The phylogeny of pholcid spiders: a critical evaluation of relationships suggested by molecular data (Araneae, Pholcidae)

Abstract

With almost 600 species, the latest molecular phylogeny of pholcid spiders (Eberle et al. 2018, BMC Evolutionary Biology) more than triples the largest previously available molecular phylogeny of the family. At the level of genera, the coverage is high (86%, i.e., 75 of the 87 named genera), and at the level of subfamilies it is complete. The present paper is an effort to critically evaluate the implications of this phylogeny for pholcid systematics. The analyses largely support the division of Pholcidae into five subfamilies: Ninetinae, Arteminae, Modisiminae, Smeringopinae, and Pholcinae. Their compositions are largely unchanged except thatChisosaHuber, 2000 is moved from Ninetinae to Arteminae. The positions ofArtemaWalckenaer, 1837 andPrisculaSimon, 1893 in this system remain dubious. Relationships among subfamilies remain weakly supported, except for the sister group relationship between Smeringopinae and Pholcinae. Several major clades within subfamilies are separated from each other along geographical boundaries; for example within Modisiminae a South American clade and a Central + North American + Caribbean clade, and within Smeringopinae a Sub-Saharan clade and a clade ranging from the Mediterranean to Central Asia. Central + North American + Caribbean clades in both Ninetinae and Modisiminae may originate from South American ancestors.Many taxonomic changes are suggested by the data, some of which are formally implemented herein. Two new genera result from the splitting ofCalapnitaSimon, 1892 andPanjangeDeeleman-Reinhold & Deeleman, 1983, respectively:NipisaHuber,gen. n.; andApokayanaHuber,gen. n.Nine new genera result from splitting ofPholcus:CantikusHuber,gen. n.;KelabitaHuber,gen. n.;KintaqaHuber,gen. n.;MurutaHuber,gen. n.;MerahaHuber,gen. n.;PaiwanaHuber,gen. n.;PribumiaHuber,gen. n.;TerangaHuber,gen. n.; andTissahamiaHuber,gen. n.Two genera are newly synonymized:PlatnickniaÖzdikmen & Demir, 2009 is synonymized withModisimusSimon, 1893;SihalaHuber, 2011 is synonymized withPholcusWalckenaer, 1805.PholcusagadirHuber, 2011 is moved toMicropholcusDeeleman-Reinhold & Prinsen, 1987, resulting in the new combinationMicropholcusagadir(Huber, 2011).