DNA-SEQUENCE DATA INDICATES THE POLYPHYLY OF THE FAMILY CTENIDAE (ARANEAE)

Mitochondrial DNA fragments comprising more than 400 bases of the 16S rDNA from nine spider species have been sequenced: Cupiennius salei, C . getazi. C. coccineus and Phoneutria boliviensis (Ctenidae), Pisaura mirabilis, Dolomedes fimbriatus (Pisauridae), Pardosa agrestis (Lycosi dae), Clubiona pallidula (Clubionidae) and Ryuthela nishihirai (syn. H eptathela nishihirai; Heptathelidae: Mesothelae). Sequence divergence ranges from 3-4% among Cupiennius species and up to 36% in pairwise co mparisons of the more distantly related spider DNAs. Maximally parsimo nious gene trees based on these sequences indicate that Phoneutria and Cupiennius are the most distantly related species of the examined Lyc osoidea. The monophyly of the family Ctenidae is therefore doubted; an d a revision of the family, which should include DNA-data, is needed.