OREONETIDES BEATTYI, A NEW TROGLOBITIC SPIDER (ARANEAE: LINYPHIIDAE) FROM EASTERN NORTH AMERICA, AND RE-DESCRIPTION OF OREONETIDES FLAVUS

A new troglobitic Linyphiidae, Oreonetides beattyi n.sp., is described from caves of eastern North America. The species is morphologically close to Oreonetides flavus Emerton and proposed as sister-species. Both species are described, illustrated and their distribution is documented. The intra-speci...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of caves and karst studies 2009-04, Vol.71 (1), p.2-15
Main Authors: Paquin, P, Duperre, N, Buckle, D J, Lewis, J J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Araneae
Linyphiidae
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Summary:A new troglobitic Linyphiidae, Oreonetides beattyi n.sp., is described from caves of eastern North America. The species is morphologically close to Oreonetides flavus Emerton and proposed as sister-species. Both species are described, illustrated and their distribution is documented. The intra-specific variation of O. beattyi is detailed: female genitalia display unusual variability, but males provided stable species level diagnosis. A male from Bull Cave (Tennessee) that shows significant genitalic variation is problematic, however. With limited sampling, the genetic bar-coding approach did not provide helpful insights to determine if this specimen belongs to a different species, is morphologically aberrant, or simply belongs to a population geographically distant enough to explain genetic variability. We propose the cryophilic affinities/relict population hypothesis to explain the ecological affinities of some Linyphiidae that are restricted to caves in most of their ranges, but occur on the surface at the northern edge of their distribution. We suggest an evolutionary scenario for the disjunct distribution of Oreonetides beattyi n.sp. in eastern caves and O. flavus in more northern latitudes on the west coast of North America.
ISSN:1090-6924