ON THE STRANDESIA OBTUSATA/ELLIPTICA LINEAGE (OSTRACODA, CYPRIDIDAE) IN THE ALLUVIAL VALLEY OF THE UPPER PARANA RIVER (BRAZIL), WITH THE DESCRIPTION OF THREE NEW SPECIES

We redescribe Strandesia tolimensis Roessler, 1990, originally described from Colombia, and describe three new species, Strandesia lansactohai n. sp., S. velhoi n. sp. and S. nupelia n. sp. from lakes, channels and rivers in the alluvial valley of the upper Parana River. Mainly valve morphology and shape and size of the attachment of the caudal ramus are used to characterize these species, as other soft parts are uninformative. All populations studied here are parthenogenetic, so male morphologies are not available. Sequences of the mitochondrial COI-gene are used to construct a phylogeny, as well as a genetic network of specimens, and in both analyses the four species are well-supported. In addition, we also delimit the four species with genetic distances using Birky's K/theta method and conclude that it supports the identity of the species under consideration.