A multilocus phylogeny of Podoctidae (Arachnida, Opiliones, Laniatores) and parametric shape analysis reveal the disutility of subfamilial nomenclature in armored harvestman systematics.
The taxonomy and systematics of the armored harvestmen (suborder Laniatores) are based on various sets of morphological characters pertaining to shape, armature, pedipalpal setation, and the number of articles of the walking leg tarsi. Few studies have tested the validity of these historical character systems in a comprehensive way, with reference to an independent data class, i.e., molecular sequence data. We examined as a test case the systematics of Podoctidae, a family distributed throughout the Indo-Pacific. We tested the validity of the three subfamilies of Podoctidae using a five-locus phylogeny, and examined the evolution of dorsal shape as a proxy for taxonomic utility, using parametric shape analysis. Here we show that two of the three subfamilies, Ibaloniinae and Podoctinae, are non-monophyletic, with the third subfamily, Erecananinae, recovered as non-monophyletic in a subset of analyses. Various genera were also recovered as non-monophyletic. As first steps toward revision of Podoctidae, the subfamilies Erecananinae Roewer, 1912 and Ibaloniinae Roewer, 1912 are synonymized with Podoctinae Roewer, 1912 new synonymies, thereby abolishing unsubstantiated subfamilial divisions within Podoctidae. We once again synonymize the genus Paralomanius Goodnight & Goodnight, 1948 with Lomanius Roewer, 1923 revalidated. We additionally show that eggs carried on the legs of male Podoctidae are not conspecific to the males, falsifying the hypothesis of paternal care in this group.
Department of Zoology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 430 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA. Electronic address: prashant.sharma@wisc.edu.
Prashant P
PP
Sharma
Division of Invertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY, 10024, USA.
Marc A
MA
Santiago
Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 430 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
Ricardo
R
Kriebel
Department of Zoology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 430 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
Savana M
SM
Lipps
Zoology Division, National Museum of the Philippines, Padre Burgos Avenue, Ermita 1000, Manila, Philippines.
Perry A C
PAC
Buenavente
Zoology Division, National Museum of the Philippines, Padre Burgos Avenue, Ermita 1000, Manila, Philippines.
Arvin C
AC
Diesmos
Laboratorio Nacional de Análisis y Síntesis Ecológica, ENES, UNAM, Antigua Carretera a Pátzcuaro, 8701 Morelia, Mexico; Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branisovska 31, 370 05 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.
Milan
M
Janda
Biology Department, Macalester College, 1600 Grand Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105, USA.
Sarah L
SL
Boyer
Division of Invertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY, 10024, USA.
Ronald M
RM
Clouse
Division of Invertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY, 10024, USA.
Ward C
WC
Wheeler
D000818:Animals; D001097:Arachnida / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010063:Ovum / Q000378:metabolism; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D045304:Cytochromes c; D004247:DNA
Arachnid; Comparative methods; Grassatores; Morphology