Taxonomic review and phylogenetic analysis of the genus Idiops Perty, 1833 (Araneae, Idiopidae)

Author(s)

Flávio Uemori Yamamoto

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Biociências (IBIOC/SB)
• Defense date: 2013-04-15

Examining board members

Antonio Domingos Brescovit; Pedro Gnaspini Netto; José Paulo Leite Guadanucci; Fernando Pérez Miles; Adalberto José dos Santos

• Advisor: Antonio Domingos Brescovit

Abstract

Idiops is one of the diverse genera among Mygalomorphae spiders, presenting 80 species and one subspecies, occurring in Central and South America, Africa and west Asia. They are known as trapdoor spiders, and use their rastellum to excavate burrows in the soil and protect the entrance with a well masked trapdoor. The females live permanently in burrow, while adult males usually wander around in search of mate. The present study aimed to taxonomically revise Idiops species, redescribe then and develop a phylogenetic analysis, testing Idiops monophyly, and analyze its species relationship. The taxonomic review resulted in the establishment of the following synonyms: Idiops crudeni is junior-synonym of I. flaveolus; I. gunningi and the subspecies I. gunningi elongates are junior-synonym of I. pretoriae; I. munois e I. lusingius are junior-synonym of I. straeleni; I. pullus is junior-synonym of I. parvus; .and I. rubrolimbatus is junior-synonym of I. fossor. The cladistic analysis included 54 Idiops species and at least one representative of each Idiopinae genus. Idiops was considered paraphyletic in analysis made here. Based on the phylogenetic results, Idiops is redefined with only ten species: I. clarus, I. germaini, I. argus, I. cambridgei, I. camelus, I. pirassununguensis, I. rastratus, I. opifex, I. fuscus and I. rohdei, all occurring in American continent. Three new genera are proposed based on the cladistic results: Gen. n. 1, with Gen. n. 1 upembensis comb. nov., Gen. n. 1 wittei comb. nov., Gen. n. 1 schenkeli comb. nov., Gen. n. 1 kaperonis comb. nov. and Gen. n. 1 kazibius comb. nov.; Gen. n. 2., with Gen. n. 2 kanonganus comb. nov., Gen. n. 2 fageli comb. nov. and Gen. n. 2 angusticeps comb. nov.; Gen. n. 3, with Gen. n. 3 castaneus comb. nov., Gen. n. 3 versicolor comb. nov., Gen. n. 3 yemenensis comb. nov., Gen. n. 3 parvus comb. nov., Gen. n. 3 pretoriae and Gen. n. 3 fryi comb. nov. The cladistic results also led to the following transferences: I. straeleni is transferred to Heligmomerus; I. crassus, I. constructor, I. fortis, I. bombayensis and I. robustos are transferred to Titanidiops; and I. flaveolus and Gorgyrella schreineri minor are transferred to Segregara. Idiops species that are not listed in the genera above are considered species inquirenda> or incertae sedis. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 08/10147-0 - Taxonomic revision and phylogenetic analysis of the genus Idiops Perty, 1833 (Araneae, Idiopidae)
• Grantee: Flávio Uemori Yamamoto
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate