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Mark Harvey

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Everton Tizo Pedroso

Universidade Estadual de Goiás

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Universidade Federal de Uberlândia

Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto

Universidade de São Paulo

University of Vienna

Julio César González-Gómez

Universidad del Tolima

Revista Intropica

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Alexandra Magro

Université de Toulouse

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Papers by Mark Harvey

Associations Between Australian Pseudoscorpions and Ants

Psyche: A Journal of Entomology, 1994

The distribution of three species of pseudoscorpions, found under the bark of blue gum Eucalyptus... more The distribution of three species of pseudoscorpions, found under the bark of blue gum Eucalyptus globulus, is closely correlated with the presence of three species of ants. Marachernes bellus is never found on trees without Anonychomyrma sp. near foetens, and Protochelifer victorianus and Paraustrochernes victorianus are more commonly found on trees with Technomyrmex jocosus and/or Tapinoma minutum. The distribution of another pseudoscorpion, Conicochernes sp., is not influenced by the presence of these ants. Observations of the behavior of these pseudoscorpions indicate that at least some species may be specialist predators of ants.

The first goblin spiders of the genus Camptoscaphiella (Araneae: Oonopidae) from New Caledonia

Australian Journal of Entomology, 2013

ABSTRACT The first species of the goblin spider genus Camptoscaphiella Caporiacco from New Caledo... more ABSTRACT The first species of the goblin spider genus Camptoscaphiella Caporiacco from New Caledonia are recorded and described. C. monteithi new species was found on the summit of Mt Rembai, and C. potteri new species was found on Mt Mandjélia, suggesting that they are high‐altitude specialists.

A new species of Lobohalacarus from Australia (Chelicerata: Acarina: Halacaridae)

Worldwide catalogues and species numbers of the arachnid orders (Arachnida)

Arachnologische Mitteilungen, 2011

The "World Spider Catalog" -which is online as version 11.5 (PLATNICK 2011) and which is updated ... more The "World Spider Catalog" -which is online as version 11.5 (PLATNICK 2011) and which is updated every 6 months -is widely known. Less familiar is the availability since 2010 of the older versions of this catalogue, which can be found respectively under http://research.amnh.org/iz/spiders/catalog_11.0. This is helpful as it provides referenced older versions, which are now checkable. These versions also offer the opportunity to investigate changes in total spider species numbers, or for individual families

The spider family Micropholcommatidae (Arachnida: Araneae: Araneoidea): a relimitation and revision at the generic level

ZooKeys, 2010

Citation: Rix MG, Harvey MS (2010) Th e spider family Micropholcommatidae (Arachnida, Araneae, Ar... more

The neglected cousins: what do we know about the smaller arachnid orders?

Journal of Arachnology, 2002

... THE SMALLER ARACHNID ORDERS? Mark S. Harvey: Department of Terrestrial Invertebrates, Western... more

Diversity, endemism and species turnover of millipedes within the south-western Australian global biodiversity hotspot

Journal of Biogeography, 2009

Aim To examine how current and historical environmental gradients affect patterns of millipede (D... more

The Systematic Position of the Amazonian Species of Albiorix (Pseudoscorpiones, Ideoroncidae)

Journal of Arachnology, 2006

The new genus Xorilbia (Pseudoscorpiones, Ideoroncidae) is established for three species from the... more The new genus Xorilbia (Pseudoscorpiones, Ideoroncidae) is established for three species from the Amazon region previously included in the genus Albiorix: the type species X. arboricola (Mahnert), X. gracilis (Mahnert) and X. lamellifer (Mahnert). The new genus bears a peculiar structure on the arolium that is only found in a few other genera of Ideoroncidae. New locality records are presented for X. gracilis and X. lamellifer, including the first record of X. gracilis from Venezuela.

A Review of Some Australasian Chernetidae: Sundochernes, Troglochernes and a New Genus (Pseudoscorpiones)

Journal of Arachnology, 2007

The status of the whip spider subgenus Neocharon (Amblypygi: Charontidae) and the distribution of the genera Charon and Stygophrynus

Journal of Arachnology, 2011

The Solomon Island endemic species of Charontidae, Stygophrynus (Neocharon) forsteri Dunn 1949, i... more The Solomon Island endemic species of Charontidae, Stygophrynus (Neocharon) forsteri Dunn 1949, is transferred to the genus Charon, thus forming the new combination Charon forsteri (Dunn 1949). The subgenus Neocharon is a junior synonym of Charon. The distribution of Stygophrynus is found to be restricted to Southeast Asia from southern Myanmar to Java, not spreading east of Wallace's Line. We provide a full description, diagnosis, and numerous figures of Charon forsteri.

Biodiversity, functional roles and ecosystem services of groundwater invertebrates

by Graham Fenwick, Mark Harvey, and Andrew Boulton

Invertebrate Systematics, 2008

Recent surveys of groundwater invertebrates (stygofauna) worldwide are yielding rich troves of bi... more Recent surveys of groundwater invertebrates (stygofauna) worldwide are yielding rich troves of biodiversity, with significant implications for invertebrate systematists and phylogeneticists as well as ecologists and groundwater managers. What is the ecological significance of this high biodiversity of invertebrates in some aquifers? How might it influence groundwater ecosystem services such as water purification or bioremediation? In terrestrial ecosystems, biodiversity is typically positively correlated with rates of ecosystem functions beneficial to humans (e.g. crop pollination). However, the links between biodiversity, ecosystem function, and ecosystem services in groundwater are unknown. In some aquifers, feeding, movement and excretion by diverse assemblages of stygofauna potentially enhance groundwater ecosystem services such as water purification, bioremediation and water infiltration. Further, as specific taxa apparently play 'keystone' roles in facilitating ecosystem services, declines in abundance or even their extinction have serious repercussions. One way to assess the functional significance of biodiversity is to identify 'ecosystem service providers', characterise their functional relationships, determine how service provision is affected by community structure and environmental variables, and measure the spatio-temporal scales over which these operate. Examples from Australian and New Zealand alluvial aquifers reveal knowledge gaps in understanding the functional importance of most stygofauna, hampering effective protection of currently undervalued groundwater ecosystem services.

$Table 1. Taxa (Ecosystem Service Providers (ESPs)), their affinity (OH, ‘occasional hyporheos’; S, stygofauna), and their functional importance (f;, expressed as the product of their rank abundance/biomass (,,) and predicted efficiency (e;,) in enhancing the provision of the ecosystem services 0 biogeochemical filtration and particulate organic matter breakdown in lateral gravel bars (environment k) at Tallowood Pont, Never Never River, NSW Each ESP’s proportional functional importance (P F;,) is expressed as a fraction of the total aggregate (dominant 28% in bold). Rank abundance/biomass wa: determined as a combination of three size classes (1, <250 um; 2, 250 um—1000 um; 3, >1000 um) and three overall abundances (1, <10; 2, 11-500; 3, >50( individuals across composite sampling of c. 300 L). Efficiency was estimated as: 0, no or unknown direct role; 1, minor role; 2, moderate role; 3, major role.$

Systematics of the Gondwanan pseudoscorpion family Hyidae (Pseudoscorpiones�:�Neobisioidea): new data and a revised phylogenetic hypothesis

