A new subfamily of Agoristenidae, with comments on suprageneric relationships of the family (Arachnida Opiliones Laniatores)

Abstract

The concept of the hitherto monotypic genus Zamora Roewer 1927 is expanded to include Z granulata, the type species and Zamora vulcana, a new species described from the volcano Cotopaxi, Ecuador. Together with the genus Ramonus Roewer 1956 Zamora forms a clade, for which the new subfamily Zamorinae is erected. Both genera have been recently removed from Phalangodidae to Cranaidae, but a cladistic analysis of the Agoristenidae suggests that Zamorinae is a basal group in the Agoristenidae. This branch evolved before the acquisition of apomorphies that constitute the agoristenid facies, such as saddle-shaped eye mound, filiform leg I, trifid setae of truncus penis and membranous keel of the stylus, and therefore the zamorines do not closely resemble the typical members of the family. The monotypic genus Angela González-Sponga 1987 is considered a junior subjective synonym of Leptostygnus Mello-Leitão 1940, and the pre-occupied name Angelinae is synonymized with Leiosteninae. The new combination Leptostygnus marchantiarum (González-Sponga) is proposed for Angela marchantiarum. © 1997, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved.