Brasilocypria gen. nov.

Type species: Brasilocypria pea gen. et spec. nov.

Diagnosis (see also Table 3). A2 with short seta accompanying five natatory setae absent. Md-palp with β-seta long and stout; length of last segment ca. 3x the basal width, apically set with three claws and one seta. Mx1-palp set with five structures (claws and setae). T1 with b-seta short and d-seta long. T2 with d1-seta absent, setae e and h 3 in male short. T3 with d2-seta absent, dp-seta present; h2-seta ca. 2x the length of h1-seta. Proximal Sp-seta on CR long. Hp with lobe ls generally longated; lobe ms elongated or broad, generally shorter than ls. Ovarium posteriorly turned upwards (Figs 13B, H).

Differential diagnosis. The new genus can be separated from the genera Cyclocypris, Kempcyclocypris, Cypria, Mecynocypria and Allocypria by the presence of marginal tubercles on the RV; furthermore, from Cypria, Physocypria and Dentocypria by the absence of the short seta accompanying the natatory setae on the A2 and from Physocypria also by the absence of d2-seta on T2 and T3 (these setae present in Physocypria) and by the ovarium which curves backward and upward (downward and forward in Physocypria). Brasilocypria gen. nov. differs from Keysercypria by the relatively shorter final segment of the Md-palp (L = 3x W in Brasilocypria gen. nov., L = 5x W in Keysercypria;), by the presence of five setae/claws on the second segment of the Mx1-palp (four in Keysercypria), by the long proximal seta on the CR (medium length in Keysercypria) and especially by the short h3-seta in the male (very long in Keysercypria). Brasilocypria gen. nov. is further distinguished from Claudecypria gen. nov. by the presence of dp-seta on T3 (absent in Claudecypria gen. nov.) and by the Hp and prehensile palps which follow the body plan of Physocypria (hyper-developed and with swollen shields and segments in Claudecypria gen. nov. — see below). Brasilocypria gen. nov. furthermore, differs from the subterranean genera Kempfcyclocypris and Namiotkocypria by at least the reduced natatory setae on the A 2 in these genera.

Etymology. The genus is named after the largest country in South America, from which all the present material was collected, with the root “ cypria ”.