Systematics of the genus Epiperipatus Clark, 1913 based on molecular and morphological data (Onychophora: Peripatidae)

• Grant number: 12/02969-6
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: May 01, 2012 - April 30, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Taxonomy of Recent Groups
• Principal Investigator: Ricardo Pinto da Rocha
• Grantee: Ricardo Pinto da Rocha
• Home Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The Onychophora is a group of soft body organisms that have suffered few changes since its origin in the Cambrian period. Therefore, the Phylum is a keystone group to the study of invertebrate evolutionary patterns. The onychophorans have a Gondwanic distribution and only two extant families, Peripatopsidae and Peripatidae. The former has an Austral distribution whereas the later a Septentrional one. The family Peripatidae has up to 70% of its diversity concentrated in the American continent, comprising seven weakly defined genera. Among that, Epiperipatus is the largest Peripatidae genus and its distribution is also widespread, occurring since Costa Rica to the southeast of Brazil. The genus comprises up to 24 species and the majority of them were described over the past three years. Additionally, its boundaries is not well defined and the taxonomy of the genus still have base on characteristics defined by Bouvier in the 20th century. Only one revision of Peripatidae has been done after Bouvier's monographs, which included data from the integument ultrastructure, but its taxonomic problems remain still present. Recently, molecular systematic studies, based on DNA fragments analysis (COI and 12S rRNA), point out the possibility of existence of cryptic species among Epiperipatus and, as a result, cast doubt on the quality of the morphological definition of the Epiperipatus species. Given its weak definition, widespread distribution, and large diversity, the cladistic revision of the Epiperipatus genus is certainly an important issue. Therefore, this project aims to solve the genus inconsistence through an integrative approach, using cladistic analysis based on morphological and molecular data. (AU)

Scientific publications

(16)

(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)

KURY, ADRIANO B.; PINTO-DA-ROCHA, RICARDO; GRUBER, JURGEN; CARVALHO, RAFAEL N. Clarification of three species of Discocyrtus Holmberg, 1878 with convoluted taxonomic histories (Opiliones: Laniatores: Gonyleptidae: Pachylinae). JOURNAL OF ARACHNOLOGY, v. 46, n. 2, p. 355-369, AUG 2018. Web of Science Citations: 0.

DAMRON, BRITTANY N.; PINTO-DA-ROCHA, RICARDO; LONGHORN, STUART J. Description of a new species of Eucynorta (Opiliones, Cosmetidae) from Cortes, Honduras. Zootaxa, v. 4450, n. 1, p. 125-134, JUL 23 2018. Web of Science Citations: 2.

PORTO, TIAGO JORDAO; PINTO-DA-ROCHA, RICARDO; BERNARDO DA ROCHA, PEDRO LUIS. Regional distribution patterns can predict the local habitat specialization of arachnids in heterogeneous landscapes of the Atlantic Forest. DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, v. 24, n. 3, p. 375-386, MAR 2018. Web of Science Citations: 2.

COSTA, CRISTIANO SAMPAIO; CHAGAS-JUNIOR, AMAZONAS; PINTO-DA-ROCHA, RICARDO. Redescription of Epiperipatus edwardsii, and descriptions of five new species of Epiperipatus from Brazil (Onychophora: Peripatidae). Zoologia, v. 35, 2018. Web of Science Citations: 0.

GIRIBET, GONZALO; BUCKMAN-YOUNG, REBECCA S.; COSTA, CRISTIANO SAMPAIO; BAKER, CAITLIN M.; BENAVIDES, LIGIA R.; BRANSTETTER, MICHAEL G.; DANIELS, SAVEL R.; PINTO-DA-ROCHA, RICARDO. The `Peripatos' in Eurogondwana? - Lack of evidence that south-east Asian onychophorans walked through Europe. INVERTEBRATE SYSTEMATICS, v. 32, n. 4, p. 842-865, 2018. Web of Science Citations: 2.

