospongiae |
69 (147) |
180 (831) |
498 (9,417) |
|
|
|
|
89 (191) |
218 (1,032) |
598 (10,876) |
|
|
|
3. PLACOZOA |
Polyplacotomia |
- (1) |
- (1) |
- (1) |
Known only from Italy. |
|
Uniplacotomia |
1 (4) |
1 (7) |
1 (22) |
|
|
|
|
1 (5) |
1 (8) |
1 (23) |
|
|
|
4. CNIDARIA |
Hexacorallia |
44 (94) |
99 (528) |
167 (3,146) |
|
|
Octocorallia |
27 (79) |
57 (413) |
106 (2,996) |
|
|
|
Cubozoa |
2 (8) |
2 (18) |
4 (51) |
|
|
|
Hydrozoa |
63 (111) |
174 (487) |
355 (3,643) |
|
|
|
Polypodiozoa |
- (1) |
- (1) |
- (1) |
One sp., fish egg-parasitic from Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Romania, Canada and U.S.A. |
|
|
Scyphozoa |
13 (19) |
16 (58) |
22 (228) |
|
|
|
Staurozoa |
1 (6) |
2 (11) |
2 (50) |
|
|
|
Myxozoa |
8 (16) |
11 (62) |
110 (2,184) |
|
|
|
|
158 (334) |
361 (1,507) |
766 (12,299) |
|
|
|
5. XENACOELOMORPHA |
XENATURBELLIDA |
- (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) |
- (9) |
Known only from Swedish west coast, Belgian, E North America, Adriatic, Mediterranean seas, New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand. |
|
|
ACOELA |
7 (16) |
25 (108) |
49 (386) |
|
|
|
|
7 (19) |
25 (115) |
43 (401) |
|
|
|
6. CHAETOGNATHA |
Eukrohniones |
2 (7) |
4 (17) |
7 (▇▇) |
|
|
Spadelliones |
1 (1) |
1 (5) |
1(▇▇) |
|
|
|
Sagittiones |
1 (4) |
8 (25) |
18 (▇▇) |
|
|
|
|
4 (12) |
13 (47) |
25 (186) |
|
|
|
7. GNATHOSTOMULIDA |
Filospermoidea |
- (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 (1) |
|
|
9. SYNDERMATA |
Seisonida |
- (1) |
- (2) |
- (4) |
Seisonida: 4 parasitic species from 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 (31) |
77 (116) |
585 (1,560) |
|
|
|
Bdelloidea |
3 (4) |
8 (20) |
40 (461) |
|
|
|
Archiacanthocephala |
3 (4) |
6 (18) |
21 (189) |
|
|
|
Palaeacanthocephala |
8 (16) |
16 (106) |
30 (845) |
|
|
|
Eoacanthocephala |
2 (4) |
8 (29) |
20 (225) |
|
|
|
Polyacanthocephala |
1 (1) |
1 (1) |
1 (4) |
|
|
|
|
44 (61) |
118 (295) |
697 (3,233) |
|
|
|
10. ORTHONECTIDA |
Orthonectida |
- (2) |
- (5) |
- (26) |
Parasitics; collected at their hosts in nothern Atlantic, Arctic and northern Pacific. |
|
11. DICYEMIDA |
Dicyemida |
- (3) |
- (9) |
- (122) |
PARASITICS. |
|
12. GASTROTRICHA |
Macrodasyda |
5 (9) |
11 (32) |
27 (338) |
|
|
Chaetonida |
4 (8) |
25 (30) |
94 (454) |
|
|
|
|
9 (17) |
37 (62) |
120 (792) |
|
|
|
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 |
Barentsiidae |
1 (1) |
2 (5) |
5 (25) |
Loxokalypodidae occur only northern Pacific off Canada and New Caledonia. |
|
Loxosomatidae |
1 (1) |
3 (5) |
8 (124) |
||
|
Pedicellinidae |
1 (1) |
2 (4) |
5 (20) |
||
|
Loxokalypodidae |
- (1) |
- (1) |
- (2) |
||
|
|
3 (4) |
7 (15) |
18 (169) |
|
|
|
15. CYCLIOPHORA |
Cycliophora |
- (1) |
- (1) |
- (3) |
PARASITICS. |
|
16. NEMERTEA |
Palaeonemertea |
3 (6) |
3 (14) |
6 (98) |
Unplaced genera; Arhynchonemertes (New Zealand), Bathynemertes (northern Atlantic, Tristan de Cunha, Cape and Andaman region) and Riserius (Pacific coast of U.S.A.). |
|
Hoplonemertea |
7 (27) |
14 (153) |
35 (642) |
||
|
Heteronemertea |
2 (11) |
8 (80) |
12 (406) |
||
|
|
12 (44) |
25 (247) |
53 (1,146 + 3) |
|
|
|
17. MOLLUSCA |
Gastropoda |
265 (721) |
932 (1,708) |
2,737 (78,818) |
|
|
Bivalvia |
80 (99) |
305 (1,100) |
629 (9,760) |
|
|
|
Monoplacophora |
- (4) |
- (8) |
- (30) |
|
|
|
Cephalopoda |
38 (50) |
65 (146) |
92 (821) |
|
|
|
Scaphopoda |
6 (12) |
20 (40) |
43 (577) |
|
|
|
Aplacophora |
5 (27) |
11 (27) |
16 (438) |
|
|
|
Polyplacophora |
7 (33) |
11 (33) |
35 (1,056) |
|
|
|
|
401 (946) |
1,354 (3,062) |
3,552 (91,500) |
|
|
|
UNPLACED |
3 (3) |
12 (12) |
37 (329) |
|
|
|
Palaeoannelida |
2 (2) |
9 (18) |
15 (127) |
|
|
|
Chaetopteridae |
1 (1) |
4 (8) |
8 (79) |
|
|
|
Amphinomida |
2 (2) |
9 (18) |
17 (221) |
|
|
|
Sipuncula |
6 (6) |
7 (14) |
30 (200) |
|
|
|
Eunicida |
7 (8) |
42 (84) |
174 (1397) |
|
|
|
Phyllodocida |
23 (28) |
176 (566) |
457 (3300) |
|
|
|
Protodriliformia |
4 (4) |
5 (10) |
9 (76) |
|
|
|
Orbiniida |
2 (5) |
10 (20) |
28 (222) |
|
|
|
Cirratuliformia |
6 (13) |
19 (38) |
51 (880) |
|
|
|
SIBOGLINIDAE |
1 (1) |
3 (6) |
5 (200) |
|
|
|
Sabellida |
2 (2) |
40 (80) |
77 (1151) |
|
|
|
Sabelariida |
1 (1) |
4 (8) |
13 (135) |
|
|
|
Spionida |
7 (9) |
33 (54) |
113 (649) |
|
|
|
Capitellidae/Echiura |
4 (7) |
32 (64) |
62 (381) |
|
|
|
SCALIBREG./TRAVISIDAE |
2 (2) |
5 (5) |
16 (110) |
|
|
|
Ophellida |
1 (1) |
10 (20) |
38 (167) |
|
|
|
Arenicollida |
1 (1) |
2 (4) |
3 (273) |
|
|
|
Terebelliformia |
4 (5) |
32 (64) |
62 (114) |
|
|
|
Aeolos./Hrabeiellidae |
1 (2) |
1 (4) |
9 (32) |
|
|
|
Questidae |
1 (1) |
1 (1) |
1 (8) |
|
|
|
Clitellata |
22 (55) |
95 (192) |
465 (8292) |
|
|
|
|
103 (159) |
552 (1,299) |
1,691 (20,670) |
|
|
|
19. BRACHYOPODA |
Linguliformea |
2 (2) |
3 (6) |
3 (25) |
Craniiformea is widely worldwide, except tropical Indian Ocean and SW Atlantic, Artic and tripical E Pacific. |
|
Craniiformea |
- (1) |
- (3) |
- (11) |
||
|
Rhynchoneliformea |
5 (28) |
5 (112) |
7 (368) |
||
|
|
7 (31) |
8 (121) |
10 (404) |
|
|
|
20. BRYOZOA |
Plylactolaemata |
4 (7) |
5 (15) |
18 (86) |
|
|
Cyclostomatida |
10 (15) |
13 (62) |
33 (543) |
|
|
|
Ctenostomata |
17 (34) |
21 (61) |
65 (346) |
|
|
|
Cheliostomata |
60 (128) |
135 (547) |
271 (4,921) |
|
|
|
|
91 (184) |
174 (685) |
387 (5,869) |
|
|
|
21. PHORONIDA |
Phoronopsis |
1 (1) |
- (1) |
- (3) |
Phoronopsis occur in Panama, U.S.A., Bermuda, Caribbean and scattered areas in Old World. |
|
Phoronis |
1 (1) |
5 (8) |
|||
|
|
1 (1) |
1 (2) |
5 (11) |
|
|
|
22. LORICIFERA |
Loricifera |
1 (2) |
1 (11) |
1 (47) |
|
|
23. KINORRHYNCHA |
Allomalorhagida |
3 (4) |
4 (15) |
4 (116) |
|
|
Cyclorhagida |
2 (6) |
2 (10) |
4 (199) |
|
|
|
|
5 (10) |
6 (25) |
8 (315) |
|
|
|
24. PRIAPULIDA |
Priapulomorpha |
1 (3) |
1 (5) |
1 (11) |
Order Meiopriapulomorpha, with the single genus Tubiluchus, occur in Caribbean region and on Bermuda, Red Sea, Great Barrier Reef in Australia, Philippines, White Sea, Russia, Vanuatu, south Italy, Canary Islands and Japan. |
|
Meiopriapulomorpha |
- (1) |
- (2) |
- (12) |
||
|
|
1 (4) |
1 (7) |
1 (23) |
|
|
|
25. NEMATOMORPHA |
Nectonematoidea |
1 (1) |
1 (1) |
1 (5) |
|
|
Gordioideae |
2 (2) |
5 (20) |
17 (346) |
|
|
|
|
3 (3) |
7 (21) |
17 (351) |
|
|
|
26. NEMATODA |
Enoplea |
11 (32) |
35 (233) |
67 (2,082) |
|
|
Dorylaimea |
5 (41) |
19 (486) |
90 (4,592) |
|
|
|
Chromadorea |
89 (194) |
163 (2,153) |
1,272 (18,369) |
|
|
|
|
105 (267) |
217 (2,872) |
1,429 (25,043) |
|
|
|
27. TARDIGRADA |
Mesotardigrada |
- (1) |
- (1) |
- (1) |
Mesotardigrada, was established based on one sp. from a Japanese hot spring, however, the type material was lost, so Mesotardi-grada is considered nomen dubium. |
|
Eutardigrada |
7 (11) |
20 (56) |
43 (444) |
||
|
Heterotardigrada |
10 (12) |
29 (63) |
57 (712) |
||
|
|
17 (24) |
49 (120) |
100 (1,157) |
|
|
|
28. ONYCHOPHORA |
Peripatidae |
1 (1) |
4 (10) |
29 (92) |
Peripatopsidae occur in SW and E Australia (32 endemic genera), C Chile (2), South Africa (2), New Zealand (1), one only in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, and one in both Australia and New Zealand. |
|
Peripatopsidae |
- (1) |
- (41) |
- (140) |
||
|
|
1 (2) |
5 (51) |
29 (232) |
|
|
|
29. ARTHROPODA |
Pycnogonyda |
12 (12) |
20 (77) |
65 (1,346) |
|
|
ARACHNIDA |
394 (786) |
2195 (12603) |
9081 (121775) |
|
|
|
Chilopoda |
12 (18) |
30 (339) |
134 (3,110) |
|
|
|
Pauropoda |
3 (9) |
6 (41) |
50 (784) |
|
|
|
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 |
19 (56) |
44 (281) |
76 (1383) |
|
|
|
COPEPODA |
78 (241) |
287 (2039) |
853 (15950) |
|
|
|
Branchiopoda |
16 (32) |
51 (142) |
140 (1,185) |
|
|
|
Remipedia |
- (8) |
- (12) |
- (28) |
|
|
|
Cephalocarida |
1 (1) |
2 (5) |
2 (12) |
|
|
|
Malacostraca |
260 (605) |
815(6,214) |
1,871 (40,462) |
|
|
|
Collembola |
21 (33) |
118 (763) |
457 (8,130) |
|
|
|
Diplura |
4 (10) |
11 (141) |
31 (1,008) |
|
|
|
Protura |
2 (7) |
9 (72) |
26 (748) |
|
|
|
INSECTA |
685 (1,209) |
15,737 (89,280) |
91,099 (1,057,040) |
|
|
|
|
1,579 (3,236) |
19,653 (114,720) |
104,853 (1,268,805) |
|
|
|
30. HEMICHORDATA |
Enteropneusta |
2 (4) |
5 (23) |
6 (106) |
Rhabdopleurida includes 5 spp., widely worldwide, absent, however, in Brazil. |
|
Cephalodisca |
1(1) |
1(1) |
1(19) |
||
|
Rhabdopleurida |
- (1) |
- (1) |
- (5) |
||
|
|
3 (6) |
6 (25) |
8 (130) |
|
|
|
31. ECHINODERMATA |
Crinoideae |
7 (32) |
7 (32) |
17 (700) |
|
|
Holothuroideae |
12 (26) |
27 (54) |
49 (1,714) |
|
|
|
Echinoideae |
17 (63) |
30 (63) |
52 (1,006) |
|
|
|
Ophiuroideae |
14 (16) |
53 (207) |
157 (2,074) |
|
|
|
Asteroideae |
22 (39) |
43 (332) |
77 (1,854) |
|
|
|
|
71 (176) |
163 (688) |
347 (7,348) |
|
|
|
32. CEPHALOCHORDATA |
Branchiostoma |
1 (1) |
1 (1) |
3 (28) |
|
|
Asymmetron |
- (1) |
- (1) |
A single species, A. lucayanum, know from N Indian, Pacific, and from Bermudas to Yucatan and Lesser Antilles. |
||
|
Epigonichthys |
- (1) |
- (1) |
Pacific, northern Indian Ocean, Gulf of Mexico. |
||
|
|
1 (1) |
1 (3) |
3 (30) |
|
|
|
33. TUNICATA |
Appendicularia |
3 (3) |
10 (15) |
35 (77) |
|
|
Ascidiaceae |
19 (30) |
55 (171) |
172 (3,068) |
|
|
|
|
22 (33) |
65 (211) |
207 (3,145) |
|
|
|
34. CRANIATA |
Myxine |
1 (1) |
3 (6) |
5 (90) |
|
|
Petromyzonti |
- (3) |
- (10) |
- (48) |
|
|
|
Elasmobranchii |
42(65) |
79 (212) |
184 (1,437) |
|
|
|
Holocephali |
3 (3) |
4 (6) |
4 (60) |
|
|
|
Cladistia |
- (1) |
- (2) |
- (14) |
Known only from Africa. |
|
|
Actinopteri |
237 (535) |
1,245 (5,048) |
4,792 (35,346) |
|
|
|
Coelacanthi |
- (1) |
- (1) |
- (2) |
|
|
|
Dipneustii |
1 (3) |
1 (3) |
1 (6) |
|
|
|
Amphibia |
28 (78) |
121 (567) |
1,237 (8,814) |
|
|
|
Rhynchocephalia |
- (1) |
- (1) |
- (1) |
Known only from New Zealand. |
|
|
Squamata |
25 (70) |
165 (1,172) |
778 (12,056) |
|
|
|
Testudines |
8 (14) |
19 (96) |
36 (378) |
|
|
|
Crocodilia |
1 (3) |
3 (9) |
7 (28) |
|
|
|
Aves |
80 (254) |
646 (2,302) |
1,679 (11,145) |
|
|
|
Mammals |
49 (167) |
248 (1,353) |
778 (6,753) |
|
|
|
|
475 (1,199) |
2,534 (10,778) |
9,501 (76,178) |
|
|
|
TOTAL |
3,436 (7,399) |
26,470 (141,678) |
126,588 (1,553,069) |
|
|
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.
ABSENT LINEAGES
Brazilian 25 canonic absent lineages: Polyplacotomia [1], Polypodiozoa [2], Xenoturbellida [3], Nemertodermatida [4], Filospermoidea [5], Seisonida [6], Orthonectida [7], Dicyemida [8], Gnosonesimida [9], Loxokalypodida [10], Cycliophora [11], Monoplacophora [12], Craniiformea [13], Phoronopsis [14], Meiopriapulomorpha [15], Mesotardigrada [16], Peripatopsidae [17], Remipedia [18], Rhabdopleurida [19], Epigonichthys [20], Asymmetron [21], Petromyzontii [22], Cladistia [23], Coelacantha [24] and Rhynchocephalia [25].
(UNDER EDITION) HIGH ACCURATE MAP OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF ALL 25 CANONIC METAZOA LINEAGES ABSENTS IN BRAZIL (IN NOV 16, 2024): Dicyemida (Zoo | SP | FP | JP), Peripatopsidae (GBIF), Craniiformea (PDF | MAP | MAP), Phoronopsis (MAP | MAP | MAP), Rhabdopleurida (MAP) and Asymmetron (HOS | MB | GBIF | COP).
1. CTENOPHORA ‣ 205 spp. worldwide (WORMS) in two groups: Tentaculata (25:44/170 spp., CL-ITIS/2014) and Nuda (1:2/26 spp.), (9:11/)13 in Brazilian coasts (Oliveira, O. M. P. et al., Biota Neotropica, 2007) among 5 orders in both divisions of this phylum. Oliveira et al. (Zootaxa, 2016) lists 20 ctenophores in waters of South America in 11 families. Only the order Ganeshida, Cambojiida and Cryptolobiferida (SE Asia) in Ctenophora does not occur in South America. Mexico includes 33 spp. (SEE).
South American families Thalassocalycidae (unique in order Thalassocalycida in continent) and Mertensiidae does not occur in Brazil - they take place in waters of Chile and Argentina.
2. PORIFERA ‣ 10,876 spp. in 4 classes (Zhang, 2011; Wikipedia). Catalogue of Brazilian Porifera (Museu Nacional, Guilherme Muricy et al., 2011) recognizes 443 species in 81 families in Brazil, in the 4 classes mentioned in Zhang (2013), and cited here as [POR/01]. 53 are freshwater, some endemics, and 390 marine. For new species of deep-sea sponges in Brazil, see Castelo Branco et al. (PeerJ, 2020).
Demospongiae (excluding Homoscleromorpha) ‣ Brazil has (62:)373 spp. by [POR/01]. CFTB lists (69:180/)498 spp. 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; see 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 in Africa, Ohrid in southern Europe, Kinneret in Israel, and Poso in Sulawesi).
Calcarea ‣ Brazil has (9:)47 spp. by [POR/01]. CFTB lists (9:21/)68 spp.
Hexactinellida ‣ Brazil has (9:)16 spp. by [POR/01]. CFTB lists (9:12/)17 spp. in country.
Homoscleromorpha ‣ (2:7/)87 spp. worldwide, formerly in Demonspongiae. Brazil includes (3/)7 spp., all in Plakinidae in Brazil, BY [POR/01]. CFTB lists (1:3/)14 spp. However, Oscarellidae is cited by Brazil in Moraes (BOOK, 2011, pg. 63), and accepted here with at least a single species.
3. PLACOZOA ‣ simple undistinguible 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 (a single species) and Uniplacotomia (22 spp. in 7 genera at 4 families; one family and 4 genera unnamed). Of these 23 spp., only 4 are described (SEE): Trichoplax adhaerens Schulze, 1883 (ameboid, widely distributed in coastal areas, unique species in Brazil), Hoilungia hongkongensis Eitel, Schierwater & Wörheide, 2018 (ameboid, known of collection a mangrove area in Hong Kong - Eitel et al, Plos Biology, 2018), Cladtertia collaboinventa Tessler et al., 2022 (known from aquarium waters), and Polyplacotoma mediterranea Osigus et al., 2019 (ramified, known only Alassio, Italy, Osigus & Schierwater, Current Biolgy, 2019) - the two firsts indistingible by morphological features (Scientific American). For a map of all collections of Trichoplax, see Eitel et al. (Plos One, 2013). For a their first record in Brazil, see Morandino et al. (Zoologischer Anzeiger, 2006).
4. CNIDARIA ‣ (334:1,507/)12,299 spp. in eight subgroups. For classification, see Wikipedia (W) and Zhang (Zootaxa, 2007). Here we accept Octocorallia (former Alcyonaceae, Pennatulacea, Helioporacea) and Hexacorallia (six orders) as distinct classes in Cnidaria to the detriment of the broad circumscription of Anthozoa (McFadden et al., Bulletin of the SSB, 2022), including the complete reformulation of the first group. For status of all medusae worldwide, see Jankowski (Hydrobiologia, 2001).
BRAZIL
Medusozoa from Brazil follows Marques, A. C. et al. (Biota Neotropica, 2003), with (82:205/)377 spp., being 348 species of Hydrozoa, 22 Scyphozoa, 3 Cubozoa and 1 Staurozoa. Oliveira et al. (Zootaxa, 2016) lists 5 Cubozoa, 905 Hydrozoa, 25 Scyphozoa, 3 Staurozoa in marine waters of South America. Morandini et al. (Iheringia, 2005) updates Scyphozoa and Cubozoa, with 22 and 4 spp., respectively. Mexico has 289 spp. in Cubozoa, Scyphozoa and Hydrozoa (Conabio vol. 85, 2014).
FRESHWATER
Balian (2008) cites fewer 40 Cnidaria occur inland waters: (1): the common Hydra, a group of secondarily simple, solitary polyps without medusae; (2) Cordylophorinae, an anthoathecate group that contains freshwater colonial hydroids (Cordylophora and Pachycordyle); (3) freshwater medusae, e.g., Craspedacusta and Limnocnida, which have simple polyp stages that lack tentacles; and (4) Polypodium, an unusual parasite of fish eggs recently assigned to its own class, Polypodiozoa. Deserti et al. (Revista de Biologia Tropical, 2023) cites only six genera: cosmopolitan Hydra, the colonial Cordylophora and Pachycordyle, the medusae Craspedacusta and Limnocnida and the little polyp Calpasoma. Besides diverging into Calpasoma and Polypodium, neither of the two references lists Velkovrhia enigmatica Matjasic & Sket, 1971, endemic to the Dinarides in the Balkan Peninsula, where it has been known from five caves in Slovenia (3), Croatia (1) and Bosnia (1), by Magmajster (Natura Sloveniae, 2003), from the family Bougainvilliidae.
In Neotropical region, six spp. of Hydrozoa in freshwaters are known (Deserti et al., Revista de Biologia Tropical, 2023): Calpasoma dactylopterum Fuhrmann, 1939 (Olindiidae, SE Brazil, NE Argentina and Uruguay), Craspedacusta sowerbii Lankester, 1880 (Olindiidae, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Brazil, Venezuela, Mexico, Panama, Belize and Costa Rica), Cordylophora caspia Pallas, 1771 (Cordylophoridae, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, SE Brazil, N Colombia and E Mexico), and 11 spp. of Hydra, mainly in Argentina (4), Brazil (4, 3 endemic), Mexico (4, possibly only one endemic), Chile (4, 1 endemic) and Paraguay (4, 1 endemic).
TAXONOMY
By Wilipedia (SEE), we follows three clades: Anthozoa, Ecnidozoa and Medusozoa.
ANTHOZOA
OCTOCORALLIA ‣ two orders, c. (79:413/)2,996 spp. worldwide (McFadden et al., Bulletin of the SSB, 2022). (27:57/)106 spp. in Brazil.
SCLERALCYONACEA
35 families. (13:29/)48 spp. in Brazil (Neves, Thesis, 2010, circunscription of McFadden et al., Bulletin of the SSB, 2022).
MALACALCYONACEA
44 families. (14:28/)58 spp. in Brazil (Neves, Thesis, 2010, circunscription of McFadden et al., Bulletin of the SSB, 2022).
HEXACORALLIA ‣ six orders, c. (94:528/)3,146 spp. worldwide (Daly et al., Zootaxa, 2007). (44:99/)167 spp. in Brazil. Ceraintaria is sometimes treated as a distinct class of Hexacorallia (Wikipedia). Here, we address it under the latter name.
CERIANTHARIA
54 spp. worldwide in three families: Botrucnidiferidae (2/4), Arachnactidae (2/9), and Cerianthidae (4/41), (4/)5 spp. in Brazil in the two lasts, and endemic species in latter family (Sérgio N. Stampar et al., ZooKeys, 2020). 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
(46:216/)1,200 spp. worldwide (Daly, 2007). Brazil has (16:30/)46 spp., 10 endemics to country, in both suborders (Targino, Thesis, 2018).
ANTIPATHARI
(7:40/)c. 235 spp. (Daly, 2007). (7/)18 spp. in Brazil, in three families: Antipathidae, Myriopathidae, and Schizopathidae (Liola, Bulletin of Marine Science, 2007).
CORALLIMORPHARIA
(4:8/)24 spp. worldwide (Daly, 2007). Brazil has 4 spp. in this group: Discosoma carlgreni Watzl, 1922 (ES, BA), D. sanctithomae Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1860(BA), Corynactis sp. (RJ to RS) and Pseudocorynactis sp. (RJ to SP), in Corallimorphidae and Discosomidae (Almeida, Thesis, 2013).
SCLERACTINIA
1,200 spp. worldwide in 27 families (c. 230 genera) by Zhang (2013). Brazil has 77 spp., being 59 azooxanthllate (in nine families and 39 genera, details in Kitahara, Bulletin of Marine Society, 2007) and 18 zooxanthellate (in 10 genera of 8 families), by Capel (Thesis, 2012).
ZOANTHIDEA
Two orders and (7:17/)c. 170 spp. worldwide (Zhang, 2013). In Brazil occur (4:6/)17 spp. (Alves Santos, Marine Biodiversity, 2015). For details of Isaurus tuberculatus Gray, 1828 in Brazil, see Lima et al. (CheckList, 2022).
