On the genus Diphya: notes on the Brazilian D. bicolor and a new species from Ecuador (Araneae: Tetragnathidae)

In this paper a new species of Diphya Nicolet, 1849, D. napo sp. nov. is described based on males and females from Ecuador. The female of Diphya bicolor Vellard, 1926 is described and illustrated for the first time and new records are presented. Oarces ornatus Mello-Leitão, 1935 and Azilia eximia (Mello-Leitão, 1940) are synonymized with D. bicolor, being A. eximia removed from the synonym of Azilia Keyserling, 1881 and being Cardimia Mello-Leitão, 1940 considered synonym of Diphya.

Neste artigo uma nova espécie de Diphya Nicolet, 1849, D. napo sp. nov. é descrita com base em machos e fêmeas do Equador. A fêmea de Diphya bicolor Vellard, 1926 é descrita e ilustrada pela primeira vez e registros novos são apresentados. Oarces ornatus Mello-Leitão, 1935 e Azilia eximia (Mello-Leitão, 1940) são sinonimizadas com D. bicolor, sendo A. eximia retirada da sinonímia de Azilia Keyserling, 1881 e Cardimia Mello-Leitão, 1940 é considerado sinônimo de Diphya.

Meeting the southern brothers: a revision of the Neotropical spider genus Hexapopha Platnick, Berniker & Vquez, 2014 (Araneae, Oonopidae).

The goblin spider genus Hexapopha Platnick, Berniker & Vquez, 2014 is revised. The four Costa Rican species recognized in the original description of the genus are re-diagnosed: H. reimoseri (Fage, 1938) (the type species), H. hone Platnick, Berniker & Vquez, 2014, H. osa Platnick, Berniker & Vquez, 2014 and H. jimenez Platnick, Berniker & Vquez, 2014. Two species recently transferred from Gamasomorpha Karsch, 1881 are redescribed: H. brasiliana (Bristowe, 1938), from southern Brazil, of which the male is described for the first time, and H. m-scripta (Birabn, 1954), from Argentina. Thirty-five new species are described from South America, elevating the total number of species to forty-one. Thirty three species are described from Brazil: H. una (, ), H. brescoviti (), H. peba (,), H. harveyi (,), H. fannesi (), H. erebai (), H. periclitata (,), H. delta (), H. tallitae (,), H. platnicki (,), H. santosi (,), H. rheimsae (), H. wangi (,), H. ruizi (), H. itabaiana (), H. ramirezi (), H. depleta (), H. gunma (), H. corniculata (,), H. egua (), H. izquierdoi (,), H. numerosa (,), H. baehrae (,), H. excavata (,), H. ubicki (,), H. quadraginta (,), H. ilhoa (,), H. marajoara (,), H. kropfi (,), H. caboquinho (), H. grismadoi (), H. manauara (,) and H. pantaneira (,). Two additional new species, H. pithecia (,) from Peru and H. sorkini (,) from Venezuela are also described. Species of Hexapopha are restricted to the Neotropical region, from Costa Rica to Northern Argentina. Brazil, where 85% of the species occur, harbors the highest species richness. A key and distribution maps are provided for all species.

Ticks, mites, fleas, and vector-borne pathogens in free-ranging neotropical wild felids from southern Brazil.

The study of vectors and vector-borne diseases associated with ectoparasites from free-living Neotropical small wild felids is scarce, and the few existing studies on this theme focused on the genus Panthera, Paleartic species or in captive animals. For this reason, the aim of this study was to identify the diversity of ectoparasites and potentially associated Rickettsia and Bartonella species in free-ranging neotropical wild cats collected in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil. A total of 82 ticks, 10 fleas and 22 mites were collected from 18 Geoffroy's cats (Leopardus geoffroyi), 11 margays (Leopardus wiedii), two southern tiger cats (Leopardus guttulus), two jaguarundis (Herpailurus yagouaroundi), three ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) and two pumas (Puma concolor). We identified four tick species: Rhipicephalus microplus and three species from genus Amblyomma, the most frequent being Amblyomma aureolatum; three flea species corresponding to Ctenocephalides felis, Xenopsylla cheopis, and Pulex irritans; and one mite of genus Eutrombicula. In ectoparasites we found DNA of Rickettsia parkeri and Rickettsia asembonensis in ticks and DNA of Bartonella clarridgeiae, Bartonella sp. and R. asembonensis in fleas. Our results highlight the evidences of vectors and vector-borne agents in wild animals, and their potential wide distribution in the Pampa biome and the southernmost portion of the Atlantic Rainforest in Brazil.

