Nyctaster gen. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 6EF13620-C7C2-43B1-8A53-FEB23698F34A

Type species. Nyctaster sidereus sp. nov.

Included species. Nyctaster lanceatus sp. nov. and Nyctaster sidereus sp. nov.

Etymology. Genus name is derived from the Greek words νυκτός [nyktós] (genitive of νύξ, meaning “night”) and ἀστήρ [astér] (meaning “star”). It reflects the appearance of the specimens, which display yellow tubercles on a dark dorsal scutum, resembling stars scattered across a night sky. Gender masculine.

Diagnosis. The inclusion of Nyctaster gen. nov. does not alter the subfamilial diagnosis of Neopachylinae as presented by Carvalho & Kury (2024a). Therefore, the comparative diagnosis provided below emphasizes the distinguishing characters in contrast to other members of the subfamily. Nyctaster gen. nov. can be recognized by the following combination of characters: a) Dorsal spines not restricted to the distal third of the stylus, extending partially into the middle third. (contrasting with all other genera) (Figs. 7B–C, 10A); b) VP with the basal half one-third wider than the distal half (similar to Iamarinus; contrasting with all others) (Figs. 7A, 10B); c) DS with a gamma-pyriform outline (Gonyleptes -like following Kury & Medrano 2016) (similar to Oliverius; contrasting with all others) (Figs. 5A, 6A, 8A, 9A); d) Scutal area I with a pair of conspicuous paramedian tubercles, as seen in Conapesquius brevifemur (Soares & Soares, 1947) and C. rectipes (Roewer, 1913) (contrasting with all others) (Figs. 5A, C–G, 6A–B, D, 8A, C, 9A–B, D); e) Cx IV prodorsal apophysis with a secondary and reduced basal branch (contrasting with all other genera) (Figs. 6A, I–J, 9A, I–K).

Geographic distribution. BRAZIL: States of Paraná and São Paulo (Fig. 4).