ECNIDOZOA
MYXOZOA ‣ for a complete taxonomy, see Lom, Dyková (Folia Parasitologica, 2006), which lists (16:62)2,164 spp.; Vidal (Thesis, 2017) lists (15:36/)495 spp. in New World. In South America are (25/)157 spp. within 11 families of two orders, with 49 Henneguya, 45 Myxolobus and 11 Myxidium - remaining 52 spp. in 22 genera. Only three of South American species are present in two countries: Alatospora merluccii Kalavati, Longshae e Mackenzie, 1995 (Chile and Argentina), Myxodavisia newfoundlandia Zhao, Zhou, Kent e Whipps, 2008 (Canada and Argentina) and Myxobolus inaequus Kent e Hoffman, 1984 (Guyana and Suriname). By this source, Brazil no has the genera Palliatus, Sphaeromyxa, Sinuolinea, Myxoproteus, Myxodavisia, Bipteria, Parvicapsula (possibly), Myxobiliatus, Zschokkella, Auerbachia, Agarella, Renispora, Pseudolantospora and Alantospora, and the South American families Alatosporidae, Coccomyxidae and Myxobilatidae - however, members of the last family was collected in Pará state in N Brazil (Santos et al., Parasitology Research, 2018); 110 (+1) occur in Brazil (29 in São Paulo, 27 in Pará (+1), 4 in Piauí state and 17 in Mato Grosso do Sul state) in 12(+1) genera, 48 in Henneguya and 41 in Myxobolus. Myxozoa is likely absent in Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela, and has only 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-parasitic species, Polypodium hydriforme Ussov, 1885, from Russia, Romania, Kazakhstan, Moldavia, Ukraine, China (only Lake Khanka), Iran, and North America (Raikova, Journal of Applied Ichthyology, 2002).
MEDUSOZOA
HYDROZOA ‣ hydroids, hydra-like animals. (111:487/)c. 3,643 spp. worldwide (Daly et al., Zootaxa, 2007, also World Hydrozoa Database). (63:173/)348 spp. in marine environment in Brazil plus (3:4/)7 in freshwaters. 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).
■ endemic families in New World: Tottonophyidae (1/1, Siphonophora, U.S.A).
STAUROZOA ‣ (6:11/)50 spp., only two in Brazil, Kishinouyea corbini Larson, 1980 (Grohmann PA et al., Species Diversity, 1999) and Lucernariopsis capensis Carlgren, 1938 (Miranda LS et al., Zootaxa, 2012), both from Kishinouyeidae. For some information on them, including checklists and a map of all records of these animals, see Miranda et al. (Mar. Biodiv., 2017). In Neotropics this class occur only in Mexico (3, SEE), Puerto Rico, Brazil, Argentina and Chile (the third species of South America, Haliclystus antarcticus Pfeffer, 1889 from Haliclystidae, absent in Brazil).
CUBOZOA ‣ box jellyfish or sea wasps, marine. (8:18/)51 spp. worldwide (Worms). 5 in South America, all in Brazil, in two families.
SCYPHOZOA ‣ (19:58/)228 spp. worldwide, true jellyfish. (13:16/)22 spp. in Brazilian coast. Only one family in South America does not occur in Brazil: Phacellophoridae, with one species from Pacific and Argentinian coasts.
5. XENOACOELOMORPHA ‣ small, flat and worm-like in marine and sometimes brackish water environments, on the sediments. Three clades with (19:115/)407 spp. worldwide.
5.1 Xenoturbellida ‣ six spp. in Xenoturbella (Wikipedia): four from coasts of S California (1) and Gulf of California in NW Mexico (3) in Pacific Ocean (Rouse et al., Nature, 2016), one from coast of E Japan (Nakano et al., BMC Evol Biol., 2017), and, by same reference, the type species, from coasts of Sweden. Unknown in Brazil.
5.2 Nemertodermatida ‣ (2:6/)15 spp. (Wikipedia), 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).
5.3 Acoela ‣ (16:108/)386 spp. (Zhang/Acoelomorpha). For a checklist of all (25/)36 spp. of Acoela in at date in Brazil (number of families unknown, all collected only in São Paulo state), see Braccini, J.A.L., Amaral, S.V. and Leal-Zanchet, A.M. (Braz. J. Biol., 2016). Hoode et al. (Zootaxa, 2006) describes more 7 spp. for Brazil, and cites six valid families for country. Thus, here accepted 43 spp. in 25 genera of six families in Brazil. Only two spp. woorldwide are freshwaters: Limonoposthia polonica Kolasa et Faubel, 1974 and Oligochoerus limnophilus Ax & Dörjes, 1966 (Wikipedia).
GNATHIFERA
6. CHAETOGNATHA ‣ (12:47/)186 spp. worldwide (Wikipedia). Brazil has (13/)25 spp. (Vega-Pérez & Schinke, Biota Neotropica, 2011) within Pterosagittidae (1/1), Krohnittidae (3/5), Spadellidae (1/1) and Sagittidae (8/18). The checklist of World Sagittidae is in A.P. Kassatkina (Zoosyst. Rossica, 2007). Arruda et al. (Checklist, 2010) shows a new record of a species in Brazilian Coast.
■ endemic families in New World: Bathybelidae (1/1, U.S.A).
7. GNATHOSTOMULIDA ‣ (12:26/)112 spp. within two orders based on Sørensen and Sterrer (BOOK, 2022) plus at least two spp. from Antarctica (Sterrer et al., Diversity, 2022). Sterrer (Book, 1997) cites records of Gnathostomula axi Kirsteuer off coast of Venezuela in South America, and this phyllum is absent in Mexico. Other works includes Gnathostomulda from New Zealand (Sterrer, Zootaxa, 2006), Gulf of Mexico (Sørensen and Sterrer, Chapter 26, 2005), Australia and Papua New Guinea (Sterrer, free papper, 2001) and Caribbean (free paper, 1998).
Based on the references above, the most accurate we can intuit the global diversity of Gnathostomulida is: NE Pacific (1/1), W U.S.A. (1/1), Galapagos (5/5), Belize (3/3), Panama (2/2), E U.S.A. and Florida (13/13), Bermuda (2/2), Caribbean (6/8), Venezuela (1/1), Barbados (1/1), Bahamas (2/2), NW Atlantic (2/12), Canary Is. (5/6), N Ireland (1/1), Barents (1/1), W Europe (2/8), Meditteranean (1/1), Sweden (2/5), Denmark (2/2), Adriatic (4/4), Red Sea (3/5), Maldives (1/1), South Africa (1/1), Madagascar (1/1), Mauritius (1/1), Reunion (1/1), Hong Kong (2/2), Thailand (1/1), Papua New Guinea (2/2), NE Australia (11/17), New Caledonia (1/1), New Zealand (5/12), Tahiti (4/4), Fiji (10/16), Hawaii (3/8), Antartida (2/2).
Apart from the references above, here we include two records of Gnathostomulida in Brazil: Gnathostomula sp. and Austrognathia sp., both cited for Baia de Araçá, São Paulo (Amaral et al., Biota Fapesp-Araçá, 2018), both undescribed. Two high groups in this phyllum:
Filospermoidea ‣ (2:3/)28 spp.
Haplognathiidae (1/10) ‣ a single genus, Haplognathia (10): Europe (7), E U.S.A. (1), Hawaii (2).
Pterognathiidae ‣ (2/)18 spp. in Cosmognathia (4): Caribbean (1), Fiji (2), Hawaii (1); and Pterognathia (14): Sweden (4), Caribbean (3), Tahiti (1), Fiji (2), Hawaii (1), NE Australia (1) and New Zealand (2).
Bursovaginoidea ‣ (10:23/)84 spp. in two high groups:
CONOPHORALIA
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, 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.
SCLEROPERALIA
Agnathiellidae ‣ 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 from Belize and Panamá.
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 (6), Fiji (2), 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.
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/SEE, one in Fiji).
Onychognathiidae ‣ (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, Panamá, 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 spp. from Belize.
Problognathiidae ‣ a single spp. from Bermuda.
Rastrognathiidae ‣ a single spp. from Zealand, Denmark.
■ endemic families in New World: Paucidentulidae (1/1, Belize), Problognathiidae (1/1, Bermuda).
8. MICROGNATHOZOA ‣ only one sp., Limnognathia maerski Kristensen & Funch (Wikipedia), discovered in 1994 at Disko Island, Greenland, but not described before 2000, and it has subsequently been reported from the Sub Antarctic Crozet Island (SEE), in a stream from southern Wales, United Kingdom, in the river Lambourn (Berkshire), United Kingdom (Bekkouche et al., Frontiers in Zoology, 2014), Bassa Nera pond in Pyrenees from NE Spain (Giribet, G. et al., Current Biology, 2023) and SE Brazil, identified in the country only through eDNA metabarcoding of samples collected from the Rio Doce estuary, in Espírito Santo state, in 2018. This record has not been formally published or accepted in national checklists, but it is already considered valid here (Coppo, G. et al., Peerj, 2023).
9. SYNDERMATA ‣ apart from the traditional classification that separates Rotifera and Acanthocephala into two phyla, here we take them as one entity, called Syndermata, following modern results such as Laumer CE et al. (Proc. R. Soc. B., 2019) and Giribet et al. (BOOK, 2023). Syndermata includes has 7 basic lineages (all assignated as classes). For data from all four former Acanthocephala lineages in America Latina (26:157/1,298), see Amin (Folia Parasitologica, 2013). For Brazilian former Acanthocephala (14:34/72), see CTFB/Acanthocephala.
Eurotatoria (Monogononta + Bdelloidea) is large, with about 1,570 valid species of Monogononta and 461 Bdelloidea recognized worldwide, and, from the Neotropics, 566 monogononts and 116 bdelloids (Segers, Biodiversity and Conservation, 2008); by this work, 69 monogononts, one bdelloid and the all Seisonida are exclusively marine, and all remainig are freshwater or brackish water (182 spp. occur in sea environments, SEE). (162/)2,034 spp. in this clade by Zhang (Zootaxa, 2013). Best link for this group: Rotifer World Catalogue (RWC). Checklist of all Rotifera: Fada Biodiversity. Mexico has (27:75/)402 spp. of Eurotatoria (Sarma, MDPI, 2021).
Seisonida ‣ class Pararotatoria, 4 spp. in Seison and Paraseison, 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 ‣ 1,570 spp. worldwide. Garraffoni and Lourenço (Checklist, 2012) lists (76/)585 spp. in Brazil, among 27 of 30 families assignated in Zhang (2013); exceptions are 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 ‣ 461 spp. worldwide. Garraffoni and Lourenço (Checklist, 2012) lists (8/)40 spp. in Brazil, among 3 of 5 families of Bdelloideae (8 genera and 40 spp. by Zhang, 2013); the exception are 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/)189 spp., (3:6/)21 in Brazil: Gigantorhynchidae (1/2), Moniliformidae (1/3) and Oligacanthorhynchidae (4/14).
Eoacanthocephala ‣ (4:29/)225 spp., (2:8/)20 in Brazil: Quadrigyridae (3/6) and Neoechinorhynchidae (5/14).
Palaeacanthocephala ‣ (16:106/)845 spp., (8:19/)30 in Brazil: Cavisomidae (2/2), Diplosentidae (3/3), Echinorhynchidae (4/10), Illiosentidae (1/1), Rhadinorhynchidae (2/3), Centrorhynchidae (1/3), Plagiorhynchidae (1/1) and Polymorphidae (5/7).
Polyacanthocephala ‣ (1:1/)4 spp., only one in Brazil.
Following Amin (UNAM, 2000), several genera in former Acanthocephala in America Latina does not occur in Brazil, namely in Archiacanthocephala: Apororhynchus (Brazil?), Gigantorhynchus (Brazil?, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela), Neoncicola (Brazil?, Puerto Rico, Venezuela); Palaeacanthocephala: Neoacanthocephaloides (Puerto Rico), Caballerorhynchus (Mexico), Megapriapus (Venezuela), Pseudocavisoma (Puerto Rico), Hypoechinorhynchus (Argentina), Tegorhynchus (Juan Fernandez, Puerto Rico), Pomphorhynchus (Argentina, Chile, Mexico), Gorgorhynchoides (Curazao, Mexico), Pseudoleptorhynchoides (Mexico), Rhadinorhynchoides (Brazil?, Curazao, Galapagos), Plagiorhynchus (Mexico, Brazil?); Eoacanthocephala: Acanthogyrus (Puerto Rico, T.Tobago), Deltacanthus (Venezuela), Pandosentis (Venezuela), Woffiugelia (Uruguay). Arythmacanthidae remains the unique family in South America absents in Brazil.
■ 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, flatworms, acoela and annelids, collected at their hosts in Atlantic coast of Europe, Arctic and northern Pacific (Wikipedia), never collected in Brazil. 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, two in NW France, two in NW U.S.A.), Ciliocincta (3, NW France, NW U.S.A. and Hokkaido, Japan, one each), Intoshia (6, NW France, open sea in Artic, Kola Peninsula in Russia) and Rhopalura (10, Meditteranean, Arctic, coast of Europe), based on Kozloff (Cah. Biol. Mar, 1992), Kozloff (Cah. Biol. Mar., 1993), and Slyusarev & Manilov (Cah. Biol. Mar, 2021).
Ciliocincta: C. akkeshiensis (Hokkaido, Japan, in Turbellaria), C. julini (Roscoff, France, in polychaetes) and C. sabellariae (San Juan Islands, WA, U.S.A., in polychaete).
Intoshia: I. leptoplanae (NW France, in flatworms Leptoplana), I. linei (N France, in nemertines Lineus), I. metchnikovi (NW France, in polychaetes and nemertines), I. paraphanostomae (Sacandinavian waters, in Acoela), and I. variabili (White Sea, Rusia, in flatworms Macrorhynchus)
Rhopalura: R. elongata (Murmansk, Russia, in bivalves), R. granosa (SW England, in bivalves), R. intoshi (Messina, Italy, in nemertines), R. litoralis (Murmansk, Russia, in gastropods), R. major (Murmansk, Russia, in gastropods), R. murmanica (Murmansk, Russia, in gastropods), R. ophiocomae (France at Wimereux, Roscoff, Dinard, and Sète (Cette); in Great Britain at Roly Island (Northumberland), Wembury (Devonshire), and the Isle of Man; in Italy at Napoli and La Spezia; in the United States on San Juan Island in Washington; and Point Pinos in California), R. pelseneeri (NW France, polychaetes and nemertines), R. philinae (Sweden, in gastropods), R. pterocirri (NW France, in polychaetes) and R. vermiculicola (NW France, in nemertines).
Stoecharthrum: S. burresoni (Washington, U.S.A., in ascidians), S. fosterae (Washington, U.S.A., in bivalves), S. giardi (France, in polychaetes) and S. monnati (France, in bivalves).
Pelmatosphaeridae ‣ a single genus and species, Pelmatosphaera polycirri Caullery and Mesnil, 1904 from NW France, collected in polychaetes and nemertines, known also from UK (S. E. Ferriss et al., Irish Biodiversity, 2009).
11. DICYEMIDA ‣ (3:9/)122 spp. of tiny parasites that live in the renal appendages of cephalopods (Wikipedia), never collected among 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) ‣ endemic to Atlantic coast of France, UK (S. E. Ferriss et al., Irish Biodiversity, 2009), Italy and Monaco (Furuya & Souidenne, HPDC, 2019).
Dicyemidae (6/119) ‣ widely worldwide, (6/)108 sp. in Catalano (Zootaxa, 2012): Dicyema (61), Dicyemmenea (40), Dicyemodeca (3), Dodecadicyema (1, E India), Pleodicyema (1, Spain) and Pseudicyemma (3), collected at Cephalopods captured in coasts of U.S.A. (2/21, 16 in Pacific, 1 in Alaska, 4 in SE coast), Mexico (1/2, one in each coast), E Canada (1/1), 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), unknown or international waters (3/5) and Antarctica (1/1). After this work, another 10 spp. have been described for Australia, in Dicyema (8) and Dicyemennea (2), scattered in W, S & E coasts (SEE | SEE | SEE). Records of Dicyema also in coast of Venezuela (Penchaszadeh et al., Journal of Molluscan Studies, 1996).
Kantharellidae (1/1) ‣ a single species known only from Weddel Sea, Antarctica.
12. GASTROTRICHA ‣ 860 spp. worldwide in two major orders: Macrodasyida, contained (10:36/)377 described species, 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); and Chaetonotida, contained (8:32/)483 spp., which contains the suborders Multitubulatina (only by the genus Neodasys) and Paucitubulatina, with more than 450 spp., and present 2/3 of the species in continental waters, but Muselliferidae and Xenotrichulidae are exclusively marine (Campos and Garraffoni, PeerJ, 2019).
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. Araujo et al. (Checklist, 2016) updates the situation of Pseudostomella in Brazil.
■ endemic families in New World: Hummondasyidae (1/1, Macrodasyda, Jamaica).
13. PLATYHELMINTHES ‣ simple bilaterian, unsegmented, soft-bodied worms commonly called flatworms , no cavity, and having no specialised circulatory and respiratory organs. Joined the 38 unplaced genera (unknown number of species) with (383:3,551/)22,214 spp. assignated Rhabditophora or Catenulida, thys phyllum has (383:3,551/)22,214 spp. worldwide, (217:873/)2,122 in Brazil (including one Brazilian unplaced), for data below. 13,214 spp. occur in sea environments, SEE).
The massively polyphyletic 'Turbellaria' was split into several lineages, and parasitics Trematoda, Monogenea and Cestoda were joined in the new order Neodermata. To organize Platyhelminthes into monophyletic groups and maintain Neodermata as one of them, we organized nine groups in a hierarchical chain, based on the phylogeny implicitly suggested in the Turbellarian Taxonomic Database (TTD), accessed on December 16, 2024. In this classification, Catenulida emerges as basal, followed by Macrostomorpha. Trepaxonemata is divided into three groups: Amplimatricata, Gnosonesimida, and Euneoophora. The latter splits into Rhabdocoela and a clade containing Proseriata and Acentrosomata (Wikipedia). This, in turn, divides into Adiaphanida, Bothrioplanida, and Neodermata, being bold names the accpted canonic lineages. The numbers below follow TTD for all groups except 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.
A. Rhabditophora ‣ (377:3,539/)22,103 spp. worldwide, (214:866/)2,079 in Brazil.
A1. Trepaxonemata ‣ (373:3,515/)21,812 spp. worldwide, (211:861/)2,062 in Brazil.
a. 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).
b. 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 5 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 5 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), from 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].
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]. Includes Temnocephalidae; and Mariplanellida with (1:3/)4 spp., known from northern Europe, Kerguelan Is. and Curazao (Marine Species). Over, (16:41/)89 occur in Brazil.
c. 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 Panama (Panamabiota) and Cuba (Diez et al., BJLS, 2023).
A2. Macrostomorpha ‣ (4:24/)291 spp. worldwide, (3:5/)17 spp. in Brazil.
a. Bradynectes ‣ (1/)6 spp., absent in Brazil.
b. 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.
c. Haplopharyngidae ‣ (1/)3 spp., occur only in in 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.
d. Macrostomidae ‣ (7/)190 spp., 8 in Brazil, in Macrostomum expanded over Archimacrostomum obsolet.
e. Myozona ‣ (1/)6 spp. unfamily genus, only Myozona evelinae Marcus, 1949 in Brazil.
B. Catenulida ‣ (6:12/)111 spp. worldwide, (3:6/)42 in Brazil, in Catenulidae (2/9), Chordariidae (1/4) and Stenostomidae (3/29).
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.
Neodermata is divided into four groups: Trematoda/Aspidogastrea, Trematoda/Digenea, Monogenea and Cestoda. Littlewood et al. (BOOK, 2015) cites (4:13/)61 Trematoda/Aspidogastrea, (150:1777/)12,012 Trematoda/Digenea and (72:867/)4,671 Cestoda in World. By CFTB, in Brazil there are (37:164/)384 spp. of Cestoda, (27:151/)526 spp. of Monogenea and (93/411)765 Trematoda, totalizing (157:727/)1,675 Neodermata.
■ 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 ‣ 169 spp. by Zhang (2013), grouped into 4 families, three of them in Brazil, by Vieira & Migotto (Biota Neotropica, 2011): Barentisiidae (5/25, with 2/5 in Brazil), Loxosomatidae (5/124, with 3/8 in Brazil) and Pedicellinidae (4/20, with 2/5 in Brazil). Loxokalypodidae has (1/)2 spp. from northern Pacific (Iltis Report) and New Caledonia (WORMS). In total, Brazil has (3:7/)18 spp. Only two lives in freshwater: 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.
15. CYCLIOPHORA ‣ a phylum composed of three microscopic species in a single genus of lobster gills parasites in the North Atlantic, with strong affinities to Entoprocta and Ectoprocta.
Symbion americanus Obst, Funch and Kristensen, 2006 - at 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 new species (Sato et al., Invertebrate Biology, 2022).
Symbion pandora Funch and Kristensen 1995 - at Nephrops norvegicus L., 1758, collected in Sweden, Denmark, Faroe Is., U.K., France, Spain and Croatia (Obst et al., Molecular Ecology, 2005).
Symbion sp. - at 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, mostly referencied by World Nemertea Database (SEE). (250/)1,149 spp. worldwide (Gibson, Journal of Natural History, 1995) falling all in three actual clades except three monotypic genera. Bdellonemertea was imerged within Hoplonemertea by Thollesson (PubMed, 2003). 53 spp. in Brazil (Mendes et al., Zootaxa, 2016 | Santos, Journal of Natural History, 2006 | Amaral et al., BOOK, 2011 | Marine Species/Nemertes), in all three clades:
Palaeonemertea ‣ (6:14/)98 spp. worldwide, (3:3/)6 spp. in Brazil, in Tubulanus in Tubulanidae, Carinomella in Carinomidae and Cephalothrix in Cephalothrichidae, formerly Anopla.
Heteronemertea ‣ (11:80/)406 spp., worldwide, (2:8/)12 in Brazil, Baseodiscus in Baseodiscidae, Cerebratulus, Evelineus, Flaminga, Lineus, Micrura, Neolineus and Siolineus in Lineaidae, also formerly Anopla.
Hoplonemertea ‣ (27:153/)642 spp. worldwide, (7:14/)35 in Brazil, Carcinonemertea in Carcinonemertidae, Tagonemertes, Zygonemertes in Amphiporidae, Cratenemertes in Cratinemertidae, Nemertopsis in Emplectonemetidae, Otonemertes and Ototyphlonemertes in Ototyphlonemertidae, Oburgeria in Prosorhochmidae, Coenemertes, Divanella, Itanemertes, Prostoma, Prostomatella and Tetrastemma in Tetrastemmatidae, formerly Enopla.
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 Heteronemertea (KNAF/2020).
■ endemic families in New World: Panorhynchidae (1/1, Anopla, Argentina), Pachynemertidae (1/1, Enopla, Bermuda), Fasciculonemertidae (1/1, Enopla, Chile).
17. MOLLUSCA ▸ 85,519 spp. (Molluscabase), the second most speciose invertebrate phyllum after Arthropoda (Wikipedia), in seven living classes. Mollusca phylogeny accpted here is based on Xiaolu Han et al. (Front. Ecol. Evol., 2024), with two high clades: Aculifera and Conchifera.
F.M. Machado et al. (Zoologia, 2023) indicating the presence of (401:1,354)3,552 valid species of molluscs in Brazil, numbers accepted here in almost all groups except land Gastropoda, distributed among the main clades as follows: Caudofoveata (3:5/10), Solenogastres (2:6/6), Polyplacophora (7:11/35), Scaphopoda (6:20/43), Cephalopoda (38:65/92), Bivalvia (80:305/629) 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).
ACULIFERA
POLYPLACOPHORA ‣ (33:)1,224 spp. worldwide (Molluscabase). Brazil has (7:11/)35 spp. (F.M. Machado et al., Zoologia, 2023).
APLACOPHORA ‣ c. 320 spp. worldwide in two orders (Wikipedia): Caudofoveata (3:15/141 spp., Molluscabase) and Solenogastres (24:297 spp., Molluscabase). F.M. Machado et al. (Zoologia, 2023) cites (5:11/)16 spp. in Brazil, in both orders of this group, (2:6/)6 in Solenogastres and (3:5/)10 in Caudofoveata.
CONCHIFERA
MONOPLACOPHORA ‣ a group absent in Brazil. Based on Waren & Gofas (Zoologica Scripta, 2005), Marshall (Molluscan Research, 2006), D. L. Ivanov & Moskalev (Ruthenica, 2007), Y. Kano et al. (Zoologica Scripta, 2012) and Schwabe (Zootaxa, 2008), we listed (4:7/)32 spp. (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 (Antarctica), L. cachuchensis (off N Spain), L. hyalina (Washington to NW Baja California, Mexico), L. rolani (off N Spain) and L. theresae (Antarctica).
MICROPILINIDAE (1/6)
Micropilina arntzi (Antarctica), M. minuta (off Iceland and Italy), M. rakiura (NW New Zealand), M. reingi (NW New Zealand), M. tangaroa (NW New Zealand) and M. wareni (NW New Zealand).
MONOPLACOPHORIDAE (1/1)
Monoplacophorus zenkevitchi (Central Pacific, north of Johnston Islands, west of Hawaii).
NEOPILINIDAE (4/20)
Adenopilina adenensis (Gulf of Aden), Neopilina bruuni (Peru/Chile), N. galatheae (Baja California in Mexico, Costa Rica, Galapagos, MAP), N. rebainsi (Malvinas in Argentina), N. starobogatovi (E Kamchatka, Russia), N. sp. unnamed (Peru-Chile), Veleropilina brummeri (Mid-Atlantic Ridge), V. capulus (Chatham Rise, New Zealand), V. euglypta (Mid-Atlantic Ridge near Azores), V. goesi (Virgin Islands, Caribbean), V. oligotropha (north of Hawaii), V. reticulata (Cosica, Sardenha, S Italy), V. segonzaci (Mid-Atlantic Ridge), V. seisuimaruae (SE Honshu island, Japan), V. veleronis (Mexico, off W Baja California), V. zografi (off NE Azores), Vema bacescui (Peru-Chile), V. ewingi (Peru-Chile), V. levinae (submarine volcano off SW Mexico) and V. occidua (NW New Zealand).
CEPAHLOPODA ‣ two higher clades. Vaske Junior & Costa (Labomar UFC, 2011, [VJC]) lists 816 spp. worldwide and (38:65/)92 spp. in Brazil (F.M. Machado et al., Zoologia, 2023). In addition to the data in this list, here we also accept Chtenopteryx sicula Vérany, 1851 (Chtenopterygidae) in Brazil (Haimovici et al., Bulletin of Marine Science, 2002), some non-nominal species mentioned in the work itself: Architeuthis sp., Cycloteuthis sp. and Graneledone sp. (considered here as records of already known species, not as new ones), and some new families or genera mentioned expressly below, plus 4 new Nautilus species reported. In the final numbers, we accepts (50:146/)821 spp. of Cephalopoda in the world, (37:72/)90 in Brazil.
