title: Two new species of freshwater flatworms (Platyhelminthes: Tricladida: Continenticola) from South American caves.
abstract: The diversity of freshwater triclads in the Neotropical region is considered to be low, but extensive areas of South America remain almost unexplored. Herein we describe two cave-dwelling, new species of Girardia, one from a transition zone of the Cerrado and Caatinga phytophysiognomies and the other from the Cerrado phytophysiognomy. The species from the Cerrado-Caatinga transition is a troglobite, eyeless and whitish; the species from the Cerrado area is possibly a troglophile, since it shows heavily pigmented body and eyes. Each species is easily recognized by a unique combination of features in its external morphology and copulatory apparatus. The two new species of Girardia show a restricted distribution, even the troglophile, and occur in caves without legal protection. Therefore, they must be considered as vulnerable organisms in a conservation context.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Pesquisas de Planárias and Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos - UNISINOS, 93022-000 São Leopoldo, RS, Brazil; Email: unknown.
authors.forename: Stella
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Pesquisas de Planárias and Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos - UNISINOS, 93022-000 São Leopoldo, RS, Brazil; Email: unknown.
authors.forename: Ana Laura
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Morais
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ecologia e Biologia Evolutiva, Universidade Federal de São Carlos - UFSCAR, 13565-905 São Carlos, SP, Brazil; Email: unknown.
authors.forename: Maria Elina
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Bichuette
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Pesquisas de Planárias and Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos - UNISINOS, 93022-000 São Leopoldo, RS, Brazil; Email: zanchet@unisinos.br.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leal-Zanchet
mesh_terms: D063147:Animal Distribution; D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D049628:Body Size; D059552:Caves; D017753:Ecosystem; D005260:Female; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000469:parasitology*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D010986:Platyhelminths / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification* / Q000254:growth & development; D013020:South America