Detection of Bartonella sp. and a novel spotted fever group Rickettsia sp. in Neotropical fleas of wild rodents (Cricetidae) from Southern Brazil.

The Neotropical region shows a great diversity of fleas, comprising more than 50 genera. The importance of the study of fleas is linked to their potential role as disease vectors. The aim of this study is to investigate the presence of Rickettsia spp. and Bartonella spp. in Neotropical fleas collected from wild rodents in Southern Brazil. From 350 rodents captured, 30 were parasitized by fleas. A total of 61 fleas belonging to two genera and six different species were collected (Craneopsylla minerva minerva, Polygenis occidentalis occidentalis, Polygenis platensis, Polygenis pradoi, Polygenis rimatus, and Polygenis roberti roberti). In 13 % of fleas of three different species (C. minerva, P. platensis, and P. pradoi) Rickettsia sp. DNA was found. Phylogenetic analysis of concatenated sequences of gltA, htrA, and ompA genes showed that Rickettsia sp. found in rodent fleas (referred as strain Taim) grouped together with Spotted Fever Group Rickettsia. In reference to Bartonella spp., five genotypes were identified in seven fleas of two species (C. minerva and P. platensis) and in five rodent spleens. Also, 207 frozen samples of wild rodents were screened for these pathogens: while none was positive for Rickettsia spp.; five rodent spleens were PCR-positive for Bartonella spp.. Herein, we show the detection of potential novel variants of Bartonella sp. and Rickettsia sp. in fleas collected of wild rodents from Southern Brazil. Further studies are needed to fully characterize these microorganisms, as well as to improve the knowledge on the potential role of Neotropical flea species as diseases vectors.

Three new species of Camillina Berland, 1919 (Araneae: Gnaphosidae) from Brazil.

The genus Camillina Berland, 1919 includes 75 valid species which are mainly distributed in South America. However, in Brazil, the knowledge regarding Camillina remains limited and a few contributions to the taxonomy of the genus have been made in the last two decades. Camillina belongs to Zelotinae, a group of gnaphosid spiders which diagnostic character is a preening comb on metatarsi III and IV, and the genus can be recognized by the presence of a prolaterally situated, bifid terminal apophysis and medially situated, recessed embolar base on the male palp and a median epigynal plate. Here, we describe the males and females of three new species: C. suya sp. nov. and C. kuarup sp. nov., both from Fazenda Tanguro, Querência, state of Mato Grosso, Brazil and C. bonaldoi sp. nov. from Parque Nacional de Sete Cidades, Piracuruca, state of Piauí, Brazil.

Three new species of the millipede genus Catharosoma Silvestri, 1897 from southern Brazil, with new records and a clarified identity of Catharosoma intermedium (Carl, 1902) (Diplopoda: Polydesmida: Paradoxosomatidae).

Three new species of Catharosoma are described from southern Brazil: Catharosoma pedritense n. sp., Catharosoma promatense n. sp., and Catharosoma ibirapuitense n. sp.. New records of three other Catharosoma species, which considerably extend their distributions, are provided, including a redescription of the hitherto particularly poorly-known species Catharosoma intermedium (Carl, 1902).

