Systematic review and cladistic analysis of the Brazilian subfamily Caelopyginae (Opiliones: Gonyleptidae)

Abstract

Based upon results of a cladistic analysis, the sub-family Caelopyginae Sørensen, 1884 is reviewed and a new classification is proposed. Nine genera and 28 species are acknowledged as valid. The Caelopyginae species occur in the Atlantic and Araucaria Forests, from the States of Bahia to Santa Catarina. Eight areas of endemism are proposed: Serra da Mar, Paraná/Santa Catarina/southern São Paulo and adjacent areas of Araucaria Forest; Serra da Mar from the São Paulo State; Serra da Mantiqueira; Serra da Bocaina; coastal area along the Southeastern part of the Rio de Janeiro State; Serra dos Órgãos; Espírito Santo and Bahia. Keys for determination of genera and species are presented. The sub-family Dasypoleptinae Mello-Leitão, 1949 (Gonyleptidae) is synonymizedwith Caelopyginae. The genera Arthrodes Koch, 1839, Garatiba Mello-Leitão, 1940, and Metarthrodes Roewer, 1913 are revalidated. The following genera are considered synonymous: Prosodreana Giltay 1928, Zalonius Mello-Leitão, 1936, Metampheroides Mello-Leitão, 1941 and Pizaius Soares, 1942 = Ampheres C. L. Koch, 1839; Stenoprostygnus Piza, 1940 = Pristocnemis Koch, 1839; Dasypoleptes Mello-Leitão, 1949 = Thereza Roewer, 1943; Exochobunus Mello-Leitão, 1931, Varzellinia Mello-Leitão, 1942 and Kapichaba Mello-Leitão, 1942 = Metarthrodes Roewer, 1913. The following new combinations are proposed: Ampheres luteus (Giltay, 1928); A. fuscopunctatus (Soares, 1942); Pristocnemis albimaculatus (Roewer, 1913); P. perlatus (Giltay, 1928); P. farinosus (Mello-Leitão, 1922); Thereza speciosa (Roewer, 1913); Metarthrodes albotaeniatus (Mello-Leitão, 1942); M. laetabundus (Sørensen, 1884); M. longipes (Soares, 1944) and M.pulcherrimus (Mello-Leitão, 1931); Deltigalus curvispina (Perty, 1833). The following species are considered synonymous: Metarthrodes melanacanthus Roewer, 1913 = Caelopygus melanocephalus Kollar, 1839; Zalonius spinipes Soares, 1944 = Ampheres fuscopunctatus (Soares, 1942); Metarthrodes triangularis Roewer, 1931, Zalonius punctatus Mello-Leitão, 1936, Metampheroides serrinus Mello-Leitão, 1941 and Ampheres gracilis Soares & Soares, 1945 = Ampheres leucopheus (Mello-Leitão, 1922); Caelopygus macracanthus Kollar 1839= Arthrodes xanthopygus Kollar, 1839; Ampheres pizae Roewer, 1943= Pristocnemis farinosus (Mello-Leitão, 1922); Varzellinia radagasioi Soares & Soares, 1945 and Dasypoleptes guttulatus Mello-Leitão, 1949 = Thereza albiornata (Roewer,1943); Zalonius pulcherrimus H. Soares, 1944 = Thereza speciosa (Roewer, 1913); Metarthrodes circumscriptus Roewer, 1931 = Metarthrodes laetabundus (Sørensen, 1884); Metarthrodes rosai Mello-Leitão, 1942 - Metarthrodes bimaculatus Roewer, 1913; Varzellinia leucopyga Mello-Leitão, 1942 = Metarthrodes leucopygus Roewer, 1913; Zalonius albivittatus Mello-Leitão, 1944 = Metarthrodes albotaeniatus (Mello-Leitão, 1942); Heterampheres variabilis Mello-Leitão, 1935 = Metarthrodes nigrigranulatus Roewer, 1913. Caelopygus alter Roewer, 1923, Caelopygus kochii Roewer, 1923 and Deltigalus bifrons Roewer, 1931 = Gonyleptes curvispina Perty, 1833; and Deltigalus Roewer, 1931 is newly transferred to the Progonyleptoidellinae (Gonyleptidae). Ampheres spinipes (Perty, 1833) is considered as species inquerendae. The following new species are described: Thereza amabilis (type locality: Angra dos Reis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), Thereza poranga (type locality: Caraguatatuba, São Paulo, Brazil), Garatiba bocaina (type locality: Bananal, São Paulo, Brazil) and Metarthrodes xango (type locality: Fazenda São Rafael, Gandu, Bahia, Brazil).