Phylogeny of the Neotropical Hypoctonine Whip-Scorpions (Thelyphonida, Thelyphonidae), with Descriptions of Two New Genera and Species

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Phylogeny of the Neotropical Hypoctonine Whip-Scorpions (Thelyphonida, Thelyphonidae), with Descriptions of Two New Genera and Species

Simple Summary

Thelyphonida, also known as vinegaroons or whip-scorpions, is a small arachnid order with 140 described species. Despite being conspicuous and widely distributed across the tropics and subtropics on four continents, knowledge of the order has been slow to advance. The genus Thelyphonellus, a member of subfamily Hypoctoninae, consisted of four species described prior to the present contribution. In this study, the first detailed morphological study and phylogenetic analysis of Thelyphonellus is presented. The analysis includes all except one of the previously described species of Thelyphonellus in addition to two new species described herein, the species of Ravilops (from the Caribbean island of Hispaniola), and the West African genus Etienneus. A single, optimal phylogenetic hypothesis placed Ravilops nested within Thelyphonellus. Four lineages with disjunct distributions, each characterized by a combination of characters, were recovered by the analysis of Hypoctoninae. Based on these results, four genera, two of which are new, are recognized: Ravilops, Thelyphonellus, Wounaan (new genus), and Yekuana (new genus). Two new species, classified in Wounaan and Yekuana, are described and illustrated. A key to the identification of the Neotropical genera of Hypoctoninae and a map plotting the known distribution of its species are also presented.

Botero-Trujillo R, Moreno-González JA, Prendini L. Phylogeny of the Neotropical Hypoctonine Whip-Scorpions (Thelyphonida, Thelyphonidae), with Descriptions of Two New Genera and Species. Insects. 2024; 15(10):761. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15100761