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 51 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, data from [VJC]: 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, (4/)5 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, non listed in [VJC], Wikipedia) from NW Australia and New Guinea, and Loliginidae (5/45 worldwide, [VJC]) widely worldwide (Wikipedia), (4/)6 spp. in Brazil in latter family.
Oegopsida - neritic squid. (25:82/)249 spp. worldwide, (21:41/)45 spp. in Brazil [VJC].
Bathyteuthida - (2:2/)6 spp. [VJC], one species in Brazil in each family.
Octopoda: octopus. (48/)307 spp. in 14 families, 10 in Brazil ((19/)30, [VJC]), and 4 absents: 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, inc. Brazil.
BIVALVIA ‣ (106:c. 1,100/)c.9,200 spp. worldwide (Wikipedia), 8,419 marine and 1,371 in freshwater (Molluscabase). F.M. Machado et al. (Zoologia, 2023) cites (80:305/)629 spp. of Bivalvia in Brazil, (72:276/)513 marine and (8:29/)116 freshwaters. 4 clades (Wikipedia; informations above freshwaters, see next paragraph):
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 (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 bivalvian 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 ‣ 71,818 spp. worldwide, 38,889 marine, 5,118 in freshwater and 27,994 in lands (Molluscabase) at 721 extant families (Bouchet et al., Macologia, 2017). 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).
TAXONOMY
Gastropoda 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), the three latters in Brazil (CTFB), with 7 spp. (F.M. Machado et al., Zoologia, 2023).
Vetigastropoda - (37:)c. 4,000 spp., marine (F.M. Machado et al., Zoologia, 2023). 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 (CTFB), with 11 spp. (F.M. Machado et al., Zoologia, 2023).
INCERTAE SEDIS
Neomphalina - three families, Melanodrymiidae (4 genera, SEE), Neomphalidae (6 genera, SEE) and Peltospiridae (10 genera, SEE), by Wikipedia, all absents in Brazil.
Cocculiniformia - (2:12/)51 spp. (Wikipedia), at least Cocculina in Brazil (Barros et al., Tropical Oceanography, 2001).
NOTES
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). 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 Northern 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 absents, 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 occur natively in Brazil.
Angustopila psammion Páll-Gergely, Vermeulen & Anker (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).
■ 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:)577 spp. worldwide (Molluscabase). 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 ‣ classic Annelida grouped in three groups are obsolete; Annelida's most recent and stable status is marked at Capa & Hutchings (Diversity, 2021), plus three clade after this work, Protodriliformia (SEE), Questidae (Garrafoni & Amorim, Iheringia, 2003), Aeolosomatida/Hrabeiellidae (Schmelz et al., Zootaxa, 2021), where the phylum has been divided into 21 lineages, including the phyla Echiura and Sipuncula itself. Ancient Polychaete class is now fragmented into 17 lineages (Echiura itself) plus Sipuncula. The survey posted here indicates 20,670 spp. in the phylum in 158 families. In Brazil there are 1,668 spp. in 99 families. 13,738 spp. occur in sea environments, SEE.
Grosse et al. (Diversity, 2021) cites some groups with inconclusive settlement in the phylogeny of annelids, namely: Cossuridae, Paraonidae, Siboglinidae, Hrabeiella, Aeolosoma, Potamodrilus, Scalibregmatidae and Travisiidae. Of these, the last six mentioned are here placed in lineages from Capa & Hutchings (Diversity, 2021); for the first two, an undefined status is maintained, both being declared here as 'unplaced at lineages'. Another group treated in this status is Myzostomida (Summers & Rouse, BMC Evolutionary Biology, 2014), whose position in the phylogeny of the phylum has no conclusive indication in the literature consulted. Grosse et al. (2021) mentions 'among many others' undefined groups in Annelida, without specifying what they are.
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
REFERENCES IN BRAZIL
Amaral et al. (Compilation, 2011) provides full data for 17 in Brazil (Palaeoannelida, Chaetopteridae, Amphinomida, Eunicida, Phyllodocida, Protodrillidae, Orbiniida, Cirratuliformia, Sabellida, Sabelariida, Spionida, Scalibregmatidae + Travaisidae, Ophellida, Arenicollida, Terebelliformia, Questidae and Aeolosomatidae/Hrabeiellidae), data in Capitellidae s.s. in Capitellidae/Echiura branch, and three unplaced families (Cossuridae, Paraonidae, Myzostomidae).
Ditadi and Migotto (Guia para coleta, 1982) and Ditadi (Fapesp, 1999-2009) provides data for Sipuncula in Brazil (6:7/30).
Fujiwara et al. (ZooKeys, 2019), Tommasi (Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia, 1970) and Southward (Article, 1968) provides data for four Brazilian members of Siboglinidae.
Bisewar (Zootaxa, 2009) provides data for Brazilian members of Echiura (2:4/5).
Christofferesen (Acta Zoólogica Mexicana, 2010) provides data for Brazilian Clitellata non Hirudina (17:424 spp.), and Christofferser (Neotropical Biology and Conservation, 2009) provides numers of all Brazilian Hirudina ((8:14/)47 spp.).
In each lineage, one can add to these references others that are more recent and accurate.
For former Polychaeta s.s., an available and accepted number in World is 8,350 spp. in 1,093 genera by Chapman (BOOK, 2009). For data from southern Atlantic Polychaeta, see NONATOBASE.
TAXONOMY
UNPLACED AT LINEAGES
Three families accepted in this block, all in Brazil: Cossuridae (1/29, Grosse et al., Diversity, 2021, (1/)3 spp. in Brazil), Paraonidae (8/150, Grosse et al., Diversity, 2021, (8/)30 spp. in Brazil) and Myzostomidae (12/150, Summers & Rouse, BMC Evolutionary Biology, 2014), (3/)4 spp. in Brazil.
PALAEOANNELIDA
127 spp. in two families, Magelonidae and Oweniidae (Parapar, Diversity, 2021), both in Brazil (9/15 spp. joined).
CHAETOPTERIDAE
79 spp., in a single homonymous family. (4/)8 spp. in Brazil.
AMPHINOMIDA
221 spp. in two families, Amphinomidae and Euphrosinidae (Wikipedia), both in Brazil (9/17 spp. joined).
SIPUNCULA
(6:17/)162 spp. worldwide (Wikipedia). All families occur in Brazil (7/30 spp.). For some notes for Sipuncula in NE Brazil, see Franco, L.C. et al (Zootaxa, 2024)
EUNICIDA
1,397 spp. in eight families (Zanol et al., Diversity, 2021, plus Ichthyonomidae, SEE). Brazil has (7:42/)174 spp.
PHYLLODOCIDA
(28:566/)4627 spp. (Martin et al., Diversity, 2021). In Brazil occur (23:170/)457 spp., including Nemanereis.
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 from Mexico, found at 2,150 m a.s.l. in Mexico (Conde-Vela, Subterranean Biology, 2017).
PROTODRILIFORMIA
(4:6/)76 spp. in Protodrilidae (2/36, Martínez et al., Cladistics, 2014), Polygordiidae (1/16, Senckenberg), Saccocirridae (2/22, Domenico et al., Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2014) and Protodriloididae (1/2, Domenico, Thesis, 2012), all in Brazil (5/9).
ORBINIIDA
(5:)222 spp. worldwide (Wikipedia), Orbiniidae and Neriliidae in Brazil (10/28). This clade includes the very enigmatic Parergodrilidae.
Parergodrilidae by Purschke & Fursman (Zoomorphology, 2005), 12 spp. belongs this clade, 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
(13:)880 spp. (SEE). Includes many members in Brazil ((6:19/)51 spp.).
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
200 spp. worldwide in 4 lineages, Frenulata clade (FC), Osedax clade (OC), these two in Brazil, Vestimentifera and Monilifera (Sclerolinum, SEE) absents, with 5 spp in country: Osedax braziliensis Fujiwara, Jimi, Sumida, Kawato & Kitazato, 2019 (SEE, OC), O. nataliae Gularte, Sumida, Bergamo & Rouse (Gularte, T. et al., ZooKeys, 2024, OC), Siboglinum besnardi Tommasi, 1970, S. nonatoi Tommasi, 1970 (SEE, FC) and Crassibrachia brasiliensis Southward, 1968 (SEE, FC).
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
1,151 spp. in two families, Sabeliidae and Serpuliidae. (40/)77 spp. in Brazil.
SABELARIIDA
135 spp. in a single family Sabelariidae, with (4/)13 spp. in Brazil.
SPIONIDA
649 spp. in 9 families worldwide. (7:33/)113 spp. in Brazil, in Aberrantidae (1/1, Santos & Rizzo, Ocean and Coastal Research, 2024), Apistobranchidae (1/1), Magelonidae (1/7), Poecilochaetidae (1/5), Spionidae (24/90), Chaetopteridae (4/8) and Longosomaridae (1/1). Trochochaetidae and Uncispionidae absents in Brazil.
CAPITELLIDA/ECHIURA
Due to high inconclusion among phylogenies, this clade is treated here including two groups: Echuira and Capitellida s.s.
A. Echiura ‣ 236 spp. (Zhang, 2013) worldwide in 5 families of two orders (Wikipedia). Biseswar (Zootaxa, 2009) lists all Echiura of Atlantic Ocean; in Brazil marine water occurs 5 spp.: three Bonellidae (Bonellia minor, Torbenwolffia galatheae and Sluiterina flabellorhynchum) and two Thalassematidae (Lissomyema exilii and L. pelodes). Other three South American species are listed in Paz & Chapoñán (Cientifica, 2016).
B. Capitellida s.s. ‣ originally included three families (Wikipedia), but with the emancipation of Arenicolidae, only two are in this group today: Capitellidae Grube, 1862 and Maldanidae Malmgren, 1867, both in Brazil (28/57 spp.).
SCALIBREGATIDAE/TRAVISIDAE
106 spp., see Parapar et al. (Diversity, 2021). (5/)16 spp. in this clades in Brazil: 12 in Scalibregmatidae (SEE), in Asclerocheilus (3), Oligobregma (3), Pseudoscalibregma (3) and Scalibregma (3), and 4 in Travisidae (SEE).
OPHELLIDA
167 spp. in a single family. (10/)38 spp. in Brazil.
ARENICOLIA
273 spp. in a single family. (2/)3 spp. occur in Brazil.
TEREBELLIFORMEA
1,114 spp. in 5 families, by Hutchings et al. (Diversity, 2021). Brazil has (4:32/)62 spp.
AEOLOSOMATIDA/HRABEIELLIDAE
Two families, Aeolosomatidae with (3/)32 spp. worldwide (SEE). Christoffersen, Turkish Journal of Zoology, 2012 lists all members from South America, nine spp. in Brazil, none endemics) 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).
CLITELLATA
A spetacular radiation of 14 orders, three parasitics (former Hirudina s.l.). Here we follow Schmelz et al. (Zootaxa, 2021) and Tessler et al. (Mol. Phyl. and Evol., 2018), with 55 families. (22:96/)466 spp. in Brazil. For a huge amount of informations about earthworms, see Phytotaxa, vol. 5255, March 15, 2023. Our survey count 8,292 spp. in this class.
RANDIELLIDA
One small marine family, Randiellidae, with 4 spp. in 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).
PARVIDRILLIDA
A single family, Parvidrilidae (1/11), from SE U.S.A. and Europe (Timm, Zootaxa, 2017).
CAPILLOVENTRIDA
A single family, Capilloventridae, with 5 spp. in Capilloventer: two marine (C. atlanticus Harman & Loden 1984 from E Brazil and one in Antarctica) and three from freshwater in Australia (KAFTI).
TUBIFICIDA
Two families: Tubificidae (syn. Naididae, Pristinidae, Opistocystidae) with 1,168 spp. (Timm, Zootaxa, 2017; Sjölin et al., Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2005; Esséus, Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2010). 155 spp. in South America, (22/)80 in Brazil (Christoffersen, Acta Zoólogica Mexicana, 2010 for species; Christoffersen, Acta Hydrobiologica Sinica, 2007 for all list); and Phreodrilidae (1/53, Timm, Zootaxa, 2017), absent in Brazil.
NARAPIDA
A single family, Narapidae (1/1), from S Brazil to NE Argentina (Jamieson et al., Book Chapter 8, 2006).
ENCHYTRAEIDA
Two families: Enchytraeidae with (26/)700 spp. (SEE), 65 spp. in South America and (9/)35 in Brazil (Christoffersen, Acta Zoólogica Mexicana, 2010 for species; Christoffersen, Zootaxa, 2007 for all list), and Propappidae (1/3), from Europe and S Siberia in Russia (Coates, Proceedings of ohe Biological Society of Washington, 1986).
HAPLOTAXIDA
Two families, Haplotaxidae (7/32, Timm, Zootaxa, 2017, also Brinkhurst, Canadian Science Publishing, 1988), with 4 spp. in South America, two in Guyana, Brazil and Argentina one each (Christoffersen, Acta Zoólogica Mexicana, 2010) and Tiguassuidae (1/1, endemic to Brazil).
MONILIGASTRIDA
A single family, Moniligastridae, with (5/)c. 200 spp. (Wikipedia), 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.
ALLUROIDINA
Two families, Alluroididae (7/13, Jamieson & Fragoso, Zootaxa, 2024, waters of equatorial Africa and South America) and Syngenodrilidae (1/1, 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 from Brazil, Guyana, Argentina and Santa Lucia in Caribbean.
CRASSICLITELLATA
Misirlioglu et al (Zootaxa, 2023) recognizes (22:382/)5,406 spp. in this clade. South American numbers provided by Christoffersen (Acta Zoólogica Mexicana, 2010). Nine families does 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). 5 families occur in New World but non in South America: Komarekionidae (mid-Atlantic states west to southern Illinois, U.S.A.), Lumbricidae (Paleartic and E North America), Lutodrilidae (E U.S.A.), Megascolecidae (Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Canada to California), and Sparganophilidae (North America). Eight families occur in South America. (47/)299 spp. in Brazil (Fragoso & Brown, BOOK, 2007)
Glossoscolecidae (6/156) + Rhinodrilidae (38/376) - Mexico to South America, former in Glossocolecidae s.l.; joined, (25/)226 spp. in Brazil (Fragoso & Brown, BOOK, 2007).
Acanthodrilidae - (68/)746, widely worldwide, 66 spp. in South America, 4 in Brazil (1 in Eodrilus and 3 in Microscolex), by Fragoso & Brown (BOOK, 2007).
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/)7 in Brazil, in Drilocrius (5), Glyphidrilocrius (1) and Guarani (1), by Fragoso & Brown (BOOK, 2007) and Misirlioglu et al (Zootaxa, 2023).
Benhamiidae - (20/)351 spp., Africa, Oceania, America Central and northern South America. (5/)100 spp. in New World, including former South American Octacaenidae. 4 genera in Brazil: Dichogaster (8), Neogaster (4), Pickfordia (1) and Wegeneria (4), by Fragoso & Brown (BOOK, 2007).
Ocnerodrilidae - (37/)172 spp., South and America Central, sub-Saharan Africa, India, and the Seychelles. (20/)77 spp. in South America, (15/)44 spp. in Brazil (Fragoso & Brown, BOOK, 2007).
Tumakidae - three spp. endemics to Colombia.
LUMBRICULIDAE
227 spp. (Timm, Zootaxa, 2017), an Holarctic family with extension into W Asia, absent in South America (Christoffersen, Acta Zoólogica Mexicana, 2010).
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, Glossiphoniidae, Piscicolidae, Ozobranchidae, Wikipedia) and Arhynchobdellida (12:47/215, Wikipedia). (7:13/)43 spp. in Brazil and (10:)31 in Mexico (Oceguera-Figueroa & León-Règagnon, Rev. Mex. de Biodiv., vol. 85, 2014).
Christofferser (Neotropical Biology and Conservation, 2009) lists 137 leeches in South America, 66 non-Glossiifonidae (SEE, including marine species, in two families, Piscicolidae and Ozobranchidae) and 71 Glossifoniidae (46 of them Helobdella (SEE), 25 non-Helobdella; several genera are endemic to Andean region). 11 leech families occur in South America: in continent Erpobdellidae and Americobdellidae are reported only in Chile and Argentina, Cyclobdellidae and Xerobdellidae from Peru to Argentina, remaining seven in Brazil ((13/)43 spp.): Janssonia (1), Stibarobdella (3), Trachelobdella (1), Cylicobdella (4), Unoculobranchiobdella (1), Limnobdella (1), Oxyptichus (3), Barbronia (1), Paragonobdella (1), Semiscolex (4), Placobdella (2), Haementeria (9) and Helobdiella (15). For a remarkable record of Stibarobdella moorei Oka, 1910 (Piscicolidae) in Brazil, see Wunderlich et al. (CheckList, 2016).
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 East 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 (California, Canada, Gulf of Mexico, Canary Is., Mediterranean Basin/Delgado & Nuñez, Misc. Zool., 1994, and Rocal Atol in N Brazil/Amaral et al., Compilation, 2011), 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), by Garraffoni & Amorim (Iheringia, 2003).
GENERAL NOTES ABOUT ANNELIDA
Only 13 of the approximately 600 species of known marine and estuarine oligochaetes have been recorded from Brazil, and 8 are currently known only from their type locations (Prantoni et al., Marine Biodiversity, 2013), in Naididae (5/6), Enchytraeidae (3/5), Capiloventridae (Capilloventer atlanticus Harman and Loden, 1984) and Megascolecidae (Pontodrilus litoralis Grube, 1855). Besides Pontodrilus litoralis to be the aquatic oligochaete with the highest number of records in Brazil, we here consider this species a invasive, based on text in Misirlioglu et al (Zootaxa, 2023).
Bioluminescent earthworms falls in around (13/)30 spp. in five families: Acanthodrilidae, Megascolecidae, Octochaetidae, Lumbricidae (all records of bioluminescence in Eisenia and the phenomenon may be confined to only two or three species, including E. fetida Savigny, 1826 and E. lucens Waga, 1857), and Enchytraeidae (in Fridericia and Michaelseniella and usually inhabit soils rich in organic matter), by Shimomura & Yampolsky (BOOK, 2019).
The number of former polychaete taxa living in the Neotropical fresh waters is very few compared with their marine counterparts, comprising only (6/)22 spp., in Nereididae (2/11, in Nemalycastis and Nemanereis, both in Brazil, with 10 spp. in country, mainly from Amapá to Maranhão states, by Alves, Thesis, 2022), Histriobdellidae (8, in Stratiodrilllus, colected in several places including Brazil), Capitellidae (1, Ouanay river in French Guiana), Sabellidae (1, Monroika clarae Bick & Armendáriz, 2021, in lower Uruguay River in Argentina and Uruguay, SEE), and Sigalionidae (1, Phyllodocida, Panama), by KNAF/2020.
■ endemic families in New World: Tumakidae (1/3, Clitellata, Colombia), Komarekionidae (1/1, Clitellata, U.S.A.), Lutodrilidae (1/1, Clitellata, U.S.A.), Arecoidae (1/1, Clitellata, Brazil) and Tiguassuidae (1/1, Clitellata, Brazil).
19. BRACHIOPODA ‣ following Brachiopoda Database (SEE), (31/121)404 living species into 5 orders (TABLE) belongs this phylum, explaned below in three groups:
Linguliformea (SEE) ‣ six living genera in a single order, five in New World: Glottidia (MAP), Pelagodiscus (MAP), Lingula (SEE), Discinisca (MAP) and Discradisca (MAP) in New World, all in South America, the three lasts in Brazil: 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).
Rhynchonelliformea ‣ three orders:
Rhynchonellida ‣ 19 genera, three in New World: Cryptopora (MAP), Abyssorhynchia (MAP) and Neorhynchia (MAP), all in South America, none in Brazil.
Thecideida ‣ six genera, three in New World, all only in Caribbean (remaining records in Old World), but also possibly in N South America: Lacazella (MAP), Minutella (MAP) and Thecidellina (MAP), none in Brazil.
Terebratullida ‣ 87 genera, 12 in South America: Liothyrella (MAP), Gryphus (MAP), Dallithyris (MAP), Abyssothyris (MAP), Terebratullina (MAP), Melvicallatis (MAP), Fosteria (MAP), Aneboconcha (MAP), Terebratella (MAP), Platidia (MAP), Macandrevia (MAP), Magellania (MAP). Besides these references, in Brazil occur five genera 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).
Craniiformea (SEE) ‣ three genera in a single order worldwide: Valdiviathyris (MAP), Neoancistrocrania (MAP) and Novocrania (8, Robinson, Zootaxa, 2017), unique in New World (3 spp.), collected in SW Canada, W U.S.A., Galapagos, Chile and Magellanic region.
■ endemic families in New World: Bouchardiidae (1/1, Rhynchonellata, Brazil).
20. BRYOZOA (ECTOPROCTA) ‣ 5,869 spp. living worldwide (Wikipedia) within 4 orders. Brazilian number follows Vieira et al. (Zootaxa, 2008), 346 spp. in total. World numbers follows Bock & Gordon (Zootaxa, 2013). A important website for this phylum is International Bryozoology Associaton (IBA).
Cheilostomata (marine) ‣ 271 in Brazil. Worldwide: (128/547)4,921 spp.
Ctenostomata (marine/freshwater) ‣ 42 in Brazil. Worldwide: (34:61/)325 spp. in 61 genera of 34 families.
Cyclostomata (marine) ‣ 33 in Brazil. Worldwide: (15:62/)543 spp.
Plylactolaemata (freshwater) ‣ worldwide: (7:15/)86 spp.
Vieria et al. (Zootaxa, 2014) describes more 21 species of Ctenostomata in Brazil, increasing the total of this group to 63 in country. For freshwater Bryozoa, by Wood & Okamura (Zootaxa, 2017), there are 89 spp. 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); thus, Brazil has 20 freshwater bryozoa (18 Phylactolaemata and two Ctenostemata). Finally, Brazil has 387 Bryozoa species.
■ endemic families in New World: Polliciporidae (1/1, Gymnolaemata, Chile), Jebramellidae (1/1, Gymnolaemata, Brazil) and Tapajosellidae (1/1, Phylactolaemata, Brazil).
21. PHORONIDA ‣ (2/)11 spp. (Phoronida World Database; for distribution, see the MAP), in Phoronopsis (3, Panama, U.S.A., Bermuda, Caribbean and scattered in Old World , absent in South America) and Phoronis, with 8 spp., one in Japan, P. ovalis Wright, 1856, P. psammophila Cori, 1889, P. hippocrepia Wright, 1856 (these fully assignated in Brazil by Forneris, SBZ, 1987), P. muelleri Selys-Longchamps, 1903 (dubious in Brazil) and P. australis Haswell, 1883 (first Brazilian record, SEE), and scattered in New and Old World, all collected in Brazil; P. pallida Schneider, 1862 and P. ijimai Oka, 1897, both from Old World with records in both sides of North America
Temereva and Neklyudov (Biology Bulletin, 2018) indicates 15 spp. in this phyllum, including 5 news from SE Russia (P. embyolabi, P. svetlanae), South China Sea (P. savinkini, P. malakhovi) and Japan (P. emigi), and placed P. ovalis basal, with Phononis polyphyletic. Keeping Phoronopsis valid, Phoronis will be split into 7 small genera, with 4 in Brazil, and three absents: ⟨P. pallida/P. embryolabi⟩ (Sweden to Spain, Marocco, Madagascar, Australia, Hawaii, Japan, W Canada to California), ⟨P. emigi⟩ (Japan), and ⟨P. svetlanae⟩ (SE Russia, the second most basal) absents in the country.
ECDIZOA
22. LORICIFERA ‣ (2:11/)47 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, Sørensen et al., 2023, endemic genus and species), 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 spp., 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 ‣ (10:25)315 spp. in five large clades, by Herranz et al. (Mol., Phyl. Evol., 2022) and World Kinorrhyncha Database (WKD), nominaly in two classes:
Cyclorhagida ‣ 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 ‣ two subclades: Pycnophyidae (MAP) and Anomoirhaga, with (4:15/)116 spp. Brazil includes at least four species in this group, in all 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 the bizarre Franciscideres kalenesos Dal Zotto, Di Domenico, Garraffoni & Sørensen, 2013 (Franciscideridae, M. dal Zotto et al., Systematics and Biodiversidad, 2013), known also from E Argentina (Rucci et al., Zootaxa, 2020).
24. PRIAPULIDA ‣ (4:6/)23 spp. in two orders (Wikipedia). The work of van der Land (Zoologische Verhandelingen, 1970) is referenced here as A/1972.
Priapulimorpha ‣ includes three families:
Maccabeidae - a single genus, Maccabeus (2, W Mediterranean and Andaman Sea, SEE).
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 - three genera. 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).
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).
Meiopriapulomorpha ‣ includes only one family, absent in Brazil.
Tubiluchidae - (2/)12 spp.: Meiopriapulus fijiensis (Bengal Bay, Fiji, South Korea, SEE), Tubiluchus corallicola (Curaçao, Barbados, Bermuda, Bonaire, Bahamas, Florida), T. remanei (Egypt coast of Red Sea, SEE), T. philippinensis (Sabang Island, Mactan, Cebu, Philippines, SEE), T. australensis (Australian Great Barrier Reef), T. arcticus (White Sea and Barents Sea), T. vanuatuensis (New Hebrides island Vanuatu), T. troglodytes (submarine caves in Apuglia, Italy), T. lemburgi (Canary Islands), T. soyoae, T. pardosi (Kourijima in Ryukyu Islands and Suruga Bay in Honshu, Japan, SEE), complemented by several reports of undetermined Tubiluchus specimens, e.g. from Hawaii, Koster area in Sweden and N Spain, by Schmidt-Rhaesa (Zoologischer Anzeiger, 2013 | 2017).
25. NEMATOMORPHA ‣ 351 spp. by Zhang (2013), in two higher groups:
Nectonematoidea ‣ 5 marine spp. in 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).
