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The genus Neocranaus Roewer, 1913 is revisited, its composition is expanded from two to five species and a new generic diagnosis is presented. Neocranaus albiconspersus Roewer, 1913, type species of the genus, is redescribed. The genus Tolimaius Roewer, 1915 syn. nov. is considered as a junior subjective synonym of Neocranaus, its sole member being transferred to Neocranaus – N. pectinitibialis (Roewer, 1915) comb. nov. – and redescribed here. The new combination Neocranaus laevifrons (Roewer, 1917) comb. nov. is proposed for Holocranaus laevifrons Roewer, 1917. The new species Neocranaus gladius Villarreal & Kury sp. nov. is described, from P.N.N. Yariguíes, Santander Department, Colombia. For the first time, the genital structure of this genus is illustrated. A key to the identification of the males of Neocranaus and some considerations about the reproductive biology of N. albiconspersus and N. pectinitibialis are presented.
We present a comprehensive revision of the pholcid spider collection of M.A. González-Sponga, who between 1998 and 2011 described 22 new genera and 51 new species of Pholcidae from Venezuela. In addition, we treat the pholcid material collected during three expeditions to Venezuela conducted between 2002 and 2020. Of González-Sponga’s pholcid taxa we recognize three genera and 24 species as valid. We describe 43 new species (all from males and females) in one new and 13 previously described genera; four genera are newly recorded for Venezuela. We describe the previously unknown females of 15 species, present new records for 46 previously described species, synonymize one genus and one species, and correct numerous minor errors in previous publications on Venezuelan pholcids. At the generic level, the Venezuelan pholcid fauna now appears fairly well known, but available data on distribution and endemism suggest that many species remain undiscovered and undescribed. Despite the obvious gaps, our data are congruent with previous studies on other taxa that have the highest levels of endemism in the Venezuelan Andes, the Coastal Ranges, and the Guyana Highlands. The Falcón Region in particular shows a complex mosaic of biogeographic relationships with other regions. We provide new biological data on numerous species. We document the first cases of evolutionary microhabitat shifts in the genera Mecolaesthus Simon, 1893 and Priscula Simon, 1893. We document several cases of close congeners sharing localities, usually in slightly to conspicuously different microhabitats, sometimes apparently in identical microhabitats. We document several cases of color polymorphism, mostly intersexual, in Metagonia conica (Simon, 1893) both intersexual and among males. We document further cases of two rare phenomena in Pholcidae: use of specific non-silken structures for retreats (in Pisaboa Huber, 2000) and egg parasitism (in Priscula).
The Cranaidae genus Phalangodus Gervais, 1842 is revisited and its species are diagnosed. An identification key for the males of Phalangodus is provided. Four Colombian species are described as new: Phalangodus briareos sp. nov. from a cave in Zapatoca, Santander department, P. cottus sp. nov. from Villavicencio, Meta department, P. gyes sp. nov. from Ibagué, Tolima department and P. kuryi sp. nov. from Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Magdalena department. SEM images of the penis of Phalangodus, including the type species of the genus, P. anacosmetus Gervais, 1842, are provided for the first time. Sexual dimorphism and the morphology of stylar caps and ovipositor in Cranaidae are discussed. Additionally, we revised the geographical distribution of P. anacosmetus, including a map with the geographical records of the genus.