Metalibitia Roewer, 1912

Coronato-Ribeiro, Amanda & Pinto-Da-Rocha, Ricardo, 2017, Taxonomic revision and cladistic analysis of the genus Metalibitia Roewer, 1912 (Opiliones, Cosmetidae, Cosmetinae), Zootaxa 4291 (2), pp. 201-242 : 203-204

Metalibitia Roewer, 1912

Cosmetus [part]: Sørensen, 1884: 593, 594 [desc]; Kury, 2003: 39 [cat]

Metalibitia Roewer, 1912: 12 [desc]; 1923: 294 [rdesc]; Mello-Leitão, 1923: 109 [cit]; Roewer, 1925: 2 [cit]; Mello-Leitão, 1926: 331 [key]; Roewer, 1927: 552 [cit]; Mello-Leitão, 1932: 56 [rdesc]; 1933: 108 [key]; 1935: 115 [cit]; Ringuelet, 1959: 151 [rdesc, syst, cit] [= Paralibitia , = Libitiola ], 1963: 49 [key]; Soares & Soares, 1985: 4 [cit]; Kury, 2003: 68 [cat]; Kury et.al., 2007: 332 [cit]; Pinto-da-Rocha & Hara, 2011: 9 [cit]; Kury & Villarreal, 2015: 11, 14, 23, 26, 29 [cit].

Paralibitia Roewer, 1912: 13 [desc]; 1914: 130 [cit]; 1923: 295 [rdesc]; Mello-Leitão, 1926: 331 [key]; Roewer, 1927: 552 [key]; Mello-Leitão, 1932: 90 [rdesc, key]; 1933: 108 [key]; 1935: 115 [cit]; Kury, 2003: 68 [cat]. (type species Cosmetus argentinus Sørensen, 1884 , by original designation). Synonymy established by Ringuelet (1959).

Libitiola Roewer, 1925: 7 [desc]; 1927: 610 [rdesc]; Mello-Leitão, 1932: 55 [rdesc]; 1933: 109 [key]; 1935: 115 [cit]; Kury, 2003: 68 [cat] (type species Libitiola borellii Roewer, 1925 , designated by Kury, 2003). Synonymy established by Ringuelet (1959).

Libitia (Messa) [part]: Sørensen, 1932: 412 [desc]; Mello-Leitão, 1932: 50 [rdesc, key] 1933: 109 [cit]; Kury, 2003: 68 [cat].

Libitia [part]: Sørensen, 1932: 412 [desc, key]; Kury, 2003: 68 [cat].

Labrosa Mello-Leitão, 1939: 293 [desc]; Kury, 2003: 68 [cat] (type species Labrosa arenosa Mello-Leitão, 1939 , by original designation). Synonymy established by Kury (2003).

Type species: Cosmetus paraguayensis Sørensen, 1884 , by original designation.

Diagnosis. Metalibitia can be distinguished From the other cosmetid genera in having the glans penis inserted at the middle dorsal region oF ventral plate, a membranous extension on the middle lateral region oF the ventral plate oF the penis, all lateral macrosetae short (not exceeding the edge oF the ventral plate), apical macrosetae (MS C) straight on ventral plate, macrosetae E minute, microsetae Fields ( Kury, 2016) lacking, elongated glans (exceeding the superior border oF ventral plate) and absence oF dorsal process on glans and caruncle on apex oF stylus. Other morphological characters may be used together to distinguish the genus From other cosmetid genera: dorsal scutum covered with small tubercles, shape oF dorsal scutum type gamma, pair oF granular tubercles in scutal areas I–III and pair oF spines on area IV, coxae I and II with one prolateral tubercle FalciForm, presence oF dorsal tubercle on trochanter IV.

Geographical distribution ( Fig. 14 ). ARGENTINA (Buenos Aires, Chaco, Córdoba, Jujuy, Salta, Santa Fe and Tucumán) , BRAZIL (Amazonas, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Pará, Rondônia, Rio Grande do Sul) , BOLIVIA (Chaco, Santa Cruz, Tarija) , PARAGUAY (Ñeembucú), and URUGUAY (Canelones, Durazno, Florida, Montevideo, Rivera, Treinta y Tres) .

The genus is distributed in the Neotropical region, occurring in seven ecoregions (World Wide Fund For Nature WWF, 2015a). In general, Metalibitia mainly occurs on open vegetation with little shrubs, climate with deFined seasonallity and generally warm and dry, with Few records in humid Forest. It is Found mostly in the vast region oF Cerrado/ Chaco /Pampas. It is very important to include inFormation on the plant and habitat that the specimen was captured on and to list this inFormation on the label, in order to Facilitate Further studies and identiFication oF the biomes related to the group distribution.

The species M. fuscomaculata and M. santaremis are distributed in the northeast area oF Amazon rainForest (“tropical rainForest”: World Wide Fund For Nature WWF, 2015a), being characterized by little variation in annual temperature, high levels oF precipitation, semi-evergreen vegetation, large plant and animal diversity. However, in the exact locality oF these species occurrence, there are small patches oF cerrado, near the collecting site oF M. abuna sp. n. (southwestern Amazon); this ecorregion is characterized by a well-deFined seasonality (a rainy season, a dry season), plains oF grassland, bushes, open vegetation with a Few small trees (World Wide Fund For Nature WWF, 2015b). The species M. adunca and M. borellii occur in transitional areas between the Amazon rainForest, the Yungas, and the Cerrado. The species M. borellii reaches the Puna ecorregion, which is next to the Andes, and is characterized by high-altitude grassland, rainFall and intense sunlight (World Wide Fund For Nature WWF, 2015c). Metalibitia tibialis and M. paraguayensis are distributed on the Yungas ecoregion (tropical and subtropical montane rainForests, World Wide Fund For Nature WWF, 2015a), characterized by hot climate, large, seasonally dry and deciduous vegetation. Metalibitia argentina , M. rosascostai , M. brasiliensis (it reaches the borders oF the Atlantic Forest) and M. paraguayensis are distributed in the ecorregions oF cerrado/chaco/tropical pampas, dominated by grasslands, Few trees and moderate rainFall (World Wide Fund For Nature WWF, 2015d). The species M. paraguayensis reaches the temperate pampas, known as grasslands oF South America, recognized For being open plains, whithout trees or shrubs, well-deFined seasons and humid climate (World Wide Fund For Nature WWF, 2015e). The species is associated to Sierra de Córdoba, a region characterized by temperate climate, hot and dry, with variable rainFall and Flora similar to chaco, with small trees and alpine grasslands on top.

Although some species were reported From other localities, they were not included in the map because we were unable to check the the correct identiFication. Metalibitia borellii was reported to Argentina (Salta: Tartagal; Jujuy: San Lorenzo) ( Ringuelet, 1959). Metalibitia paraguayensis was reported by Capocasale (1968; 2003) and Simó et. al. (2014) to Uruguay . Acosta (2002) reported sites From Uruguay cited by Ringuelet (1959) and characterized this species as belonging to “Areas Mesopotámica, Pampásica and Yungas”. We could not Find samples oF this species From Uruguay but, as it occurs on the Argentinean border ( Fig. 14 ), it is no unlikely it could occur in Uruguay. Metalibitia tibialis is reported to Argentina (Salta: Bajada Grande; Pocitos) by Ringuelet (1959), but again, these samples were not examined.

Figures

FIGURE 14. Records of geographical distribution of Metalibitia spp.: Argentina, Brazil, BoliVia, Paraguay and Uruguay.