Gordioideae ‣ (2:20/)346 spp. (Wikipedia), 8 in South America: Gordius (60, worldwide, at least one in South America) and Acutogordius (5, 3 in South America/SEE and SE Asia) in Gordiidae, both in Brazil (KNAF/2020), and Chordodes (90, worldwide, at least 1 in South America), Paragordius (16, widely worldwide except Australasia, 3 in South America), Beatogordius (16, 7 in South America, also in Africa), Neochordodes (13, New World, at least 1 in South America), Noteochordodes (3, Argentina, Brazil and Mexico), and Gordionus (37, Europe, Asia, North America, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, 4 in South America, SEE) in Chordodidae, by A. Schmidt-Rhaesa (Zoologica Scripta, 2002), all in Brazil (18 spp. in country) 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 freeliving 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 (3000–12,000 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, 3th edition).
By Hodda (Zootaxa, 2022), are three classes in Nematoda: Enoplea with (35:243/)2,297 spp., Dorylaimea with (41:499/)4,917 spp., and Chromadorea with (200:2,287/)21,317 spp. In Brazil, by CFTB, are (11:35/)67 spp. of Enoplea, (5:19/)90 in Dorilaymea and 1,272 in (89:163/)Chromadorea.
Possibly 8,000-9,000 Nematoda parasites Craniata, and lists of Brazilian parasitic nematodes are available for the following host groups: 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.), birds (Vicente et al., Rev. Bras. Zool., 1995 - 23:75/257 spp.) and mammals (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 ‣ 1,157 spp. by Zhang (2013) in three classes, with Mesotardigrada monotypic endemic to E Kyushu island in S Japan (however, the type material was lost, so Mesotardigrada is considered nomen dubium - Grothman, Zoological Science, 2017), Eutardigrada (11:56/444, Zhang, 2013) and Heterotardigrada (12:63/712, Zhang, 2013). Barros, R.C. (Arq. Zool., 2020) recognizes 100 spp. to Brazil, 70 of which are onshore and 30 are marine, in Eutardigrada (3:20/43) and Heterotardigrada (10:29/57). Mexico includes only 41 spp. (SEE). 197 taxa and their 2,240 records from 39 oceans and seas of marine Tardigrada was listed in Kaczmarek et al. (Zootaxa, 2015).
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 occur in in Brazil (SEE). For news from Argentina, see Rocha A.M. et al. (European Journal of Taxonomy, 2022).
28. ONYCHOPHORA ‣ Onychophora Website shows 227 Onychophorans, 136 Peripatopsidae and 91 Peripatidae (SEE). None country has the two families simultaneously. For differences of this groups, see Mayer (Zootaxa, 2007). Recent taxa in Sena Oliveira (ZooKeys, 2023), with 232 spp., 92 in Peripatidae and 140 in Peripatopsidae, accepted here.
Peripatidae ‣ (11/)85 spp. and 6 nomina dubia: Eoperipatus (4) occur only in Malaysia (continental and part of Borneo), extreme SE Thailand and S Vietnan (absent in Indonesia, SEE); Typhloperipatus (1) is endemic to NE India (SEE); Mesoperipatus (1) is endemic to Gabon; Speleoperipatus and Plicatoperipatus are endemic to Jamaica; Mongeperipatus is endemic to Costa Rica; Heteroperipatus occur only in Panama and El Salvador; all remaining 4 genera occur in South America and in Brazil.
Brazil has 29 spp. (22 described and 7 undescribed) in the following four genera: Epiperipatus (32, 15 in Brazil, C. S. Costa et al., Zoologia, 2018, including Cerradopatus, see Costa et al., ZJLS, 2020), Oroperipatus (17, two in Brazil, none endemics, details in Contreras-Felix, Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad, 2018), Macroperipatus (6, 3 in Brazil, 2 endemics, and a seventh species is undescribed, endemic to Brazil) and Peripatus (16, two in Brazil, but six undescribed, all eight endemics), the last three being referenced in C. Sampaio-Costa (Zoologia, 2009).
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/)127 spp., almost all genera endemic to Australia (34/74), except two endemics from Chile (Metaperipatus and Parospisthopatus, joined 2 spp.), two endemics 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 (bizarre mistake) 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 104,893 spp. of Arthropoda in Brazil, in 19,632 genera within 1,577 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. At Lucena & Christoffersen (Zootaxa, 2018), Brazil has 65 spp. in 11 families (exception is Ascorhynchoidea incertae sedis, with 9-10 genera, list of these in Pycnobase) among 20 genera, including deep-sea types and 20 endemic species. A book of all species and numerous images of Brazilian types is available in Editora UFPB. Mexico has (10:19/)58 spp. (SEE).
Endoparasitism of Pycnogonida in Hydrozoa is very rare, reported from Argentina, Australia, Germany, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, South Africa, U.S.A. and Brazil, with two records in 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 ‣ (783:12,527/)120,613 spp. in 17 orders (Zhang. et al., Zootaxa, 2013), 16 of these in Brazil (excludes Merostomata). Mexico no includes Holothryda.
Based on Wikipedia (SEE), Arachnida can divided in five huge taxa: Acaromorpha (Parasitiformes [Opilioacarida, Holothryda, Ixodida, Mesostigmata], Acariformes [Trombidiformes, Sarcoptiformes] and Pseudoscorpiones), Opilionomorpha (Opiliona), Solifugomorpha (Palpigradi, Solifugae, Ricinulei and Xiphosura), Scorpionomorpha (Scorpiona) and Pantetrapulmonata (Araneae, Amblypygia, Schizomida and Thelyphonida).
ACAROMORPHA
OPILIOACARIDA
A single family in the World (Opilioacaridae), with (13/)47 spp. collected in New World, Italy, Hellas, Algeria, tropical Africa, Madagascar, Yemen, Kazakhstan, India, Thailand and Australia. (4/)c. 25 spp. occur in New World (Berbardi & Borges-Filho, Subterranean Biology, 2018). Brazil presents the greatest diversity known 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).
HOLOTHRYDA
(3:13/)27 spp. (Zhang, 2013). Allothyridae and Holothrydae do not occur in the New World. New World family, Neothyridae, has six species 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).
IXODIDA
(3:23/)871 spp. Nuttalliellidae is monotypic and restricted from Africa. In Brazil has (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 then in 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 treated here absent nativelly in Brazil.
Ixodidae ‣ (17/)c. 700 spp. worldwide (Wikipedia), (5/)47 spp. in Brazil (Dantas-Torres, 2019), 32 in Amblyomma.
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).
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.).
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.).
PSEUDOSCORPIONA
(26:446/)3,454 spp. (Zhang, 2013). Brazil has (16:66/)173 spp. (Schimonski & Bichette, Journal of Arachnology, 2019). A notable record is Feaellidae, with three genera, two in Old World with 13 spp., and the monotypic Iporangella from Alto do Ribeira area in São Paulo state (Harvey et al., Journal of Arachnology, 2016). (17:)151 spp. in Mexico (Ceballos, BOOK, 2000). Mexican families Neobisiidae, Menthidae and Stemophoridae does not occur in Brazil.
Based on Pseudoscorpions of the World (SEE) in December, 2024, the most rich diversities are: U.S.A (426), Italy (262), Spain (245), Australia (181), India (169), Brazil (166), Mexico (162) and South Africa (152). For images of members of all families, see Pseudoscorpions of the World/Families.
OPILIONOMORPHA
OPILIONA
(49:1,663/)6,513 spp. in 4 living suborders (Wikipedia), all collected in Brazil: Cyphophthalmi (6 families, 36 genera, c. 200 spp.; three families in New World), Eupnoi (200/1,700), Dyspnoi (43/365, northern Hemisphere to Mexico and Thailand, Australia, South Africa, SEE), also Brazil (SEE) to Chile) and Laniatores (4,000). For a World diversity 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 endemics, the highest diversity worldwide (CTFB). (12:67/)283 spp. occur in Mexico, in Cyphophthalmi (1, Neogovea), Palpatores (139) and Laniatores (143), by Bousquets et al. (Conabio, 2000).
■ endemic families in New World: Otilioleptidae (1/1, Argentina), Cryptomastridae (2/4, U.S.A.).
SOLIFUGOMORPHA
XIPHOSURA
4 spp. in a single family, Limulidae: Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda Latreille, 1802 (S and 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).
PALPIGRADA
Harvey (BOOK, 2003) listas (2:6/)78 spp. However, by Mammol et al. (Journal of Biogeography, 2021), are 126 spp., mainly in Brazil and Europe. (1:3/)24 spp. in Brazil. Mexico has 20 spp., many undescribeds (Francke, Rev. Mex. de Biodiv., vol. 85, 2014).
Eukoeneniidae ‣ 4 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 (70-80), cosmopolitan, with 20 spp. in Brazil (Sousa & Ferreira, Zootaxa, 2020); Koenenioides (8) from E Africa to SE Asia and China; and Leptokoenenia (4), with one sp. in Saudi Arabia, two caves from SE Pará state in Brazil and one in Congo region.
Prokoeneniidae ‣ two genera: Prokoenenia (7), from Chile, China (SEE) and Thailand one each, U.S.A. (Texas) and Indonesia two each; and Triadokoenenia, monotypic endemic to Madagascar.
SOLIFUGA
(12:140/)1,075 spp. in two groups: Boreosolifugae (5 families, only Eremobatidae in New World) and Australosolifugae (7 families, only 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/)15 spp. in Brazil. Mexico has (2:12/)79 spp. in this order (Francke, Rev. Mex. de Biodiv., vol. 85, 2014).
Daesiidae (77/129) ‣ three genera in New World, Ammotrechelis (1, Chile), Syndaesia and Valdesia (both monotipics endemics to Argentina).
Eremobatidae (8/214) ‣ from NW Canada to Honduras; all genera in U.S.A. (one endemic), 7 up to Mexico, two up to Canada. Eremobates has 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), four genera are national endemics in Argentina (Cordobugida, Curanahuel), Peru (Vempyroniellla) and Paraguay (Mummucipes), and four are widely: 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) ‣ 5 subfamilies, three of them make up only a single Argentine endemic genus (SEE). Update data from Botero-Trujillo (Arthropod Systematics and Phyogeny, 2023). 17 genera in New World, all in South America, 10 endemics and 7 widely. Endemics in Argentina (6, Procleobis, Titanopuga, Notopuga, Oltacola, Dasycleobis, Cuyanopuga), Ecuador (Campostrecha), Chile (Chileotrecha, Sedna) and Peru (Chinchippus). Widely genera: 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 up to Ecuador and Venezuela) and Ammotrechula (United States, Mexico, America Central, one in Colombia and Ecuador). Argentina has (7/)24 spp., remaining species in Chile (4/8), Colombia (4/5), Venezuela (4/4), Peru (3/9), Ecuador (3/3), Brazil (2/2) and Bolivia (1/4).
RICINULEI
(3/)102 spp. in Ricinoididae (Wikipedia): Ricinoides (16, W Africa), Cryptocellus (45, 12 from Nicaragua to PanamA, and the remaining 33 from Suriname to Peru and N Brazil/13) and Pseudocellus (41, 17 from Texas to Panamá and Cuba, mainly in Mexico/21 and Cuba/12).
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 status 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
SCORPIONA (THE SCORPION FILES)
(24:235/)2,851 spp. (The Scorpion Files Newsblog, December 24, 2024).
BRAZIL
Joined data for LEE (2023, SEE) and some updates, Brazil has the third 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), below Mexico (8:281) and Venezuela (230, 128 Buthidae, 97 Chactidae, 2 Hormuridae and 3 Diplocentridae, SEE), and ahead 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). Microtityus adriki Moreno-González, Bertani & Carvalho, 2024 (Buthidae), endemic to Roraima state, is possibly 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).
5 occur only in North America up to Panama: 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 do 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: 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).
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
ARANEAE
World Spider Catalogue (SEE), in July 24, 2022, lists 52,583 spp. of spiders in World in 4,407 genera at 134 families. Worldwide largest diversities are China (5,476), Australia (4,034), Brazil (659/3,960, included in 73 of the 134 known families at that time, with 2,784 endemics, Brescovit et al., Biota Neotropica, 2011), U.S.A. (3,558), Russia (2,497), Mexico (66:534/2,295, SEE), 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 genera and c. 100 spp. from Japan to Sumatra; remaining two clades occur in New World. 97 families in New World, 73 in Brazil.
TAXONOMY
MYGALOMORPHA
31 families, 15 in Brazil (largest family-diversity in New World, 8 in Brescovit (2011) plus Entypesidae, Microstigmatidae, Paratropididae, Pycnothelidae, Mecicobothriidae, Rhytidicolidae and Ischnothelidae).
Unbrazilian families includes restricteds from U.S.A. (Megahexuridae, Microhexuridae), Australasia region (Anamidae, Atracidae), southern Africa (Stasimopidae) and New Zealand (Porrhothelidae); Macrothelidae is restricted for Old World; Antrodiaetidae occur only in Japan and United States; Atypidae occur worldwide except South America and Australia; Bemmeridae in Asia an southern Africa; Euagridae occur 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 occur from Australasia, Chile and Argentina; Migidae occur in Africa, Madagascar, Australia, Chile and Argentina.
ARANEOMORPHA
Araneomorpheae ‣ 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 in Araneomorpheae.
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 (US.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), remarkable diversities are Brazil (47/202), Mexico (17/99) and Colombia (22/43). All Mexican species are Theraphosinae except Psalmopoeus victori Mendoza, 2014. Mexico includes the largest national endemic genera: Hemirrhagus (27) and Bonnetina (16). U.S.A. has 29 spp., all in Aplopelma.
Six subfamilies absents in New World: Eumenophorinae (54, Sub-Saharan Africa, the south of the Arabian peninsula, Madagascar and India), Harpactirinae (59, widely Old Word), 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, Sri Lanka) and Thrigmopoeinae (1/9, S, E Asia).
Six subfamilies 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, 5 exclusively in Old World, 12 in tropical America, 5 in Brazil, the highest generic diversity, none endemics; national endemics in India (2), Seychelles, Belize and Hispaniola), Aviculariinae (7/31, all genera in Brazil (4 endemics) except Antillena from Dom. Rep) and Theraphosinae (43/553; 26 genera in Brazil, largest generic-diversity; Brazil e Mexico 7 endemic genera each).
■ endemic families in New World: Megahexuridae (1/1, U.S.A.) and Trogloraptoridae (1/1, U.S.A.).
AMBLYPYGI
Harvey (BOOK, 2003) cites (5:17/)136 spp., only Charontidae with (2/11, SE Asia and N Australia) absent in New World. Brazil has largest diversity of Amblypygi worldwide, with (3:4/)53 spp. Mexico has (1:3/)17 spp. (Francke, Rev. Mex. de Biodiv., vol. 85, 2014).
Charinidae ‣ (3/)132 spp. (Miranda G.S. et al, EJT, 2021), in Weygoldtia (2, in Camboja, Laos and Vietnam), Sarax (36, Italy to Seychelles and Palau) and Charinus (94, widely distributed, 42 in Brazil).
Paracharontidae ‣ (2/)2 spp., 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 (2) in Brazil, in Bahia, Goiás and Minas Gerais states.
Phrynidae ‣ (4/)60 spp.: Acanthophrynus (1, Mexico and U.S.A.), Heterophrynus (15, N & C South America, 8 in Brazil, SEE), Paraphrynus (18, U.S.A. to Ecuador, mainly in Mexico) and Phrynus (28, U.S.A. to N Brazil/1, 1 in Africa).
SCHIZOMIDA
(2:78/)300 spp. (SEE). Brazil has (6/)17 spp. (3 endemic genera), all these endemics. Mexico has (10/)35 spp. (also by Francke, Rev. Mex. de Biodiv., vol. 85, 2014).
Protoschizomidae ‣ (2/)11 spp. restricted from Mexico (all species) and southern U.S.A.
Schizomidae ‣ 76 genera (Wikipedia), 37 in New World. 32 are national endemics in Mexico (9), Brazil (3, Adisomus, Naderiore, Cangazomus), Cuba (10), Belize (1), U.S.A. (1), Puerto Rico (1), Venezuela (3), Colombia (2), Ecuador (Tayos) and Jamaica (1). 5 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).
THELYPHONIDA/UROPIGY
(17/)140 spp. (Wikipedia) in a single family, ten genera occur in New World: Amauromasstigon (3, endemic to C & SE Brazil, SEE), Mastigoproctus (23, widely in tropical New World, 4 in Brazil, 10 in Mexico), Mayacentrum (3, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador), Mimoscorpius (1, Guatemala), Ravilops (2, Dominican Republic), Sheylayongium (1, Cuba), Thelyphonellus (4, Colombia to Suriname and N Brazil/1), Valeriophonus (1, Costa Rica), Wounaan (1, Colombia, SEE) and Yekuana (1, Venezuela, SEE). (3/)8 spp. in Brazil.
29.3 CHILOPODA CLASS ‣ 5 orders and (18:339/)c. 3,110 described species (Zhang, 2013). Outside Geophilomorpha, almost all families absents in Brazil are mutually disjunct in range. Brazil has (12:30/)134 spp. by CTFB. Mexico has (12:67/)162 spp. in Chilopoda.
3.1 ORDER CRATEROSTIGMOMORPHA ‣ only two species in a single family, Craterostigmidae, known only from Tasmania and New Zealand, one endemic each.
3.2 ORDER GEOPHILOMORPHA ‣ 7 families (following Bonato et al., Cladistics, 2013; data at America Latina from Foddai et al., Amazoniana, 2000). (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, 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 restricteds: Argentina, Chile and Uruguay (3), Mexico to Honduras (2), disjucnt Mexico/Brazil (1); 29 locally restricteds: 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). 2 spp. in Brazil.
Oryidae - (18/)45 spp. worldwide, (7/)17 spp. in New World, 3 in Brazil (5 spp., Heniorya endemic), endemics in Chile (2), 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), Nyctunguis (Mexico, Peru), all remaining locally restricteds, 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 endemics to Mexico (5 spp., 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 N America to Central Mexico (SEE). 10 spp. in America Latina, (6/)9 in Mexico (3 endemic genera) and Arcophilus gracilimus Verhoeff from Bolivia.
3.3 ORDER LITHOBIOMORPHA ‣ 15 trunk segments centipedes, only two families worldwide.
Henicopidae - 22 genera based on Hollington & Edgecombe (Records of the Australian Museum, 2004), Faralieva, Zalesskaja & Edgecombe (Arthropoda Selecta, 2004) and 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, Taiwan in 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, besides L. coeculus Brolemann, 1889 and L. emarginatus Newport, 1844, few species occur in New World, namely in Peru (7), U.S.A. (6, inc. Hawaii), Chile (6), Mexico (2), Bolivia (2), Caribbean (2), Argentina (1) and Brazil (1, L. adisi Zalesskaja, 1994, known for Amazonas state).
Lithobiidae - (43/)1,000 spp., (25/)58 spp. in Mexico, by Cupul-Magaña (BIOCYT, 2009).
3.4 ORDER SCOLOPENDROMORPHA ‣ 21 to 23 segments (25 in a single species from T.Tobago, SEE). Five families, three in Brazil: Cryptopidae (2/c. 170), Scolopendridae (21/ca. 420) and Scolopocryptopidae (8/ca. 80), and two absents, 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. 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, largest Chilopoda worldwide does not occur in Brazil. Scolopendra gigantea L., 1758, occurs in N Colombia and Venezuela, on 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).
3.5 ORDER SCUTIGEROMORPHA ‣ three families.
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), Gonethella nesiotes from the Cayman Islands and Gonethina grenadensis from Grenada can be rejected; Gonethina fijiana Chamberlin 1920 is a possibly rejected species. Thus, only three species are valid, Sphendononema chagualensis (Kraus, 1957) is known only the type collection in Marañon Valley in Peru, S. guildingii (Newport, 1845) is widely in New World, and S. rugosa Newport, 1844 is endemic 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., 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), Edgethereua (2, Argentina and Chile), Theruella peruana Charberlin, 1955 (Peru), Thereuoquima admirabilis Bücherl, 1949 (Brazil), Brasiloscutigera viridis Bücherl, 1939 (Brazil), S. parcespinosa Bücherl, 1949 (Brazil) and S. sanguinea Meinert, 1886 (Argentina), these by Porta & Giribet (Invertebrate Systematic, 2024).
29.4 DIPLOPODA CLASS ‣ (147:1,868)7,753 spp. by Zhang (Diplopoda). 146 families by FMNH (SEE), in 16 orders, approx. 11,000-12,000 spp. in over diversity. 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 (117/)498 spp. (BOOK).
NO NEW WORLD ORDERS (2)
ORDER SIPHONOCRYPTIDA
A single family, Siphonocryptidae, and (2/)7 spp., scattered in Canary Is., Caucasus, China (Tibet and Taiwan), peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra (Wikipedia).
ORDER SPHAEROTHERIDA
Two families, (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., two families in New World (Abracionidae and Schizopetalidae), both from U.S.A. to northern Mexico ((5/)7 spp.), one of them up to Asia.
ORDER CHORDEUMATIDA
(49:)1,237 spp., 12 families in New World: 11 in U.S.A. (six endemics), 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 from southern Europe, Doderiidae up to Morocco and Glomeridae widely in other areas, also in SE Asia and from California to Guatemala in New World, with (1/)12 spp. in Mexico.
ORDER JULIDA
16 families and 1,321 spp., seven only in Old World, five endemics to U.S.A., three from U.S.A./Canada and other areas in Old World, and Parajulidae from Siberia to Guatemala, 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 in 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 from E Sumatra island in Indonesia (known only two fragments), and S. neotropicus from S Mexico and Guatemala (Sierwald, Zool. Syst. Evol. Research, 2001).
BRAZILIAN ORDERS
ORDER GLOMERIDESMIDA
Two families and 28 spp. make up this order: Termitodesmidae from tropical Asia, and Glomeridesmidae (1/16) in Mexico (1), America Central, Caribbean, parts of Asia, N Brazil (Glomeridesmus spelaeus Iniesta & Wesener, 2012, troglobic in SE Pará state) and Ecuador.
ORDER PENICELLATA
4 families (60-70 spp.), one in Africa, Hypogexenidae endemic to Argentina, Lophoproctidae and Polyxenidae widely distributed, both in Brazil (Ishii, Amazoniana, 1999) and in Mexico (2/4). Brazil includes two Lophoproctidae (Ancistroxenus and Lophoturus one each) and Polyxenidae (4/8). Hypogexenidae possibly occur 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, 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.
■ 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 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 spp. in 2 families. Polyzoniida in Brazil includes Siphonotus Brandt, 1837 and Burinia Attems, 1926 (Iniesta, L.F.M. et al., Pap. Avulsos Zool., 2021).
ORDER SIPHONOPHORIDA
Two families and 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); and Siphonophoridae, with (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 families and c. 1,248 spp., 9 in New World (7 in Mexico): 6 only from U.S.A. to America Central, Spirobolidae from North America and Asia, and remaining two recorded for Brazil: Rhinocricidae and Spirobolellidae, both also in Mexico. 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, one endemic to U.S.A., Cambalidae for U.S.A., Mexico, Belize, Hawaii, New Zealand, Australia and Chile, Pseudonannolenidae and Spirostreptidae widely in New World, Africa to Arabia, both in Brazil. 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 endemics, 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 nine families (U. Scheller, Internation Journal of Myriapodology, 2008), with 784 spp. Both families occur in Brazil, with (6/)50 spp. in country (CTFB).
ORDER HEXAMEROCERATA ‣ a single family.
Millotauropodidae ‣ 8 spp. in Millotauropus, in Japan, Brazil (M. acostae Scheller, 1997, unique record in New World), Africa to Madagascar and Seychelles.
ORDER TETRAMEROCERATA ‣ (8:40/)774 spp. In the New World it is represented by 7 families. Sphaeropauropodidae (12) occur only in Old World. Brazil has three families.
Amphipauropodidae ‣ only Amphipauropus (2), in from Canada, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, France and Japan.
Brachypauropodidae ‣ (6/)25 spp., three genera in New World, all only 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 ‣ (5/)51 spp., only Eurypauropus (5, U.S.A., Japan) in New World.
Hansenauropodidae ‣ (3/)6 spp., Caribbean and Old World, absent in mainland New World.
Pauropodidae ‣ (21/)655 spp. in both Hemispheres:
14 genera in New World: Allopauropus (103, subcosmopolitan, also Brazil), Decapauropus (354, subcosmopolitan, also Brazil), Pauropus (51, subcosmopolitan, excludes Brazil), Desmopauropus (1, U.S.A.), Perisopauropus (4, Africa, Brazil and Chile), Juxtapauropus (9, Israel, Morocco, Jamaica, Brazil, Argentina, Chile and New Zealand), Propepauropus (1, U.S.A.), Stylopauropus (23, Europe and northern Africa to SE Asia, Canada, U.S.A.), Donzelotauropus (northern Hemisphere), Stylopauropoides (16, Brazil, Argentina, Crozet, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia), Rabaudauropus (5, Chile, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, New Caledonia, Mauritius, Seychelles, Japan, Marocco, France, Romania, Hellas), Cauvetauropus (5, Brazil, France, Sri Lanka, Maghreb, Ivory Coast, Madagascar), Hemipauropus (19, Jamaica, Colombia, Brazil, Caribbean, Italy, Hellas, Sri Lanka, New Caledonia, Guam, Madagascar, Mauritius, mainland Africa) and Scleropauropus (15, Brazil, Mexico, U.S.A., Europe, Madagascar, mainly Africa). Nine of the 14 New World genera occur in Brazil.
7 genera only in Old World, Ferepauropus (2, Sierra Leone and New Caledonia), Afropauropus (Guinea), Nesopaurpus (6, Gabon, Seychelles, Sri Lanka), Hystrichopauropus (France), Eburniopauropus (2, Ivory Coast), Colinauropus (2, Japan and Reunion) and Multipauropus (Hellas).
Polypauropodidae ‣ three genera, Polypauropus (15, Brazil, Argentina, U.S.A., Europe, Africa, Madagascar, Mauritius, Reunion, Sri Lanka, Australia), Fagepauropus (2, Canada, Morocco, Mongolia, Japan, Gambia) and Polypauropoides (12, U.S.A., Brazil, Argentina, France, Ivory Coast, Mauritius, Sri Lanka).
29.6 SYMPHYLA CLASS ‣ no order, two families and 197 spp. (Camacho, Dissertation, 2010). Brazil numbers (10) follows CTFB. 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 (1) in Brazil); Scutigerella (1) in Argentina and Chile; and Hanseniella (8) in Brazil (5), Argentina (5, one recent, SEE), Venezuela (2), all remainig only one each, by Scheller (Amazonia, 1992). For some species descriptions in Brazil, see Scheller (Amazoniana, 2007).
