Evolutionary Patterns and Diversity of Arachnida

A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Diversity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 May 2024) | Viewed by 8377

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 12844 Prague, Czech Republic
Interests: biogeography; biological diversity; cryptic species; integrative taxonomy; phylogeny; species delimitation; evolutionary biology; arachnids

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

I would like to invite you to contribute to the upcoming Special Issue of Diversity, titled “Evolutionary patterns and Diversity of Arachnida”.

Arachnida represent an ancient, ecologically diverse and immensely species-rich group of animals. The backbone of their evolutionary relationships is relatively well-understood in most arachnid lineages, but the processes that created the extant diversity and spatio-temporally shaped its patterns often remain obscure. Although the center of diversity of arachnids is found in tropics and subtropics, lineages such as spiders, harvestmen, scorpions, pseudoscorpions, ticks and mites possess wide distributions, which is one of the main reasons for why they have been on the forefront of taxonomic and evolutionary research for decades. The remaining, less-diversified arachnid orders remain, unfortunately, largely understudied.

Arachnid diversity itself is underestimated even among the better-known lineages. Barcoding efforts and targeted phylogenetic and phylogenomic studies routinely help detect undescribed diversity from poorly known to megadiverse regions. However, species crypsis seems to be a common phenomenon in Arachnida; therefore, such diversity emerges even in areas with a long tradition of taxonomic research. Assessing biological diversity and unraveling its evolutionary origins is an essential step towards a better understanding of speciation patterns and processes, stable taxonomy and effective conservation management.

This Special Issue aims at advancing our knowledge regarding the evolutionary history and current diversity of Arachnida. We invite both original research and review papers on all arachnid orders that will enhance our understanding of the evolutionary processes involved in Arachnida diversification.

Dr. Vera Opatova
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • biogeography
  • biological diversity
  • cryptic species
  • integrative taxonomy
  • phylogeny
  • species delimitation

