We present a phylogenetic analysis of spiders using a dataset of 932 spider species, representing 115 families (only the family Synaphridae is unrepresented), 700 known genera, and additional representatives of 26 unidentified or undescribed genera. Eleven genera of the orders Amblypygi, Palpigradi, Schizomida and Uropygi are included as outgroups. The dataset includes six markers from the mitochondrial (12S, 16S, COI) and nuclear (histone H3, 18S, 28S) genomes, and was analysed by multiple methods, including constrained analyses using a highly supported backbone tree from transcriptomic data. We recover most of the higher‐level structure of the spider tree with good support, including Mesothelae, Opisthothelae, Mygalomorphae and Araneomorphae. Several of our analyses recover Hypochilidae and Filistatidae as sister groups, as suggested by previous transcriptomic analyses. The Synspermiata are robustly supported, and the families Trogloraptoridae and Caponiidae are found as sister to the Dysderoidea. Our results support the Lost Tracheae clade, including Pholcidae, Tetrablemmidae, Diguetidae, Plectreuridae and the family Pacullidae (restored status) separate from Tetrablemmidae. The Scytodoidea include Ochyroceratidae along with Sicariidae, Scytodidae, Drymusidae and Periegopidae; our results are inconclusive about the separation of these last two families. We did not recover monophyletic Austrochiloidea and Leptonetidae, but our data suggest that both groups are more closely related to the Cylindrical Gland Spigot clade rather than to Synspermiata. Palpimanoidea is not recovered by our analyses, but also not strongly contradicted. We find support for Entelegynae and Oecobioidea (Oecobiidae plus Hersiliidae), and ambiguous placement of cribellate orb‐weavers, compatible with their non‐monophyly. Nicodamoidea (Nicodamidae plus Megadictynidae) and Araneoidea composition and relationships are consistent with recent analyses. We did not obtain resolution for the titanoecoids (Titanoecidae and Phyxelididae), but the Retrolateral Tibial Apophysis clade is well supported. Penestomidae, and probably Homalonychidae, are part of Zodarioidea, although the latter family was set apart by recent transcriptomic analyses. Our data support a large group that we call the marronoid clade (including the families Amaurobiidae, Desidae, Dictynidae, Hahniidae, Stiphidiidae, Agelenidae and Toxopidae). The circumscription of most marronoid families is redefined here. Amaurobiidae include the Amaurobiinae and provisionally Macrobuninae. We transfer Malenellinae (Malenella, from Anyphaenidae), Chummidae (Chumma) (new syn.) and Tasmarubriinae (Tasmarubrius, Tasmabrochus and Teeatta, from Amphinectidae) to Macrobuninae. Cybaeidae are redefined to include Calymmaria, Cryphoeca, Ethobuella and Willisius (transferred from Hahniidae), and Blabomma and Yorima (transferred from Dictynidae). Cycloctenidae are redefined to include Orepukia (transferred from Agelenidae) and Pakeha and Paravoca (transferred from Amaurobiidae). Desidae are rede...

No abstract

The genus Caloctenus Keyserling, 1877 comprises four species of small (3–7 mm) ground-dwelling spiders found in cloud forests and adjacent habitats of the northern Andes of South America, at elevations between 1800 to 2600 m (Silva 2004). All species apparently have a restricted geographic range and most are only known from the type locality. These spiders exhibit a cryptic coloration having a dark brown body with iridescent scales, sparse white plumose hairs and club-shaped red hairs, an ornamentation pattern that makes them indistinguishable from the leaf litter and hard to find. Recent attempts to find more caloctenine spiders in a Peruvian type locality were unsuccessful and it appears their populations, in general, are declining as fast as are their mossy and humid microhabitats.

En el presente trabajo, se evaluó la araneofauna durante todo el periodo fenológico del cultivo de algodón, utilizando dos técnicas de muestreo (búsqueda directa y trampas de caída). Se registraron 2304 individuos, agrupados en 50 especies y 18 familias. Las arañas estuvieron presentes durante todo el periodo del cultivo, relacionándose positivamente a su desarrollo fenológico, y donde las prácticas agronómicas, la temperatura y humedad no fueron influyentes en su abundancia, excepto por la cosecha, actividad que sí influenció negativamente sus poblaciones.

A new genus of the spider family Zoropsidae, Cauquenia, gen. nov., is proposed for Cauquenia maule, sp. nov., from the Maule region in central Chile. The familial placement is tested through the inclusion of Cauquenia in the latest major published morphological analyses of the superfamily Lycosoidea, and the subfamily placement of the South American zoropsid genus Itatiaya Mello-Leitão is also tested including them in the Raven and Stumkat (2005) analysis. Cauquenia and Itatiaya are closely related to the African genera Griswoldia Dippenaar-Schoeman & Jocqué and Phanotea Simon, with which it shares a cup-shaped median apophysis on the male pedipalp and tooth-like projections on the lateral lobes of the epigyne in females. The patterns of evolution of the cribellum and the male tibial crack in Lycosoidea are explored; the cribellum shows up as primitively present, with three losses and four independent acquisitions, and the male tibial crack is lost twice. An asymmetric cost in cribellum gain : loss of 6 : 1 produces a primitive cribellum with 12 losses.

Caloctenus Keyserling is examined and redefined to include small ground-dwelling spiders with an enhanced ventral spination beneath anterior tibiae/metatarsi -a combination of five-eight/six-seven paired-spines, pars cephalica well marked by a deep furrow, strongly convex pars thoracica, and body thickly coated with iridescent scales.As relimited, Caloctenus comprises four species from northern South America; a key to identify them is provided. Males of C. aculeatus Keyserling and C. gracilitarsis Simon are described for the first time, as are two new species, C. carbonera from Venezuela, and C. oxapampa from Peru. All other species described under this genus belong somewhere else. Caloctenus boetonensis Strand, C. celer Simon, and C. oreus Simon are transferred to Acantheis Thorell, 1891. Caloctenus fernandensis Simon is transferred to Africactenus Hyatt, 1954. Caloctenus penicilliger Simon and C. variegatus Bertkau are transferred to Enoploctenus Simon,1897. Caloctenus abyssinicus Strand is placed incertae sedis within Ctenidae.

En este trabajo presentamos un análisis del estado del conocimiento y riqueza de los opiliones Laniatores del departamento de Loreto; en general, arácnidos poco conocidos en la Amazonia peruana. Para ello, se revisó la literatura relevante y se examinó la colección del Museo de Historia Natural de la Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Perú. Los resultados muestran 72 especies distribuidas en 11 familias. Las familias más diversas fueron Cosmetidae (34 spp.), Cranaidae (11 spp.) y Stygnidae (8 spp.). Aunque no hay información suficiente, las muestras del río Samiria (23 especies, 11 familias) sugieren un grado de endemismo local muy alto, 10 especies están restringidas solo a esta localidad. Con este trabajo se suman 52 especies de Laniatores a las 19 previamente registradas en la literatura para el departamento de Loreto y se registran por primera vez en Perú las familias Biantidae, Samoidae y Stygnommatidae. Aquí se reportan 12 por primera vez para Perú: Cocholla simoni Roewer, Cynorta marginalis Banks, Discosomaticus cinctus (Perty), Meterginus serratus Roewer, Paecilaemula argentinoi Soares, Sibambea rotunda Roewer, Taito insperatus Kury & Barros, Taito rorschachi Kury & Barros, Ventripila marginata Roewer, Hutamaia plei Tourinho & Mendes, Obidosus boibumba (Villarreal & Pinto-da-Rocha), y Stenostygnus pusio Simon.