Four new troglophilic species of Loxosceles Heinecken & Lowe, 1832: contributions to the knowledge of recluse spiders from Brazilian caves (Araneae, Sicariidae)

By

Bertani, Rogério
Von Schimonsky, Diego Monteiro
Gallão, Jonas Eduardo
Bichuette, Maria Elina.

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2018

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

806

Pages

47-72

Subjects

Bahia , Brown spider , karst area , Minas Gerais , taxonomy

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.806.27404

 

Abstract

Four new species of recluse spiders from Brazilian caves are described with both males and females. Loxoscelesericsoni Bertani, von Schimonsky & Gallão, sp. n. and L.karstica Bertani, von Schimonsky & Gallão, sp. n. both occur in caves in the Peruaçu region, located in the northern area of the state of Minas Gerais; L.karsticasp. n. is additionally found in the Serra do Ramalho karst area, located in the southwestern region of the state of Bahia. These two species belong to the gaucho group. Loxoscelescarinhanha Bertani, von Schimonsky & Gallão, sp. n. and L.cardosoi Bertani, von Schimonsky & Gallão, sp. n. occur exclusively in caves of the Serra do Ramalho karst area and belong to the rufescens/amazonica species group. The discovery of two additional and highly distinct species in the rufescens/amazonica group (L.carinhanhasp. n. and L.cardosoisp. n.) increases the debate on the origin, evolution, and geographical distribution of this widely distributed group of recluse spiders in the New and Old World. The presence of three species (L.ericsonisp. n., L.carinhanhasp. n., and L.cardosoisp. n.) with marked differences in morphological characters in a relatively small area indicates that the region seems to be an important center for Loxosceles diversity, which remains poorly studied.