Evolution of genital asymmetry, exaggerated eye stalks, and extreme palpal elongation in Panjange spiders (Araneae: Pholcidae)

  • Bernhard Huber Alexander Koenig Research Museum of Zoology, Adenauerallee 160, 53113 Bonn
  • Olga M. Nuñeza Department of Biological Sciences, Mindanao State University - Iligan Institute of Technology, Tibanga, Iligan City 9200
Keywords: Genital asymmetry, eye stalks, palpal elongation, sexual selection, Panjange, Philippines

Abstract

We describe several new species of the previously monotypic Panjange lanthana species group from the Philippines and document their extraordinary morphology. Some species show strong male genital asymmetry, a phenomenon that seems to be exceedingly rare in spiders. Males of most species have eye stalks, and in two species these eye stalks are among the longest ever recorded in spiders. Some species show a tendency for male genital (pedipalp) elongation, and one species has the longest and thinnest palps ever recorded in Pholcidae. A cladistic analysis is performed including all described and several undescribed species of Panjange (except for one “problem species”), supporting the lanthana group and its close relationship with members of the possibly paraphyletic cavicola group. The following eight new species are described: Panjange malagos Huber sp. nov.; Pa. casaroro Huber sp. nov.; Pa. camiguin Huber sp. nov.; Pa. hamiguitan Huber sp. nov.; Pa. isarog Huber sp. nov.; Pa. dinagat Huber sp. nov.; Pa. marilog Huber sp. nov.; Pa. bukidnon Huber sp. nov.

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Published
2015-12-28
How to Cite
Huber, B., & Nuñeza, O. M. (2015). Evolution of genital asymmetry, exaggerated eye stalks, and extreme palpal elongation in Panjange spiders (Araneae: Pholcidae). European Journal of Taxonomy, (169). https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2015.169