On the Australian bark crab spider genus Stephanopis: taxonomic review and description of seven new species (Araneae: Thomisidae: Stephanopinae)

Abstract

Here we present a revision of the Australian species of Stephanopis. The type species S. altifrons is redescribed and S. aspera, S. depressa, S. monticola, S. elongata and S. scabra are considered its junior synonyms. Males of S. altifrons, S. angulata, S. nigra, S. armata, S. fissifrons and S. longimana are described for the first time. We propose neotypes for S. nigra and S. barbipes and describe the female of the latter. Nine species are considered species inquirendae, S. thomisoides as nomen dubium and S. cheesmanae is transferred to Phrynarachne. Seven new species are described, new distribution records are provided and comments are made about the validity of the genus and its relationship with Sidymella species and other Stephanopinae genera from the Australian region.

Phylogenetic relationships in Stephanopinae: systematics of Stephanopis and Sidymella based on morphological characters (Araneae: Thomisidae)

“…Even so, most of its component genera are still poorly known and diagnosed, which is reflected in the lack of resolution and constant recovery of its polyphyletic relations (Benjamin et al 2008;Benjamin 2011;Wheeler et al 2017). The genus that gives name to the subfamily had its Australian species recently revised by Machado et al (2019b), but despite the recent efforts to better understand the morphology of Stephanopis O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1869, our knowledge regarding the Neotropical and Andean species of the genus relies only on original descriptions. A similar scenario is observed for Sidymella Strand, 1942, which also had its diagnosis and description updated by Machado et al (2019a).…”

“…According to this author, there were four distinguishable groups within Stephanopis (represented by St. altifrons, St. ditissima, Stephanopis bicornis L. Koch, 1874 and Sidymella rubrosignata (L. Koch, 1874)-the latter previously assigned to Stephanopis), which made him question the validity of the genus. While Simon (1895) considered Australian and Neotropical representatives of Stephanopis to make this statement, Machado et al (2019b), based on comparisons of both somatic and sexual traits, inferred the existence of three different groups within a group of species with distribution ranges restricted to Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Fiji, called them "cambridgei group", "lata group" and "altifrons group".…”

Kryptochroma: a new genus of bark-dwelling crab spiders (Araneae, Thomisidae)

“…The morphological aspects and taxonomic boundaries of Neotropical stephanopines have been extensively studied during the past years (Machado et al 2015(Machado et al , 2018(Machado et al , 2019aSilva-Moreira & Machado 2016). Meanwhile, phylogenies based on morphological and molecular data were congruent in recovering some close related genera, corroborating classic propositions for the possible existence of tribes or even certain "groups" in this subfamily (Benjamin 2011;Benjamin et al 2008;Wheeler et al 2017;Machado et al 2017Machado et al , 2019bMachado & Teixeira 2021).…”

Diversidad taxonómica de Thomisidae (Araneae) en ambientes heterogéneos del sitio Ramsar Humedales Chaco, Argentina

“…Las morfoespecies fueron individuos adultos que se diferenciaron por las estructuras de sus genitales. Debido a que hasta el momento las relaciones filogenéticas del grupo no están debidamente establecidas y no se elaboraron nuevas propuestas taxonómicas formales (Benjamin et al 2008, Benjamin 2011, Ramírez 2014, Wheeler et al 2016, Machado et al 2019b, se optó por la clasificación de subfamilias y tribus de Thomisidae con base en los trabajos de Ono (1988) y Lehtinen (2003). Este criterio se ve respaldado, además, en el análisis del árbol filogenético propuesto por Wheeler et al (2016), en el mismo se puede observar que los agrupamientos obtenidos se corresponden con las tribus, así los autores citados conservan la subfamilia Aphantochilinae; en una rama como hermanos están los géneros Tmarus y Titidius (Tamarini), Thomisus (Thomisini), por fuera del grupo que incluye a Misumenoides, Misumenops y Runcinioide (Misumenini).…”

“…Existen diversos trabajos orientados a redescribir y escribir diferentes especies de tomísidos y a resolver las relaciones filogenéticas intragrupo. Al respecto se puede citar a Benjamin et al (2008); Benjamin (2011Benjamin ( , 2013Benjamin ( , 2015Benjamin ( , 2017; Sirvid et al (2013); Silva-Moreira y Machado (2016); Machado et al (2019aMachado et al ( , 2019bMachado et al ( , 2019c; Grismado y Achitte-Schmutzler (2020) y Machado y Texeira (2021) entre otros. Los conocimientos acerca de su ecología, taxonomía y diversidad aún son incipientes en Argentina, actualmente se conocen 60 especies (CAA c2018) mientras que a nivel mundial se registran 2160 especies de Thomisidae (WSC c2018).…”