@PHDTHESIS{ 2017:705990557, title = {An?lise clad?stica e revis?o taxon?mica de Eustala Simon, 1895 (Araneae: Araneidae)}, year = {2017}, url = "http://tede2.pucrs.br/tede2/handle/tede/7777", abstract = "A phylogenetic analysis and taxonomic review of the orb-weaver genus Eustala (Araneae: Araneidae) The spider genus Eustala Simon, 1895 is composed of 86 species with Nearctic and Neotropical distribution. Members of this genus are frequently collected and are recognized by the females with scapus directed anteriorly and males with a white median apophysis hanging down laterally in the bulb. Additionally, species of the genus usually show a color-pattern on the abdomen dorsum, called folium, which seems to match with the lichens and mosses of the substrate that they occur (e.g. shrub, trunks). This is the only Neotropical araneid genus lacking a taxonomic review and, also, the phylogenetic relationships among its species is unknow. Thus, this work aimed to study the phylogenetic relations among Eustala species, and provide a taxonomic review of the genus. The morphological data was analysed using parcimony, and the characters were treat with equal and implied weight. As a result, the phylogenetic analysis, based on a dataset of 179 discrete and 12 continuous characters scored for 108 terminals revealed Eustala as monophyletic genus having Metazygia F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1904 as sister-group. Based on observation of more than 2500 specimens and bibliography, seven species were declared nomina dubia: E. tridentata (C. L. Koch, 1838), E. tristis (Blackwall, 1862), E. essequibensis (Hingston, 1932), E. uncicurva Franganillo, 1936, E. nigerrima Mello-Leit?o, 1940, E. albicans Caporiacco, 1954 and E. andina Chamberlin, 1916. Also, the following synonimies are proposed: Eustala conchlea (McCook, 1888) is considered senior synonym of E. emertoni (Banks, 1904); E. guianensis (Taczanowski, 1873) as senior synonym of E. monticola Chamberlin, 1916 and E. bacelarae Caporiacco, 1955; E. bifida F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1904 as senior synonym of E. wiedenmeyeri Schenkel, 1953 and E. maxima Chickering, 1955; E. unimaculata Franganillo, 1930 as senior synonym of E. bisetosa Bryant, 1945;and Metazygia isabelae Levi, 1995 as senior synonym of M. chenevo Levi, 1995. Yet, E. venusta Chickering, 1955 was revalided. Additionally, 54 species are redescribed: E. fuscovittata (Keyserling, 1864), E. oblonga Chickering, 1955, E. saga (Keyserling, 1893), E. sagana (Keyserling, 1893), E. latebricola (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1889), E. unimaculata, E. cazieri Levi, 1977, E. innoxia Chickering, 1955, E. tantula Chickering, 1955, E. exigua Chickering, 1955, E. devia (Gertsch & Mulaik, 1936), E. perdita Bryant, 1945, E. fragilis (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1889), E. rubroguttulata (Keyserling, 1879), E. californiensis (Keyserling, 1885), E. minuscula (Keyserling, 1892), E. guianensis, E. guttata F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1904, E. ingenua Chickering, 1955, E. redundans Chickering, 1955, E. rustica Chickering, 1955, E. brevispina Gertsch & Davis, 1936, E. scitula Chickering, 1955, E. bifida, E. lata Chickering, 1955, E. conformans Chamberlin, 1925, E. cepina (Walckenaer, 1841), E. conchlea, E. anastera (Walckenaer, 1841), E. rosae Chamberlin & Ivie, 1935, E. delecta Chickering, 1955, E. banksi Chickering, 1955, E. mimica Chickering, 1955, E. trinitatis (Hogg, 1918), E. bucolica Chickering, 1955, E. montivaga Chamberlin, 1916, E. cameronensis Gertsch & Davis, 1936, E. scutigera (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1898), E. eleuthera Levi, 1977, E. venusta Chickering, 1955, E. histrio Mello-Leit?o, 1948, E. gonygaster (C.L. Koch, 1838), E. lunulifera Mello-Leit?o, 1939, E. pallida Mello-Leit?o, 1940, E. smaragdinea Mello-Leit?o, 1939, E. clavispina (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1889), E. viridipedata (Roewer, 1942), E. vegeta (Keyserling, 1865), E. tribrachiata Badcock, 1932, E. novemmamillata Mello-Leit?o, 1941, E. nasuta Mello-Leit?o, 1939, E. sedula Chickering, 1955, E. semifoliata (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1899), and E. inconstans Chickering, 1955. New records expanded the distribution of 12 species: E. nasuta from Costa Rica, E. guttata from Guyana, E. lata from Jamaica, E. montivaga from Guatemala and Dominican Republic, E. mimica from Venezuela, E. rustica from Mexico, E. scutigera, E. conformans, E. tribrachiata and E lunulifera from Brazil, E. minuscula from Argentina, and E. smaragdinea from Paraguay.", publisher = {Pontif?cia Universidade Cat?lica do Rio Grande do Sul}, scholl = {Programa de P?s Gradua??o em Zoologia}, note = {Escola de Ci?ncias} }