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Hyalella is a genus of epigean freshwater amphipods endemic to the Americas. The study of morphological characters alone has traditionally dominated the description of new species. Recently, molecular systematics tools have contributed to identifying many cryptic species and a high level of convergent evolution in species complexes from North America and the South American highlands. In this study, we evaluate for the first time the molecular diversity in Hyalella spp. in Uruguay, a country located in the humid pampa ecoregion, based on four molecular markers. Thus, we investigate the systematic position of H. curvispina in the context of the available phylogenetic hypothesis for the genus. Phylogenetic and morphological analyses confirm that there is a “curvispina complex”. This complex includes H. curvispina and several similar morphological forms but is paraphyletic in relation to some altiplano species. In addition, we found one provisional new species. The results obtained are contrasted with previous studies to help understand the mechanisms of genetic differentiation and speciation of the genus, which seems to have a strong tendency towards morphological convergence.

The freshwater amphipod genus Hyalella in Brazil has the second highest diversity in South America; it is only surpassed by the diversity found in the Andean Lake Titicaca. Ten species of Hyalella are known for Brazil: H. gracilicornis (Faxon, 1876); H. longistila (Faxon, 1876); H. warmingi Stebbing, 1899; H. meinerti Stebbing, 1899; H. curvispina Shoemaker, 1942; H. brasiliensis Bousfield, 1996; H. caeca Pereira, 1989; H. montenegrinae Bond-Buckup and Araujo, 1998; H. pseudoazteca Gonzalez and Watling, 2003; and H. dielaii Pereira, 2004. Two new species are described here, H. castroi and H. pleoacuta, both occurring in freshwater bodies of southern Brazil over 1.200 m high in the region of Aparados da Serra. A key for the species of Hyalella from Brazil is presented.

The description of the new species Hyalella pseudoazteca and redescriptions of H. gracilicornis (Faxon, 1876), H. longistila (Faxon, 1876) and H. warmingi Stebbing, 1899, are included in this work. The latter species are closely related by having sternal gills on segments 2-7, and are morphologically distinct from other hyalellid species known from the area. Hyalella pseudoazteca has a morphology similar to H. azteca (Saussure, 1858). However, H. pseudoazteca has dorsal flanges instead of carinae on peraeon 7 and pleon 1 and 2, two distal setae on the inner plate of maxilla 1, and one pappose seta on the inner margin of maxilla 2 inner plate. For comparisons with H. azteca see Gonzalez and Watling (2002).

The amphipod genus Hyalella has its highest diversity in the Andean Lake Titicaca. This genus is the only epigean amphipod present in South America. Eleven endemic and one non-endemic species are known from Lake Titicaca. An additional endemic species, Hyalella nefrens n. sp. and one non-endemic species Hyalella tiwanaku n. sp. are described here. Hyalella cuprea (Faxon, 1876), Hyalella latimanus (Faxon, 1876), Hyalella montforti Chevreux, 1907, and Hyalella neveulemairei Chevreux, 1904 are redescribed. The high diversity of Hyalella in the lake is not well understood, and it has been compared with the spectacular diversity of Lake Baikal.

Hyalella is the only epigean freshwater amphipod present in Chile . H. chiloensis, H. costera and H. kochi are here described and illustrated. H. kochi is distributed in highland areas of the Andes in northern Chile; it is characterized by a short ramus on uropod 3 and a hammer-shaped gnathopod 1. H. costera and H. chiloensis are present in lowland areas, the latter restricted to the southern part of the country. These two species have a long ramus on uropod 3, but they differ in the shape and length of the palp on maxilla 1, the setation of peraeopods 3, 4, and telson. The presence in Chile of H. fossamancinii Cavalieri, 1959 is also reported here.

Hyalella armata (Faxon, 1876) was considered for a long time to be a monotypic species. The peculiar morphology, very distinct from other species in Lake Titicaca, was not analysed in detail after the original description. However, the present authors' study of an extensive collection from The Natural History Museum in London has revealed two morphologically distinct species. Descriptions of H. armata and the new species H. longispina are given. Diagnosis of Hyalella longispina n. sp. (Figs 1, 2): Body (Fig. 1) with a posterior dorsal transverse ridge on every segment. Coxae 1 to 4 acuminate. Coxa 4 excavated posteriorly, and with deep acumination at right angle to sagittal body plane. Lateral process of coxa 4 strongly elongate (Fig. 2), distance between left and right process apices longer than body length (that distance shorter than body length in H. armata). Eyes pigmented. Antenna 1 shorter than antenna 2. Antenna 2 less than half body length. Mandible incisor toothed. Maxilla 1 palp uniarticulate, longer than wide, reaching more than half the distance between base of palp and tip of setae on outer plate; inner plate slender, with two strong and pappose apical setae. Maxilla 2 inner plate with one strong pappose seta on inner margin. Gnathopod 1 propodus quadrangular (length less than twice maximum width), hatchet-shaped, inner face with more than ten pappose setae, distoposterior and distoanterior borders without setose scales. Gnathopod 2 propodus triangular, palm longer than posterior margin, slope oblique, anterior edge with a small process. Telson wider than long, apically rounded, with more than two short simple setae, arranged symmetrically on the apical margin. Lateroventral sternal gills present on segments 3 to 7. Types and locality: Holotype male, 10 mm; PERU, Lake Titicaca, Choccocoyo Bay, St. P 6, GIC 481, 11-23 m, leg. Crawford, 25.VI.1937. Paratypes (collecting data as holotype): allotype female, 9 mm; 106 males, 6-10mm; 93 females, 5-10 mm. All deposited at The Natural History Museum, London (holotype: 2002.311; allotype: 2002.312; other paratypes: 2002.313-322).

La fauna de anfipodos chilenos ha sido pobremente estudiada. En el caso de los de agua dulce y de ambientes epigeos, el grupo esta representado solo por un genero. Se reportan siete especies del genero Hyalella para Chile: H. simplex; H. fossamancinii, H. kochi; H. chiloensis; H. costera; H. araucana, y H. franciscae. Se entrega una breve diagnosis, una clave y figuras para cada especie

Two new species of hyalellid amphipods, Hyalella crawfordi and H. gauthieri, are described from Lake Titicaca; H. echinus (Faxon, 1876) is redescribed. The H. echinus group of species is newly proposed for these three species, and a group diagnosis is provided. A key to the three species in the group is provided Full article published online at http://www.senckenberg.de/odes/06-10.htm .