Revision of Brasilibathynellocaris Jakobi, 1972 (Copepoda: Harpacticoida: Parastenocarididae) with redefinition of the genus

Members of the genus Brasilibathynellocaris Jakobi, 1972 are typical neotropical Parastenocarididae. Their geographical distribution ranges from Central America to southern Brazil, with species occurring on both sides of the Andes mountain chain. The genus can be characterized and easily identified by the following characters: leg 4 with two strong spinules on anterior margin of coxa; exopod 1 (exp-1) short and with a proximal invagination on inner corner; leg 3 with exopod inwardly curved, ending in a long forceps formed by apophysis and thumb (both with a hyaline margin). In the present work we favour revalidation of Brasilibathynellocaris, arguing for its monophyly. Pararemaneicaris jakobi, 1972 and Paraforficatocaris jakobi, 1972 are new junior synonyms of Brasilibathynellocaris, as a result of transfer of their respective type species: Brasilibathynellocaris cuscatlanensis (Noodt, 1962) comb. nov., and Brasilibathynellocaris paranaensis (Jakobi, 1972) comb. nov. Two monophyletic species groups, together constituting Brasilibathynellocaris, are newly proposed and diagnosed: the Brasilibathynellocaris brasilibathynellae group and the Brasilibathynellocaris salvadorensis group. Neotypes are designated for B. brasilibathynellae and B. paranaensis comb. nov. Redescriptions are provided for all known species of Brasilibathynellocaris. (C) 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 159, 527-566. doi: 10.1111/j.1.096-3642.2009.00574.x