Henrard, A. & Jocqué, R. 2017. ‘The new ant-eating spider genus Suffascar (Araneae, Zodariidae) endemic to Madagascar: a considerable extension of the dual femoral organ clade’. Invertebrate Systematics 31(5):  519–565. ISSN: 1445-5226. DOI: 10.1071/IS16064. URL: http://www.publish.csiro.au/IS/IS16064  I.F. 2.172.

Article dans une revue scientifique / Article dans un périodique

The new zodariid genus Suffascar gen. nov. is described from Madagascar. It is apparently endemic to the island, common and speciose. Twelve new species were discovered and are here described: Suffascar albolineatus sp. nov., S. fianara sp. nov., S. fisheri sp. nov., S. fitzpatrickae sp. nov., S. gigas sp. nov., S. griswoldi sp. nov., S. macromma sp. nov., S. micromma sp. nov., S. nonus sp. nov., S. scutatus sp. nov., S. sufficiens sp. nov. and S. tofti sp. nov.. It is well known that Zodariidae with femoral organs are specialized consumers of ants or termites, although the exact role of these glands still remains obscure. Suffascar is part of the “dual femoral organ clade” (DF) which also includes Asceua Thorell, 1887, Suffasia Jocqué, 1991, and Suffrica Henrard & Jocqué, 2015. Using a morphology-based phylogenetic analysis, we test whether zodariids sharing the dual femoral organ are part of the same group as the “single femoral organ clade” (SF) or form a separate monophyletic group. It appears that SF and DF constitute clearly monophyletic entities with a sister-group relation. These groups may be considered as distinct subfamilies and, together, they may turn out to be sister to the Storeninae (which then could be re-established). An analysis that focuses on these questions is underway.