The Family Thaerocytheridae Hazel, 1967 (Ostracoda) from the Southern Brazilian Continental Shelf

of a total fauna of 95 species of benthic ostracoda recovered from dry sediments from the southern brazilian continental shelf, 8% belong to the family thaerocytheridae. six species assigned to this family are discussed and figured in this paper; four of these, bradleya pseudonormani, b. kaesleri, muellerina cribrosa and quadracythere nealei are described as new, while brasilicythere reticulispinosa and quadracythere eichlerae were described for the first time from the quaternary of pelotas basin, in southern brazil. most of these species are restricted to the southern part of the southwest atlantic ocean, and their geographical distribution ranges from the southern brazilian continental shelf, in rio de janeiro state (21os), to the argentinian continental shelf (52os). three species are restricted to the southern brazilian continental shelf: b. kaesleri, m. cribrosa. and q. nealei, while three other species have fossil records: b. reticulispinosa (oligocene to recent), q. eichlerae and b. kaesleri (both holocene to recent).