Sunday, October 29, 2017

[Arachnida • 2017] Taxonomic Revision of the Andean Harvestman Genus Rhaucus Simon, 1879 (Opiliones, Cosmetidae)


Rhaucus florezi  García & Kury, 2017


Abstract

The Andean genus Rhaucus Simon 1879 is revised. Five valid species are recognized, including Rhaucus florezi sp. nov. The following nomenclatural acts are proposed. At genus level: Megarhaucus Mello-Leitão, 1941, Neorhaucus Pickard-Cambridge, 1905 and Pararhaucus Pickard-Cambridge, 1905 are considered junior subjective synonyms of Rhaucus. At species level: Neorhaucus aurolineatus Pickard-Cambridge, 1905 is considered a junior subjective synonym of Rhaucus vulneratus Simon, 1879; Rhaucus (Rhaucus) tristis Sørensen, 1932, Rhaucus (Rhaucus) muticus Sørensen, 1932 and Pararhaucus obscurus Pickard-Cambridge, 1905 are considered junior subjective synonyms of Rhaucus quinquelineatus Simon, 1879 (the latter combination is restored from current combination Flirtea quinquelineata); Flirtea paucimaculata Roewer, 1963, Rhaucus (Rhaucus) geographicus Sørensen, 1932, Metarhaucus reticulatus Roewer, 1912 and Metarhaucus fuscus Pickard-Cambridge, 1905 are considered junior subjective synonyms of Erginus serripes Simon, 1879 (that is here combined as Rhaucus serripes comb. rest.). Megarhaucus robustus Mello-Leitão, 1941 is newly combined as Rhaucus robustus (Mello-Leitão, 1941) comb. nov. Distribution maps of the species are provided. The new term multicapitate apophysis (mca) is introduced here for a special type of apophysis on coxa IV of males.

Keywords: Opiliones, Laniatores, Gonyleptoidea, Colombia, taxonomy, Andes




 Andrés F. García and Adriano B. Kury. 2017. Taxonomic Revision of the Andean Harvestman Genus Rhaucus Simon, 1879 (Arachnida, Opiliones, Cosmetidae). Zootaxa. 4338(3);  401–440. DOI:  10.11646/zootaxa.4338.3.1