Jesús A. Cruz-López

On the enigmatic genus Philora: familial assignment and taxonomic revision (Opiliones: Laniatores: Stygnopsidae)

Abstract The harvestman genus Philora Goodnight & Goodnight 1954 and the type species P. tuxtlae are redescribed, and Philora quetzalzin new species is described. The genus is newly assigned to the family Stygnopsidae Sørensen 1932 based on external morphology and male genitalia, which are described herein for the first time. The genus is compared with the morphologically similar genera Paramitraceras Pickard-Cambridge 1905, Sbordonia Šilhavý 1977, and Troglostygnopsis Šilhavý 1974 sensu stricto. Philora is unique within the family in having a scutum completum. The presence of a scutum completum in Philora and others laniatoreans is discussed. The male genitalia of the genera Paramitraceras, Philora, Troglostygnopsis and presumably the genus Sbordonia, are very similar and share a morphological pattern described here as the Paramitraceras-pattern.

Three new species of the Mexican harvestman genus Chapulobunus (Opiliones: Stygnopsidae)

Abstract Three new species of the genus Chapulobunus Goodnight & Goodnight, 1946, are described: Chapulobunus asper sp. nov., Chapulobunus psilocybe sp. nov., and Chapulobunus regiomontano sp. nov. from the states of San Luís Potosí, Oaxaca, and Nuevo León, in Mexico, respectively. Additionally, an identification key to the five known species of the genus is provided.

A new epigean harvestman of the genus Guerrobunus (Laniatores: Phalangodidae), from Hidalgo, Mexico, with taxonomic notes about the genus

The fifth species of the genus Guerrobunus, Guerrobunus barralesi sp. nov. is described from specimens collected in Hidalgo, Mexico. This species represents the first eastern record from the country and unlike other species of the genus, is completely epigean. Guerrobunus barralesi sp. nov. is compared with the most similar species, Guerrobunus minutus, which also has well developed and pigmented eyes. Finally, external morphology, including male genitalia, taxonomy of the genus, and familial assignment into the family Phalangodidae are discussed.

A new leaf-litter harvestman species of the genus Karos (Opiliones: Stygnopsidae: Karosinae), with a reanalysis of the morphological phylogeny of the genus

Karos Goodnight Goodnight, 1944 is the most diverse genus of the family Stygnopsidae. It contains seven micro-endemic species from the Huasteca region in eastern Mexico. In this paper, the new species Karos morronei sp. nov. is described based on the morphology of adults of both sexes. The new species is from Zacualtipán de Ángeles, Hidalgo State, which represents the southernmost record for the genus. Additionally, a reanalysis of the previous morphological phylogeny of the genus using both parsimony and maximum likelihood methods is provided. According to the morphological reanalysis, K. morronei sp. nov. exhibits an autapomorphy (males with femur IV thicker than females) and is the sister group of the clade that includes K. barbarikos, K. hexasetosus, K. monjarazi, K. parvus and K. singularis. Finally, information of barcoding (CO1) is provided for this new species.

Molecules and morphology reveal a new aberrant harvestman genus of Ortholasmatinae (Opiliones, Dypsnoi, Nemastomatidae) from Mexico

Ortholasmatinae is one of the most striking groups of Opiliones, because its members exhibit a peculiar dorsal ornamentation pattern of cells, formed by fusion of anvil-shaped tubercles. During the systematic revision of several specimens of ortholasmatines, we found specimens with shared morphological characters with two genera Trilasma Goodnight & Goodnight, 1942 and Dendrolasma Banks, 1894. In order to investigate their phylogenetic relationships, we performed model-based phylogenetic analyses using the mitochondrial protein-encoding cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) and the complete nuclear ribosomal small subunit 18S, including members of the five genera of this subfamily. The results support the creation of Cryptolasma Cruz-López, Cruz-Bonilla & Francke, gen. nov., and two new species: Cryptolasma aberrante Cruz-López, Cruz-Bonilla & Francke, sp. nov. (type species) and Cryptolasma citlaltepetl Cruz-López, Cruz-Bonilla & Francke, sp. nov., which are from Xalapa and Orizaba Volcano, Veracruz, respectively. Additionally, our results suggest Ruaxphilos petrukenvitchou Goodnight & Goodnight, 1945 is a nomina dubia. This study represents the first molecular hypothesis of Ortholasmatinae relationships, with Cryptolasma as the sister of the remaining ortholasmatine.www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:3730EE48-9802-4B06-9DDF-EC1AFE9A3B61

A second species of the genus Martensolasma (Opiliones, Dyspnoi, Nemastomatidae) from Mexico

A second species of the previously monotypic genus Martensolasma Shear, 2006 is described: Martensolasma catrina sp. n., based on specimens collected in Metztitlán, Hidalgo, Mexico. The taxonomy the genus is briefly discussed.

Total evidence phylogeny of the North American harvestman family Stygnopsidae (Opiliones : Laniatores : Grassatores) reveals hidden diversity

Abstract. Systematic relationships among Laniatores have received considerable attention during the past few years. Many significant taxonomic changes have been proposed, particularly in the superfamily Gonyleptoidea. As part of this superfamily, the basalmost Stygnopsidae is the least known family. In order to propose the first total evidence phylogeny of the family, we produced four datasets: three molecular markers – partial nuclear 28S, mitochondrial ribosomal 16S, mitochondrial protein-encoding cytochrome c oxidase subunit I; and 72 morphological characters. With these data, we performed three different phylogenetic analyses: (1) Bayesian Inference with molecular data, and (2) Bayesian Inference and (3) Maximum Likelihood using combined data. Our results are congruent: a monophyletic Stygnopsidae subdivided into two major clades: Stygnopsinae and Karosinae, subfam. nov. The following genera are redefined: Stygnopsis, Hoplobunus and Serrobunus stat. rev. The following taxa are described: Iztlina venefica, gen. nov., sp. nov. and Tonalteca, gen. nov. Additionally, the following changes are proposed: Serrobunus queretarius (Šilhavý, 1974), comb. nov., Stygnopsis apoalensis (Goodnight & Goodnight, 1973), comb. nov., Stygnopsis mexicana (Roewer, 1915), comb. nov., Stygnopsis oaxacensis (Goodnight & Goodnight, 1973), comb. nov., and Tonalteca spinooculorum (Goodnight & Goodnight, 1973), comb. nov. We also discuss the status of the genera Isaeus stat. rev. and Mexotroglinus. Finally, we discuss the evolution of male genitalia and convergence of selected homoplastic diagnostic characters.