Oiticicarcinia Cardoso & Bento & Ferreira 2025, n. gen.

Genus Oiticicarcinia n. gen. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 13A2BA15-E0EB-42B4-8C3C-D7145EA3873B Type species: Oiticicarcinia epikarstica n. sp. Diagnosis Head shield trapezoidal, wider than long, expanded laterally, wider than pleotelson. Pleon in a continuous line with pereon, as wide as pereon, pleon length about 40% of body length; pleonites I–II dorsally visible on middle, partially covered by pereonite VII, pleonite I smaller than pleonite II. Pleotelson length about 25% of body length and 60% of pleon length. Genital papilla bilobated. Pleopods III – V expanded, subrectangular shaped, longer than wide, with two plumose setae distally, on distal medial corner of exopodite. Uropods exceeding pleotelson apex. Etymology The term “Oiticica” derives from the Brazilian native tree belonging to the genus Licania (Magnoliophyta), frequently found in the Caatinga biome and often growing near cave entrances in the region where the species was discovered. Its name originates from the Indigenous Tupi-Guarani language and is combined with the Greek word “carcinia”, meaning small shrimp. Gender feminine. Taxonomic remarks In the Calabozoidea, pleon and respective pleopods morphology holds significance in the group’s phylogeny (Van Lieshout 1983; Messana et al. 2002; Prevorčnik et al. 2012; Tabacaru and Danielopol 1999; Tabacaru and Giurginca 2019, 2021). However, as new species continue to be discovered, pleon morphology emerges as a crucial character in defining both family and species levels. The newly proposed genus, Oiticicarcinia n. gen., displays notable features such as the reduction of pleonites I and II, well-developed pleopods III – V, and a pleotelson shape akin to other members of Calabozoidae, distinguishing it from Brasileirinidae. Oiticicarcinia n. gen. displays a wider head shield in relation to pleotelson width, while in the former genera it is slender compared to the pleotelson. The pleotelson is relatively short, making up approximately 25% of the body length and 60% of the pleon length. In contrast, in both Pongycarcinia and Calabozoa the head shield is slender than the pleotelson and the pleotelson accounts for about 30% of the body length and 75% of the pleon length. As a member of Calabozoidae, Oiticicarcinia n. gen. presents the pleopods I and II in both males and females. Until now, the genital papilla was known to have one sole genital apophysis in all three known species of Calabozoidea, while in Oiticicarcinia n. gen. it is bilobed, a novelty for the taxon, but a common feature of variation among isopod species (Wilson 1991). The subrectangular shape of the pleopods III – V exopods differs from those of Pongycarcinia and Calabozoa, which are oval with plumose setae along the margins.