PERES, ELEN ARROYO; DASILVA, MARCIO BERNARDINO; ANTUNES, JR., MANUEL; PINTO-DA-ROCHA, RICARDO. A short-range endemic species from south-eastern Atlantic Rain Forest shows deep signature of historical events: phylogeography of harvestmen Acutisoma longipes (Arachnida: Opiliones). SYSTEMATICS AND BIODIVERSITY, v. 16, n. 2, p. 171-187, 2018. Web of Science Citations: 2.

HARA, MARCOS R.; BRAGAGNOLO, CIBELE; PINTO-DA-ROCHA, RICARDO. Revision of Thaumatocranaus Roewer, 1932, with description of two new species (Opiliones: Laniatores: Gonyleptoidea). Zootaxa, v. 4254, n. 4, p. 457-472, APR 19 2017. Web of Science Citations: 0.

HARVEY, MARK S.; ANDRADE, RENATA; PINTO-DA-ROCHA, RICARDO. The first New World species of the pseudoscorpion family Feaellidae (Pseudoscorpiones: Feaelloidea) from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. JOURNAL OF ARACHNOLOGY, v. 44, n. 2, p. 227-234, AUG 2016. Web of Science Citations: 7.

CONCHA, ANDRES; MELLADO, PAULA; MORERA-BRENES, BERNAL; COSTA, CRISTIANO SAMPAIO; MAHADEVAN, L.; MONGE-NAJERA, JULIAN. Oscillation of the velvet worm slime jet by passive hydrodynamic instability. NATURE COMMUNICATIONS, v. 6, MAR 2015. Web of Science Citations: 10.

BRAGAGNOLO, CIBELE; HARA, MARCOS R.; PINTO-DA-ROCHA, RICARDO. A new family of Gonyleptoidea from South America (Opiliones, Laniatores). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, v. 173, n. 2, p. 296-319, FEB 2015. Web of Science Citations: 8.

MATTONI, CAMILO I.; GARCIA-HERNANDEZ, SOLIMARY; BOTERO-TRUJILLO, RICARDO; OCHOA, JOSE A.; OJANGUREN-AFFILASTRO, ANDRES A.; PINTO-DA-ROCHA, RICARDO; PRENDINI, LORENZO. Scorpion Sheds `Tail' to Escape: Consequences and Implications of Autotomy in Scorpions (Buthidae: Ananteris). PLoS One, v. 10, n. 1 JAN 28 2015. Web of Science Citations: 5.

PINTO-DA-ROCHA, RICARDO; DA FONSECA-FERREIRA, RAFAEL; BICHUETTE, MARIA ELINA. A new highly specialized cave harvestman from Brazil and the first blind species of the genus: landumoema smeagol sp n. (Arachnida, Opiliones, Gonyleptidae). ZOOKEYS, n. 537, p. 79-95, 2015. Web of Science Citations: 2.

PINTO-DA-ROCHA, RICARDO; BRAGAGNOLO, CIBELE; TOURINHO, ANA LUCIA. Three new species of Thrasychiroides Soares & Soares, 1947 from Brazilian Mountains (Opiliones, Eupnoi, Neopilionidae). Zootaxa, v. 3869, n. 4, p. 469-482, OCT 2 2014. Web of Science Citations: 2.

PINTO-DA-ROCHA, RICARDO; BRAGAGNOLO, CIBELE; MARQUES, FERNANDO P. L.; ANTUNES JUNIOR, MANUEL. Phylogeny of harvestmen family Gonyleptidae inferred from a multilocus approach (Arachnida: Opiliones). CLADISTICS, v. 30, n. 5, p. 519-539, OCT 2014. Web of Science Citations: 11.

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.

PINTO-DA-ROCHA, RICARDO; YAMAGUTI, HUMBERTO. Paecilaema batman, a new species of Brazilian troglophilous harvestman that exhibits a remarkable color patches variation (Opiliones: Cosmetidae). Zoologia, v. 30, n. 4, p. 441-446, Ago. 2013. Web of Science Citations: 8.