Scutigerellidae ‣ (5/)124 spp. In the New World it is composed of Hanseniella (c. 80, subcosmopolitan, 5 in Brazil, 3 in Mexico), Scopoliella (1, endemic to Mexico, possibly in Colombia, SEE) and Scutigerella (35, subcosmopolitan, absent in Brazil, 6 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 (Osvaldo Porta, A. et al., Zoosystematics and Evolution, 2024).
Scolopendrellidae ‣ (9/)73 spp. In the New World it is composed of Geophilella (2, Europe and North America), Ribautiella (9, 8 in Africa and one in Brazil, SEE), Scolopendrellopsis (15, subcosmopolitan, Brazil and Mexico two each) and Symphyllela (40, subcosmopolitan, two in Brazil, 3 in Mexico).
29.7 OLIGOSTRACA CLASS ‣ a complex class with 10 orders, inclusing small, bivalved aquatic arthropoda, found in all types of aquatic ecosystems, endo and exoparasites, and free lifes. (60:829/)7,894 spp. (Zhang, 2013 + Brachiura + Pentastomida). Brazil has (48:162)415 spp. (CTFB). In the Mexican seas, 883 spp. of former Ostracoda have been reported, 506 for the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean, and 418 for the Pacific Ocean, although 45% are probably synonymies (Bousquets et al., Conabio, 2000).
(295/)2420 spp. of former Ostracods are freshwaters worldwide. 20 ostracod families have non-marine representatives. 451 spp. are known in Neotropical freshwaters, domined by Cyprididae (Meisch, C. et al, EJT, 2024).
SUBCLASS BRANCHIURA ‣ a single order.
ORDER ARGULLOIDEA ‣ (4/)173 spp. in a single family, Argullidae (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 endemics. (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 endemics).
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 endemics). Brazilian absents 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 endemics). Brazilian absents 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.
ORDER MYODOCOPIDA ‣ 5 families, (27/)868 spp. (Zhang, 2013).
ORDER HALOCYPRIDA ‣ 3 families, (72/)393 spp. (Zhang, 2013).
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 ‣ ostracods.
ORDER PLATYCOPIDA ‣ a single family, (6/)126 spp. (Zhang, 2013).
ORDER PALAEOCOPIDA ‣ a single family, (2/)3 spp. (Zhang, 2013).
ORDER PODOCOPIDA ‣ 44 families, (691/)6,187 spp. (Zhang, 2013).
29.8 THECOSTRACA CLASS ‣ (56:281/)1,383 spp. worldwide (Zhang, 2013), in two well defined groups: Tantulocarida and Thecostraca s.s. (19:44/)76 spp. in Brazil (CTFB).
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.
THECOSTRACA S.S.
(51:258/)1,345 spp. worldwide (Zhang, 2013). (18:43/)75 spp. in Brazil (CTFB). 55 spp. of Thecostraca occur in Mexico, 48 in Pacific coast and 7 in Atlantic Coast (Bousquets et al., Conabio, 2000).
SUBCLASS FACETOTECNA
Hansenocarididae ‣ planktonic, (1:1/)11 spp. in Hansenocaris (Zhang, 2013 / Wikipedia).
SUBCLASSS ASCOTHORACICA
ORDER DENDROGASTRIDA ‣ parasitics, (3:8/)50 spp. (Zhang, 2013).
ORDER LAURIDA ‣ parasitics, (3:15/)57 spp. (Zhang, 2013).
CIRRIPEDIA/ACROTHORACICA
ORDER CRYPTOPHIALIDA ‣ adults sessile, (1:2/)20 spp. (Zhang, 2013).
ORDER LITHOGLYPTIDA ‣ adults sessile, (2:9/)43 spp. (Zhang, 2013).
CIRRIPEDIA/RHIZOCEPHALA
ORDER AKENTROGONIDA ‣ adults sessile, (6:16/)32 spp. (Zhang, 2013).
ORDER KENTROGONIDA ‣ adults sessile, (3:24/)222 spp. (Zhang, 2013).
CIRRIPEDIA/THORACICA
ORDER IBLIFORMES ‣ adults sessile, (2:5/)8 spp. (Zhang, 2013).
ORDER LEPADIFORMES ‣ adults sessile, (9:22/)119 spp. (Zhang, 2013).
ORDER SCALPELIFORMES ‣ adults sessile, (5:45/)329 spp. (Zhang, 2013).
ORDER SESSILIA ‣ adults sessile, (16:111/)454 spp. (Zhang, 2013).
29.9 MALACOSTRACA CLASS ‣ 18 orders, mainly shrimp-like organisms. In Brazil occur (260:815/)1,871 spp. (CTFB). 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).
Here we estimate (605:6,214/)40,462 spp. worldwide spp., based on data from Zhang (2013), subtracting data from the other 7 clades traditionally designated as Crustacea listed in this text. Decapoda, Amphipoda and Isopoda represents the bulk of Malacostraca.
LEPTOSTRACA
(3:6/)44 spp. (Wikipedia/Leptostraca). Some Nebalia occur in Brazil (Wakabara, Crustaceana, 1965). Only two occur in Mexico, both endemic to Gulf of Mexico (Bousquets et al., Conabio, 2000).
STOMATOPODA
(17:115/)450 spp. worldwide (Zhang et al.). In Brazil occur (3/)47 spp. in Eurysquillidae and Gonodactylidae [CTFB].
BATHYNELLACEA
Two freshwater families (Lopreto & Morrone, Zoologica Scripta, 1998).
Bathynellidae ‣ 19 genera, 4 in New World: 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).
Parabathynellidae ‣ 28 genera, 12 in New World, 11 in South America (Iberobathynella absent), 19 spp. in region: 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.
ANASPIDACEA
(12/)25 spp. in five families: Anaspidesidae (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) in Argentina, and Stygocarididae (4/8) 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).
EUPHAUSIACEA
Two families (Wikipedia): Euphausiidae (10/85) and Bentheuphausiidae (Bentheuphausia amblyops G.O. Sars, 1885, a bathypelagic krill living in deep waters below 1,000 m), both in Brazil (Gibbons et al, South Atlantic Zooplankton, 1999; for six Brazilian genera, see Demoner, Thesis, 2017). Brazil has 30 spp. in bith families, and 4 genera 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).
DECAPODA
40K to 60K spp. worldwide, from caves to abyssal zones in sea. 12 lineages in two high claes: Dendrobranchiata and Pleocyemata. All lineages occur in Brazil except Procaridoidea and Glypheidea. 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).
For freshwater decapods in South America, see Kawai (Diversity, Distribution and Conservation of Freshwater Crabs and Shrimps in South America, pg. 10, 2016). For deep-sea Decapods in Brazil (below 500m), see Cardoso et al (BOOK, 2021), which lists 181 species of the two decapod suborders: Dendrobranchiata (32) and Pleocyemata (149); from the Pleocyemata eight out of the ten decapod infraorders were represented: 68 species of carideans; 31 of anomurans, 36 of brachyurans, 5 species of Astacidea and Polychelidae, 2 species of Achelata, Stenopodidea and Axiidea one species each. Exceptions are Procaridoidea, Glypheidae and Gebiidea.
Brazil has (98:419/)1,003 spp. (CTFB), 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], excludes Parastacidae citation, and 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) ‣ restricteds 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 does 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 endemics), 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 occur 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 ‣ 5 families, two of marine lobsters and three of freshwater crayfishes.
Two lobster families at this suborder occur in Brazil: Nephropidae (3/6) and Enoplometopidae (1/1), totaling (4/)7 spp. in in over coast (Cruz et al., Diversity, 2021). (4/)7 spp. in Mexico at Nephropidae [HM].
Freshwater crayfishes includes three Astacidea families: Astacidae (6/39) has (5/)31 spp. in Asia, and Pacifascatcus (6) in North America; Cambarididae (12/445) has Cambaroides (7) in Asia and remaining diversity from Canada to Mexico (2/56, HM); and Parastacidade (15/300) has ten genera are found in Australia, some up to New Guinea, one in New Zealand (1/2), one in Madagascar (1/9) and three in South America (14 spp. in region, in S Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, and S Brazil).
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 ‣ 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 ‣ 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). (14:75/)340 in Mexico [HM]. Mexican families Galatheidae and Coenobitidae does not occur in Brazil. Brazilian family Aeglidae does not occur in Mexico.
Only three Anomuras are found in freshwater envioronments: Aeglidae, 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 Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, S & SE Brazil (55), Paraguay and Uruguay, two are found exclusively in lakes (both in Chile), four in caves (all in SE Brazil), 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 does not occur in Brazil. Brazilian families Belliidae, Cymonomidae, Platyxanthidae, Latreilliidae, Hymenosomatidae, Carcinidae, Geryonidae, Pseudoziidae and Trichopeltariidae does 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 seconf diversity in region, with (16/)67 spp., all endemics, in Pseudothelphusidae (14/61, nine endemic genera, excludes two new recent genera, in Moreno-Juaréz, Zootaxa, 2022) and Trichodactylidae (2/5). In 2020 (by Campos et al., Nauplius, 2020) Colombia is considered the most species-rich country for freshwater crabs (109, 86 endemics) in South America and the second worldwide after China (243).
Brazil is the third most species-rich Neotropical country (16/50, 17 endemics) with a fauna that is dominated by Trichodactylidae (10/31 species, 2 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. 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).
AMPHIPODA
Approx. 9,100-10,000 spp. at 190 families, 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 (71:176/)376 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, Hyperiopsidea (three famlies, widely worldwide/SEE including Mexico/SEE), Pseudingolfiellidea (1, freshwater known only from South America and some subantarctic islands, SEE) and Senticaudata (this suborder includes the only family of Amphipoda with terrestrial representatives, Talitridae, with four spp. along the Brazilian coast: the three Brazilian endemics Chelorchestia darwinii Müller, 1864, Atlantorchestoidea brasiliensis Dana, 1853 and Talorchestia tucurauna Müller, 1864; and the Atlantic Platorchestia monodi Mateu et al., 1986, SEE).
C. Fiser et al. (Systematics and Biodiversity, 2013) cites ten families in freshwater habitats in South America: Bogidiellidae, Hyalellidae (as Dogielinotidae), these also cited in Balian (2008); Falklandellidae, Pseudingolfiellidae and Seborgidae, new families described in Lowry & Miers (Zootaxa, 2012); Corophiidae and Phreatogammaridae, these cited in Balian (2008) for other areas but not mentioned for South America; Mesogammaridae and Paraleptamphopidae, these fully not found in Balian (2008). All of these except Falklandellididae and Dogielinotidae have a transoceanic distribution and South American members they are from subterranean waters.
There are 35 non-marine amphipods reported from Brazil, 22 only in caves. Mesogammaridae and Seborgidae are very high disjunct and relictual families, known in Neotropics only from freshwater caves in Rio Grande do Norte state in NE Brazil (C. Fiser et al. (Systematics and Biodiversity, 2013). Hyalella imbya Rodrigues & Bueno, known only in a small area in W Rio Grande do Sul state in southern Brazil, is the first hypothelminorheic Panrustacea (former Crustacea + Hexapoda) 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).
STYGIOMYSIDA
16 spp. in Lepidomysidae (9, Spelaeomysis, in Mexico, Caribbean, Italy, India and Kenya, SEE) and Stygiomysidae (7, 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.
MYSIDA
Two families worldwide, Mysidae and Petalophthalmidae, with (197/)1,190 spp. (Zhang et al., 2013), excluding the recent split of Stygiomysida. (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).
TANAIDACEA
900 spp. worldwide, (18:46/)63 spp. in Brazil [Segadilha & Araújo-Silva, Journal of the Marine Biological, 2024], 30 Apseudomorpha and 33 Tanaidomorpha. 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). For news from Brazil, see Segadilha et al. (European Journal of Taxonomy, 2022). 24 spp. in Mexico (Bousquets et al., Conabio, 2000).
CUMACEA
(9:141/)1,500 spp. worldwide, (28/)79 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). For Leuconidae and their first record in Brazil, see Brito & Serejo (Zootaxa, 2023).
ISOPODA
10,000 spp. worldwide, with around 4,500 spp. found in sea, mostly on the seabed, 500 in freshwater, and another 5,000 on land (Wikipedia).
Brazil includes (58:161/)423 spp., being (55:161/)423 spp. in CTFB list (SEE), plus two families of Calabozoidea (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).
By Luque et al. (CheckList, 2013), 251 crustaceans parasites Brazilian fishes, 40 Isopoda, 186 Copepods, 23 Branchyura and two Pentastomida. Brazil has 169 spp. of native terrestrial Isopoda (Campos-Filho, Nauplius, 2018).
■ endemic families in New World: Colypuridae (1/1, Panama), Brasileirinidae (1/1, Brazil).
THERMOSBAENACEA
(4:7/)34 spp. worldwide (Wikipedia), in Bahamas (2), U.S.A. (1, Texas), Mexico (1), Cuba (6), Porto Rico (2), Haiti (1), British Virgin Islands (4), Venezuela/Curazao (1), Morocco, Spain & Canary Islands, Tunisia, Italy, Croatia, Bosnia & Hercegovina, Greece [30], Israel, Somalia, Cambodia and Australia. One non listed species in Jamaica [24]. West Europe includes six spp., 3 in [30] plus two in Italy and one in Canary Is. Unknown in Brazil.
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).
BOCHUSACEA
A single family, Hirsutiidae, possibly a part of a wider Mictacea, and five species in three genera: 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) and Montucaris distincta Jaume, Boxshall & Bamber, 2006 (619–778 m depth off coast of SE Brazil, D. Jaume et al., ZJLS, 2006).
LOPHOGASTRIDA
(3:9/)56 spp. in nine genera in three families (Wikipedia). 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).
INGOLFIELLIDA
46 spp. worldwide in two families, Metaingolfiellidae and Ingolfiellidae, 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).
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, (32:142/)1,185 spp. (Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment, 2020). Brazil has (16:51/)140 spp. Mexico has 36 spp. in Anostraca (20), Notostraca (3), Spinicaudata (11), and Laevicaudata (2), by Maeda-Martínez et al. (Hydrobiologia, 1997), as well as Cyclestherida (1) and Cladocera (106, see below).
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 (1/2,1 in Brazil), Branchinectidae (1/19, 2 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).
ORDER DIPLOSTRACA ‣ (22:109/)821 spp. in three suborders (Zhang, 2013). (12:45/)124 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, two Eulimnadia in Brazil). All families in Brazil, with (3/)5 spp.
Cyclestherida ‣ 1/1, pantropical, Cyclestheria hislopi Baird, 1859, 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 (8:41/)118 spp. of Cladocerans (Elmoor-Loureiro, Nauplius, 2000), however Loureiro & R. Sousa (Zoologia, 2023) lists (11:61/)155 spp. in Brazil. (7:33/)106 spp. in Mexico (Bousquets et al., Conabio, 2000).
ORDER LAEVICAUDA ‣ only a single family, Lynceidae, with (3/)36 spp. (Zhang, 2013). Two genera and 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).
ORDER NOTOSTRACA ‣ only a single family, Triopsidae, with 15 spp. within two genera, 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 (Zhang, 2013) in nine orders. (78:287/)853 spp. in Brazil (CTFB). In Mexico occur (7:31/)78 spp. in freshwater and (50:122/)479 in marine environments (Bousquets et al., Conabio, 2000). Two infraclasses and nine orders.
INFRACLASS PLATYCOPIIDA
PLATYCOPIOIDA ‣ (4/)11 spp. in a single family from Bermudas, Barents Sea, North Sea, E North America, Bahamas, Mauritania and Japan (Wikipedia).
INFRACLASS NEOCOPEPODA
CALANOIDA ‣ (46:332/)3,141 spp. (Zhang, 2013).
MISOPHRIOIDA ‣ (3:16/)37 spp. (Zhang, 2013).
CYCLOPOIDA ‣ (89:/684)4,165 spp. (Zhang, 2013; (20/)30 spp. unplaced).
GELYELLOIDA ‣ (1/)2 spp. in groundwater in karstic areas of S France and W Switzerland (Wikipedia).
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).
HARPACTICOIDA ‣ (58:/645)5,967 spp. (Zhang, 2013; (8/)12 spp. unplaced).
SIPHONOSTOMATOIDA ‣ (41:349/)2,466 spp. (Zhang, 2013; (8/)12 spp. unplaced).
MONSTRILLOIDA ‣ a single family, (6/)156 spp. (Zhang, 2013), (4/)14 in Brazil (Suárez-Morales, E. et al., Zoologia, 2024).
■ 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. Data below from Remipedia Database (SEE). Families Cryptocorynetidae (3/5), Godzilliidae (2/4), Micropacteridae (1/1), Pleomothridae (1/2) and Speleonectidae (2/7) are exclusive to zone from Bahamas to Turks & Caicos and W Cuba. Xibalbanidae (1/4) occur in anchialine caves in Caribbean coast of SE Mexico (3) and Belize (1). Kumongidae (1/1) is endemic to NW Australia, unique southern Hemisphere species. Morlockiidae (1/4) occur in Bahamas, Hispaniola and Canary Islands in Spain.
■ endemic families in New World: Pleomothridae (1/2, Bahamas), Micropacteridae (1/1, Turks y Caicos).
29.14 COLLEMBOLA CLASS ‣ (33:763/)8,130 spp. (Zhang. et al., Zootaxa, 2013), and (21:118/)457 spp. in Brazil, belonging all four known orders worldwide (Rafael et al., BOOK, 2024; includes numbers below). These numbers do not include the new cave descriptions, 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 does 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 Collembola.org (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).
PODUROMORPHA
(11:)3,154 spp., (7:49/)138 spp. in Brazil, in Brachystomellidae (24), Hypogastruridae (30), Isotogastruridae (2), Neanuridae (70), Odontellidae (1), Onychiuridae (4) and Tullbergiidae (7).
ENTOMOBRYOMORPHA
(11:)3,753 spp., (5:44/)241 spp. in Brazil, in Oncopoduridae (2), Isotomidae (78), Orchesellidae (18), Entomobryidae (106), Paronellidae (39, including Cyphoderus).
SYMPHYPLEONA
(10:)1,188 spp., (8:13/)45 spp. in Brazil, in Sminthurididae (25), Katiannidae (3), Arrhopalitidae (9), Sturmiidae (1), Sminthuridae (21), Bourletiellidae (9), Collophoridae (1) and Dicyrtomidae (4).
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).
NEELIPLEONA
A single family, Neelidae, with (3/)47 spp., (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. among three orders (Galli et al., ZooKeys, 2018). Brazil has (2:9/)26 spp. (Rafael et al., BOOK, 2024). (1:4/)19 spp. occur in Mexico (Palacios-Vargas & Figueroa, Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad, vol. 85, 2014).
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), Acerentomidae (50 genera), with (7/)14 spp. in Brazil and (4/)6 spp. in Mexico.
SINENTOMATA
Two families with a single genus each, Fujientomidae and Sinentomidae, known only from China, Japan and North Korea.
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, Isoentomon and Eosentomon widely distributed in World, both in Brazil (2/12). Mexico has (2/)11 spp.
29.16 DIPLURA CLASS ‣ three superfamilies (all in Brazil), but no order, (10:141/)1,008 spp. (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, 4/5 in Brazil, 9/33 in Mexico).
JAPYGOIDEA
5 families: Japygidae (61/340) widely, (3/)12 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) in Australia and Madagascar; and Dinjapygidae (1/6) from Peru and Bolivia (Reddell, BOOK, 1985).
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, 3/11 spp. in Brazil, 2 spp. in Mexico).
29.17 INSECTA CLASS ‣ based on the following numbers, there are (1,209:89,280/)1,057,040 spp. in World and (684:15,716/)91,150 spp. in Brazil. The only number of genera data in the entire discussion of insects totally absent is in the Sternorrhyncha group of Hemiptera. For this group, we used an extrapolation that was detailed in Almanaque Z (SEE). In addition to them, two will be very recurrent here: Rafael et al. (Insetos do Brasil, 2012) and Foottit & Adler (Insect Biodiversity, 2018).
In 2020, 680 new Brazilian species of Hexapoda was described, classified in 245 genera, 112 families and 18 orders; these 680 species were published in a total of 219 articles comprising 423 different authors residing in 27 countries (Silva-Neto e al., EntomoBrasilis, 2022). An excellent material on insect records is Book of Insects Records (SEE).
ARCHAEOGNATHA
(2:65/)548 spp. (Foottit & Adler, vol. 2, 2009, pg. 156). Machilidae has (38/)250 spp., only nine genera in New World, from Canada to Mexico (Foottit, 2018). Meineterllidae has (19/)170 spp. (Wikipedia), (2/)25 spp. in Brazil. 4 of 6 South American genera occur only in Argentina and Chile (Rafael, 2012). Mexico has (2:9/)15 spp. at this order, being (5/)7 spp. in Machilidae and (4/)8 spp. in Meineterllidae (Palacios-Vargas, BOOK, 2004), and U.S.A. has (10/)27 spp. of Machilidae and (4/)9 in Meineterllidae (Bristletails of North America).
ZYGENTOMA
(5:149/)594 spp. (Foottit & Adler, vol. 2, 2009, pg. 156), only Nicoletiidae (6/13) and Lepismatiidae (6/10) occur in Brazil, with (12/)23 spp. (Rafael et al., BOOK, 2024). Lepidotrichidae is endemic to U.S.A. Maindroniidae has 4 spp. in Sudan, the Arabian Peninsula, and one (Maindronia neotropicalis Bouvier, 1897) in Atacama desert on Chile and Peru. Protrinemuridae has (4/)10 spp., only two in New World, both Trinemophora from collected in W South America (Foottit, 2018).
■ endemic families in New World: Lepidotrichidae (1/1, U.S.A.).
EPHEMEROPTERA
(42:450/)3,240 spp. (Wikipedia), (10:80/)426 in Brazil (Rafael et al., BOOK, 2024), one family endemic. All clades cited in Wikipedia page occur in Brazil.
■ endemic families in New World: Melanemerellidae (1/1, Brazil).
ODONATA
(40:678/)6,313 spp. (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 Chile and Argentina, Wikipedia), Petaluridae (5/11, E Asia, Australia, New Zealand, North America, Argentina and Chile, SEE), Mesagrionidae (1/1, Colombia), and Austropetaliidae (Argentina, Chile and Australia).
■ endemic families in New World: Mesagrionidae (1/1, Colombia).
ORTOPTERA
26,207 spp. in 4,588 genera among 41 families in two clades, Ensifera and Caelifera (Orthoptera Species Files). (18:565/)1,952 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 genera, and 11,894 spp. (Foottit & Adler, vol. 2, 2009, pg. 257). (9:266/)924 spp. in Brazil.
ACRIDIDEA [24 families, 6 in Brazil].
Acridomorpha ‣ 23 families, 14 families absents 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, 5 in Brazil (822 spp. in country): Acrididae, Eumastacidae and Pyrgomorphidae cosmopolitan to subcosmopolitan, Romaleidae from North to South America, and Proscopiidae from Costa Rica to South America. Tanaoceridae from W U.S.A. to NW Mexico, Episactidae from Mexico to Costa Rica, Hispaniola, Madagascar and E Asia, Xyronotidae endemic to Mexico, and Tristiridae from Peru to S Argentina but not occur in Brazil.
Tetrigoidea ‣ a single subcosmopolitan family, Tetrigidae (62 spp. in Brazil).
TRIDACTYLIDEA [3 families, 2 in Brazil, with 32 spp. in country].
Tridactyloidea ‣ 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.
ENSIFERA ‣ 14 families (Orthoptera Species Files/Ensifera), 2,111 genera, and 14,313 spp. (Foottit & Adler, vol. 2, 2009, pg. 255). (9:299/)1,028 spp. in Brazil.
GRYLLIDEA [7 families, all in Brazil, 138 spp. in Brazil].
Grylloidea ‣ subcosmopolitan, 5 families (Gryllidae, Mogoplistidae, Oecanthidae, Phalangopsidae, Trigonidiidae), all in Brazil (277).
Gryllotalpoidea ‣ subcosmopolitan, two families, Gryllotalpidae (13 in Brazil) and Myrmecophilidae (1/63, SEE), 4 spp. native in New World (SEE), unknown in Brazil, besides a citation in Yuan & Stalling, Journal of Orthoptera Research, 2022).
TETTIGONIIDEA [7 families, only three in Brazil, with 594 spp.].
Hagloidea ‣ a single family, Prophalangopsidae, with 5 genera, Cyphoderris (NW America), Paracyphoderris (Siberia), Aboilomimus (China), Prophalangopsis (Indian subcontinent) and Tarragoilus (China).
Rhaphidophoroidea ‣ a single family, Rhaphidophoridae, from Alaska to Guatemala, Eurasia to New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina and Chile.
Schizodactyloidea ‣ a single family, Schizodactylidae, from Turkiye to Indochina, and SW Africa.
Stenopelmatoidea ‣ three families, Anostostomatidae (9 spp. in Brazil), Gryllacrididae (26 spp. in Brazil) and Stenopelmatidae (5/50, unknown in Brazil, 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).
Tettigonioidea ‣ subcosmopolitan, with a single family Tettigoniidae (703 spp. in Brazil).
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).
PHASMIDA
(473/)3,039 spp. (Foottit & Adler, vol. 2, 2009, pg. 285) in 14 families (Wikipedia, plus Tinematidae), 900 in New World and (5:43/)231 in Brazil, among five families (Diapheromeridae, Heteronemiidae, Pseudophasmatidae, Prisopodidae, Phasmatidae, in Rafael et al., BOOK, 2024). Agathemeridae (8) occur only in Argentina, Bolivia and Chile (SEE). Tinematidae (21) occur from Oregon to Baja California (Wikipedia). Remainig families are invalid or absents in New World.
RECORDS
The longest known insect, based on leg length, is a species not described in Phasmatidae from China, from captivity, which reached 64cm (Wikipedia).
EMBIOPTERA (EMBIOPTERA SPECIES FILES)
(13:94/)476 spp. worldwide, (5:22/)57 in Brazil, (4:11/)58 in Mexico (Rafael et al., BOOK, 2024), in Anisembiidae, Archembiidae, Clothodidae and Teratembiidae. 8 families are absents in New World. Andesembiidae (2/8, Colombia to Peru) occur in New World but not in Brazil.
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 endemics) and W & SW South Africa (7 genera, 6 endemics), in Benjamin Wipfler et al., ZooKeys, 2017).
