Remarkable micro-endemism and high congeneric richness: eight new cave-restricted species of Pseudochthonius Balzan, 1892 (Pseudoscorpiones, Chthoniidae) from the Brazilian semi-arid

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  Remarkable micro-endemism and high congeneric richness: eight new cave-restricted species of Pseudochthonius Balzan, 1892 (Pseudoscorpiones, Chthoniidae) from the Brazilian semi-arid Abstract Eight new species of pseudoscorpions belonging to the genus Pseudochthonius Balzan, 1892 are described from the semi-arid region of Brazil. Comprehensive morphological descriptions, diagnostic characters, detailed illustrations, and ecological remarks of the habitats are provided for Pseudochthonius celestialis sp. nov., P. caritas sp. nov., P. patientia sp. nov., P. temperantia sp. nov., P. diligentia sp. nov., P. castitas sp. nov., P. humilitas sp. nov., and P. benignitas sp. nov. In addition, we present a brief discussion of the potential factors underlying the remarkable congeneric species richness observed in this geographically restricted region, as well as the principal threats faced by these species. These findings underscore the importance of conserving caves in order to pr...

Sexual association and description of the male of Braunilla nigrina (Banks, 1946) (Hymenoptera, Pompilidae, Pompilinae)

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Sexual association and description of the male of Braunilla nigrina (Banks, 1946) (Hymenoptera, Pompilidae, Pompilinae)

ABSTRACT

The family Pompilidae (Latreille, 1804), within the order Hymenoptera, comprises a monophyletic group of solitary wasps, notably specialized in the predation and provisioning of spiders as a larval resource. The genus Braunilla (= Balboana Banks, 1944), restricted to the Neotropical region, currently includes 11 valid species, of which only two have males formally described. Braunilla nigrina was originally described by Nathan Banks in 1946; however, the original description lacks precise information regarding the sex of the holotype, generating taxonomic uncertainty concerning the sexual identity of the species. In this context, the present study aimed to conduct a morphological revision of B. nigrina, focusing on sexual association and morphological characterization of the specimens. A total of 22 individuals were examined, collected from the Cerrado biome in the municipalities of Capitólio and Ingaí, southern Minas Gerais, Brazil. Based on detailed morphological analyses, it was possible to associate males and females, which allowed for the first formal description of the male and the redescription of the female based on additional material. Regional studies such as this are essential for advancing the taxonomic knowledge of Pompilidae in Brazil, providing significant contributions in terms of morphological data, distributional records, and formal descriptions of poorly known species such as B. nigrina.

Souza, R. F., Nunes, J. F., Almeida, D. J. D. S., & Hermes, M. G.. (2026). Sexual association and description of the male of Braunilla nigrina () (Hymenoptera, Pompilidae, Pompilinae). Revista Brasileira De Entomologia, 70(2), e20250124. https://doi.org/10.1590/1806-9665-RBENT-2025-0124