Invertebrate Systematics, 2007

The neobisioid pseudoscorpion family Hyidae has a distribution spanning the margins of the Indian... more The neobisioid pseudoscorpion family Hyidae has a distribution spanning the margins of the Indian Ocean and its phylogenetic position has been suggested to lie midway between a clade containing the Bochidae and Ideoroncidae, and a clade containing the remaining neobisioid families, Gymnobisiidae, Neobisiidae, Parahyidae and Syarinidae. Their central position within the Neobisioidea, and their biogeographic patterns, have prompted the present study, which is designed to test the monophyly of the family, deduce the phylogeny of all known hyids and to describe several newly discovered species. The phylogenetic analysis of the 14 species of the pseudoscorpion family Hyidae along with 20 other species of Neobisioidea demonstrates the monophyly of the family and its distinctness from all other neobisioid families. Two genera, Hya Chamberlin and Indohya Beier, are recognised, even though the phylogenetic analysis did not consistently recover the monophyly of Indohya. The effect of outgroup selection was tested on the Hyidae and revealed markedly different tree topologies. Hyella Harvey, with the type species H. humphreysi Harvey, is newly synonymised with Indohya owing to similarities between the previously described species and some new troglobitic species. The Indohyinae Harvey is synonymised with Hyidae. Two new epigean species and three new troglobitic species of Indohya are described:

Description of Adults of Arrenurus (? Micruracarus ) Kitchingi SP.NOV. (Acarina: Arrenuridae) from Water-Filled Tree Holes in Australia

The Canadian Entomologist, 1989

... IAN M. SMITH Biosystematics Research Centre, Agriculture Canada, Research Branch, Ottawa, Ont... more ... IAN M. SMITH Biosystematics Research Centre, Agriculture Canada, Research Branch, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada KIA OC6 and MARK S. HARVEY Department of Environmental ... C&#x27;est le premier signalement d&#x27;une espece d&#x27;drrenurus dont l&#x27;habitat est constitu6 par un trou d&#x27;arbre ...

A new species of Urodacus from Western Australia, with additional descriptive notes for Urodacus megamastigus (Scorpiones)

Terrestrial Invertebrates

by Kerrie Davies and Mark Harvey

The first phylogenetic analysis of Palpigradi (Arachnida)–the most enigmatic arthropod order

by Erin McIntyre, Mark Harvey, Lubomir Kovac, and Lynn McCutchen

ABSTRACT Palpigradi are a poorly understood group of delicate arachnids, often found in caves or ... more ABSTRACT Palpigradi are a poorly understood group of delicate arachnids, often found in caves or other subterranean habitats. Concomitantly, they have been neglected from a phylogenetic point of view. Here we present the first molecular phylogeny of palpigrades based on specimens collected in different subterranean habitats, both endogean (soil) and hypogean (caves), from Australia, Africa, Europe, South America and North America. Analyses of two nuclear ribosomal genes and COI under an array of methods and homology schemes found monophyly of Palpigradi, Eukoeneniidae and a division of Eukoeneniidae into four main clades, three of which include samples from multiple continents. This supports either ancient vicariance or long-range dispersal, two alternatives we cannot distinguish with the data at hand. In addition, we show that our results are robust to homology scheme and analytical method, encouraging further use of the markers employed in this study to continue drawing a broader picture of palpigrade relationships.

The systematics and biology of the spider genus Nephila (Araneae�:�Nephilidae) in the Australasian region

Invertebrate Systematics, 2007

Page 1. Introduction Spiders of the genus Nephila Leach are abundant and conspicu-ous in many par... more

PSEUDALBIORIX, A NEW GENUS OF IDEORONCIDAE (PSEUDOSCORPIONES, NEOBISIOIDEA) FROM CENTRAL AMERICA

Journal of Arachnology, 2006

A new genus of Ideoroncidae, Pseudalbiorix, is described from Central America, and is found to co... more A new genus of Ideoroncidae, Pseudalbiorix, is described from Central America, and is found to consist of four species: the type species P. reddelli , new combination from southern Mexico, P. veracruzensis , new combination from Belize, Guatemala and southern Mexico, and P. muchmorei Barba & Pérez, new species and P. armasi Barba & Pérez, new species from western Cuba. Pseudalbiorix reddelli and P. veracruzensis are transferred from the genus Albiorix. Members of this genus differ from all other ideoroncids principally in the morphology of the chelal externodistal condyle. All post-embryonic stages of P. reddelli are described.