PLECOPTERA (PLECOPTERA SPECIES FILES)
(17:309/)3,788 spp. (Zhang et al. | Zootaxa, 2013 | Plecoptera Species File) in two suborders, both with only one 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).
DERMAPTERA (DERMAPTERA HOME PAGE)
(11:203/)1,930 spp. (Foottit & Adler, vol. 2, 2009, pg. 316), 303 in South America, (7:46/)145 in Brazil (Rafael, 2012). 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). Heleodoro & Rafael (Zoologia, 2023) lists (6:43/)117 spp. for Brazil.
ZORAPTERA
(9/)37 spp. in two families (Kočárek et al., MDPI, 2021). Brazil has the largest diversity of genera worldwide (4/6), in both families.
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).
MANTODEA
(31:426/)2,494 spp. (Foottit & Adler, vol. 2, 2009, pg. 395), (12:)259 in Brazil (Rafael et al., BOOK, 2024) and 71 genera (CTFB). Neotropics has, for this source, (91/)474 spp.
BLATTODEA
7,314 spp., (c. 500/)c. 4,600 spp. of cockroach, and about (c. 300/)c. 3,000 spp. of termite (Wikipedia); Rafael et al., BOOK, 2024). (9:221/)1,118 spp. in Brazil. 17 families in six clades ( Zhang et al., Zootaxa, 2013), 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. (136/)769 spp. of cockroaches are known in Brazil.
BLABEROIDEA
Two families, Ectobiidae (488 spp. in Brazil, paraphyletic, SEE) and Blaberidae (238 spp. in Brazil), 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 (19 spp. in Brazil) and Nocticolidae (9/32, Africa, Asia and Australia, MAP).
BLATTOIDEA
Two families, Blattidae (17) and Tryonicidae (2/17, Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, MAP).
LAMPROBLATTIDAE
A single family, 4 spp. in Brazil.
CRYPTOCERCOIDEA
Only one family, Cryptocercidae (1/12, North America to Mexico, E Europe, China to Japan and Koreas in Asia, MAP).
TERMITOIDEA
9 families of termites (corrobored by Termites Database), 4 in Brazil (85/348 spp., SEE | CTFB for genera): Serritermitidae (2/2, only in Brazil, Guyana and French Guiana), Kalotermitidae (28), Termitidae (305) and Rhinotermitidae (5/14). Absent families: 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.
PSOCOPTERA
(41:474/)5,720 spp. (Wikipedia). In Brazil there are (28:94/)425 spp. (Rafael, 2024). All suborders and infraorders of New World occur in Brazil. Mexico has (37:105/)755 spp. in this order (Garcia-Aldrete, Rev. Mex. de Biodiv., vol. 85, 2014).
PHTHIRAPTERA
(24:304/)5,316 spp. in 4 suborers (Foottit & Adler, BOOK, 2009, pg. 459), (17:156/)562 spp. at all suborders in Brazil (CTFB). 7 families does not occur in Brazil, 6 in Anoplura, and Haematomyzidae (3 spp., 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).
TYSANOPTERA (WIKITRIPS)
(9:782/)6,174 spp. (Foottit & Adler, vol. 2, 2009, pg. 487; 8 families in U.S.A.), (6:156/)627 in Brazil (CTFB for genera, Rafael et al., BOOK, 2024). Exceptions 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 (5 spp., 1 in California, 2 from S Africa, and 2 from S Europe) and Stenurothripidae (3 genera, two in W North America, one from the Mediterranean region to India).
HEMIPTERA
(191:13,391/)104,091 spp., as discussed below, in four bigger clades (Wikipedia). (114:2,314/)9,507 in Brazil (CTFB).
Auchenorrhyncha ‣ (33:5,965/)c. 43,024 spp. (Foottit & Adler, vol. 2, 2009). (23:878/)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. (Foottit & Adler, vol. 1, 2009). (57:1,090/)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. occur 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 ‣ 18,690 spp., distributed among four superfamilies (Foottit & Adler, vol. 2, 2009) in 67 families. (31/)791 spp. in Brazil (Rafael, 2012). Genera in this groups is only number of genera data in the entire discussion of insects totally absent. For this group, we used an extrapolation that was detailed in the blog Almanaque Z/SEE, which points to an estimate of 1,590 genera. (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.).
HYMENOPTERA
(132:8,423/)153,088 spp. (Aguiar et al, Zootaxa, 2013). Almost all Hymenoptera are wasps except two lineages, family Formicidae and Apoidea clade (11 families, Wikipedia). In Brazil occur c. 10,000 spp. described species in 64 families (or c. 9,000, if discounted 1,000 spp. from the ant estimate, 2,500 in (Rafael, 2012), c. 1,500 in Ant Wiki, see below). By Fernández (Caldasia, 2022), the Neotropics comprises 26 superfamilies and (92:3,162/)33,640 species of Hymenoptera. (90:1,675/)11,273 in Brazil (CTFB), number accepted here.
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, the only bumblebees to occur in such environments in the world. Only 6 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 very 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, Friesella (1) and Trichotrigona (2) endemics to S Brazil.
FORMICIDAE
Following the Ant Wiki (SEE), Brazil has the greatest diversity of genera in the West Hemisphere (117) and the 2th in the world, behind only Indonesia (126) and China (also 117); 3th largest diversity of endemic genera (9), behind only Australia (16) and tied with Madagascar; 3th 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); 3th 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).
STREPSIPTERA
(10:47/)609 spp. (Foottit & Adler, vol. 2, 2009, pg. 684). 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, from Caribbean (Wikipedia). (5:)16 in Mexico (SEE | SEE).
■ endemic families in New World: Bahiaxenidae (1/1, Brazil).
COLEOPTERA
(176:29,500/)386,500 spp. (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 species.
In the three basal suborders Archstemata, Myxophaga and Adephaga there are 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 four Elateroidea families Elateridae (147, see below), Phengodidae (34/263, all luminescent/SEE, 53 in Brazil), Rhagophthalmidae (Old World) and Lampyridae (2,000 spp., all luminescent/SEE, 362 in Brazil) and was also recorded at least once in the small elateroid family Omalisidae (factum dubia) and in Brazilian Staphylinidae in two undescribed species of Xantholius (Rosa, Revista Brasileira de Entomologia, 2010).
147 spp. of Elateridae are able to emit light, in 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). The vast majority of bioluminescent species is known from the Neotropical region, with several species occurring in small Melanesian islands (Bi et al, ZooKeys, 2019).
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).
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 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).
NEUROPTERA
(15/671/)c. 6,434 spp. (Foottit & Adler, vol. 2, 2009, pg. 638), (10:75/)432 spp. in Brazil (211 endemics, Machado & Martins, Revista Brasileira de Entomologia, 2022). Nevrothidae (19) occur 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).
MEGALOPTERA
(2:28/)400 spp. (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., 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.
Sialidae ‣ (9/)85 spp., two genera in Neotropics: Caribesialis (Cuba) and Ilyobus (10, Mexico to Brazil/3).
RAPHIDIOPTERA
(33/)248 spp. in two families, Raphidiidae (26/206) and Inocelliidae (7/42), by Foottit & Adler (vol. 2, 2009, pg. 638). 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 (Contreras-Ramos & Rosas, Rev. Mex. Biodiv., 2014).
TRICHOPTERA
(49:601/)14,999 spp. (Holzenthal et al., Zootaxa, 2011). (16:70/)656 in Brazil (Rafael et al., BOOK, 2024 | Brazilian Caddisflies for genera). 3,262 spp. was described for Neotropics.
LEPIDOPTERA
(126:16,650)155,181 spp. (Foottit & Adler, vol. 1, 2009, pg. 334). (78:2,962/)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).
DIPTERA
(159:9,825/)159,294 spp. (Pape et al., Zootaxa, 2011), 31,000 in Neotropics, in 118 families. (102:2,021/)12,156 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 absents in Neotropics. Only one Aedeomyiini occur 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).
■ endemic families in New World: Evoocoidae (1/1, Chile).
SIPHONAPTERA
(19:249/)2,215 spp. (Bossard et al., Diversity, 2023). In Brazil occur (8:19/)63 spp. (Ceratophyllidae, Ctenophthalmidae, Ischnopsyllidae, Leptopsyllidae, Pulicidae, Rhopalopsyllidae, Stephanocircidae and Tungidae, Rafael et al., BOOK, 2024). Pygiopsyllidae and Malacopsyllidae occur in neighboring countries and will probably be registered in Brazil (Rafael, 2012). Mexico (8:51/172, Acosta-Gutiérrez, Rev. Mex. de Biodiv., 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 endemics (Fapesp, link unvailable). All Mexican families occur in Brazil except Hystrichopsyllidae, and Brazilian Stephanocircidae does not occur in Mexico.
MECOPTERA
(9:38/)c. 737 spp. (Foottit & Adler, vol. 2, 2009, pg. 706), (2:5/)26 in Brazil (CTFB). In Neotropics occur 4 families (67): 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) from Chile and Argentina, and Bittacidae: 16 genera, 5 endemics to Australia, Anomalobittacus from South Africa, three from SW U.S.A. to Mexico, Kalobittacus in America Central, 4 from Panama to Brazil (all from 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, all in Brazil. Brazilian number of species follows Ventura et al. (BOOK, 2012), with 347 spp. of 6,650 worldwide. Data for total in America Latina follows Alvarado & Silís-Marín (BOOK, 2012; appendix with a checklist of all Ecinodermata in America Latina: SEE). 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).
30.1 Crinoidea ‣ 700 spp. worldwide in 32 living families (Wikipedia), of which only 16 have been reported for Brazilian waters (20 in Gondin et al., Zootaxa, 2021). 82 spp. in America Latina, 63 in Atlantic and Caribbean side.
30.2 Holothuroidea (SEE) ‣ 1,714 spp. worldwide (CL-ITIS/2014), 49 reported for Brazil, 302 in America Latina, 158 in Atlantic and Caribbean side. 5 orders, all in Brazil (Barba & Dall'Occo, SBPC, no data) inc. Elasipodida (Bendayan de Moura, Thesis, 2016). In Appendix of America Latina (manual counting) Brazil has (12:27/)40 spp.
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).
30.3 Echinoidea ‣ 1,006 spp. worldwide (CL-ITIS/2014), 52 have been reported for the Brazilian coast. 242 in America Latina, 137 in Atlantic and Caribbean side. In Wikipedia, are 12 orders, 8 in Brazil, six by Gondim et al. (Zootaxa, 2018) plus Arbacioda by Slivak, N.N. et al. (Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia, 2022) and Temnopleuroida by Castro Manso et al. (Biota Neotropica, 2008). Absents are Pedinoida, Echinoida, Phymosomatoida (Europe, North America, North Africa and the Middle East) and Holectypoida. Appendix of Latin America (manual counting) lists in Brazil has (16:30/)37 spp.
30.4 Ophiuroidea ‣ 2,074 spp. worldwide (CL-ITIS/2014), within 270 genera and 33 families (Goharimanesh M. et al., European Journal of Taxonomy, 2021), 153 have been reported for the Brazilian coast, 521 in America Latina, 340 in Atlantic and Caribbean side. Six orders in this class, all in Brazil, five by Barboza & Borges (Zootaxa, 2012), and Ophioleucida (at least Ophiostratus in Santa Catarina state) by WoRMS and Slivak, N.N. et al. (Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia, 2022). Brazil has 16 of 33 families worldwide. In Appendix of Latin America (manual counting) Brazil has (14:56/)140 spp.
30.5 Asteroidea ‣ 1,854 spp. in 39 families (CL-ITIS/2014), among 332 genera (Mah & Blake, Plos One, 2012), only 77 reported for Brazil; 392 in America Latina, 228 in Atlantic and Caribbean side. Eight orders in this class: five confirmed for Brazil by Gondim et al. (ZooKeys, 2014), Notomyotida (with a single family) confirmed by Palos-Peña et al. (Revista de Biologia Tropical, 2021) and Brisingida confirmed by Campos & Moura (Article, 2010). The unique absent is Peripodida (4, Xyloplax, SEE) from Bahamas, New Zealand and northern Pacific from Canada to Costa Rica (SEE). In Appendix of Latin America (manual counting) Brazil has (22:43/)64 spp.
31. HEMICHORDATA ‣ (6:24)130 spp. of three orders: Enteropneusts (4:23/106), Rhabdopleurida and Cephalodisca. Tassia et al (Plos One, 2016) lists all Hemichordata worldwide, in areas referenced in Spalding et al. (BioScience, 2007).
ENTEROPNEUSTS ‣ 4 families and (23/)106 spp. worldwide.
Harrimaniidae ‣ (10/)42 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 ‣ (6/)9 spp. (Jabr. et al., Canadian Journal of Zoology, 2013), all in northern Hemisphere: Allapasus aurantiacus (E Pacific), A. fuscus (Artic Canada), A. isidis (N Atlantic), Coleodesmium karaensis (Russia Arctic), Tergivelum baldwinae (E Pacific), T. cinnabarinum (N. Atlantic), Terminstomo arcticus (Artic of Canada), Torquarator bullocki (NE Pacific) and Yoda purpurata (N Atlantic).
Ptychoderidae ‣ (3/)37 spp. (Wikipedia): Ptychodera (5), Balanoglossus (17) and Glossobalanus (15). 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/)18 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).
CEPHALODISCA
19 spp. in Cephalodiscus (Wikipedia). Here we also consider the addition of the Cephalodiscus record in Brazil (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).
RHABDOPLEURIDA
5 spp., known in Florida, Greenland, Bermuda, Azores, subantartic South America, Iceland, Spain to Kola Peninsula in Atlantic Ocean, Svalbard, northern Mediterranean, SE India, Sulawesi, Fiji, Vanuatu, S Australia and NW New Zealand (MAP).
32. CEPHALOCHORDATA ‣ a group with absurd data inaccuracy, with ever-changing genera and rankings. In Zhang et al. (Frontier of Physiology, 2018) there are three genera in a single family, Brachyostomatidae: Branchiostoma (28, widely distributed in the mid-low latitudes of the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean, and the Pacific Ocean, Poss & Boschung, Israel Journal of Zoology, 1996), Asymmetron (monotypic, A. lucayanum Andrews, 1893, currently thought to be distributed circumtropically in the northern Indian, Pacific, and Caribbean Basin from Bermudas to Yucatan and Lesser Antilles), and Epigonichthys (1, E. cultellus Peters, 1877, Pacific, northern Indian Ocean, mainly around Australia). For Brazil, we followed Alves et al. (Tropical Oceanography, 2001), which marks three spp. of Branchiostoma in country.
Asymmetron, taken here as a single species, 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) 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.
Copepedia Website lists 5 spp. of Epigonichthys, none in New World (SEE).
33. TUNICATA ‣ (33:211/)3,145 spp., (22:65/)207 spp. in Brazil. Although most textbooks still have Thaliacea as a tunicate Class, nowdays this group is place within the fourth group inside this class (Kocot K.M. et al., Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2018). Thus, phyllum Tunicata has only two classes.
33.2 Class Ascidiaceae ‣ with the inclusion of Thaliacea in Ascidiacea, both with three orders, here we take 6 orders and 30 families in the class, with references to the old classification for the three orders from Thaliacea. (171/)3,068 spp. (Rocha, R.M. et al, Zoologia, 2024), who also provides data for Brazilian diversity in each group below, in the form of reference [R24].
STOLIDOBRANCHIA
Three families, Molgulidae, Pyuridae and Styelidae, all in Brazil, with (4/)9, (3/)9 and (8/)28 spp. in Brazil, respectively [R24].
PYROSOMIDA
A single family, Pyrosomatidae, (3/)8 spp., only (2/)2 in Brazil [R24].
SALPIDA
45 spp. in a single family, Salpidae (Sat-Zooplankton). (12/)27 spp. in Brazil [R24].
DOLIOLIDA
A single family, Doliolidea, and (9/)c. 25 spp. worldwide, (4/)7 spp. in Brazil [R24].
PHLEBOBRANCHIA
10 families, 5 in Brazil (Agneziidae, Cionidae, Corellidae, Perophoridaea and Ascidiidae) and 5 absents (Diazonidae, Dimeatidae, Hypobythiidae, Octacnemidae and Plurellidae), with (6/)32 spp. in country [R24].
APLOSOUBRANCHIA
14 families, 8 in Brazil (Diazonidae, Clavelinidae, Didemnidae, Euherdmaniidae, Holozoidae, Polycitoridae, Polyclinidae and Stomozoidae) and six absents (Anadistomidae, Placentelidae, Protopolyclinidae, Pseudodistomidae, Ritterellidae and Vitrumidae), with (16/)77 spp. in country [R24].
33.1 Class Appendicularia ‣ three families: Oikopleuridae, Fritillariidae and Kowalevskiidae, all in Brazil (Vega-Peréz, Biota Neotropical, 2011), including all genera of the two lasts (3 and 1, respectively) and 6 from 11 genera of the first family. In number species, World has 77, and Brazil, 35, by Rocha, R.M. et al (Zoologia, 2024).
34. CRANIATA ‣ there are sources that consider Cephalochordata a subphylum of Chordata, or that recognize two phyla, Cephalochordata and Craniata. Here, we use the second option. Although they are not monophyletic groups, fish and reptiles are usually treated in united groups; here we put a lot of unified data in these large groups but also a lot of data already partitioned in the 15 Craniata lineages.
PHYLOGENY OF CRANIATA
For number of groups of Craniata in almost all countries, see Mongabay (TABLE). In the table it is possible to see that, in the highlighted groups, Brazil is always among the top three, leading in amphibians, being the only country in the Top 3 of all groups.
TABLE OF RICHEST COUNTRIES IN VERTEBRATES (IN BOLD NUMBER, THE THREE LARGESTS), BY CLASSIC GROUP © MONGABAY
Only four lineages do not occur in Brazil; of these, only Petromizonti fish are registered in the New World. In South America, in tetrapods, only 24 families have no record at all in the country, 11 of which are Nearctic invasions occurring on the continent just in the range between Venezuela and northern Peru, and 7 evolved in the south of the continent, some reaching Bolivia and Peru. Only the remaining 6 are widely distributed in the west of the continent: Telmatobiidae, Cinclidae, Ursidae, Camelidae, Caenolestidae and Chinchillidae. Brazil has 451 families of Craniata. As a paraphyletic group in the eyes of birds, treating Reptiles as a class is inappropriate, although quite traditional even in more advanced academic circles. Here we try to start the discussion of Reptiles in their four extant monophyletic groups.
South America hosts the largest diversity for density in mammals, birds and amphibians (Biodiversity Mapping).
According to the Catalogue of Fish Classification (CFC), there are 8 classes of fishes: Myxine, Petromozonti, Elasmobranchii, Holocephali, Cladistia, Actinopteri, Coelacanthi and Dipneustii, with (612:5,288/)37,003 spp. in November 16, 2024. Coelacantii and Cladistia does not occur in New World. Petromyzonti occur in Chile, Argentina, Australia, and Northern Hemisphere. All the other 5 groups take place in Brazil. Among New World, the highest diversity in clades are in Argentina by records simultaneous of Dipneustii and Petromizontii.
REFERENCES
Other importante sources for fishes are the FishBase (SEE), Fishes of the World (Nelson, BOOK, 2006), and for South America, the Fish biodiversity and conservation in South America (R. Reis et al., Journal of Fish Biology, 2016).News and publications on the eight non-Tetrapoda Craniata lineages are available in World of Fishes (SEE).
FISH S.L. WORLD DIVERSITY
By Fishbase Brazil has the 3th largest diversity of fish in the world in November 16, 2024, with 4,874 spp. (SEE) in total (excluding 22 introduced species), lower than only Australia (5,068; excludes one introduced) and Indonesia (4,889; excludes 20 introduceds). By Mongabay list (SEE) the largest diversities are Australia (4,934), Indonesia (4,772) and Brazil (4,521).
For Schmitter-Soto, J.J. et al. (Ichthyology & Herpetology, 2024), There are 5,089 species of fishes in North America: 1,254 in Canada, 3,821 in the United States, and 3,261 in Mexico; 107 of them are introduced established species and 37 are extinct.
MARINE OVERALL DIVERSITY
In marine fish, Brazil loses badly: it has only 1,256 (excludes 4 introduceds) in November 16, 2024, in 21th position, against 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), U.S.A. (2,111, Mongabay number minus contiguous statean freshwater fishes; freshwater Alaskian non deleted), 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), considering only native.
ENDEMIC MARINE FISHES
For endemic marine fish, Brazil have only 104 in swallow water and 30 in deep sea (Intreasures, November 16, 2024), in 10th position worldwide, 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. By marine endemic genera, Brazil had only four of them (Storrsia, Akko, Asarcenchelys and Leucogrammolycus, until 2024) in 4 families, U.S.A. has five genera in five families, and Mexico has 11 genera in nine families. Asarcenchelys (Ophichtidae) occur from Pará to Bahia state coasts (A. Carvalho-Filho et al. Marine Biodiversity Records, 2011).
REGIONAL DIVERSITIES IN BRAZIL
For fish diversity at Gurgueia Basin in southern Piauí state (152 spp.), see Silva et al. (Checklist, 2015); for large marine fishes of Brazil, 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.
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).
TAXONOMY BY GROUP
Primary numbers for fish diversity in Brazil are 5 Myxine (marine), 3 Holocephali (marine), 1 Dipneustii (freshwater), 183 Elasmobranchii (29 freshwater and 154 marine), and 4,677 Actinopterygii (1,094 marine and 3,583 freshwater). 3,613 freshwaters and 1,256 marine. 4,869 spp. in total. Add 22 introduceds, are 1,260 marine (as Fish Base/Marine) and 3,631 freshwaters (as Fish Base/Freshwaters), 4,891 in total.
However, a search of the global listing for Brazil lists 4,896 species (5 Myxine, 3 Holocephali, 184 Elasmobranchii, 1 Dipneustii, and 4,703 Actinopterygii; subtracting the 22 introduced species, we have 5 Myxine, 3 Holocephali, 184 Elasmobranchii, 1 Dipneustii, and 4,681 Actinopterygii), 5 species more than those listed separately. It is known that one of them is a marine Elasmobranchii and 4 are Actinopterygii.
In these terms, for Elasmobranchii, there are 29 freshwater species, 154 marine species, and 1 inconclusive. For Actinopterygii, there are 1,094 marine species, 3,583 freshwater species, and 4 inconclusive. However, the definitive numbers, listed in our table, are increased by the species detected in the country but not listed in FishBase.
34.1 MYXINE
90 spp. in six genera of a single family - Myxinidae - and order (Eschmeyer's CF, Nov 16, 2024). (3/)5 spp. occur in Brazil (Fish Base, Nov 16, 2024), two endemics (Intreasures, Nov 16, 2024). Absent genera 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 PETROMYZONTII
(10/)48 spp. in three families a single order (Eschmeyer's CF, Nov 16, 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 Petromyzontidae (8/43, SEE), exclusively from northern Hemisphere, describeds below. Petromyzontids 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 (12) ‣ 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
1,437 spp. in 212 genera of 65 families and 13 orders (Eschmeyer's CF, Nov 16, 2024). (42:79/)184 spp. occur in Brazil in 11 orders in Fish Base, at Nov 16, 2024): 29 freshwater, 154 marine, and 1 inconclusive. 27 endemics in Brazil (Intreasures, Nov 16, 2024, 13 marine and 14 freshwater).
Here, we also consider Triaenodon obesus Rüppell, 1837 (Carcharhinidae) in Brazil (Bornatowski et al., Wiley Journal of Fish Biology, 2018), a new for country after FishBase. Thus, the numbers in Brazil total (42:80/)185 spp., 29 freshwater, 155 marine, and 1 inconclusive.
All orders in Brazil except Heterodontiformes, sharks in a single family, a single genus and 8 spp. from the Indian and Pacific (with three spp. 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 8 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). 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, 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 endemics) 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
60 spp. in six genera within three families at a single order (Eschmeyer's CF, Nov 16, 2024). Four species in Brazil, at four genera, in all families of this class (three in Fish Base, Nov 16, 2024), one endemic (Intreasures, Nov 16, 2024, plus Rhinochimaera atlantica Holt & Byrne, 1909, collected in Brazil in Campos Basin, Demersais, 2017). Absent genera are Chimaera and Neoharriotta (SEE).
Neoharriota has three spp.: N. pinnata, Schnakenbeck 1931, which appear to be restricted to the eastern Atlantic, off the western coast of Africa; N. pumila Didier and Stehmann 1996, presently known only from the NW Indian Ocean; and N. carri Bullis & Carpenter 1966, known in the upper and mid continental slopes in the southern Caribbean (219–458 m depth range), disjunct in Guatemala (Polanco-Vásquez et al., Marine Biodiversity Records, 2017).
34.5 ACTINOPTERI
35,346 spp. (37,003 - 1,657) in 5,048 genera (5,288 - 240) of 535 families (612 - 77) and 56 orders (72 + 2 - 18), by Eschmeyer's CF in Nov 16, 2024. (222/1,198)4,681 spp. natively occur in Brazil in Fish Base in Nov 16, 2024 (genera and families made in manual count), 2,447 endemics (Intreasures, Nov 16, 2024: 2,329 freshwater, 97 shallow sea, and 21 deep sea).
Besides these numbers, we also include 111 new spp., 47 new genera, and 15 new families for Brazil, listed below, which are not cited in FishBase Nov 16, 2024. With these additions, we consider (237/1,245)4,792 spp. in our table. Cyprinidae, Xenocyprididae, Clariidae, Ictaluridae, Salmonidae, Butidae, Osphronemidae, Centrarchidae are introduced families in Brazil (22 spp.).
ATELEOPODIFORMES (1 new order, 1 new family, 1 new genus, 1 new spp.) - Ijimaia antillarum (Ateleopodidae, Ateleopodiformes, genus, family and order inedited in Brazil after FishBase).
NOTACANTHIFORMES (1 new genus, 1 new spp.) - Halosaurus guentheri (Halosauridae, genus inedited for Brazil after FishBase).
