Investigating the morphological and molecular limits of the endemic Serra do Mar spider Tekoapora wacketi (Mello-Leitão, 1923)

• Grant number: 23/16846-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: January 01, 2025
• End date: August 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Taxonomy of Recent Groups
• Principal Investigator: José Paulo Leite Guadanucci
• Grantee: Maria Tereza Colpani Sartori
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil

Abstract

In Mygalomorphae systematics, species delimitation has traditionally relied on morphological characters. However, this approach can be limited due to the lack of attention to intraspecific variation and the presence of homoplasy. This is especially problematic in groups like the Theraphosidae, where traditional taxonomy can lead to misidentification and failure to recognize cryptic diversity. Integrating molecular methods into systematics has revolutionized the study of spider species, allowing for the discovery and delimitation of species, as well as the investigation of evolutionary patterns. The sedentary lifestyle and limited dispersal capacity of Theraphosidae spiders, such as Tekoapora wacketi, contribute to genetic structuring and endemicity. This study aims to investigate the possible existence of a cryptic diversity in T. wacketi using genetic markers, propose a new phylogenetic hypothesis for the species group, study genetic variation in populations, estimate divergence periods, and infer historical biogeographical events that have shaped their diversity and distribution.