Taxonomic revision of Parampheres (Arachnida: Opiliones: Gonyleptidae)

Mori, Bruno JacobPinto-da-Rocha, Ricardo

Parampheres Roewer, 1913 is a relatively common genus of South American harvestmen. This genus is easily diagnosed by the remarkable yellow patches on the prosoma. Nonetheless, species determination within this group is challenging due the convoluted taxonomic history of the group and lack of a recent revision. In this study we revise Parampheres and describe a new species, Parampheres tenebris sp. nov., from Parque Nacional da Serra Geral, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The new species can be distinguished from the other species of the genus by having dorsal scutum dark, and apophysis of coxa IV of male elongated. Furthermore, we propose the following new synonymies: Callampheres boliviensis Roewer, 1913, Pertyana ronae Mello-Leitão, 1927 and Parampheres tibialis Roewer, 1917 with Parampheres pectinatus Roewer, 1913. Parampheres now includes four species distributed from southern Brazil to adjacent areas in Argentina and Uruguay. In addition, we present a phylogenetic hypothesis based on morphological characters that supports the transfer of Parampheres from Gonyleptinae to Caelopyginae.(AU)

1. Harvestman
2. Neotropical region
3. Brazil
4. Systematic
5. Taxonomy