ANGUILIFORMES (3 new families, 9 new genera, 20 new spp.) - Eurypharynx pelecanoides (Eurypharyngidae, genus and family inedited in Brazil after FishBase), Gymnothorax maderensis (Muraenidae), Myroconger pietschi (Myrocongridae, genus and family new for Brazil after FishBase), Acromycter atlanticus, A. perturbator, Bathycongrus dubius, B. vicinalis, Bathyuroconger vicinus, Xenomystax congroides, Ariosoma selenops, Paraconger caudilimbatus (Congridae, 3 new genera for Brazil after FishBase), Hoplunnis similis (Nettastomatidae), Atractodenchelys phrix, Ilyophis blachei, I. brunneus, Simenchelys parasitica, Synaphobranchus affinis, S. oregoni (Synaphobranchidae, 3 new genera for Brazil after FishBase), Cyema atrum (Cyematidae, genus and family inedited in Brazil after FishBase).
ALEPOCEPHALIFORMES (2 new genera, 2 new spp.) - Maulisia mauli (Platytroctidae, new genus for Brazil after FishBase), Photostylus pycnopterus (Alepocephalidae, a new genus for Brazil after FishBase).
AULOPIFORMES (2 new families, 4 new genera, 7 new spp.) - Bathypterois viridensi, Bathytyphlops marionae (Ipnopidae, the latter a new genus for Brazil after FishBase), Aulopus filamentosus (Aulopidae, new genus and family for Brazil after FishBase), Rosenblattichthys hubbsi (Scopelarchidae, new genus for Brazil after FishBase), Gigantura chuni (Giganturidae, new genus and family for Brazil after FishBase), Saurida normani, Synodus poeyi (Synodontidae),
ARGENTINIFORMES (1 new genus, 1 new spp.) - Rhynchohyalus natalensis (Opisthoproctidae, a new genus for Brazil after FishBase),
STOMIIFORMES (4 new genera, 21 new spp.) - Gonostoma denudatum (Gonostomatidae), Triplophos hemingi (Gonostomatidae, a new genus for Brazil after FishBase), Triplophos hemingi (Gonostomatidae), Aristostomias grimaldii, Astronesthes gudrunae, Borostomias eluscens, Eustomias bibulbosus, E. minimus, E. schmidti, Grammatostomias ovatus, G. dentatus, Pachystomias microdon, Photonectes achirus, Photostomias goodyeari (Stomiidae, three new genus for Brazil after FishBase), Eustomias antea, E. lucenae, E. ophioglossa, E. bertrandi (Stomiidae, all Brazilian endemics), Melanostomias dio, M. melanops, M. valdiviae (Stomiidae, the first endemic to Brazil).
ZEIFORMES (1 new genus, 2 new spp.) - Grammicolepis brachiusculus (Grammicolepididae), Pseudocyttus maculatus (Oreosomatidae, new genus for Brazil after FishBase).
LAMPRIFORMES (1 new genus, 1 new sp.) - Zu cristatus (Trachipteridae, a new genus for Brazil after FishBase).
TRACHICHTHYIFORMES (1 new genus, 1 new sp.) - Diretmus argenteus (Diretmidae, new genus and family for Brazil after FishBase).
CALLIONYMIFORMES (1 new genus, 1 new sp.) - Synchiropus agassizii (Callionymidae, new genus for Brazil after FishBase).
SCOMBRIFORMES (2 new families, 3 new genera, 6 new spp.) - Pseudoscopelus cordilluminatus (Chiasmodontidae), Scombrolabrax heterolepis (Scombrolabracidae, genus and family news for Brazil after FishBase), Paracaristius nudarcus, Platyberyx andriashevi, P. paucus, P. pietschi (Caristiidae, new family and two new genus for Brazil after FishBase).
PLEURONECTIFORMES (3 new spp.) - Poecilopsetta inermis (Pleuronectidae), Monolene antillarum, M. atrimana (Bothidae).
OPHIDIFORMES (1 new genus, 2 new spp.) - Dicrolene introniger (Ophidiidae), Petrotyx sanguineus (Bythitidae, new genus for Brazil after FishBase).
BERYCIFORMES (3 new families, 8 new genera, 15 new spp.) - Melamphaes polylepis, M. typhlops, M. eulepis, M. leprus, M. longivelis, Poromitra megalops, Scopeloberyx opercularis, S. opisthopterus, Scopelogadus mizolepis (Melamphaidae, three new genus for Brazil after FishBase), Cetostoma regani, Ditropichthys storeri, Gyrinomimus bruuni (Cetomimidae, a family and three new genera for Brazil after FishBase), Rondeletia loricata (Rondeletiidae, new genus and family for Brazil after FishBase), Gibberichthys pumilus (Gibberichthyidae, new genus and family for Brazil after FishBase).
LOPHIIFORMES (2 new families, 3 new genera, 7 new spp.) - Sladenia shaefersi (Lophiidae, new genus for Brazil after FishBase), Gigantactis watermani (Gigantactinidae, genus and family news for Brazil after FishBase), Chaenophryne ramifera, Oneirodes anisacanthus, O. carlsbergi (Oneirodidae), Chaunax pictus, C. suttkusi (Chaunacidae, genus and family news for Brazil after FishBase).
ACROPOMATIFORMES (1 new family, 1 new genus, 4 new spp.) - Epigonus macrops, E. pandionis (Epigonidae), Bathysphyraenops simplex, Howella atlantica (Howellidae, new genera and family for Brazil after FishBase).
LABRIFORMES (1 new sp.) - Sparisoma rochae (Scaridae).
GADIFORMES (1 new family, 3 new genera, 10 new spp.) - Stylephorus chordatus (Stylephoridae, genus and family inedited in Brazil after FishBase), Macruronus novaezelandieae (Merluccidae, new genus for Brazil after Fish Base), Laemonema robustum, Laemonema barbatulum, Physiculus fulvus, Physiculus cirm (Moridae), Coelorinchus occa, Gadomus arcuatus, Nezumia atlantica, N. suilla (Macrouridae, one new genus for Brazil after FishBase).
PERCIFORMES (2 new genera, 8 new spp.) - Antias asperilingui, Odontanthias cauoh (Serranidae, new genera for Brazil after FishBase), Serranus fusculus (Serranidae), Pontinus rathbuni (Scorpaenidae), Prionotus beanii, P. ophryas, P. stearnsi (Triglidae), Peristedion ecuadorense (Peristediidae).
FRESHWATERS
In number of freshwater fish, Brazil with its 3,631 spp. leads quite loosely over China, in second place (1,616, excluding 28 introduceds), and overwhelms Australia (360, excludes 32 introduceds), Indonesia (1,250, excluding 20 introduceds) and Mexico (576). All Brazilian freshwater fishes are Actinopteri except 29 Elasmobranchii and one Lepidosirenidae.
74 families of Actinopteri has freshwater species in South America, 66 occur in Brazil and eight out, being two confined southern South America, two Antarctic, two widely in New World, one Andean and one Atlantic/Caribbean: Cyprinodontidae (9-10/103, three genera in South America: Cyprinodon (49, 2 in South America, NE Colombia, Venezuela, possibly in Guyana), Orestias (45, 2,800–4,600 m in the Andes of C & S Peru, W Bolivia, and NE Chile, SEE), Pseudorestias (1, Tarapacá Basin in Andean Chile, SEE) and Yssolebias(1, endemic to Rio Madalena in Colombia, SEE)), Gobiesocidae (53/189, only 7 freshwater, all in Gobiesox from New World except Brazil, three in South America from Venezuela to Peru; Gobiesox includes saltwaters in Brazil), Astroblepidae (1/82, high altitudes from Panama to Bolivia, mainly in Andean region, all freshwater), Anguillidae (1/15, with Anguilla rostrata Lesueur, 1817, a catadromous species, SEE, from Greenland up to Colombia and Venezuela, MAP; for consistent details, SEE), Nematogenyidae (1/1, Concepcion, Rancagua and Angol regions from C Chile), Diplomystidae (2/7, W Argentina and E Chile), Percichthyidae (7/23, Australia, with Percichthys in central Chile and Argentina), and Galaxiidae (7/66, mainly Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania, three in South America: Aplochiton with three spp. exclusive to Argentina and Chile; Brachygalaxias with two spp. endemic to Chile; and Galaxias with 46 spp. in Oceania, three in South America and one in South Africa). In these 8 families, in South America occur only 14 genera (154 spp. in continent, 4/5 in Austroblepus or Orestias): 8 only in Argentina and Chile, 3 only in Colombia and Venezuela, 3 wider (Astroblepus, Orestias, Gobiesox).
MARINE
1,952 marine spp. in Mexico (2,127 - 6 - 2 - 162 - 4, FishBase/Mexico, in 2023).
ENDEMISMS
For endemic freshwater species, Brazil has 2,313 spp. (Intreasures in November 16, 2024, excludes 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) .
For endemic families, in the New World only Chile, U.S.A. and Brazil have them, all in Actinopterigii. In Brazil Tarumaniidae (1/1, Tarumania walkerae Pinna, Zuanon, Py-Daniel, Petry, 2017). In Chile Perciliidae (1/2) and Nematogenydae (1/1), and in U.S.A. Amblyopsidae (6/9), Aphredoderidae (1/1) and Elassomatidae (1/7). Lacantuniidae was considered endemic to Mexico, but was collected in Guatemala (Quintana et al., CheckList, 2019).
All families with endemic genera of freshwater fish in some country in South America are Actinoptrigii and have them in Brazil, except: Chenuchidae (only in Peru), Lebiasinidae (only in Guyana), Galaxiidae, Nematogeniidae and Perciliidae (these only in Chile).
ORDERS
Despite the classification conflicts between the two main fish references, FishBase (SEE) and Eschmeyer's CF (SEE, Nov 16, 2024), it is officially agreed that there are 14 orders of Actinopterygii absent in Brazil. However, one of them, Ateleopodiformes, is considered native to Brazil (see Klautau et al., Neotropical Ichthyology, 2020). Thus, here we provide a summary of the other 13 that are truly absent.
ACTINOPTERIGII PHYLOGENY, WITH 3 BASAL ORDERS ABSENTS IN BRAZIL
Gymnotiformes, Symbranchiformes and Osteoglossiformes does not occur in North America.
UNBRAZILIAN NON-TELEOSTEI ORDERS
1 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.
2 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).
3 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).
NO NEW WORLD TELEOSTEI ORDERS
4 LEPIDOGALAXIIFORMES ‣ only one sp., Lepidogalaxias salamandroides Mees, 1961, endemic to extreme point of Western Australia, in a very small range.
5 Anabantiformes ‣ 8 families (26/)281 spp., from Africa and tropical Asia from India to Philippines (Eschmeyer's CF, Nov 16, 2024).
NEW WORLD NON SOUHT AMERICAN TELEOSTEI ORDERS
6 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).
7 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.
8 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.
9 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).
10 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 endemics, 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 endemics (and 7 endemic genera, SEE).
SOUTH AMERICAN TELEOSTEI ORDERS
11 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).
12 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.
RECORDS
The deepest record of a fish is the Pseudoliparis swirei Gerringer & Linley, 2017 (Liparidae), recorded at 8,076m deep in November 21, 2014 in Mariana Trench, U.S.A. ZEE (Wikipedia). 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.
■ endemic families in New World: 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), Polyodontidae (1/1, U.S.A.), Tarumaniidae (1/1, Brazil).
34.6 CLADISTIA
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 DIPNEUSTII
6 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 COELACANTHII
Coelacantii 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).
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34.9 AMPHIBIA
Two main sources for Amphibians: Amphibian of the World (AWr, accepted here) and Amphibia Web (A.Web). By AWr are 8,814 spp. worldwide, (59:464/)7,760 Anura, (9:71/)830 Caudata and (10:32/)224 Gymnophiona among 78 families and 567 genera overall, in November 25, 2024 (SEE). By Mongabay (SEE) the largest diversities are four South Americans: Brazil (1,022), Colombia (771), Ecuador (626) and Peru (572).
In November 25, 2024, Brazil has (28:121/)1,237 spp., being (23:107/)1,193 Anura, (4:13/)39 Gymnophiona (36 non-Caecilia) and (1:1/)5 Caudata. Colombia has 39 spp. of Gymnophiona (16 non-Caecilia), 27 spp. of Caudata and 795 Anura. Worldwide India leads in Gymnophiona (41), Brazil in Anura, and U.S.A. in Caudata (232). Mexico includes 272 Anura, 154 Caudata and 3 Gymnophiona. For list updates see UPDATES.
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 USA south to temperate southern Mexico), and seven in Caudata, Amphiumidae (3) and Rhyacotritonidae (4) endemics to U.S.A.; Ambystomatidae (30) and Sirenidae (5) from U.S.A. up to Canada and Mexico; Salamandridae (132), Cryptobranchidae (4) and Proteidae (9) also in Old World.
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), also Chile and Argentina; 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.
AMPHIBIAN FAMILIES IN SOUTH AMERICA ABSENTS IN BRAZIL
For some curiosities of Amphibia, see Amphibia Facts.
ENDEMICS
In endemic species, Brazil has 854 spp. (Intreasures in November 24, 2024). In the Mexico ✕ Brazil duel among endemic species we have Caudata with 134 ✕ 4, Gymnophiona with 1 ✕ 26 and Anura with 172 ✕ 824. 179 of the 229 U.S.A. endemic amphibians are Urodela. Mexico, Peru, Colombia and Brazil are among the few countries in the World with endemic species in the three orders of amphibians.
In endemic genera, in Brazil there are 30 genera (3 in Gymnophiona, in the families Siphonopidae and Typhlonectidae, and 27 in Anura, in 9 families: Brachycephalidae, Cyclorhamphidae, Eleutherodactylidae, Hemiphractidae, Hylidae, Hylodidae, Microhylidae, Odontophrytidae and Strabomantidae). Emphasis on the genera Brachycephalus (36), Bokermannohyla (32) and Cycloramphus (28). Mexico there are 9 endemic genera (3 in Hylidae and 6 in Plethodontidae), with the notable presence of Thorius (29). All eight genera of amphibians endemic to the U.S.A. are from Urodela. Colombia has 5 endemic genera in Strobomantidae (2), Dendrobatidae/Aromobatidae (1), Centrolenidae (1) and Siphonopidae (1).
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 does not occur in Brazil. In Craugastoridae, Bufonidae, Eleutherodactylidae, Hylidae and Hemiphractidae Brazil has the largest diversity of genera and species.
In Strabomantidae Brazil has the largest diversity of genera after Peru (which has six endemic genera, inc. a huge, Phrynops, with 35 spp.); Brazil has 55 spp. and Colombia has 266. In Alsodidae and Ceratophryidae, Brazil has one more less genera that Argentina. In Aromobatidae, Colombia and Venezuela has two genera more than Brazil, and Colombia has a endemic genus; Brazil has 30 spp. against 15 in Colombia. In Centrolenidae, Colombia and Ecuador has 10 of 11 genera, respectively, inc. Centrolene; Venezuela has one endemic genus; Brazil has 13 spp., and Colombia has 74. In Dendrobatidae, Colombia has 14 genera and 111 spp.; Brazil has 55 spp. in 5 genera (only 7 species endemics).
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. Bigger genera few represented in Brazil includes Hyloxalus (Dendrobatidae, 63, only two in Brazil) and Pristimantis (569, only 35 in Brazil, 215 in Colombia, 1/3 of all Anura in this country).
Only two amphibians in the world are venomous, both Hylidae endemic to E Brazil: Bruno's casque-headed frog (Nyctimantis brunoi Miranda-Ribeiro, 1920, former parasphenodon brunoi) and Greening's frog (Corythomantis greeningi Boulenger, 1896) - NHM
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 endemics), 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 endemics and one shared with Peru, excluding B. altamazonica), taking the genus to 176 spp., the family to 556 spp. (c. 2/3 of the Caudata on the planet) and the order of 858 spp.
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 Microcaecilia nicefori Barbour, 1924, endemic to Colombia, former genus Parvicaecilia.
Brazilian endemic gymnphiona Atretochoana eiselti Taylor, 1968 is the largest lungless tetrapod worldwide (Hoogmoed et al., Bol. Mus. Para. Emílio Goeldi, 2011).
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, by Atretochoana eiselti.
■ 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
12,056 spp. in 1,172 genera of 70 families (Repfocus/Lizards + Repfocus/Amphisbaenia + Repfocus/Snakes, in November 27, 2024) in nine high lineages. 37 families occur in New World, 25 in Mexico. Endemic families occur all in Amphisbaenia clade: U.S.A., Mexico and Cuba one endemic each. In all Brazilian families Brazil has the first diversity of genera in New World (shared or isolated) except Anguidae, Iguanidae, Liolaemidae and in Serpentes.
Brazil includes 778 spp. (SEE/SEE/SEE) in 165 genera (SEE/SEE) at 25 families (SEE/SEE), in November 27, 2024. At this date, Brazil has the third largest diversity of Squamata worldwide (24:169/776), 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, by Repfocus. 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, by Intreasures in November 27, 2024.
13 Squamata families in New World does not occur in Brazil: three only in Caribbean Basin, like Florida: Rhineuridae (1/1, Florida and Georgia, U.S.A.), Cadeidae (1/1, W Cuba) and Leiocephalidae (). Remaining 10 all in Mexico: 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 (), Xenosauridae (), Phrynosomatidae (), Crotaphytidae (), Corytophanidae () and Loxocemidae (1/1, Pacific coast from C Mexico to NW Costa Rica). All data below for December, 2024.
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.
11.1 DIBAMIDAE ‣ a single family.
1 Dibamidae (2/27) ‣ 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.
11.2 GEKKOTA ‣ families absents 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).
2 Eublepharidae ‣ 6/48, mainly Africa and Asia, but Coleonyx (8) from SW U.S.A. to Costa Rica, mainly in Mexico.
3 Sphaerodactylidae ‣ 12/234, 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 endemics in three genera). Only two another genera occur in New World: Aristelliger (9, Caribbean, 1 in Belize) and Sphaerodactylus (108 spp., C Mexico to Ecuador, Venezuela and Caribbean, 7 in South America). (3/)6 spp. in in Mexico. Largest diversities are Venezuela (28) and Dominican Republic (25);. Brazil has the seventh (SEE).
4 Phyllodactylidae ‣ (9/)170 spp., New World, North Africa, Europe and the Middle East. (4/)12 spp. in Brazil (7 endemics in two genera, with Gymnodactylus a endemic genus). Three New World genera does 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 endemics). Largest diversities are Mexico (21), Peru (17), Ecuador (14) and Brazil (12, SEE).
5 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 92th 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.
11.3 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.
6 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).
7 Scincidae ‣ (168/)1,782 spp. 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: nine only in Old World; Alinea, Capitellum, Mabuya and Spondylurus are endemic to Caribbean islands. Maracaiba occur only in Venezuela and Colombia; Morisora only in Mexico, America Central and Caribbean; and all remaining 10 genera occur in Brazil (16, 7 endemics 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, 42th in World).
11.4 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.
11.5 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).
8 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).
9 Rhineuridae ‣ only one sp., Rhineura floridana Cope, 1861, endemic to N & C Florida and adjacent Georgia, SE U.S.A.
10 Bipedidae ‣ only one genus, Bipes, with three spp., all endemics to Mexico, one in S Baja California Sur, and two in C Mexico.
11 Cadeidae ‣ two spp. in Cadea, endemics to W Cuba and adjacent islands.
11.6 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.
12 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.
13 Xenosauridae ‣ 14 spp. in Xenosaurus, from NE Mexico to C Guatemala.
14 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 endemics, SEE).
11.7 TEIIFORMATA ‣ both families occur in South America. 74 genera, 48 in Brazil (24 endemics).
15 Gymnophthalmidae ‣ (56/)301 spp. (37/)99 spp. in Brazil (largest diversity worldwide, SEE), 23 endemics. There are more endemic genera in Brazil than outside of it. Only one species occur 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).
16 Teiidae ‣ (18/)179 spp. in New World. (7/)42 spp. in Brazil. 7 genera does 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).
11.8 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 endemics.
17 Phrynosomatidae ‣ (9/)178 spp. from SW Canada to Panama, 121 in Sceloporus.
18 Crotaphytidae ‣ (2/)12 spp. from SW U.S.A. to NW Mexico (SEE).
19 Leiocephalidae ‣ only Leiocephalus, with 24 spp., all from West Indies (SEE).
20 Corytophanidae ‣ (3/)19 spp., C Mexico to Ecuador and Venezuela. Two genera (Basiliscus and Corytophanes) and 4 spp. occur in South America (SEE).
21 Iguanidae ‣ (9/)47 spp., highly diverse in Mexico (5/19), America Central and West Indies. 4 genera occur in South America: Amblyrhynchus and Conolophus, endemics 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.
22 Anolidae ‣ (8/)455 spp., SE U.S.A. to SE Brazil (SEE): six 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), and two also 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). Largest diversities in Colombia (77), Cuba (65) and Mexico (55), and Brazil has only 18 (7 in Dactyloa and 11 Norops, SEE).
23 Polychrotidae ‣ 8 spp. in a single genus, Polychrus, from Nicaragua to NE Argentina and SE Brazil (absent in Mexico, SEE). Largest diversities are Ecuador (5), Peru (5), Bolivia (3) and Brazil (3, SEE).
24 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).
25 Tropiduridae ‣ (8/)147 spp. in tropical and subtropical South America (absent in Mexico, SEE), all genera in Brazil (two endemics) except Microlophus (24, Galapagos and Ecuador to Chile). Largest diversities in Peru (57) and Brazil (42, SEE).
26 Leiosauridae ‣ (6/)35 spp. from Brazil and adjacent Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay (absent in Mexico and Colombia, SEE), 4 genera in Brazil (two endemics) and two outside: Diplolaemus and Pristidactylus, both from Argentina and Chile. Largest diversities in Argentina (17) and Brazil (15).
27 Liolaemidae ‣ (3/)358 spp. from Peru to Patagonia and S Brazil (absent in Mexico and in Colombia, SEE), including the largest Squamata genus, Liolaemus, with 303 spp., and highly centered in Argentina. In Brazil occur 3 spp., two endemics (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).
11.9 SERPENTES ‣ 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).
SCOLECOPHIDIA ‣ no venomous. Four families, Leptotyphlopidae and Typhlopidae in New World and Brazil, Gerhophilidae from SE Asia and Oceania, and Xenophidiidae from Malaysia and Indonesia.
28 Leptotyphlopidae (14/147) ‣ 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 2th diversity in World (18, after Peru, 19, SEE).
29 Typhlopidae (19/280) ‣ pantropical, in New World from S Mexico to NE Argentina and Caribbean. Brazil has 21th diversity in World (7 spp. in a single genus, SEE) and 3th in New World after Cuba (12) and Haiti (10). Cuba and Bahamas has two genera each.
ALETHINOPHIDIA/ANOMALEPTIDAE ‣ no venomous, a single family.
30 Anomalepitidae (4/23) ‣ Costa Rica to Paraguay and Brazil. Brazil has (2/)9 spp., largest diversity of species (SEE), however Colombia and Ecuador has 3 genera each (including Anomalepis and Helminthophis). Absent in Mexico.
ALETHINOPHIDIA/AMEROPHIDIA ‣ no venomous, two families, both in New World and Brazil.
31 Anilidae (1/1) ‣ a single sp., Anilius scytale Oken 1816, from Caribbean and Choco region up to C and NE Brazil in Ceará state (MAP).
32 Tropidophiidae (2/37) ‣ two genera, Trachyboa (3, Panama to Ecuador) and Tropidophis (35, 28 in Caribbean, 4 from Ecuador to Peru, and three endemics to Brazil, 3th diversity worldwide after Cuba and Ecuador, SEE). Absent in Mexico.
ALETHINOPHIDIA/UAC CLADE ‣ no venomous. Three families, Uropeltidae, Anomochilidae and Cylindrophiidae, fully absent in New World.
ALETHINOPHIDIA/BOOIDEA ‣ no venomous. A single family, three if Boyleridae and Xenophidiidae was considered as fully families.
33 Boidae (14/67) ‣ 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 December 13, 2024 (SEE).
ALETHINOPHIDIA/PYTHONOIDES ‣ no venomous. Three families, Xenopeltidae and Pythonidae in Old World, and one in New World, Loxocemidae. No venomous.
34 Loxocemidae (1/1) ‣ only one sp., Loxocemus bicolor Cope, in Pacific coast from C Mexico to NW Costa Rica.
ALETHINOPHIDIA/CAENOPHIDIA ‣ 8 families, Acrochordidae (aquatic, non venomous), Xenodermidae (non venomous), Pareidae (non venomous), Homalopsidae (non solenoglyphous venomous) and Lamprophiidae (sometimes venomous) only in Old World, and three in New World. Includes all venomous snakes.
35 Elapidae (57/410, SEE) ‣ includes 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).
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).
UNBRAZILIAN SNAKE GENERA IN SOUTH AMERICA EXCEPT COLUBRIDAE AND VIPERIDAE
36 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 3th world diversity, with (4/)31 spp. (Repfocus, after Mexico and China).
Mexico is the center of diversity of this family. Six New World genera does not occur in South America: Agkistrodon and Sistrurus from E U.S.A to Mexico, Mixcoatlus and Ophryacus endemics 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 endemics, and endemics 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, absents 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 does not occur in Mexico: Atropoides (1, Costa Rica and Panama), Bothrocophias (8, Colombia to Brazil. 2 in Brazil, endemics 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
37 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.
COLUBRIINAE · 126 genera, 52 genera in New World, mainly in U.S.A. (13, Cemophora endemic), Mexico (33, Conopsis, Geagras, Pseudoficimia and Sympholis endemics). Brazil has 12 genera (Chironius, Dendrophidion, Drymarchon, Drymobius, Drymoluber, Leptophis, Mastigodryas, Oxybelis, Palusophis, Phrynonax, Simophis, Spilotes and Tantilla), none endemics. 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 restricteds of New World. 14 genera endemic to Caribe, 28 in Mexico (7 endemics, Cenaspis, Chersodromus, Cryophis, Manolepis, Pseudoleptodeira, Rhadinophanes, Tantalophis), 51 in Brazil (12 endemics, 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 endemics, three also in Colombia). Brazil has the largest diversity in species and genera (also in endemic genera) in this subfamily worldwide.
NATRICIINAE · 37 genera worldwide, 10 genera in New World, six endemics 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
(14:95/)378 spp. (Repfocus, in November 24, 2024), with highest diversity in U.S.A.; for a remarkable source of this group, with images and map distributions of almost all species, see Turtle Taxonomy Working Group (2017). All South American genera occur in Brazil except Chelydra. Brazil has the 3th diversity of turtles worldwide with (8:19/)36 spp., equal number of Indonesia and Colombia, after U.S.A. (62) and Mexico (52) in species and land species (Repfocus). Two high clades. 25 genera of Cryptodira occur in New World, only 9 in South America. Brazil possibly has the seventh largest diversity in endemic Testudines (7, in Chelidae and Emydidae), after U.S.A. (40), Australia (29), Mexico (22), Ecuador (14), China (11) and Indonesia (10), by Intreasures, in November 24, 2024.
