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Issue: Vol. 2798 No. 1: 23 Mar. 2011
Type: Articles
Published: 2011-03-23
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.2798.1.5
Page range: 61–63
Abstract views: 45
PDF downloaded: 1

A second species of the orb-weaving spider genus Melychiopharis from South America (Araneae: Araneidae)

Laboratório de Artrópodes, Instituto Butantan. Av. Vital Brasil 1500, CEP 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Av. Antonio Carlos 6627, 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
Laboratório de Vertebrados Terrestres, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, Campus Universitário de Ondina, 40170-115, Salvador, BA, Brazil
Araneae Araneidae

Abstract

The genus Melychiopharis Simon was originally described in the family Araneidae, placed close to Hypognatha Guérin-Méneville (Simon 1895: 907). Levi (2002) transferred the genus to Theridiidae, based on its unusual morphology, which is extremely different from the araneid body plan. However, Santos et al. (2005) presented evidence suggesting that this genus is closer to araneid genera, like Hypognatha and Testudinaria Taczanowski and, consequently, transferred it back to Araneidae. That study also included a redescription and illustrations of the genus and of its only species, M. cynips Simon, 1895, which is currently known from northern, central and northeastern Brazil.

References

  1. Levi, H.W. (2002) Keys to the genera of araneid orbweavers (Araneae, Araneidae) of the Americas. Journal of Arachnology, 30, 527–562.

    Santos, A.J., Brescovit, A.D. & Levi, H.W. (2005) Melychiopharis: an atypical orb-weaving spider from South America (Araneae: Araneidae). Zootaxa, 1016, 57–64.

    Simon, E. (1895) Histoire naturelle des araignées. Paris, 1, 761–1084.