Ecological niche modeling predicting the potential invasion of the non-native millipede Oxidus gracilis (C. L. Koch, 1847) (Polydesmida: Paradoxosomatidae) in Brazilian Atlantic Forest

The millipede Oxidus gracilis (C. L. Koch, 1847) is a cosmopolitan introduced species largely recorded in the southeast region of Brazil. The species is considered an agricultural pest with records in poly- or monocultures, and its influence on native communities of plants and invertebrates is still unknown in Brazil. From this perspective, a maximum entropy model was used to explore the predicted distribution of O. gracilis in Brazil. The results showed a highly suitable area in Atlantic Forest (AUC = 0.949 ± 0.02). Considering percent contribution, annual mean temperature (= 54.9) was the main variable which has influenced the modeling. The potentially suitable areas recovered in Atlantic Forest suggest that attention should be given to its possible invasion and the potential damage of O. gracilis to natural communities.

A revision of the new world goblin spider genus Cinetomorpha Simon, 1892 revalidated from Gamasomorpha Karsch, 1881 (Araneae, Oonopidae, Oonopinae).

The goblin spider genus Cinetomorpha Simon is removed from the synonymy of Gamasomorpha Karsch and treated as the senior synonym of Yumates Chamberlin and Lucetia Dumitresco Georgesco. All 41 species occur only in the New World, and the genus is divided into four species groups: the simplex group, the puberula group, the patquiana group and the itabaiana group. The following species are transferred to Cinetomorpha: C. floridana (Banks), comb. nov., and C. sedata (Gertsch Mulaik), comb. nov., from Opopaea; C. angela (Chamberlin), comb. nov., and C. nesophila (Chamberlin), comb. nov., from Yumates; and C. patquiana (Birabén) and C. platensis (Birabén), comb. nov., from Gamasomorpha. Gamasomorpha wasmanniae Mello-Leitão and Lucetia distincta Dumitresco Georgesco are newly synonymized with C. simplex Simon. Two species currently in Gamasomorpha are transferred to Hexapopha Platnick Berniker: H. brasiliana (Bristowe), comb. nov. and H. m-scripta (Birabén), comb. nov. The following 31 species are newly described: C. adaga Ott Bonaldo (Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru); C. atlantica Ott Brescovit (Brazil); C. baja Ott Ubick (Mexico); C. bandolera Ott Harvey (Mexico USA); C. boraceia Ott Brescovit (Argentina and Brazil); C. campana Ott Harvey (Chile); C. central Ott Brescovit (Brazil); C. chicote Ott Bonaldo (Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru); C. concepcion Ott Harvey (Chile); C. iguazu Ott Brescovit (Argentina and Brazil); C. itabaiana Ott Brescovit (Brazil); C. laguna Ott Ubick (Mexico); C. lavras Ott Brescovit (Brazil); C. longisetosa Ott Harvey (Costa Rica and Brazil); C. lorenzo Ott Harvey (Guatemala); C. loreto Ott Bonaldo (Peru); C. nayarit Ott Harvey (Mexico); C. orellana Ott Bonaldo (Ecuador); C. pauferro Ott Brescovit (Brazil); C. peluda Ott Harvey (Chile); C. pinheiral Ott Brescovit (Brazil); C. pocone Ott Brescovit (Brazil); C. punctata Ott Brescovit (Brazil); C. quillota Ott Harvey (Chile); C. rinconada Ott Harvey (Chile); C. santamaria Ott Brescovit (Argentina); C. similis Ott Brescovit (Brazil); C. sternalis Ott Bonaldo (Brazil); C. sur Ott Ubick (Mexico); C. waorani Ott Bonaldo (Ecuador); and C. zero Ott Harvey (Mexico to Venezuela).

Two new species of the sun-spider genus Gaucha from Argentina and Brazil (Solifugae, Mummuciidae).

Two new species in the South American sun-spider family Mummuciidae are herein described. Gaucha ramirezi sp. nov. is known from the Chancaní Provincial Park and Forest Reserve, Córdoba province, Argentina, and further reported for a single locality to the northeast, in Santiago del Estero province. The systematic position of this species is uncertain and it is not assigned to any species-group of Gaucha Mello-Leitão, 1924. The other species, Gaucha santana sp. nov., is only known from the Ibirapuitã Environmental Protection Area, in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, and is a member of the fasciata species-group. With these descriptions, the number of known species of Gaucha is raised to eleven.

