Systematics of the Madagascar Anelosimus spiders: remarkable local richness and endemism, and dual colonization from the Americas.

摘要: Despite the alarming rates of deforestation and forest fragmentation, Madagascar still harbors extraordinary biodiversity. However, in many arthropod groups, such as spiders, this biodiversity remains mostly unexplored undescribed. The first subsocial Madagascan species theridiid spider genus Anelosimus were described 2005 when six new found to coexist Perinet fragment within Andasibe-Mantadia NP. discovery was based only on a few specimens extent radiation has remained unknown. We here report thorough survey >350 colonies from Perinet, three pilot surveys into additional forests (Ambohitantely, Ranamofana, Montagne d’Ambre). morphological, molecular natural history data these facilitated revised taxonomy phylogenetic hypothesis Anelosimus. This clade currently comprises previously known (Anelosimus andasibe Agnarsson & Kuntner, 2005, may Agnarsson, nazariani sallee salut vondrona 2005) 10 species: ata sp. n., buffoni darwini hookeri huxleyi lamarcki moramora tita torfi wallacei n.. With exception vondrona, all other appear be single endemics. While sampling is necessary, imply much higher local richness endemism than any comparable area globally. results establish sister relationship between American ‘eximius group’, solitary decaryi clade. These findings duplicate colonizations America, an otherwise rare biogeographical pattern, calling for more detailed investigation biogeography.