Systematic revision and cladistic analysis of the Brazilian subfamily Sodreaninae (Opiliones:Gonyleptidae)

Abstract

Sodreaninae is reviewed and all ten species are combined under its type genus, Sodreana Mello-Leitão, 1922, according to a cladistic analysis of morphological characters, which revealed a pectinate pattern of clades. The subfamily is endemic to the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest from Santa Catarina state to Rio de Janeiro state. Sodreana is herein considered a senior synonym of Stygnobates Mello-Leitão, 1927, Zortalia Mello-Leitão, 1936, Gertia B. Soares & H. Soares, 1946 and Annampheres H. Soares, 1979. The following new combinations are proposed: Sodreana barbiellinii (Mello-Leitão, 1927), Sodreana hatschbachi (B. Soares & H. Soares, 1946), Sodreana inscripta (Mello-Leitão, 1939), Sodreana leprevosti (B. Soares & H. Soares, 1947b), Sodreana bicalcarata (Mello-Leitão, 1936). Sodreana granulata (Mello-Leitão, 1937) is revalidated from the synonymy of Sodreana sodreana Mello-Leitão, 1922. Three new species are described: Sodreana glaucoi from Ilhabela and Boraceia, São Paulo state; S. curupira from Parque Nacional da Serra dos Órgãos, Rio de Janeiro state, and S. caipora from Ubatuba, São Paulo state. Sodreaninae species are restricted to forested areas and most occur in the southern part of the coastal Atlantic rainforest, one species occurs in interior Atlantic rainforest. The biogeographical analysis (Brooks Parsimony Analysis) resulted in a single and fully resolved most parsimonious tree with three main: components: northern (Bahia and Serra do Espinhaço), southern (Santa Catarina, Paraná, Serra do Mar of São Paulo), and central (Espírito Santo, Serra da Bocaina, southern state of Rio de Janeiro, Serra dos Órgãos, Serra da Mantiqueira, Serra do Mar of São Paulo).