To boldly go: on invasive goblin spiders in Brazil (Araneae, Oonopidae) / Audaciosamente indo: aranhas gnomo invasoras no Brasil (Araneae, Oonopidae)

Twelve non-native species of the spider family Oonopidae are recorded in Brazil: Brignolia dasysterna Platnick, Dupérré, Ott & Kranz-Baltensperger, 2011, B. parumpunctata (Simon, 1893), Triaeris stenaspis Simon, 1892, Ischnothyreus peltifer (Simon, 1892), I. velox Jackson, 1908, Opopaea concolor (Blackwall, 1859), O. deserticola Simon, 1892, Pelicinus marmoratus Simon, 1892, Heteroonops spinimanus (Simon, 1892), Gamasomorpha parmata (Thorell, 1890) (herein restored to its original combination in Xestaspis), Orchestina pavesiiformis Saaristo, 2007 and O. dentifera (Simon, 1893). Among these species, six new synonyms were detected: Hytanis oblonga Simon, 1893, Xestaspis bipeltis Thorell, 1895, Gamasomorpha insularis Simon, 1907 and Opopaea lutzi Petrunkevitch, 1929 with Xestaspis parmata Thorell, 1890; Gammasomorpha humilis Mello-Leitão, 1920 with Opopaea concolor (Blackwall, 1859) and Gamasomorpha rufa Banks, 1898 with Opopaea deserticola Simon, 1891. Since Hytanis oblonga is the type species of the genus, its synonymy with Xestaspis parmata imply in the synonymy of Hytanis Simon, 1893 with Xestaspis Simon, 1884. The partenogenetic species T. stenaspis is the most distributed synanthropic oonopid in Brazil, occurring all over the country, mainly in urban areas. Some species are reported here to occur in the interior of natural caves, a finding that should raise conservation concerns.

Doze aranhas consideradas não-nativas da família Oonopidae são registradas em áreas urbanas no Brasil: Brignolia dasysterna Platnick, Dupérré, Ott & Kranz-Baltensperger, 2011, B. parumpunctata (Simon, 1893), Triaeris stenaspis Simon, 1892, Ischnothyreus peltifer (Simon, 1892), I. velox Jackson, 1908, Opopaea concolor (Blackwall, 1859), O. deserticola Simon, 1892, Pelicinus marmoratus Simon, 1892, Heteroonops spinimanus (Simon, 1892), Gamasomorpha parmata (Thorell, 1890) (aqui restaurada para sua combinação original em Xestaspis), Orchestina pavesiiformis Saaristo, 2007 and O. dentifera (Simon, 1893). Entre estas espécies, seis novos sinônimos foram detectados: Hytanis oblonga Simon, 1893, Xestaspis bipeltis Thorell, 1895, Gamasomorpha insularis Simon, 1907 e Opopaea lutzi Petrunkevitch, 1929 com Xestaspis parmata Thorell, 1890; Gammasomorpha humilis Mello-Leitão, 1920 com Opopaea concolor (Blackwall, 1859) e Gamasomorpha rufa Banks, 1898 with Opopaea deserticola Simon, 1891. Uma vez que Hytanis oblonga é a espécie-tipo do gênero, sua sinonímia com Xestaspis parmata implica na sinonímia de Hytanis Simon, 1893 com Xestaspis Simon, 1884. Triaeris stenaspis, uma espécie partenogenética, é o oonopídeo sinantrópico com distribuição mais ampla no Brasil, ocorrendo de norte a sul do país, principalmente em áreas urbanas. Algumas espécies relatadas aqui ocorrem no interior de cavernas naturais, uma descoberta que deve levantar preocupações em relação à conservação das espécies nativas de cavernas.

