Paranita, a new genus of spiders from northeastern Argentina (Araneae, Trachelidae)

RAMIREZ, M.J,; GRISMADO, CRISTIAN J.

Revista del Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales

Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales

Lugar: Buenos Aires; Año: 2023

Paranita, a new spider genus in the family Trachelidae, is described with two new species, Paranita paulae sp. n. and Paranita inesae sp. n., both from grasslands and marshes of the Paraná and Uruguay Rivers in northeastern Argentina. Paranita species are similar to those of the genera Orthobula and Capobula in having abundant spines on the tibia, metatarsus and tarsus of the two pairs of anterior legs, as well as large pores on the surface of the carapace and a peculiar morphology of the claw lever of the legs. However, phylogenetic analysis of molecular sequences and morphological data suggests that Paranita is not closely related to those genera and, therefore, these similarities would be evolutionary convergences.