'Phylogeny, evolution and systematic revision of the mite-harvestmen family Neogoveidae (Opiliones, Cyphophthalmi)
Publication information:
Benavides LR, Hormiga G, Giribet G. ’Phylogeny, evolution and systematic revision of the mite-harvestmen family Neogoveidae (Opiliones, Cyphophthalmi). Invertebrate Systematics. 2018.
Abstract
Mite harvestmen of the family Neogoveidae have a tropical trans-Atlantic distribution with representatives in equatorial West Africa and the Neotropics, specifically in the southeast region of the USA and in Northern South America, being conspicuously absent from Central America. We provide a comprehensive molecular phylogeny of the family including representatives of all genera but the monotypic Tucanogovea Karaman, 2013, and new information on the type species described by Jochen Martens in 1969 that were unavailable for molecular study until now: Brasiliogovea microphaga, Metagovea oviformis and “? Gen. enigmaticus”. Additionally, we revisit the somatic and male genitalic morphology of representatives of all genera by means of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM), describe the new genera Leggogovia gen. nov., Microgovia gen. nov., Waiwaigovia gen. nov., and 13 new species from Brazil, Cameroon, Colombia, Equatorial Guinea, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, and Venezuela. Phylogenetic analyses based on maximum-likelihood, parsimony and Bayesian inference support the monophyly of Neogoveidae and a sister group relationship of Neogoveidae + Ogoveidae with Troglosironidae (a clade named Sternophthalmi). Relationships among neogoveid genera are largely congruent between methods as follows: ((Leggogovia gen. nov., Metasiro), (Parogovia, ((Canga, Microgovia gen. nov.), ((Brasiliogovea, Neogovea), (Huitaca, (Waiwaigovia gen. nov., Metagovea)))))). In light of our results, the following taxonomic changes are proposed: Metagovea oviformis Martens, 1969 is transferred to Microgovia gen. nov.; Parogovia pabsgarnoni Legg, 1990 is transferred to Leggogovia gen. nov.; “? Gen. enigmaticus Martens, 1969”is an invalid name according to the ICZN; the corresponding taxon is redescribed and formally named as Neogovea enigmatica Martens, 2018, sp. nov.