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 13089 KiB  
Article
And Yet They Differ: Reconsiderations of Diversity within Dactylochelifer latreillii (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones)
by Christoph Muster, Jan Korba, Petr Bogusch, Petr Heneberg and František Šťáhlavský
Diversity 2024, 16(3), 137; https://doi.org/10.3390/d16030137 - 23 Feb 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1676
Abstract
Morphological stasis is a widespread characteristic of pseudoscorpions, suggesting that much cryptic diversity remains unexplored. Here, we revise the polytypic species Dactylochelifer latreillii in the framework of an integrative taxonomic approach, using DNA barcoding, multivariate ratio analysis, geometric morphometry of the male foretarsus, [...] Read more.
Morphological stasis is a widespread characteristic of pseudoscorpions, suggesting that much cryptic diversity remains unexplored. Here, we revise the polytypic species Dactylochelifer latreillii in the framework of an integrative taxonomic approach, using DNA barcoding, multivariate ratio analysis, geometric morphometry of the male foretarsus, and genitalic morphology. The pattern of mitochondrial variation suggests three species-level entities in central Europe, which widely overlap in morphospace, but differentiate in the structure of the female genitalia, and by their ecology. Dactylochelifer latreillii (Leach) is a halobiont species, occurring exclusively in coastal habitats and in Pannonian salt steppes, and D. l. septentrionalis Beier syn. nov. is a junior synonym of the nominate species. Dactylochelifer degeerii (C. L. Koch) stat. rev. is the oldest available name for an inland species that has long been mistaken for the nominotypical subspecies of D. latreillii. New habitat information suggests a preference for higher shrub vegetation. Dactylochelifer ninnii (Canestrinii) stat. rev. is a halophilic Mediterranean species that extends to the northern limits of the Pannonian basin. The distinctiveness of the Mediterranean “form” was recognized by early naturalists in the 19th century, but was ignored by later authorities in the field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Evolutionary Patterns and Diversity of Arachnida)
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20 pages, 4306 KiB  
Article
Dispersal Capabilities Do Not Parallel Ecology and Cryptic Speciation in European Cheliferidae Pseudoscorpions (Pseudoscorpiones: Cheliferidae)
by Pavel Just, František Šťáhlavský, Petr Bogusch, Alena Astapenková and Vera Opatova
Diversity 2023, 15(10), 1040; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15101040 - 27 Sep 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3218
Abstract
The ability to disperse has continually shaped both the distribution and diversification of biota, and it affects the survival of the species with respect to wide-ranging habitat loss. As a response, organisms unable to spread by their own means often developed surrogate dispersal [...] Read more.
The ability to disperse has continually shaped both the distribution and diversification of biota, and it affects the survival of the species with respect to wide-ranging habitat loss. As a response, organisms unable to spread by their own means often developed surrogate dispersal strategies. Pseudoscorpions possess small body sizes and cannot actively disperse over large distances and geographic barriers; therefore, they have adopted other ecological strategies. They are either sedentary and remain confined to stable environments or passively disperse via phoresy and are capable of inhabiting a wide variety of habitats, including temporary ones. In this paper, we use barcoding data to investigate the genetic diversity of four widely distributed and relatively morphologically uniform Cheliferidae genera Chelifer, Dactylochelifer, Rhacochelifer and Hysterochelifer. We aim to (i) test whether the genera harbor cryptic diversity and (ii) evaluate whether the genetic structure of the species parallels their dispersal capabilities and habitat preferences (i.e., ecological strategies). In general, we uncovered independent lineages within all analyzed genera, which indicates their need for a thorough and integrative taxonomic revision. More specifically, we detected a varying degree of genetic structuring among the lineages. Known phoretic species, as well as some species and delimited lineages that are not known to use this manner of dispersal, showed a complete lack of geographical structure and shared haplotypes over large distances, while other taxa had restricted distributions. We argue that genetic structure can be used as a proxy to evaluate species’ dispersal manner and efficacy. Our results also suggest that taxa inhabiting stable environments might use phoresy for their dispersal. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Evolutionary Patterns and Diversity of Arachnida)
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14 pages, 2519 KiB  
Article
Morphometric Analysis of a Trapdoor Spider (Araneae, Idiopidae) across Different Brazilian Biomes Reveals the Geographic Variation of Spiders from the Caatinga Biome
by Rafael Fonseca-Ferreira, Millke Jasmine A. Morales, Leonardo S. Carvalho and José Paulo L. Guadanucci
Diversity 2023, 15(7), 861; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15070861 - 16 Jul 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2472
Abstract
Widespread species are exposed to different environmental drivers and can consequently present variations in body shape and/or size. Trapdoor spiders of the genus Idiops are generally associated with a sedentary lifestyle and limited dispersion. However, the species Idiops pirassununguensis has a wide distribution, [...] Read more.
Widespread species are exposed to different environmental drivers and can consequently present variations in body shape and/or size. Trapdoor spiders of the genus Idiops are generally associated with a sedentary lifestyle and limited dispersion. However, the species Idiops pirassununguensis has a wide distribution, occurring in a diverse range of distinct environmental conditions, with their presence recorded in the Amazon, Caatinga, and Cerrado Brazilian biomes. We investigated how their morphological variation is structured regarding the biomes in which they occur through a morphometric analysis of the linear measurements and morphogeometric shapes of 64 specimens. Combining different methods proved to be a valuable approach to understanding how the spider’s morphology varies in different environments. The results were congruent and complementary, indicating intraspecific geographic variation, with the Caatinga specimens being distinct from their biome conspecifics. In Caatinga, a biome with periods of severe drought and warm climate, I. pirassununguensis specimens were found to be smaller, in addition to having narrower and elongated sternums and shorter legs. The morphological structuring herein is consistent with the results found comparing animals from Caatinga and other Brazilian biomes. Despite differences in their non-sexual structures, the specimens share a set of diagnostic sexual characteristics for the species, allowing all individuals to be classified as belonging to the same species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Evolutionary Patterns and Diversity of Arachnida)
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