PLEURODIRA
Three families of turtles from southern Hemisphere. The Pleurodira are identified by the method with which they withdraw their heads into their shells. In these turtles, 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 a cryptodiran, which tucks its head and neck between its forelegs, within the shell.
Chelidae ‣ (15/)67 spp., in four clades: Chelodininae and Pseudemydurinae with (8/)44 spp., restticted for Australia and New Guinea; Hydromedusinae and Chelinae, with (7/)23 spp. from South America. All South American species occur in Brazil (second diversity, 20, 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., in 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: Platysternidae (SEE) not occur is New World; Tryonichidae (only Apalone in New World); Dermatemydidae (monotypic from Mexico, Guatemala and Belize) occur from Canada to America Central but non in South America; and the following seven:
Cheloniidae ‣ (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 endemic to U.S.A. and Chelydra 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. 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, 4 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., only one genus occur 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, inc. 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 up to South America, with 21 spp., only three in South America, all in Colombia (one endemic), only K. scorpioides in Brazil. Mexico has 8 endemic species, all in Kinosternon. Some indications of changes in the family taxonomy can be seen in Hurtado-Gómez, J.P. et al. (Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2024).
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, with three spp. in mainland South America (two in Brazil) and 14 endemics to Galapagos Is.
34.13 CROCODILYA
(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, occur 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 occur in the national territory. Other maps in Morales-Betancourt, M.A. et al. (Biota Colombiana, 2014).
34.14 AVIALIA
Among birds, 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 New World breeding orders breeds in South America except Gaviiformes. Only two South American breeding orders does not breeds in Brazil: Sphenisciformes and Phoenicopteriformes. Brazilian breeding orders Cariamiformes and Rheiformes does not occur in Colombia. Brazilian breeding orders Cariamiformes, Opisthocomiformes, Steatornithiformes and Rheiformes does not occur neither Mexico and U.S.A.
Brazilian numbers change according to the source, between 1,679 to 1,904:
South Amercan Birds in BR Metazoa (surveys conducted by this blog, 2023, accepted here) ▸ only for breeding species, Colombia has (81:682/)1,765 spp., Brazil (80:646/)1,679 and Mexico (85/432)904.
Annotated checklist of the birds of Brazil by the Brazilian Ornithological Records Committee-2th edition (Pacheco et al., Ornithology Research, 2021): this source shows 1,742 residents or breeding migrants birds in Brazil, 126 seasonal non-breeding visitors, and 103 vagrants, in a strongly easy acesible data for breeding or no breeding species. No accepted directly here.
Mongabay (2019) ▸ for this sources, Brazil has the 3th largest diversity of birds worldwide, with (93:)1,813 spp., ahead Colombia (1,878) and Peru (1,858). No accepted here.
Bird Live Data Zone (BLDZ) ▸ in November 24, 2024, Brazil has 1,816 (1,609 terrestrial and 207 non-terrestrial, SEE). For this source Colombia leads, with 1,873 in total (1,680 terrestrial and 193 non-terrestrial, SEE). Peru comes next, with 1,861 in total (1,649 terrestrial and 212 non-terrestrial, SEE). No accepted here.
WikiAves ▸ 1,904 spp. in country. No accepted here.
Birds of the World (BR) ▸ this list shows 1,845 spp. in Brazil (including some non-natives and no breedings) at 698 genera. No accepted here.
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.
At 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 Passeriformes, 7 families breeds in Mexico but non in Brazil: Alcidae (4 spp.: Ptychoramphus aleuticus, Synthliboramphus scrippsi, S. hypoleucus and S. craveri), Phasianidae (two spp. of Maleagris), Diomedeidae (Phoebastria immutabilis, breeding only off NW Mexico, and in Hawaii), Hydrobatidae (7 breeding species in Pacific coast of Mexico, 4 exclusives), Pelecanidae (Pelecanus occidentalis), Pandionidae (1) and Phoenicoptridae (1). Except Passeriformes, Brazil includes 8 breeding families which does not beeds in Mexico: Rheidae, Opistochomidae, Cariamidae, Anhimidae, Psophiidae, Steatornitidae, Rostratulidae and Capitonidae. 12 breeding Passerifomes families in Mexico does not occur in Brazil: Alaudidae, Paridae, Aegithilidae, Remizidae, Ptiliogonatidae, Cinclidae, Regulidae, Sittidae, Rhodinocichlidae, Peucedramidae, Icteriidae and Spindalidae.
At the species level in non-Passeriformes, Mexico has endemic species in 8 families in which Brazil does 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 absents 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 5th 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
A sin gle family in New World, Psittacidae . Brazil has 88 spp. in this family. New World genera absent in Brazil are ten: Conuropsis (U.S.A.), 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 (Chile, Argentina and Uruguay), Enicognathus (Chile and Argentina). Brazilian almost restrict genera are Pionopsitta (also in Argentina and Paraguay) and Alipiopistta (also in Bolivia). Brazil has the largest diversity of genera in Psittacidade in New World (inc. three endemics) and the largest of Psittaciformes species worldwide (Australia has only 56). In addition to the New World genera of this family, two other occur in Africa; Australasiam members compound the family Psittaculidae.
■ endemic families in New World: Teretistridae (1/2, Cuba).
35.15 MAMMALIA
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.
HIGH TAXONOMY
Here, despite many references, we consider Cetartiodactyla divided into 5 orders, as it is too bizarre to keep Cetacea and Giraffidae in the same order. The recent inclusion of Cetacea in Artiodactyla is one of the more bizarre inclusions that genetic phylogeny has revealed recently. What is most shocking is, without a doubt, the extreme morphological distinction between the groups. Keeping these groups together in the same order is bizarre, so the partition of Cetartiodactyla is the most interesting option to take. However, there is nothing formally in this sense, only the acceptance that the order can be divided into 5 major clades, strongly demonstrated in the studies.
Thus, for 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 absents (Eulipotyphla, Paucituberculata, Microbiotheria and Tylopoda).
PHYLOGENY OF MAMMALS AND ALL EXTANT SPECIES OF BASAL MONOTREMATA, RESTRICTED FOR EAST WALLACE LINE
DIVERSITY
South America has 343 genera of mammals in 64 families (2/3 bats or rodents). Brazil has the second largest diversity of mammals worldwide by Mongabay (SEE) with 648, ahead Indonesia (670) and and followed by China (551) and Mexico (523), however these data not are accepted here.
By a most recent checklist of mammals in country (Sociedade Brasileira de Mastozoologia (EXCEL), 2023), Brazil has (49:248/)778 spp.: 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).
Colombia includes (50:213/)543 mammals (Ramírez-Chaves et al., Mammology Notes, 2020). In all orders Brazil has more species than Colombia except Chiropera and the absents Paucituberculata and Eulypotyphla.
ORDERS
PAUCITUBERCULATA
(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).
MICROBIOTHERIA
Two spp. in Dromiciops (ASM Mammal Diversity), from S Chile and S Argentina.
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 spp., Colombia more two), Lutreolina (Argentina and Bolivia more one sp.), Thylamys (Argentina and Bolivia more one sp.), and the three absents: Tlacuatzin (5, Mexico), Chacodelphis (1, Argentina) and Lestodelphys (1, Argentina). For several Marsupialia in South America, see Louise & Myers (Field Museum, 2001).
SIRENIA
4 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).
PILOSA
(4:5/)17 spp., living anteaters and sloths (ASM Mammal Diversity). All Pilosa occur in Brazil (inc. four endemics) except Cyclops catellus Thomas, 1928 fom Bolivia, C. dorsalis Gray, 1865 from W Ecuador, Colombia, America Central, S Mexico, Tamandua mexicana Saussure, 1860 from C Mexico to Venezuela and Peru, and Bradypus pygmaeus Anderson & Handley, 2001, endemic to Isla Escudo de Veraguas, a small island off the Caribbean coast of Panama.
CINGULATA
(9/)22 spp. (ASM Mammal Diversity) from S U.S.A to southern South America.
Dasypodidae ‣ 8 spp. in Dasypus. Brazil leads (5 spp.). Unbrazilian members: D. sabanicola Mondolfi, 1968 (Colombia and Venezuela), D. pilosus Fitzinger, 1856 (Peru) and D. mazzai J. Yepes, 1933 (N Argentina).
Chlamyphoridae ‣ 14 spp., 7 in Brazil and 7 absents: Cabassous centralis G. S. Miller, 1899 (Mexico to Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela), C. chacoensis Wetzel, 1980 (Paraguay and Argentina), Chaetophractus vellerosus J. E. Gray, 1865 (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Paraguay), C. villosus A. G. Desmarest, 1804 (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Paraguay), Calyptophractus retusus Burmeister, 1863 (Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina), Zaedyus pichiy A. G. Desmarest, 1804 (Argentina and Chile) and Chlamyphorus truncatus Harlan, 1825 (Argentina). Calyptophractus, Chaetophractus, Zaedyus and Chlamyphorus does not occur in Brazil.
RODENTIA
(35:536/)2696 spp. 5 high lineages. 8 New World families does 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). Against Brazil, Mexico includes a huge diversity in Sciuridae (7/35), and Brazilian absents Castoridae, Geomyidae and Heteromyidae.
Brazil and Mexico has simultaneously Erethizontidae (Brazil 12 ✕ 2 Mexico), Dasyproctidae (Brazil 9 ✕ 2 Mexico), Cuniculidae, Sciuridae (Brazil 8 ✕ 36 Mexico) and Cricetidae (Brazil 41/155 ✕ 24/139 Mexico). Mexico includes three unbrazilian families: Castoridae (1), Geomydidae (19) and Heteromyidae (41). Brazil includes 4 unmexican families: Caviidae (9), Ctenomyidae (8), Dinomyidae (1) and Echimyidae (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) does not occur in Brazil.
Echimyidae includes 29 genera, 5 endemics to Brazil (including the two bigger endemic genera of mammals for a any New World country, Phyllomys and Trinomys) and 10 absents: 4 in Caribbean islands (Capromys, Geocapromys, Mysateles, Plagiodontia), and six from Nicaragua to Peru and Venezuela (Diplomys, Hoplomys, Leiuromys, Olallamys, Pattonomys and Santamartamys, the latter endemic to Colombia).
MYOMORPHA
9 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).
South America has 87 genera of Cricetidae (Paton, BOOK, 2015), 40 in Brazil (155 spp.), the largest diversity of genera, including 7 endemic genera. All 12 Sigmodontinae groups occur in Brazil except Andinomyni (3 spp. in Punomys and Andinomys), Euneomyni (6 spp. in Neotomys, Euneomys, Irenomys) and Abrotrichini (17 spp. in Paynomys, Chelemys, Notiomys, Geoxus and Abrothrix); however, two South American genera in this family not belongs Sigmodontinae: Tylomys (Tylomynae: one sp. in South America, from Colombia and Ecuador) and Reithrodontomys (Neotomynae: also one sp. in South America, also in Colombia and Ecuador). Colombia includes (30/)82 spp. of Cricetidae (Ramírez-Chaves et al., Mammology Notes, 2020).
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., in Sciurus (6), Microsciurus (1) and Sciurillus (1).
LAGOMORPHA
(2:11/)111 living spp. (ASM Mammal Diversity) in Ochotonidae (1/34) and Leporidae (10/77). Only three genera in New World: Lepus (35, 27 in Old World from Europe to Southern Africa, Siberia and SE Asia, and 8 in New World: one in Canada and Greenland, two in Canada and U.S.A., three from U.S.A. to Mexico, and two endemics to Mexico), Romerolagus (R. diazi Ferrari-Pérez, 1893, C Mexico) and Sylvilagus (30, New World).
Sylvilagus includes 30 spp., 28 confined to a single zone: Canada and U.S.A. (6, 5 endemics to U.S.A.), U.S.A to Mexico (3), Mexico and America Central (8, 4 endemics to Mexico, one endemic to Panama), Venezuela to Peru (9, one widely, one endemic to Venezuela, 5 endemics to Colombia and two endemics to Ecuador), Suriname (1) and Brazil (1, S. tapetillus O. Thomas, 1913). Exceptions are S. brasiliensis L., 1758, widely in South America, and S. floridanus J. A. Allen, 1890, from Canada to Colombia and Venezuela.
PRIMATA
(84/)517 spp. in 16 families (ASM Mammal Diversity), 12 in Old World, being three smallers, three largesters, and five Magalasies: 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, inc. domesticated Homo sapiens L., 1758, wild in Africa and SE Asia); and 5 in New World.
Pithecidae (6/60) ‣ 14 spp. does not occur in Brazil: Cheracebus aquinoi Rengifo, D'Elía, G. García, Charpentier, & F. M. Cornejo, 2022 (Peru), C. medemi Hershkovitz, 1963 (Colombia), Pithecia milleri J. A. Allen, 1914 (Colombia, Ecuador and Peru), P. napensis Lönnberg, 1938 (Ecuador and Peru), P. aequatorialis Hershkovitz, 1987 (Peru), P. isabela Marsh, 2014 (Peru), Plecturocebus caquetensis Defler, Bueno, & J. García, 2010 (Colombia), P. ornatus J. E. Gray, 1866 (Colombia), P. discolor I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire & Deville, 1848 (Colombia, Ecuador and Peru), P. urubambensis Vermeer & Tello-Alvarado, 2015 (Peru), P. oenanthe O. Thomas, 1924 (Peru), P. aureipalatii R. B. Wallace, H. Gómez, A. Felton, & A. M. Felton, 2006 (Peru and Bolivia), P. olallae Lönnberg, 1939 (Bolivia) and P. modestus Lönnberg, 1939 (Bolivia).
Atelidae (4/23) ‣ 8 spp. absents in Brazil: Alouatta pigra B. Lawrence, 1933 (Mexico, Guatemala and Belize), A. palliata J. E. Gray, 1849 (Mexico to Peru), A. arctoidea Cabrera, 1940 (Venezuela), A. sara D. G. Elliot, 1910 (Peru and Bolivia), Ateles geoffroyi Kuhl, 1820 (Mexico to Panama), A. fusciceps J. E. Gray, 1866 (Panama, Colombia and Ecuador), A. hybridus I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1828 (Colombia and Venezuela) and Lagothrix flavicauda von Humboldt in von Humboldt & Bonpland, 1811 (Peru).
Cebidae (3/19) ‣ only two spp. does not occur in Brazil: Cebus capucinus L., 1758 (Honduras to Colombia and Ecuador) and Saimiri oerstedii J. T. Reinhardt, 1872 (Costa Rica and Panama).
Callitrichidae (6/54) ‣ 7 spp. absents in Brazil, all in Saguinus: Saguinus leucopus A. Günther, 1877 (Colombia), S. oedipus L., 1758 (Colombia), S. lagonotus Jiménez de la Espada, 1870 (Ecuador and Peru), S. tripartitus Milne-Edwards, 1878 (Ecuador and Peru), S. illigeri Pucheran, 1845 (Peru), S. leucogenys J. E. Gray, 1866 (Peru) and S. nigrifrons I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1851 (Peru).
Aotidae (1/11) ‣ a single genus, Aotus, and 11 spp., five in Brazil and six absents: A. zonalis E. A. Goldman, 1914 (Panama to Colombia), A. brumbacki Hershkovitz, 1983 (Colombia), A. jorgehernandezi Defler and Bueno, 2007 (Colombia), A. griseimembra Elliot, 1912 (Colombia and Venezuela), A. lemurinus I.Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1843 (Colombia and Ecuador) and A. miconax Thomas, 1927 (Peru).
Brazil, along with DR Congo, Madagascar and Indonesia, has primacy in Primates in the World (Estrada et al., PeerJ, 2018), with (18/)130 spp. (Sociedade Brasileira de Mastozoologia (EXCEL), 2023), 4 endemic genera (all in Atlantic Forest), a bigger near endemic genera (Mico), and almost all Primate genera in New World except possibly Oedipomidas (Panama/Colombia). Brazil has the primazy of species number of all New World genera in Primates except the unbrazilian ones (Oedipomidas), Aotus and Cebus. Novielties: systematics of Aotidae (Martins-Junior et al, Mol. Phyl. and Evol., 2020), a new Cacajao (Ennes Silva et al., Mol. Phyl. and Evol., 2022), several new genera split of Saguinus (Brcko et al., Mol. Phyl. and Evol., 2022), with a new genus absent in Brazil, for Oedipomidas group, native fom Panamá to Colombia, disjunct for Saguinus s.s.
EULIPOTYPHLA
(4:61/)589 spp. worldwide, three families 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., 220 in Crocidura, the largest mammal genus/SEE. 5 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 endemics, Therya, 2020), Ecuador (4, two endemics, SEE), NW Venezuela (4, 3 endemics, MAP) and N Peru (2, one endemic). Colombian/Venezulan species are fully disjunct with Ecuador/Peru diversity.
Talpidae ‣ (19/)65 spp. 5 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).
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).
AT 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 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 ✕ COLOMBIA
Compared 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).
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 does not occur in Brazil. Brazilian Dryadonycteris, Scleronycteris, Neonycteris, Xeronycteris, Chrotopterus, Ametrida and Pygoderma does not occur in Colombia.
BRAZIL ✕ MEXICO
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 occur 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 absents 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 absents in Brazil, and more species in Myotis and Rhogeessa.
TYLOPODA
(2/)7 spp., all in Camelidae (ASM Mammal Diversity). Three from Old World: C. 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). And four 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.
SUINA
(9/)21 spp. in two families (ASM Mammal Diversity): Suidae (6/18) in Old World and Tayassuidae (3/3) in New World: 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).
RUMINANTIA
(83/)223 spp. in six families (ASM Mammal Diversity): three only in Old World: Tragulidae (3/10), Moschidae (1/7) and Giraffidae (2/5); and three in New World: Cervidae (22/57), Bovidae (54/153) and Antilocapridae (1/1).
BOVIDAE
(54/)153 spp. 4 genera and 5 spp. in New World, two monotypic exclusives: Oreamnos americanus Blainville, 1816 (Alaska to Colorado in W U.S.A.) and Ovibos moschatus Zimmermann, 1780 (natively in Greenland and N Canada); and two also in Old World, with 3 spp. in Western Hemisphere: Bos bison L., 1758 (former natively from Alaska to Mexico), Ovis canadensis Shaw, 1804 (British Columbia to NW Mexico), and O. dalli Nelson, 1884 (Alaska to British Columbia).
ANTILOCAPRIDAE
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. in five tribes. All 23 spp. from Cervidae in New World are Odoicoileini except 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), four outside 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 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 has 7 spp.: 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 occur in South America except two Odocoileus and one Rangifer, and all are restricteds 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.
MYSTICETI
Four 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: IN BLUE, BREEDING SPECIES; IN ORANGE, NON-BREEDING SPECIES
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, absents 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. Absents 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 absents 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 d'Orbigny, 1834 (Bolivia), Phocoena sinus Norris & McFarland, 1958 (NW Mexico), P. phocoena L., 1758 (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 occur in tropical America.
10 Mesoplodon does not occur in Brazil: M. eueu Carroll et al, 2021 (South Africa, Australia and New Zealand), M. bowdoini Andrews, 1908 (Australia and New Zealand), M. ginkgodens Nishiwaki and Kamiya, 1958 (tropical Indo-Pacific, in New World from California to Chile), M. traversii Gray, 1874 (New Zealand and Chile), M. hotaula P. E. P. Deraniyagala, 1963 (scattered from Seycheles, Maldives, Sri Lanka, India, Taiwan, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii and NW Mexico), M. carlhubbsi Moore, 1963 and M. stejnegeri True, 1885 (northern Pacific), M. perrini Dalebout, Mead, Baker, Baker & van Helden, 2002 (off California), M. peruvianus Reyes, Mead, and Van Waerebeek, 1991 (Mexico to Peru) and M. bidens Sowerby, 1804 (Northern Atlantic).
Other rare species in Brazil includes the northemost record of 4 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).
PERISSODACTYLA
(3:6)18 spp. worldwide (ASM Mammal Diversity), only Tapiridae living in New World, family with 4 spp. in Tapirus: T. indicus Desmarest, 1819 from Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand, and three in New World: T. bairdii Gill, 1865 from Mexico, America Central and NW Colombia; T. terrestris L. 1758 over South America except Chile and Uruguay; and T. pinchaque Roulin, 1829 in mountains in Colombia, Ecuador and N Peru. Largest diversities in Colombia (3), Ecuador and Peru (2 each).
CARNIVORA
(129/)312 spp. in 16 families (ASM Mammal Diversity). Ailuridae, Eupleridae, Herpestidae, Nandiniidae, Prionodontidae, Viverridae and Hyaenidae does not occur in New World. All Canidae species in New World occur in Brazil except over 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 3 spp. each; Ecuador, Brazil and Bolivia two each; and Uruguay a single. 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. 10 New World Procyonidae not occur in Brazil: two Bassariscus (U.S.A. to Panama), two Nasuella (Venezuela to Ecuador), two Procyon, one Nasua (exclusive Venezuela) and three Bassaricyon (from Honduras to Ecuador). Four Ursidae occur in New World: the black U. americanus Pallas, 1780 from Alaska to C Mexico, the brown U. arctos L., 1758 from Europe to Canada and NW U.S.A., the white U. maritimus Phipps, 1774 in Artic shore in Russia, Alaska (U.S.A.), Canada and Greenland, and the blackish Tremarctos ornatus Cuvier, 1825 from Venezuela to Argentina.
(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, absents in Mexico all five. Enydra is monotypic from northern Pacific from Japan to NW Mexico. Gulo is monotyíc and occur 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 occur 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 Amazonic, 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).
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 recognizes C. semistriatus (ICMBio). Here, we follow the distribution proposed on Wikipedia.
Odobenus rosmarus L., 1758, the sole member of Odobenidae, occur 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 in both Hemispheres: Mirounga (2, one from Alaska to Mexico, another in Antarctica).
IN BRAZIL
Brazilian Mammal list includes 4 Phocidae in country: (Sociedade Brasileira de Mastozoologia, 2023), 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.: Callorhinus (1, Korea to Mexico), 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).
Brazilian Mammal list includes 4 Otariidae in country (Sociedade Brasileira de Mastozoologia, 2023), however, as like Phocidae, none of them breeds in Brazil. Two are non breeding but are very common population in some places of Rio Grande do Sul state: Arctocephalus australis Zimmermann, 1783 (Amorim, Tese, 2018), species with their large population (c. 60%) in Uruguay, and Otaris flavescens Shaw, 1800 (ICMBIO, 2011). Two are errant: A. tropicalis Gray, 1872 and A. gazella Peters, 1875 (ICMBIO, 2011).
For data from Carnivora, see Sepúveda & Marín (Mammalian Biology, 2022) and Carnívoros Brasileiros ( ICMBIO); for details about the very rare Neogale africana Desmarest, 1818, see Ramírez-Chavez et al. (Mammalian Species, 2014). For Brazilian endemic Leopardus emilieae Thomas, 1914, see Nascimento e Feijó (Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia, 2017). For new species recognized in the Leopardus colocola complex for S & E South America, see Nascimento et al. (Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2021).
EXXOTAXA
Four South American orders not occur in Brazil: Tylopoda ((2/)4 spp. in Camelidae), Eulypotyphla (11, Cryptotis, Soricidae), Paucituberculata ((3/)7 spp. in Caenolestidae) and Microbiotheria (a single species in Microbiotheriidae), with joined 19 spp. in 5 genera.
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), 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 (only 5 Heteromys in continent) and Geomyidae (Orthogeomys dariensis Goldman, 1912).
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), Ruminantia (4, Bisbalus, Hippocamelus, Pudella and Pudu), Tylopoda (1, Lama) and Rodentia (59, being 39 Cricetidae + Dolichotis, 5 in Echymyidae, and 14 in exxofamilies).
BY AREA
Among Brazilian orders except Chiroptera, Cricetidae and Echimyidae, exxogenera falls in four patterns:
VENEZUELA/COLOMBIA/ECUADOR
Nasuella (Procyonidae, two spp. from Venezuela to Ecuador), Urocyon (Canidae, 1, Colombia and Venezuela), Bisbalus (Cervidae, 1, Venezuela), and Zalophus (Otariidae, 2, one in North America, another endemic to Galapagos).
PERU to ARGENTINA and PARAGUAY
Calyptophractus (Cingulata, 1, Bolivia, Argentina and Paraguay), Zaedyus (Cingulata, 1, Chile and Argentina), Chlamyphorus (Cingulata, endemic to Argentina), Hippocamelus (2, Peru to Chile and Argentina), Lestodelphys (Didelphidae, Argentina), Chacodelphys (Didelphidae, Argentina), Parachoerus (1, Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina), Dolichotis (Caviidae, 2, Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay), Microcavia (Caviidae, 3, Peru, Argentina, Chile and Bolivia), Lyncodon (Mustelidae, 1, Chile and Argentina), Oreonax (Atelidae, 1, Peru), Tasmacetus (Ziphiidae, 1, known only few death members in Argentina, Juan Fernandez, New Zealand, Tristan de Cunha and Australia, and scarce sightings, as in Thompson et al., Marine Biodiversity Records, 2019).
DIFFUSE PATERN
Lama (4, Camelidae Ecuador to Patagonia) and Pudu (2, Cervidae, disjunct from Venezuela to Chile and Argentina, absent in Bolivia).
MARINE
Mirounga leonina (Phocidae), breeding only in Oceanic sub-Antatic islands and in Valdes Peninsula in Argentina, Lobodon carcinophaga (Phocidae), Hydrurga leptonyx (Phocidae) and Leptonychotes weddellii (Phocidae), these breeds only in Antarctica.
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 3th 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.
OTHER NOTES
ALBINISM IN MAMMALS
Some records of albine wildlife in Brazil include bats (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 (Dalapicolla et al., Fapesp, 2020), in addition to high frequency of leucism in a population of Anoura geoffroyi in Minas Gerais, Brazil (Reis et al., Biota Neotropica, 2019).
FERALS
LAST UPDATESFor feral bubals in Brazil, see Carvalho et al. (Management of Biological Invasions, 2021) and a journalist reporting at Globoplay (SEE).
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 Elasmobranchia 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 opilione 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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