Taxonomy Takes Time: Shortcuts to Synonymy

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  Taxonomy Takes Time: Shortcuts to Synonymy Abstract Taxonomy is the foundation of biology, providing the currency (species) for biological studies and the handle (epithet) to refer to them. The task at hand is urgent: a race against extinction as most species remain undescribed and expertise declines. In response, various ‘rapid taxonomy’ approaches aim to hasten descriptions. Good examples exist that genuinely accelerate the growth of taxonomic knowledge, but shortcuts risk errors that may take more time to resolve than the original work took to produce. Authors must consider (1) the total time budget, including subsequent revisions necessitated by inadequate taxonomy; (2) the taxonomic literature on regional and widespread taxa; and (3) illustration quality as a critical and enduring component of species description. Reviewers and editors must also ensure minimum standards. I discuss a recent example where shortcuts, instead of accelerating taxonomy, merely borrowed time. Anelo...

Three new species of Paratropis Simon, 1889 (Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Paratropididae) from Brazil and Colombia

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Three new species of Paratropis Simon, 1889 (Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Paratropididae) from Brazil and Colombia

Abstract

The Paratropididae Simon, 1889 comprises small to medium-sized (6.0–18.5 mm) mygalomorph spiders with 26 species distributed in four genera: Anisaspis Simon, 1892; Anisaspoides F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1896; Paratropis Simon, 1889 and Stormtropis Perafán, Galvis & Pérez-Miles, 2019. Paratropidids can be found in tropical and mountain forests, in caves, near rivers, under fallen logs and rocks, leaf litter, moss and ravines. Most species are distributed in South America, mainly in Colombia, Ecuador and Brazil. Despite recent efforts in understanding the taxonomy of the family, paratropidids are still poorly studied. Herein, three new species of Paratropis are described: Paratropis celiae sp. nov. and Paratropis manauara sp. nov., both from Manaus in the state of Amazonas, Brazil; and Paratropis vulcanix sp. nov. from Departamento Tolima-Calda Nevado del Ruiz, Colombia. An updated geographical distribution map for the entire genus is presented and a discussion on the taxonomic problems of the family is provided.

Naila Amanda S. Santos, Joao Pedro C. Gomes, Marlus Queiroz Almeida, Jose Wellington de Morais, Rogerio Bertani "Three new species of Paratropis Simon, 1889 (Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Paratropididae) from Brazil and Colombia," The Journal of Arachnology, 52(3), 234-250, (26 February 2025)