Morphology-based cladistics splinters the century-old dichotomy of the pied harvestmen (Arachnida: Gonyleptoidea: Cosmetidae)
Author
Medrano, Miguel
Author
Kury, Adriano Brilhante
Author
Mendes, Amanda Cruz
text
Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society
2022
2021-08-30
195
585
672
journal article
113070
10.1093/zoolinnean/zlab043
e070d52f-d008-4f08-988a-a8b17c27418f
0024-4082
6959516
1C89556A-12CB-43B7-9B49-E02EFF1543D3
CYNORTINAE MELLO- LEITÃO, 1933
NOM. REST.
Cynortinae
Mello-Leitão, 1933: 105
.
Comment:
The nomen
Cynortinae
is available (Kury, 2018), being currently under the synonymy of
Cosmetinae
, but it is herein restored to include a monophylum (clade I) of 11 terminals that we group into five genera. The real extension of this clade is currently unknown and, depending on future revisions, can easily reach 100–120 species.
Cynorta
C.L.
Koch, 1839
, with 145 valid species (
Kury
et al.
, 2021
) is one of the most diverse genera in
Opiliones
and surely one of its worst nightmares. Out of the five species included in our analysis, only the
type
species, *
Cynorta conspersa
(
Perty, 1833
)
(redescribed in
Kury
et al.
, 2007
) remains and it is paired with a species incorrectly placed in
Gryne
(see below). Both species occur in the Lower/ Mid-Amazon basin.
Cynortoides
includes here two traditional species: *
Cynortoides cubana
(
Banks, 1909
)
and
Cynortoides v-album
(
Simon, 1879
)
plus two newly combined ones that have been incorrectly described in
Cynorta
following the Goodnight’s scheme, as explained in the Introduction. There are currently eight species officially included in
Cynortoides
(
Kury
et al.
, 2021
)
, but not all of them might belong here, probably only the ones from the Greater Antilles.
Holovonones
Roewer, 1912
has only two species from
Mexico
and Central America, of which only the type-species was included in the analysis.
Metagryne
Roewer, 1912
has currently four species from disparate localities. As a member of
Discosomaticinae
, all of them are included in our analysis:
Metagryne albireticulata
Roewer 1952
is here made part of the new genus
Qarikichkauru
(see above).
Metagryne bicolumnata
Roewer 1959
is here made part of the new genus
Kayania
gen. nov.
(see below).
Metagryne elegans
Roewer 1947
is here made part of the new genus
Marronia
gen. nov
.
(see below). And only the type-species, *
Metagryne ferruginea
Roewer, 1912
, is left in the genus. The monotypic
Paragryne
Roewer, 1912
appears as the sister-group to the lonely
Metagryne
and, as such, we decided to synonymize both monotypic genera. Their combined distribution (Bahia and
Paraguay
) suggests a distribution in the interior forests, where more potential species of
Metagryne
need to be investigated.
Vonones
Simon, 1879
is one of the infamous trio spared in
Goodnight & Goodnight’s (1953)
revision, when it engulfed 19 junior genera. It currently has six species, four of which are included as terminals here. The two American species of
Vonones
ended up in
Libitioides
(see above), while the other two used here remained as ‘true’
Vonones
: *
Vonones octotuberculatus
Simon, 1879
and
Vonones planus
Goodnight & Goodnight, 1942
from the Lesser Antilles. After being once more shrunk by the revalidation of its numerous synonyms (
Kury, 2003
), it now includes only species from the Caribbean.
Diagnosis:
Small animals, with variable length of legs, from elongate (
Cynorta
) to short (in
Vonones
). DS outline beta-type (alpha-type in
Holovonones
and
Vonones
). DS without chevron (except in
Cynortoides
). Lateral borders of scutum in posterior view following the general body curvature. Armature of scutal areas variable, often with paramedian armature on all areas, stouter on areas III or IV. Area III always armed. Chelicera sexually dimorphic, with hand moderately swollen and basichelicerite thicker in males (except in
Metagryne
). Movable finger of cheliceral hand without distal teeth. Femur IV of male distally incrassate or clavate, with serrulae of teeth in more than one surface (except in
Cynorta
); this trait can be much more exaggerated in
Cynortoides
[e.g.
Cynortoides lithoclasica
(
Avram, 1981
)
, which has the femur crooked as a multi-serrate stout hook]. Fe IV may be entirely thickened in
Holovonones
. Penial MS-A1 much reduced.
Type
genus:
Cynorta
C.L.
Koch 1839
.
Included genera: Cynorta
C. L. Koch 1839,
Cynortoides
Roewer, 1912
,
Holovonones
Roewer, 1912
,
Metagryne
Roewer, 1912
and
Vonones
Simon, 1879
.
Combined distribution:
From Mexico to
Paraguay
, skipping the Andes, but including the Greater and the Lesser Antilles (
Fig. 8
).