First blind daddy long-legs spiders from Australia and Réunion (Araneae, Pholcidae)

Abstract

Daddy long-legs spiders are common inhabitants of tropical and subtropical caves around the globe. Numerous species have evolved troglomorphisms, including the loss of body pigments and eyes. Here we describe the first troglomorphic pholcids from Australia and Réunion. Belisana coblynau Huber & Clark, sp. nov. was extracted from mining boreholes in the arid West Australian Pilbara region. It represents a genus that is widespread in tropical forests of South and Southeast Asia, reaching the tropical north and east of Australia. Belisana coblynau is thus presumably a relict whose epigean ancestor lived in the area before the aridification of Australia starting in the early Cenozoic. Buitinga ifrit Huber & Cazanove, sp. nov. was collected in Grotte de La Tortue on Réunion, one of the oldest lava tubes on the island (~300,000 years). Congeneric species are known from East Africa, and the genus does not seem to have reached Madagascar. Since Pholcidae do not balloon, the now extinct epigean ancestor of Buitinga ifrit probably reached the island by highly accidental means (such as rafts or storms).