Biogeography and speciation of terrestrial fauna in the south-western Australian biodiversity hotspot

Biological Reviews, 2014

The south-western land division of Western Australia (SWWA), bordering the temperate Southern and... more The south-western land division of Western Australia (SWWA), bordering the temperate Southern and Indian Oceans, is the only global biodiversity hotspot recognised in Australia. Renowned for its extraordinary diversity of endemic plants, and for some of the largest and most botanically significant temperate heathlands and woodlands on Earth, SWWA has long fascinated biogeographers. Its flat, highly weathered topography and the apparent absence of major geographic factors usually implicated in biotic diversification have challenged attempts to explain patterns of biogeography and mechanisms of speciation in the region. Botanical studies have always been central to understanding the biodiversity values of SWWA, although surprisingly few quantitative botanical analyses have allowed for an understanding of historical biogeographic processes in both space and time. Faunistic studies, by contrast, have played little or no role in defining hotspot concepts, despite several decades of accumulating quantitative research on the phylogeny and phylogeography of multiple lineages. In this review we critically analyse datasets with explicit supporting phylogenetic data and estimates of the time since divergence for all available elements of the terrestrial fauna, and compare these datasets to those available for plants. In situ speciation has played more of a role in shaping the south-western Australian fauna than has long been supposed, and has occurred in numerous endemic lineages of freshwater fish, frogs, reptiles, snails and less-vagile arthropods. By contrast, relatively low levels of endemism are found in birds, mammals and highly dispersive insects, and in situ speciation has played a negligible role in generating local endemism in birds and mammals. Quantitative studies provide evidence for at least four mechanisms driving patterns of endemism in south-western Australian animals, including: (i) relictualism of ancient Gondwanan or Pangaean taxa in the High Rainfall Province; (ii) vicariant isolation of lineages west of the Nullarbor divide; (iii) in situ speciation; and (iv) recent population subdivision. From dated quantitative studies we derive four testable models of historical biogeography for animal taxa in SWWA, each explicit in providing a spatial, temporal and topological perspective on patterns of speciation or divergence. For each model we also propose candidate lineages that may be worthy of further study, given what we know of their taxonomy, distributions or relationships. These models formalise four of the strongest patterns seen in many animal taxa from SWWA, although other models are clearly required to explain particular, idiosyncratic patterns. Generating numerous new datasets for suites of co-occurring lineages in SWWA will help refine our understanding of the historical biogeography of the region, highlight gaps in our knowledge, and allow us to derive general postulates from quantitative (rather than qualitative) results. For animals, this process has now begun in earnest, as has the process of taxonomically documenting many of the more diverse invertebrate lineages. The latter remains central to any attempt to appreciate holistically biogeographic patterns and processes in SWWA, and molecular phylogenetic studies should -where possible -also lead to tangible taxonomic outcomes.

New Species in the Old World: Europe as a Frontier in Biodiversity Exploration, a Test Bed for 21st Century Taxonomy

PLoS ONE, 2012

The number of described species on the planet is about 1.9 million, with ca. 17,000 new species d... more The number of described species on the planet is about 1.9 million, with ca. 17,000 new species described annually, mostly from the tropics. However, taxonomy is usually described as a science in crisis, lacking manpower and funding, a politically acknowledged problem known as the Taxonomic Impediment. Using data from the Fauna Europaea database and the Zoological Record, we show that contrary to general belief, developed and heavily-studied parts of the world are important reservoirs of unknown species. In Europe, new species of multicellular terrestrial and freshwater animals are being discovered and named at an unprecedented rate: since the 1950s, more than 770 new species are on average described each year from Europe, which add to the 125,000 terrestrial and freshwater multicellular species already known in this region. There is no sign of having reached a plateau that would allow for the assessment of the magnitude of European biodiversity. More remarkably, over 60% of these new species are described by non-professional taxonomists. Amateurs are recognized as an essential part of the workforce in ecology and astronomy, but the magnitude of non-professional taxonomist contributions to alpha-taxonomy has not been fully realized until now. Our results stress the importance of developing a system that better supports and guides this formidable workforce, as we seek to overcome the Taxonomic Impediment and speed up the process of describing the planetary biodiversity before it is too late.

