Advances in the systematics of the spider genus Troglohyphantes (Araneae, Linyphiidae)

Abstract

With 128 described species and five subspecies, the spider genus Troglohyphantes (Araneae, Linyphiidae) is a remarkable example of species diversification in the subterranean environment. In this paper, we conducted a systematic revision of the Troglohyphantes species of the Italian Alps, with a special focus on the Lucifuga complex, including the description of two new species (T. lucifer sp. nov. and T. apenninicus n. sp.). In addition, we provided new diagnostic drawings of the holotype of T. henroti (Henroti complex) and established three new synonymies within the genus. The molecular analysis of the animal DNA barcode confirms the validity of this method of identification of the Alpine Troglohyphantes and provides additional support for the morphology based species complexes. Finally, we revised the known distribution range of additional Troglohyphantes species, as well as other poorly known alpine cave-dwelling spiders.

Troglohyphantes lucifer http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:AB4B644A-D18A-4EB7-99E7-B5117AED5389

Troglohyphantes apenninicus http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:3C86E78E-7145-4F0C-803E-2A909201579C

Key words:

• cave-dwelling fauna
• DNA barcoding
• endemism
• Italian spiders
• species complexes
• taxonomy

Acknowledgements

This work is dedicated in memory of our estimated colleague and extraordinary natural scientist Angelo Morisi, who recently passed away after a long illness. Special thanks go to Alexandra Jones for proofreading the paper and to Elena Pelizzoli for the illustrations. The authors would like to thank Benedetta Barzaghi, Sanne Beikes, Mike Chesta Pier Mauro Giachino, Fabio Ladame, Enrico Lana, Raul Manenti, Jacopo Orlandini, Mauro Paschetta, Elena Piano, and Roberto Santinelli for fieldwork assistance. We are sincerely grateful to Francesco Tomasinelli for the photographs. We are indebted to Franco Bianchi, and Martin, Giovanna, Tsojikie, Gerd, and Sanne Beikes for helping us in finding the Tana di Bertrand. Thanks to Bartolomeo Vigna for guiding us to the Balma Ghiacciata del Mondolè and Pian Cavallo. Warm thanks go to Barbara Knoflach, for providing to us specimens of Troglohyphantes stored in Thaler's collection. Thanks to Andrea Sabbadini for providing materials stored in the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale (Milano) and to Enrico Lana, Mike Chesta, Sanne Beikes, and Gianni Comotti for the craved elusive discovery of the new localities of Typhlonesticus morisii in the Ligurian Alps. We are grateful to Gustavo Hormiga, Dimitar Dimitrov and an anonymous referee helping with improving the quality of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Supplemental data

Supplemental data can be accessed here: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14772000.2016.1254304.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the University of Torino and Compagnia di San Paolo [grant number Progetti di Ricerca di Ateneo 2011 - ORTO11T92F -].