Molecular phylogenetics of the spider family Micropholcommatidae (Arachnida: Araneae) using nuclear rRNA genes (18S and 28S)

Abstract

The spider family Micropholcommatidae is an enigmatic taxon of uncertain limits and uncertain affinities. Various phylogenetic hypotheses have been proposed for the family, but these hypotheses have never been tested with a robust phylogenetic analysis. The existence of similar Australasian and New World taxa, the possibility of morphological convergence associated with extreme 'smallness', and the apparent paucity of synapomorphic morphological characters, have all clouded generic relationships in this group. We used fragments from two nuclear ribosomal RNA genes (18S and 28S) to test the monophyly and phylogenetic position of the Micropholcommatidae. The analyses incorporated 50 ingroup spider species, including 23 micropholcommatid species and representatives from 14 other spider families. Ribosomal RNA secondary structures were inferred for the V3-V5 region of the 18S rRNA gene, and Domain II of the 28S rRNA gene of Hickmania troglodytes [Higgins, E.T., Petterd, W.F., 1883. Description of a new cave-inhabiting spider, together with notes on mammalian remains from a recently discovered cave in the Chudleigh district. Pap. Proc. R. Soc. Tasman. 1882, 191-192]. These secondary structures were used to guide multiple sequence alignments, and determine the position and nature of indels in different taxa. Secondary structure information was also incorporated into a structurally partitioned rRNA analysis in MrBayes Version 3.1.2, using a doublet model of nucleotide substitution. This structurally partitioned rRNA analysis provided a less resolved but more conservative and informative estimate of phylogeny than an otherwise identical, unpartitioned rDNA analysis. With the exception of the Chilean species Teutoniella cekalovici [Platnick, N.I., Forster, R.R., 1986. On Teutoniella, an American genus of the spider family Micropholcommatidae (Araneae, Palpimanoidea). Am. Mus. Novit. 2854, 1-9], the family Micropholcommatidae was found to be monophyletic with three monophyletic sub-lineages-congruent with the Micropholcommatinae, Textricellinae, and a group of 'taphiassine' species. Teutoniella cekalovici never grouped with the other micropholcommatid taxa, and could not be assigned to any family group with confidence.