An expanded molecular phylogeny of metaine spiders (Araneae, Tetragnathidae) with description of new taxa from Taiwan and the Philippines

Abstract

Despite numerous phylogenetic analyses of the orb-weaving spider family Tetragnathidae, several relationships from the subfamily to species level are tenuous or unclear. One such example regards the validity and composition of the tetragnathid subfamily Metainae, which historically has mixed support and limited taxon sampling. Sequences for six genetic markers – 12S, 16S, 18S, 28S, cytochrome c oxidase I and histone H3 – were analysed for 78 taxa, including 10 that were completely new or with increased markers. Analysed in both maximum likelihood and Bayesian frameworks, we find good support for Metainae for the first time. The subfamily includes three previously described genera – Meta, Metellina and Dolichognatha – in addition to one described herein, Zhinu Kallal & Hormiga, gen. nov., from Taiwan. Also within Metainae, we synonymise Metellina with the monotypic Menosira and reaffirm the synonymy of Dolichognatha with Prolochus. Finally, we describe a new species of leucaugine tetragnathid from the Philippines, Orsinome megaloverpa, sp. nov., the second member of Orsinome to be placed in a phylogenetic context.