Systematics of the family Sparassidae (Arachnida, Araneae) in the Neotropical Region

• Grant number: 11/18694-3
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: January 01, 2012 - December 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology
• Principal Investigator: Cristina Anne Rheims
• Grantee: Cristina Anne Rheims
• Home Institution: Instituto Butantan. Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Currently Sparassidae includes 113 species in 85 genera, distributed worldwide. The first subfamilial classification was proposed by Simon over 100 years ago and is to date considered valid, with slight modifications. According to this classification, Sparassidae is divided into 9 subfamilies (Sparassinae, Sparianthinae, Heteropodinae, Eusparassinae, Palystinae, Clastinae, Staneinae, Chrosioderminae and Deleninae). Nevertheless, their monophyly is doubtful and many genera remain incertae sedis. Sparassinae is the best represented in the Neotropical region, with seven genera, of which four are exclusive (Quemedice Mello-Leitão, Macrinus Simon, Vindullus Simon and Nolavia Kamerer). This subfamily includes the genus Olios Walckenaer, currently the most diverse of the family, with 258 species, of which 90 are Neotropical. Heteropodinae is represented in the neotropics by only four genera. Anaptomecus Banks, Sparianthina Banks and Guadana Rheims are endemic and Heteropoda Latreille is represented by a single introduced species, H. venatoria (Linnaeus). Sparianthinae is represented in the region by four genera. Sparianthis Simon, Pseudosparianthis Simon and Tentabunda Fox are exclusive and Stasina includes seven Oriental and nine Neotropical species. Eusparassinae includes three genera, Dermochrosia Mello-Leitão and Caayguara Rheims, both exclusive, and Eusparassus Walckenaer, with a single Neotropical species, E. shefteli Chamberlin, probably misplaced in this genus. Polybetinae includes six genera of which three are exclusively Neotropical (Adcatomus Karsh, Polybetes Järvi and Origes Simon). This project is the next step in the study of the systematics of Neotropical Sparassidae and aims to enhance the knowledge on it's taxonomy and distribution, with the revision and description of genera within a phylogenetic context, testing their monophyly and relocating misplaced species according to the resulting most parcimonious trees. (AU)

Scientific publications

(7)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

RHEIMS, CRISTINA ANNE; ALAYON, GIRALDO. Neostasina gen. nov., a new genus of huntsman spiders from the Neotropical region (Araneae, Sparassidae, Sparianthinae). Zootaxa, v. 4079, n. 3, p. 301-344, FEB 12 2016. Web of Science Citations: 4.

RHEIMS, CRISTINA A. Curicaberis, a new genus of Sparassidae from North and Central America (Araneae, Sparassidae, Sparassinae). Zootaxa, v. 4012, n. 3, p. 401-446, SEP 4 2015. Web of Science Citations: 2.

RHEIMS, CRISTINA A.; AGNARSSON, INGI; ALAYON GARCIA, GIRALDO. Description of the male of Yabisi guaba (Araneae: Eresoidea: Hersiliidae). Zoologia, v. 31, n. 4, p. 405-407, AUG 2014. Web of Science Citations: 0.

RHEIMS, CRISTINA ANNE; ALAYON, GIRALDO. The huntsman genus Decaphora Franganillo, 1931 (Araneae: Sparassidae: Sparianthinae). Zootaxa, v. 3815, n. 1, p. 79-93, JUN 12 2014. Web of Science Citations: 3.

RHEIMS, CRISTINA A. A new genus of huntsman spiders (Araneae, Sparassidae, Sparianthinae) from the Neotropical region. Zootaxa, v. 3734, n. 2, p. 199-220, NOV 5 2013. Web of Science Citations: 3.

CORONATO-RIBEIRO, AMANDA; PINTO-DA-ROCHA, RICARDO; RHEIMS, CRISTINA ANNE. A new species of Imeri (Opiliones: Stygnidae: Heterostygninae) from the Brazilian Amazon. Zoologia, v. 30, n. 3, p. 329-332, Jun. 2013. Web of Science Citations: 0.

CORONATO-RIBEIRO, AMANDA; PINTO-DA-ROCHA, RICARDO; RHEIMS, CRISTINA ANNE. Catalogue of Opiliones (Arachnida) types deposited in the Arachnida and Myriapoda collection of the Instituto Butantan, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Zootaxa, v. 3637, n. 5, p. 501-520, APR 15 2013. Web of Science Citations: 2.