Benthana taeniata Araujo and Buckup, 1994

Lopes, Paula Beatriz Araujo Elis Regina C., 2003, Three new species of Benthana Budde-Lund (Isopoda, ‘ Philosciidae’) from Brazil, Journal of Natural History 37, pp. 2425-2439 : 2438

Benthana taeniata Araujo and Buckup, 1994

Benthana taeniata Araujo and Buckup, 1994: 269 , figs. 1–13, 28.

Material examined. Brazil. RS: Marcelino Ramos (Strait of Augusto César, 27°28∞S, 51°54∞W, now the reservoir of the Itá hydroelectric), one W, 16 January 2000, C. Silveira col. ( UFRGS 2952 ) .

Distribution. Recorded previously from Estrela ( RS) and Papanduva (Santa Catarina state) (Araujo and Buckup, 1994).

Discussion. According to Araujo and Leistikow (1999) and Leistikow (2001) the apomorphies of Benthana s. str. are the shape of the exopod of pleopod 1 of the male: cordiform with laterally directed subapical protrusion and an ornamental sensory spine of carpus 1 with hand-like apex. Such characteristics are present in all species described here. Other distinguishing characteristics (Leistikow, 2001) like maxillula with lateral endite bearing pectinate teeth and apical organ of the antenna shorter than distal flagelar article can also be found in the new species.

The presence of more than one nodulus lateralis on pereonite VII, a characteristic previously not known in the genus, reinforces the relationship between the genera Benthana and Benthanoides (with at least four noduli on each side of pereonite VII) as postulated by Leistikow (2001). However, a detailed study on the origin, structure and function of the noduli laterales is still needed before using these structures in phylogeny. The position of the noduli laterales in the new species is similar to the pattern described for the genus: placed at the same distance from lateral margin of coxal plates, with a slight maximum on coxal plate IV. The new species Benthana trinodulata and B. araucariana show the same pattern with the exception of coxal plate VII, because of the presence of more than one nodulus lateralis.