Hidden ostracod (Crustacea: Ostracoda) diversity in the isolated cove of the Archipelago of São Pedro and São Paulo, Equatorial Atlantic

Abstract

This study describes three new species of benthic marine ostracods collected from shallow waters of the cove in the Archipelago of São Pedro and São Paulo (ASPSP), Equatorial Atlantic, contributing to the taxonomic knowledge of crustaceans from Brazilian oceanic islands. The species Keijcyoidea asyncha sp. nov., Propontocypris grandis sp. nov., and Cobanocythere infrequens sp. nov. belong to the families Cytherellidae, Pontocyprididae, and Cobanocytheridae, respectively. Due to the complex delimitation of the genera considered, a discussion was undertaken to evaluate the taxonomic status of each, thereby providing a robust framework for the taxonomic placement of the species described here. Furthermore, the high degree of endemism observed among benthic ostracods in the ASPSP cove reflects the archipelago’s extreme geographic isolation and limited dispersal capabilities of these benthic microcrustaceans.