A revision of the new world goblin spider genus Cinetomorpha Simon, 1892 revalidated from Gamasomorpha Karsch, 1881 (Araneae, Oonopidae, Oonopinae)

The goblin spider genus Cinetomorpha Simon is removed from the synonymy of Gamasomorpha Karsch and treated as the senior synonym of Yumates Chamberlin and Lucetia Dumitresco & Georgesco. All 41 species occur only in the New World, and the genus is divided into four species groups: the simplex group, the puberula group, the patquiana group and the itabaiana group. The following species are transferred to Cinetomorpha: C. floridana (Banks), comb. nov., and C. sedata (Gertsch & Mulaik), comb. nov., from Opopaea; C. angela (Chamberlin), comb. nov., and C. nesophila (Chamberlin), comb. nov., from Yumates; and C. patquiana (Birabén) and C. platensis (Birabén), comb. nov., from Gamasomorpha. Gamasomorpha wasmanniae Mello-Leitão and Lucetia distincta Dumitresco & Georgesco are newly synonymized with C. simplex Simon. Two species currently in Gamasomorpha are transferred to Hexapopha Platnick & Berniker: H. brasiliana (Bristowe), comb. nov. and H. m-scripta (Birabén), comb. nov. The following 31 species are newly described: C. adaga Ott & Bonaldo (Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru); C. atlantica Ott & Brescovit (Brazil); C. baja Ott & Ubick (Mexico); C. bandolera Ott & Harvey (Mexico & USA); C. boraceia Ott & Brescovit (Argentina and Brazil); C. campana Ott & Harvey (Chile); C. central Ott & Brescovit (Brazil); C. chicote Ott & Bonaldo (Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru); C. concepcion Ott & Harvey (Chile); C. iguazu Ott & Brescovit (Argentina and Brazil); C. itabaiana Ott & Brescovit (Brazil); C. laguna Ott & Ubick (Mexico); C. lavras Ott & Brescovit (Brazil); C. longisetosa Ott & Harvey (Costa Rica and Brazil); C. lorenzo Ott & Harvey (Guatemala); C. loreto Ott & Bonaldo (Peru); C. nayarit Ott & Harvey (Mexico); C. orellana Ott & Bonaldo (Ecuador); C. pauferro Ott & Brescovit (Brazil); C. peluda Ott & Harvey (Chile); C. pinheiral Ott & Brescovit (Brazil); C. pocone Ott & Brescovit (Brazil); C. punctata Ott & Brescovit (Brazil); C. quillota Ott & Harvey (Chile); C. rinconada Ott & Harvey (Chile); C. santamaria Ott & Brescovit (Argentina); C. similis Ott & Brescovit (Brazil); C. sternalis Ott & Bonaldo (Brazil); C. sur Ott & Ubick (Mexico); C. waorani Ott & Bonaldo (Ecuador); and C. zero Ott & Harvey (Mexico to Venezuela).

A revision of the new world goblin spider genus Cinetomorpha Simon, 1892 revalidated from Gamasomorpha Karsch, 1881 (Araneae, Oonopidae, Oonopinae)