Associations Between Australian Pseudoscorpions and Ants

Psyche: A Journal of Entomology, 1994

The distribution of three species of pseudoscorpions, found under the bark of blue gum Eucalyptus... more The distribution of three species of pseudoscorpions, found under the bark of blue gum Eucalyptus globulus, is closely correlated with the presence of three species of ants. Marachernes bellus is never found on trees without Anonychomyrma sp. near foetens, and Protochelifer victorianus and Paraustrochernes victorianus are more commonly found on trees with Technomyrmex jocosus and/or Tapinoma minutum. The distribution of another pseudoscorpion, Conicochernes sp., is not influenced by the presence of these ants. Observations of the behavior of these pseudoscorpions indicate that at least some species may be specialist predators of ants.

The first goblin spiders of the genus Camptoscaphiella (Araneae: Oonopidae) from New Caledonia

Australian Journal of Entomology, 2013

ABSTRACT The first species of the goblin spider genus Camptoscaphiella Caporiacco from New Caledo... more ABSTRACT The first species of the goblin spider genus Camptoscaphiella Caporiacco from New Caledonia are recorded and described. C. monteithi new species was found on the summit of Mt Rembai, and C. potteri new species was found on Mt Mandjélia, suggesting that they are high‐altitude specialists.

A new species of Lobohalacarus from Australia (Chelicerata: Acarina: Halacaridae)

Worldwide catalogues and species numbers of the arachnid orders (Arachnida)

Arachnologische Mitteilungen, 2011

The "World Spider Catalog" -which is online as version 11.5 (PLATNICK 2011) and which is updated ... more The "World Spider Catalog" -which is online as version 11.5 (PLATNICK 2011) and which is updated every 6 months -is widely known. Less familiar is the availability since 2010 of the older versions of this catalogue, which can be found respectively under http://research.amnh.org/iz/spiders/catalog_11.0. This is helpful as it provides referenced older versions, which are now checkable. These versions also offer the opportunity to investigate changes in total spider species numbers, or for individual families

The spider family Micropholcommatidae (Arachnida: Araneae: Araneoidea): a relimitation and revision at the generic level

ZooKeys, 2010

Citation: Rix MG, Harvey MS (2010) Th e spider family Micropholcommatidae (Arachnida, Araneae, Ar... more

The neglected cousins: what do we know about the smaller arachnid orders?

Journal of Arachnology, 2002

... THE SMALLER ARACHNID ORDERS? Mark S. Harvey: Department of Terrestrial Invertebrates, Western... more

Diversity, endemism and species turnover of millipedes within the south-western Australian global biodiversity hotspot

Journal of Biogeography, 2009

Aim To examine how current and historical environmental gradients affect patterns of millipede (D... more

The Systematic Position of the Amazonian Species of Albiorix (Pseudoscorpiones, Ideoroncidae)

Journal of Arachnology, 2006

The new genus Xorilbia (Pseudoscorpiones, Ideoroncidae) is established for three species from the... more The new genus Xorilbia (Pseudoscorpiones, Ideoroncidae) is established for three species from the Amazon region previously included in the genus Albiorix: the type species X. arboricola (Mahnert), X. gracilis (Mahnert) and X. lamellifer (Mahnert). The new genus bears a peculiar structure on the arolium that is only found in a few other genera of Ideoroncidae. New locality records are presented for X. gracilis and X. lamellifer, including the first record of X. gracilis from Venezuela.

A Review of Some Australasian Chernetidae: Sundochernes, Troglochernes and a New Genus (Pseudoscorpiones)

Journal of Arachnology, 2007

The status of the whip spider subgenus Neocharon (Amblypygi: Charontidae) and the distribution of the genera Charon and Stygophrynus

Journal of Arachnology, 2011

The Solomon Island endemic species of Charontidae, Stygophrynus (Neocharon) forsteri Dunn 1949, i... more The Solomon Island endemic species of Charontidae, Stygophrynus (Neocharon) forsteri Dunn 1949, is transferred to the genus Charon, thus forming the new combination Charon forsteri (Dunn 1949). The subgenus Neocharon is a junior synonym of Charon. The distribution of Stygophrynus is found to be restricted to Southeast Asia from southern Myanmar to Java, not spreading east of Wallace's Line. We provide a full description, diagnosis, and numerous figures of Charon forsteri.

Biodiversity, functional roles and ecosystem services of groundwater invertebrates

by Graham Fenwick, Mark Harvey, and Andrew Boulton

Invertebrate Systematics, 2008

Recent surveys of groundwater invertebrates (stygofauna) worldwide are yielding rich troves of bi... more Recent surveys of groundwater invertebrates (stygofauna) worldwide are yielding rich troves of biodiversity, with significant implications for invertebrate systematists and phylogeneticists as well as ecologists and groundwater managers. What is the ecological significance of this high biodiversity of invertebrates in some aquifers? How might it influence groundwater ecosystem services such as water purification or bioremediation? In terrestrial ecosystems, biodiversity is typically positively correlated with rates of ecosystem functions beneficial to humans (e.g. crop pollination). However, the links between biodiversity, ecosystem function, and ecosystem services in groundwater are unknown. In some aquifers, feeding, movement and excretion by diverse assemblages of stygofauna potentially enhance groundwater ecosystem services such as water purification, bioremediation and water infiltration. Further, as specific taxa apparently play 'keystone' roles in facilitating ecosystem services, declines in abundance or even their extinction have serious repercussions. One way to assess the functional significance of biodiversity is to identify 'ecosystem service providers', characterise their functional relationships, determine how service provision is affected by community structure and environmental variables, and measure the spatio-temporal scales over which these operate. Examples from Australian and New Zealand alluvial aquifers reveal knowledge gaps in understanding the functional importance of most stygofauna, hampering effective protection of currently undervalued groundwater ecosystem services.

$Table 1. Taxa (Ecosystem Service Providers (ESPs)), their affinity (OH, ‘occasional hyporheos’; S, stygofauna), and their functional importance (f;, expressed as the product of their rank abundance/biomass (,,) and predicted efficiency (e;,) in enhancing the provision of the ecosystem services 0 biogeochemical filtration and particulate organic matter breakdown in lateral gravel bars (environment k) at Tallowood Pont, Never Never River, NSW Each ESP’s proportional functional importance (P F;,) is expressed as a fraction of the total aggregate (dominant 28% in bold). Rank abundance/biomass wa: determined as a combination of three size classes (1, <250 um; 2, 250 um—1000 um; 3, >1000 um) and three overall abundances (1, <10; 2, 11-500; 3, >50( individuals across composite sampling of c. 300 L). Efficiency was estimated as: 0, no or unknown direct role; 1, minor role; 2, moderate role; 3, major role.$

Systematics of the Gondwanan pseudoscorpion family Hyidae (Pseudoscorpiones�:�Neobisioidea): new data and a revised phylogenetic hypothesis

Invertebrate Systematics, 2007

The neobisioid pseudoscorpion family Hyidae has a distribution spanning the margins of the Indian... more The neobisioid pseudoscorpion family Hyidae has a distribution spanning the margins of the Indian Ocean and its phylogenetic position has been suggested to lie midway between a clade containing the Bochidae and Ideoroncidae, and a clade containing the remaining neobisioid families, Gymnobisiidae, Neobisiidae, Parahyidae and Syarinidae. Their central position within the Neobisioidea, and their biogeographic patterns, have prompted the present study, which is designed to test the monophyly of the family, deduce the phylogeny of all known hyids and to describe several newly discovered species. The phylogenetic analysis of the 14 species of the pseudoscorpion family Hyidae along with 20 other species of Neobisioidea demonstrates the monophyly of the family and its distinctness from all other neobisioid families. Two genera, Hya Chamberlin and Indohya Beier, are recognised, even though the phylogenetic analysis did not consistently recover the monophyly of Indohya. The effect of outgroup selection was tested on the Hyidae and revealed markedly different tree topologies. Hyella Harvey, with the type species H. humphreysi Harvey, is newly synonymised with Indohya owing to similarities between the previously described species and some new troglobitic species. The Indohyinae Harvey is synonymised with Hyidae. Two new epigean species and three new troglobitic species of Indohya are described:

