New species of smiley-faced spider Spintharus (Araneae, Theridiidae) from Brazil, and comments on unobserved diversity in South America
Spintharus is a genus of spiders that contained only two species until 2018 when it was demonstrated that a ‘widespread’ species was instead composed of multiple short-range endemics. This note redescribes Spintharus gracilis Keyserling and describes a new species of Spintharus (Araneae, Theridiidae...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Pensoft Publishers
2020-02-01
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| Series: | ZooKeys |
| Online Access: | https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/47563/download/pdf/ |
| _version_ | 1819046667339431936 |
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| author | Gabriel A. LeMay Ingi Agnarsson |
| author_facet | Gabriel A. LeMay Ingi Agnarsson |
| author_sort | Gabriel A. LeMay |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Spintharus is a genus of spiders that contained only two species until 2018 when it was demonstrated that a ‘widespread’ species was instead composed of multiple short-range endemics. This note redescribes Spintharus gracilis Keyserling and describes a new species of Spintharus (Araneae, Theridiidae), S. leverger sp. nov., both based on specimens from Brazil. We also examine specimens from several additional localities in Brazil displaying variation consistent with patterns previously found within the Caribbean: geographically isolated and unique localities may contain independent species lineages. Given the limited number of specimens, profuse variation, and lack of DNA data from museum specimens, it is challenging to gauge the number of species in the observed material. Instead of describing these as new species here, we highlight this variation and hypothesize that in South America, a greater diversity of the genus across the geographical landscape will be found than predicted based on Levi’s “widespread Spintharus flavidus” hypothesis. Our results suggest that continental efforts to sample the genus would be profitable, as this charismatic group likely harbors unappreciated diversity throughout the continent. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T10:48:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2e650b261e0043279a16d2b462949bc1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1313-2989 1313-2970 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T10:48:06Z |
| publishDate | 2020-02-01 |
| publisher | Pensoft Publishers |
| record_format | Article |
| series | ZooKeys |
| spelling | doaj.art-2e650b261e0043279a16d2b462949bc12022-12-21T19:06:44ZengPensoft PublishersZooKeys1313-29891313-29702020-02-01915172410.3897/zookeys.915.4756347563New species of smiley-faced spider Spintharus (Araneae, Theridiidae) from Brazil, and comments on unobserved diversity in South AmericaGabriel A. LeMay0Ingi Agnarsson1University of VermontUniversity of VermontSpintharus is a genus of spiders that contained only two species until 2018 when it was demonstrated that a ‘widespread’ species was instead composed of multiple short-range endemics. This note redescribes Spintharus gracilis Keyserling and describes a new species of Spintharus (Araneae, Theridiidae), S. leverger sp. nov., both based on specimens from Brazil. We also examine specimens from several additional localities in Brazil displaying variation consistent with patterns previously found within the Caribbean: geographically isolated and unique localities may contain independent species lineages. Given the limited number of specimens, profuse variation, and lack of DNA data from museum specimens, it is challenging to gauge the number of species in the observed material. Instead of describing these as new species here, we highlight this variation and hypothesize that in South America, a greater diversity of the genus across the geographical landscape will be found than predicted based on Levi’s “widespread Spintharus flavidus” hypothesis. Our results suggest that continental efforts to sample the genus would be profitable, as this charismatic group likely harbors unappreciated diversity throughout the continent.https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/47563/download/pdf/ |
| spellingShingle | Gabriel A. LeMay Ingi Agnarsson New species of smiley-faced spider Spintharus (Araneae, Theridiidae) from Brazil, and comments on unobserved diversity in South America ZooKeys |
| title | New species of smiley-faced spider Spintharus (Araneae, Theridiidae) from Brazil, and comments on unobserved diversity in South America |
| title_full | New species of smiley-faced spider Spintharus (Araneae, Theridiidae) from Brazil, and comments on unobserved diversity in South America |
| title_fullStr | New species of smiley-faced spider Spintharus (Araneae, Theridiidae) from Brazil, and comments on unobserved diversity in South America |
| title_full_unstemmed | New species of smiley-faced spider Spintharus (Araneae, Theridiidae) from Brazil, and comments on unobserved diversity in South America |
| title_short | New species of smiley-faced spider Spintharus (Araneae, Theridiidae) from Brazil, and comments on unobserved diversity in South America |
| title_sort | new species of smiley faced spider spintharus araneae theridiidae from brazil and comments on unobserved diversity in south america |
| url | https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/47563/download/pdf/ |
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