The goblin spider genus Cinetomorpha Simon is removed from the synonymy of Gamasomorpha Karsch and treated as the senior synonym of Yumates Chamberlin and Lucetia Dumitresco & Georgesco. All 41 species occur only in the New World, and the genus is divided into four species groups: the simplex group, the puberula group, the patquiana group and the itabaiana group. The following species are transferred to Cinetomorpha: C. floridana (Banks), comb. nov., and C. sedata (Gertsch & Mulaik), comb. nov., from Opopaea; C. angela (Chamberlin), comb. nov., and C. nesophila (Chamberlin), comb. nov., from Yumates; and C. patquiana (Birabén) and C. platensis (Birabén), comb. nov., from Gamasomorpha. Gamasomorpha wasmanniae Mello-Leitão and Lucetia distincta Dumitresco & Georgesco are newly synonymized with C. simplex Simon. Two species currently in Gamasomorpha are transferred to Hexapopha Platnick & Berniker: H. brasiliana (Bristowe), comb. nov. and H. m-scripta (Birabén), comb. nov. The following 31 species are newly described: C. adaga Ott & Bonaldo (Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru); C. atlantica Ott & Brescovit (Brazil); C. baja Ott & Ubick (Mexico); C. bandolera Ott & Harvey (Mexico & USA); C. boraceia Ott & Brescovit (Argentina and Brazil); C. campana Ott & Harvey (Chile); C. central Ott & Brescovit (Brazil); C. chicote Ott & Bonaldo (Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru); C. concepcion Ott & Harvey (Chile); C. iguazu Ott & Brescovit (Argentina and Brazil); C. itabaiana Ott & Brescovit (Brazil); C. laguna Ott & Ubick (Mexico); C. lavras Ott & Brescovit (Brazil); C. longisetosa Ott & Harvey (Costa Rica and Brazil); C. lorenzo Ott & Harvey (Guatemala); C. loreto Ott & Bonaldo (Peru); C. nayarit Ott & Harvey (Mexico); C. orellana Ott & Bonaldo (Ecuador); C. pauferro Ott & Brescovit (Brazil); C. peluda Ott & Harvey (Chile); C. pinheiral Ott & Brescovit (Brazil); C. pocone Ott & Brescovit (Brazil); C. punctata Ott & Brescovit (Brazil); C. quillota Ott & Harvey (Chile); C. rinconada Ott & Harvey (Chile); C. santamaria Ott & Brescovit (Argentina); C. similis Ott & Brescovit (Brazil); C. sternalis Ott & Bonaldo (Brazil); C. sur Ott & Ubick (Mexico); C. waorani Ott & Bonaldo (Ecuador); and C. zero Ott & Harvey (Mexico to Venezuela).

Molecular survey of Rickettsia spp. in the Neotropical deer tick Haemaphysalis juxtakochi from Brazilian Pampa.

Spotted fever (SF) is a tick-borne disease associated with Rickettsia spp.. In the Pampa biome, Southern Brazil, cases of SF seem to be strongly linked with the practice of hunting wild animals. An investigation of rickettsiae in tick species found on wild animals could provide more information regarding the rickettsiosis enzootic cycle. The aim of this study is to describe the results of a molecular survey of Rickettsia spp. in the Neotropical deer tick, Haemaphysalis juxtakochi Cooley, 1946 (Acari: Ixodidae), from the Brazilian Pampa. Ticks were obtained from 14 road-killed gray brocket deer, Mazama gouazoubira (Artiodactyla: Cervidae), found in nine different municipalities of Rio Grande do Sul state, Southern Brazil. Ticks were processed individually to obtain genomic DNA, and then Rickettsia spp. was investigated using a set of PCR reactions that amplified the rickettsial fragments of the gltA, ompA, and htrA genes. Of the 24 tick samples tested, DNA of Rickettsia parkeri sensu stricto (s.s.) was found in 11 H. juxtakochi specimens collected in two different areas of the Brazilian Pampa. This is the first report of R. parkeri s.s. (the main agent associated with SF in the Uruguayan, Argentinian, and Brazilian Pampa) in H. juxtakochi ticks. These findings indicate that R. parkeri s.s. may be much more common and widely distributed in the Pampa biome than previously assumed. Moreover, H. juxtakochi ticks and gray brocket deer could participate in the potential spillover of R. parkeri s.s. from endemic to non-endemic areas in the South American Pampa.

Records of ticks on humans in Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil.

More than seventy tick species have been reported in Brazil. Despite the emergence of tick-borne diseases in Neotropical region, there are still limited data available on tick species parasitizing humans in Brazil. Rio Grande do Sul is the southernmost state of Brazil, comprising the only part of Brazilian territory inside the Pampa biome, as well as the transition between subtropical and temperate zones. Here, we report on human parasitism by ticks in Rio Grande do Sul state between 2004 and 2017. Seventy cases of human parasitism by ticks were recorded, with a total of 81 tick specimens collected. These included 11 tick species belonging to three genera of Ixodidae (hard-ticks), Amblyomma, Haemaphysalis and Rhipicephalus; and one genus of Argasidae, Ornithodoros. The most prevalent tick species associated to cases of human parasitism were Amblyomma parkeri (24%), Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (22%), Amblyomma aureolatum (15%) and Amblyomma ovale (12%). A spatial analysis showed two major hot spots of human parasitism by ticks in Rio Grande do Sul state. The findings of this study highlight the need for permanent monitoring of human parasitism by ticks in order to provide a better understanding of tick and tick-borne disease eco-epidemiology, and the early identification of potential cases of tick-borne diseases, particularly in spotted fever endemic regions.

Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Ixodes longiscutatus ticks from Brazilian Pampa.

Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) complex includes the agents of Lyme disease/borreliosis in North America, Europe, and Asia, such Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, Borrelia afzelii, Borrelia garinii, Borrelia bavariensis, Borrelia spielmanii, Borrelia bissettiae, and Borrelia mayonii. In 2013 B. burgdorferi s.l. was reported for the first time in the Neotropical region, from Ixodes aragaoi ticks in Uruguayan Pampa. In addition, from 2011 to 2016, 17 suspected human cases of borreliosis-like syndrome were reported in Rio Grande do Sul (RS) state, Brazil, which contains only part of country in the Pampa biome. The goal of this work is to report the results of a state surveillance program conducted in order to investigate the presence of B. burgdorferi s.l. in its classic vector, Ixodes spp. ticks, from the Brazilian Pampa. For this, we searched for Ixodes spp. ticks in 307 rodents from 11 municipalities of RS state. We then tested the ticks for the presence of B. burgdorferi s.l. DNA using PCR analysis. Of 35 Ixodes spp. ticks tested, one larva and one nymph of Ixodes longiscutatus ticks tested positive for Borrelia sp. DNA. The phylogenetic analysis of the flaB fragment grouped our samples (referred as Borrelia sp. haplotype Pampa) into B. burgdorferi s.l. group in a particular branch with other South American haplotypes, and this group was close to Borrelia carolinensis, B. bissettiae, and Borrelia californiensis. This is the first evidence of B. burgdorferi s.l. circulation in ticks of the genus Ixodes in Brazil. These results highlight the need for the implementation of public health policies for the diagnosis and prevention of potential cases of human borreliosis in Brazil. Further studies are needed to fill the gaps in our knowledge of the distribution, pathogenicity, reservoirs, and vectors of these emerging South American B. burgdorferi s.l. haplotypes.

DETECTION OF BARTONELLA SP. IN DEER LOUSE FLIES (LIPOPTENA MAZAMAE) ON GRAY BROCKET DEER (MAZAMA GOUAZOUBIRA) IN THE NEOTROPICS.

Louse flies or deer keds, Lipoptena spp., are widespread in Neotropical cervids, but the vector-borne pathogens of louse flies had only been previously reported in the Northern hemisphere. This is the first report of Bartonella spp. in deer louse flies (Lipoptena mazamae) in the neotropics collected from gray brocket deer ( Mazama gouazoubira ) in Southern Brazil. DNA from Bartonella sp. was detected in all 429 L. mazamae collected from 11 road-killed gray brocket deer. The same sequences of DNA of Bartonella spp. were identified in samples. Gray brocket deer are abundant in Brazil, so Bartonella-infected Lipoptena spp. may be widely distributed in the neotropics.

Two new species of orb-weaving spiders of the genus Larinia (Araneae, Araneidae) in meridional Brazil.

The araneid genus Larinia Simon currently includes 56 species, eleven of them with New World distribution (World Spider Catalog, 2016). North American species of the genus were revised first time by Levi (1975) and South American species by Harrod et al. (1991). According to these authors there are four species known from subtropical South America (Larinia bivittata Keyserling 1885; L. montecarlo (Levi, 1988); L. t-notata (Tullgren, 1905); L. tucuman Harrod, Levi & Leibensperger, 1991) and also four species known from tropical South America (L. ambo Harrod, Levi & Leibensperger, 1991; L. directa (Hentz, 1847); L. lampa Harrod, Levi & Leibensperger, 1991; L. neblina Harrod, Levi & Leibensperger, 1991). According to Buckup et al. (2010) a total of 209 species of Araneidae are recorded for state of Rio Grande do Sul, including the three species L. bivittata, L. montecarlo and L. t-notata.

