Phylogeography of Rowlandius potiguar Santos, Ferreira & Buzzato, 2013 (Arachnida: Schizomida: Hubbardiidae) in Caatinga caves
Underground biology; arthropods; lineage delimitation; Jandaíra Formation; taxonomy.
Most of the caves in Rio Grande do Norte are located in the limestone of the Jandaíra Formation in the Caatinga biome. This region is considered of high bio-speleological relevance, as it exhibits a high richness and concentration of species adapted to underground environments. Among them are the arachnids Schizomida, also known as short-tailed whip scorpions, whose species Rowlandius potiguar is recorded in 30 caves in the western part of Rio Grande do Norte. The majority of these caves are not in protected areas, making them vulnerable to various types of threats. We collected these schizomids in 12 localities within their known geographical distribution, and we recorded 14 new occurrences for the group. Phylogeographic and phylogenetic analyses, using the molecular markers cytochrome C oxidase I and rDNA 28s, indicated that R. potiguar is a species complex, with two possible new species, one of which is also supported by morphological analyses of the female internal genitalia and the diagnostic structure at the end of the abdomen in males. Therefore, we propose the update of the geographical distribution of R. potiguar, considering allopatry resulting from different rocky outcrops with locations within the Furna Feia National Park in Baraúna, and in the municipalities of Mossoró, Gov. Dix-Sept Rosado, and Felipe Guerra. At the same time, we suggest an increase in the richness of the genus Rowlandius in the Caatinga, as the ongoing study provides information supporting the description of at least one new species.