Description of Adults of Arrenurus (? Micruracarus ) Kitchingi SP.NOV. (Acarina: Arrenuridae) from Water-Filled Tree Holes in Australia

The Canadian Entomologist, 1989

... IAN M. SMITH Biosystematics Research Centre, Agriculture Canada, Research Branch, Ottawa, Ont... more ... IAN M. SMITH Biosystematics Research Centre, Agriculture Canada, Research Branch, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada KIA OC6 and MARK S. HARVEY Department of Environmental ... C&#x27;est le premier signalement d&#x27;une espece d&#x27;drrenurus dont l&#x27;habitat est constitu6 par un trou d&#x27;arbre ...

A new species of Urodacus from Western Australia, with additional descriptive notes for Urodacus megamastigus (Scorpiones)

Terrestrial Invertebrates

by Kerrie Davies and Mark Harvey

The first phylogenetic analysis of Palpigradi (Arachnida)–the most enigmatic arthropod order

by Erin McIntyre, Mark Harvey, Lubomir Kovac, and Lynn McCutchen

ABSTRACT Palpigradi are a poorly understood group of delicate arachnids, often found in caves or ... more ABSTRACT Palpigradi are a poorly understood group of delicate arachnids, often found in caves or other subterranean habitats. Concomitantly, they have been neglected from a phylogenetic point of view. Here we present the first molecular phylogeny of palpigrades based on specimens collected in different subterranean habitats, both endogean (soil) and hypogean (caves), from Australia, Africa, Europe, South America and North America. Analyses of two nuclear ribosomal genes and COI under an array of methods and homology schemes found monophyly of Palpigradi, Eukoeneniidae and a division of Eukoeneniidae into four main clades, three of which include samples from multiple continents. This supports either ancient vicariance or long-range dispersal, two alternatives we cannot distinguish with the data at hand. In addition, we show that our results are robust to homology scheme and analytical method, encouraging further use of the markers employed in this study to continue drawing a broader picture of palpigrade relationships.

The systematics and biology of the spider genus Nephila (Araneae�:�Nephilidae) in the Australasian region

Invertebrate Systematics, 2007

Page 1. Introduction Spiders of the genus Nephila Leach are abundant and conspicu-ous in many par... more

PSEUDALBIORIX, A NEW GENUS OF IDEORONCIDAE (PSEUDOSCORPIONES, NEOBISIOIDEA) FROM CENTRAL AMERICA

Journal of Arachnology, 2006

A new genus of Ideoroncidae, Pseudalbiorix, is described from Central America, and is found to co... more A new genus of Ideoroncidae, Pseudalbiorix, is described from Central America, and is found to consist of four species: the type species P. reddelli , new combination from southern Mexico, P. veracruzensis , new combination from Belize, Guatemala and southern Mexico, and P. muchmorei Barba & Pérez, new species and P. armasi Barba & Pérez, new species from western Cuba. Pseudalbiorix reddelli and P. veracruzensis are transferred from the genus Albiorix. Members of this genus differ from all other ideoroncids principally in the morphology of the chelal externodistal condyle. All post-embryonic stages of P. reddelli are described.

