Contributions to the taxonomy of some Amazonian Stygnidae (Opiliones: Laniatores: Gonyleptoidea).

Some taxonomic changes are made in Amazonian Stygnidae, based on reinterpretation of generic boundaries: (1) the hitherto monotypic genus Jime Pinto-da-Rocha Tourinho, 2012 is newly recorded from Venezuela: Jime praecursor spec. nov. (Tobogán de la Selva, Amazonas state) is described and a new generic diagnosis is provided. The genital chaetotaxy is interpreted for the two known species of Jime, and (2) three species which have been originally described as Stygnoplus Simon, 1879 are herein newly transferred to Yapacana Pinto-da-Rocha, 1997 (hitherto monotypic): Y. ianomami (Pinto-da-Rocha Tourinho, 2012) comb. nov., Y. neblina (Pinto-da-Rocha Tourinho, 2012) comb. nov., and Y. tapirapeco (Pinto-da-Rocha Tourinho, 2012) comb. nov. A key for identification of males of the genus Yapacana is offered.

First Amazonian species of Maracaynatum, with comments on the genus (Opiliones: Laniatores: Samoidae).

Among Opiliones, the family Samoidae Sørensen, 1886 is a group of small Laniatores with a wide tropical distribution. Neotropical samoids are distributed mainly in the Caribbean subregion, with species recorded from insular localities and the Venezuelan coastal range. Previously, for continental South America only three genera and just a few specimens of unidentified Samoidae have been recorded from Brazil. In this paper we describe Maracaynatum isadorae sp. nov., the first record of the genus for Brazil and the first samoid described for the Amazon biome. We also provide an emended diagnosis for the genus and a map with its distribution.

Taxonomic notes on the genus Auranus (Opiliones, Laniatores, Stygnidae), with description of two new species.

Among the Amazonian families of harvestmen the members of Stygnidae are better known due to the recent revision of the family and efforts of specialists describing new taxa in the last few years. Species of Amazonian genus Auranus Mello-Leitão, 1941, have been collected in several inventories that were carried out in different locations of the Amazon basin. In this paper we provide a new diagnosis for Auranus, and the description of two new species: Auranus leonidas sp. nov. and Auranus xerxes sp. nov. from the Brazilian states of Roraima and Amazonas, respectively. We also offer complementary genital descriptions of Auranus hehu Pinto-da-Rocha & Tourinho 2012, Auranus parvus Mello-Leitão, 1941, and Auranus tepui Pinto-da-Rocha & Tourinho 2012. Five species are recognized in Auranus, including the two new species described in this paper. The lamina parva modified into a calyx is proposed as putative synapomorphy for the genus Auranus. Therefore, A. hoeferscovitorum, which does not possess this character, is removed from Auranus. Instead we propose for it the new combination Verrucastygnus hoeferscovitorum comb. nov. We also provide a key to the males of Auranus, and a map with the distribution for all species examined in this work.

Fourteen new generic and ten new specific synonymies in Pholcidae (Araneae), and transfer of Mystes Bristowe to Filistatidae.

Between 1998 and 2011, the Venezuelan arachnologist Manuel Ángel González-Sponga (GS) published a series of taxonomic papers devoted to the Pholcidae of Venezuela. Of his 22 new genera, 20 were monotypic when described, suggesting a high percentage of synonyms. We studied his descriptions and as far as accessible his type specimens and propose the following new generic synonymies: Autana GS, 2011 = Mesabolivar GS, 1998; Ayomania GS, 2005 and Venezuela Koçak & Kemal, 2008 (new replacement names for Falconia GS, 2003) = Mecolaesthus Simon, 1893; Carbonaria GS, 2009 = Mecolaesthus Simon, 1893; Caruaya GS, 2011 = Mesabolivar GS, 1998; Coroia GS, 2005 = Artema Walckenaer, 1837; Maimire GS, 2009 = Mecolaesthus Simon, 1893; Moraia GS, 2011 = Mecolaesthus Simon, 1893; Nasuta GS, 2009 = Mecolaesthus Simon, 1893; Portena GS, 2011 = Metagonia Simon, 1893; Rioparaguanus GS, 2005 = Mesabolivar GS, 1998; Tonoro GS, 2009 = Litoporus Simon, 1893; Sanluisi GS, 2003 = Mecolaesthus Simon, 1893. Three of the type species are also specific synonyms: Autana autanensis GS, 2011 = Mesabolivar aurantiacus (Mello-Leitão, 1930); Coroia magna GS, 2005 = Artema atlanta Walckenaer, 1837; Tonoro multispinae GS, 2009 = Litoporus uncatus (Simon, 1893). Six species that González-Sponga described under Blechroscelis (a genus previously synonymized with Priscula Simon, 1893) are all synonyms of Mesabolivar eberhardi Huber, 2000 (B. acuoso GS, 2011; B. araguanus GS, 2011; B. blechroscelis GS, 2011; B. copeyensis GS, 2011; B. cordillerano GS, 2011; B. andinensis GS, 2011). In addition, and unrelated to González-Sponga's work, we synonymize the Central Asian monotypic genus Ceratopholcus Spassky, 1934 with Crossopriza Simon, 1893; we synonymize the Chinese species Pholcus acerosus Peng & Zhang, 2011 with Pholcus fragillimus Strand, 1907 and remove the Malaysian monotypic genus Mystes Bristowe, 1938, previously thought to be the only East Asian representative of the subfamily Ninetinae, to the family Filistatidae. 

Two new species of Phareicranaus Roewer, 1913 (Opiliones: Laniatores: Cranaidae), with notes on gregarious behavior and maternal care in Phareicranaus manauara.

In this paper we describe two new species of Phareicranaus Roewer, 1913: Phareicranaus rohei sp. nov. from the state of Amazonas, Brazil and Phareicranaus tizana sp. nov., from the state of Zulia, Venezuela. The number of known species of this genus increases to 47. We discuss and suggest the possible relationships of these species with their relatives and assign them into the clades proposed by Pinto-da-Rocha & Bonaldo (2011). Additionally, we conducted field observations at the type locality of Phareicranaus manauara (Pinto-da-Rocha, 1994), provide the first descriptions of maternal care and gregarious behavior, and discuss the occurrence of this behavior in the genus.