The poorly known genus Ventrifurca Roewer, 1913 revisited (Opiliones: Cranaidae)

Abstract

Background: The distinction of genera in Cranaidae (as in many other Gonyleptoidea) is traditionally made on

Unveiling the diversity of Phalangodus Gervais, 1842 (Opiliones: Cranaidae): descriptions of four new species from Colombia

“…The pedipalps of cranaids particularly, undergoes extreme modification in some genera, acquiring an astonishing elongation in many Stygnicranainae, where some males have pedipalps longer than females or larger than females and other males (beta males), e.g., Tryferos Roewer, 1931and Stygnicranaus (Orrico & Kury 2009, 2009. As explained by Villarreal et al (2015), an intermediary degree of this elongation can be observed in some species of Ventrifurca Roewer, 1913, where only sexual dimorphism is known. Differences in size and stockiness of the femur between both sexes occur at least in Panalus Goodnight &Goodnight, 1947 andSpirunius Roewer, 1932 where males are larger and a dorsal crest is observed in males of Chiriboga Roewer, 1959 andCarsevennia Roewer, 1913 (unpublished data).…”

“…The description standard and morphological terminology follow Villarreal et al (2015) and integumentary ornamentation follows Da Silva & Gnaspini (2009). Ovipositor terminology follows Townsend et al (2015) with modifications here proposed.…”

“…Within the Cranaidae, interesting cases of sexual and intra-sexual dimorphism can be found, with alpha and beta males recognized (see, e.g., Orrico & Kury 2009;Villarreal et al 2015). The pedipalps of cranaids particularly, undergoes extreme modification in some genera, acquiring an astonishing elongation in many Stygnicranainae, where some males have pedipalps longer than females or larger than females and other males (beta males), e.g., Tryferos Roewer, 1931and Stygnicranaus (Orrico & Kury 2009, 2009.…”

“…Cranaidae is the third most numerous family among Gonyleptoidea with 166 species (Kury 2013;Hara et al 2014;Villarreal et al 2015). The taxonomy and systematics of this group are complicated and the generic boundaries are poorly defined, as partially explained by Villarreal et al (2015).…”

“…Cranaidae is the third most numerous family among Gonyleptoidea with 166 species (Kury 2013;Hara et al 2014;Villarreal et al 2015). The taxonomy and systematics of this group are complicated and the generic boundaries are poorly defined, as partially explained by Villarreal et al (2015). The three main issues that lead to this situation are: 1) antique diagnoses of the genera that still follow the Roewerian system of classification, i.e., use of variable characters to establish artificial groups, as shown by several authors (e.g., Piza 1942;Kury 1990;Villarreal et al 2015); 2) underestimation of the specific richness of many cranaid groups (the first author is working on an ongoing revision of the family) and 3) lack of revision, only a few genera have been revised according to modern standards (i.e., Pinto-da-Rocha & Kury 2003;Pinto-da-Rocha & Bonaldo 2011;Kury 2012a;Hara et al 2014;Villarreal et al 2015).…”