Reconnecting the trapdoors: Phylogenomic and Biogeographic analysis of trapdoor spiders of the family Idiopidae Simon, 1889

• Grant number: 24/19966-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: February 28, 2025
• End date: February 27, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Animal Genetics
• Principal Investigator: Antonio Domingos Brescovit
• Grantee: Rafael da Fonseca Ferreira
• Supervisor: Chris Hamilton
• Host Institution: Instituto Butantan. Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Idaho, United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 23/11987-2 - Phylogeny and biogeography of armored trapdoor spiders with Gondwanan distribution: continental and intercontinental diversification patterns in Idiopinae (Idiopidae, Mygalomorphae), BP.PD

Abstract

Among Mygalomorph spiders, the family Idiopidae Simon, 1889, is the second most diverse. It comprises trapdoor spiders with a predominantly Gondwanan distribution, including species from South and Central America, Africa, Asia, and Oceania, divided into three subfamilies: Arbanitinae, Genysinae, and Idiopinae. A recent study focused on Idiopinae species from South America and Africa has, for the first time, inferred the non-monophyly of Idiopidae and identified a potential phylogenetic structuring influenced by vicariance processes, establishing this family as a significant source for evolutionary studies. In this context, this BEPE proposal aims to further explore the evolutionary history of Idiopidae species through increased phylogenomic sampling and new biogeographic analyses, encompassing a broader taxonomic and geographic diversity of this taxon. The objectives are: (1) to investigate phylogenetic relationships within Idiopidae, including the position of Neocteniza Pocock, 1895-a distinct lineage within Idiopidae-and other genera of Genysinae in relation to Idiopinae and Arbanitinae; and (2) to infer their biogeographic history through the reconstruction of ancestral areas using vicariance-dispersal analyses. Results will be obtained through phylogenomic analyses based on Ultraconserved Elements (UCEs), using fresh samples and historical museum specimens preserved in ethanol. This research will enhance understanding of the origin and diversification of Idiopidae, testing the patterns and processes that shaped the current distribution of these trapdoor spiders. Furthermore, it will expand knowledge in new phylogenomic and biogeographic methods, promoting the transfer of knowledge to researchers at the Instituto Butantan, enabling international collaboration and enhancing future studies focused on the evolutionary history of mygalomorph spiders.