Biogeography and speciation of terrestrial fauna in the south-western Australian biodiversity hotspot

Biological Reviews, 2014

The south-western land division of Western Australia (SWWA), bordering the temperate Southern and... more The south-western land division of Western Australia (SWWA), bordering the temperate Southern and Indian Oceans, is the only global biodiversity hotspot recognised in Australia. Renowned for its extraordinary diversity of endemic plants, and for some of the largest and most botanically significant temperate heathlands and woodlands on Earth, SWWA has long fascinated biogeographers. Its flat, highly weathered topography and the apparent absence of major geographic factors usually implicated in biotic diversification have challenged attempts to explain patterns of biogeography and mechanisms of speciation in the region. Botanical studies have always been central to understanding the biodiversity values of SWWA, although surprisingly few quantitative botanical analyses have allowed for an understanding of historical biogeographic processes in both space and time. Faunistic studies, by contrast, have played little or no role in defining hotspot concepts, despite several decades of accumulating quantitative research on the phylogeny and phylogeography of multiple lineages. In this review we critically analyse datasets with explicit supporting phylogenetic data and estimates of the time since divergence for all available elements of the terrestrial fauna, and compare these datasets to those available for plants. In situ speciation has played more of a role in shaping the south-western Australian fauna than has long been supposed, and has occurred in numerous endemic lineages of freshwater fish, frogs, reptiles, snails and less-vagile arthropods. By contrast, relatively low levels of endemism are found in birds, mammals and highly dispersive insects, and in situ speciation has played a negligible role in generating local endemism in birds and mammals. Quantitative studies provide evidence for at least four mechanisms driving patterns of endemism in south-western Australian animals, including: (i) relictualism of ancient Gondwanan or Pangaean taxa in the High Rainfall Province; (ii) vicariant isolation of lineages west of the Nullarbor divide; (iii) in situ speciation; and (iv) recent population subdivision. From dated quantitative studies we derive four testable models of historical biogeography for animal taxa in SWWA, each explicit in providing a spatial, temporal and topological perspective on patterns of speciation or divergence. For each model we also propose candidate lineages that may be worthy of further study, given what we know of their taxonomy, distributions or relationships. These models formalise four of the strongest patterns seen in many animal taxa from SWWA, although other models are clearly required to explain particular, idiosyncratic patterns. Generating numerous new datasets for suites of co-occurring lineages in SWWA will help refine our understanding of the historical biogeography of the region, highlight gaps in our knowledge, and allow us to derive general postulates from quantitative (rather than qualitative) results. For animals, this process has now begun in earnest, as has the process of taxonomically documenting many of the more diverse invertebrate lineages. The latter remains central to any attempt to appreciate holistically biogeographic patterns and processes in SWWA, and molecular phylogenetic studies should -where possible -also lead to tangible taxonomic outcomes.

New Species in the Old World: Europe as a Frontier in Biodiversity Exploration, a Test Bed for 21st Century Taxonomy

PLoS ONE, 2012

The number of described species on the planet is about 1.9 million, with ca. 17,000 new species d... more The number of described species on the planet is about 1.9 million, with ca. 17,000 new species described annually, mostly from the tropics. However, taxonomy is usually described as a science in crisis, lacking manpower and funding, a politically acknowledged problem known as the Taxonomic Impediment. Using data from the Fauna Europaea database and the Zoological Record, we show that contrary to general belief, developed and heavily-studied parts of the world are important reservoirs of unknown species. In Europe, new species of multicellular terrestrial and freshwater animals are being discovered and named at an unprecedented rate: since the 1950s, more than 770 new species are on average described each year from Europe, which add to the 125,000 terrestrial and freshwater multicellular species already known in this region. There is no sign of having reached a plateau that would allow for the assessment of the magnitude of European biodiversity. More remarkably, over 60% of these new species are described by non-professional taxonomists. Amateurs are recognized as an essential part of the workforce in ecology and astronomy, but the magnitude of non-professional taxonomist contributions to alpha-taxonomy has not been fully realized until now. Our results stress the importance of developing a system that better supports and guides this formidable workforce, as we seek to overcome the Taxonomic Impediment and speed up the process of describing the planetary biodiversity before it is too late.

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