Amazoonops, a new genus of goblin spiders (Araneae: Oonopidae) from the Brazilian Amazon.

The new genus Amazoonops is proposed for a group of species from the Brazilian Amazon that belong to the Varioonops group, which is presently composed by Varioonops Bolzern & Platnick, Ponsoonops Bolzern and Bipoonops Bolzern. In these genera, female lacks the dorsal abdominal scutum, have a reduced abdominal post-epigastric scutum, and the male palp has unfused cymbium and tegulum. The incomplete abdominal epigastric scutum of females and the sternal surface covered with deep pits in both sexes are considered as putative synapomorphies of the new genus. Five new species are described, four from the state of Pará (Amazoonops almeirim sp. nov., A. cachimbo sp. nov., A. caxiuana sp. nov. and A. juruti sp. nov.) and one from the state of Amazonas (A. ducke sp. nov.). Females of A. almeirim sp. nov. and A. ducke sp. nov. are unknown.

A revision of the wolf spider genus Diapontia Keyserling, and the relationships of the subfamily Sosippinae (Araneae: Lycosidae)

The South American genus Diapontia is revised to include nine species: Diapontia uruguayensis Keyserling, 1877 (= Diapontia senescens Mello-Leitao, 1944 syn. n.; D. infausta Mello-Leitao, 1941 syn. n.; D. pourtaleensis Mello-Leitao, 1944 syn. n.; D. albopunctata Mello-Leitao, 1941 syn. n.) from northern Paraguay, southeastern Brazil, southern Uruguay, southern to northeastern Argentina and southern Chile; D. niveovittata Mello-Leitao, 1945 from southern Paraguay, north-central Argentina and southern Brazil; D. anfibia (Zapfe-Mann, 1979) comb. n. (= Lycosa artigasi Casanueva, 1980 syn. n.) from central and southern Chile and southwestern Argentina, transferred from Pardosa C. L. Koch, 1847; D. securifera (Tullgren, 1905) comb. n. from northern Chile and northwestern Argentina, transferred from Orinocosa Chamberlin, 1916; D. arapensis (Strand, 1908) comb. n., from Peru, transferred from Hippasella Mello-Leitao, 1944; D. calama sp. n. from northern Chile; D. songotal sp. n. from southern Bolivia; D. chamberlini sp. n. from central and southern Peru; and D. oxapampa sp. n. from northern Peru. The sister-group relationship between Diapontia and Hippasella, and their placement in the subfamily Sosippinae, were supported by phylogenetic analyses based on four molecular markers (28S, 12S, NADH1 and COI), using Bayesian inference and maximum-likelihood. We tested whether DNA barcoding techniques were able to corroborate the identity of four Diapontia species. Diapontia securifera and D. anfibia were successfully identified using COI; however, D. niveovittata and D. uruguayensis were found to share identical haplotypes and thus could not be discriminated.

Amazoonops, a new genus of goblin spiders (Araneae: Oonopidae) from the Brazilian Amazon

The new genus Amazoonops is proposed for a group of species from the Brazilian Amazon that belong to the Varioonops group, which is presently composed by Varioonops Bolzern & Platnick, Ponsoonops Bolzern and Bipoonops Bolzern. In these genera, female lacks the dorsal abdominal scutum, have a reduced abdominal post-epigastric scutum, and the male palp has unfused cymbium and tegulum. The incomplete abdominal epigastric scutum of females and the sternal surface covered with deep pits in both sexes are considered as putative synapomorphies of the new genus. Five new species are described, four from the state of Para (Amazoonops almeirim sp. nov., A. cachimbo sp. nov., A. caxiuana sp. nov. and A. juruti sp. nov.) and one from the state of Amazonas (A. ducke sp. nov.). Females of A. almeirim sp. nov. and A. ducke sp. nov. are unknown.