Taxonomy and phylogeny of the "Tegenaria-Malthonica"-complex (Araneae, Agelenidae), using morphological and molecular data

Agelenidae (Araneae) constitutes a spider family currently comprising 42 genera and 514 described species (Platnick, 2010). In Europe Tegenaria and Malthonica are the most species rich genera of the family. The latest version of “World Spider Catalogue” (version 10.5) lists 32 Malthonica and 55 Tegenaria species (plus 1 subspecies). Based upon available specimens from museum collections and field excursions, the taxonomy of the Tegenaria/Malthonica-complex is investigated applying morphological and molecular methods. Parsimony and Bayesian analyses, performed individually or with combined data, of three gene sections (CO1, NADH subunit 1, 28S) and 88 morphological characters showed that the genera Malthonica and Tegenaria, in their present compositions, are poly- or paraphyletic. The constituent taxa of the Tegenaria/Malthonica-complex are form four monophyletic clades. The four clades are recovered in all analyses and are well supported by posterior probability, jackknife or bremer support. The relationships between the four clades are not resolved and remain unknown. Based upon these phylogenetic results a merging of all four clades to one monophyletic group is not possible because then other well established groups (e. g. Histopona or genera of Textricini or Agelenini) would have to be included too. The four clades are attributed, therefore, generic: Tegenaria, Malthonica, Aterigena n. gen. and Eratigena n. gen. While the generic concept defintion for Malthonica by Barrientos & Cardoso (2007) is supported by the present analyses, Tegenaria has to be redefined and the new genera Aterigena n. gen. and Eratigena n. gen. are added here. In addition, eleven species (one in Aterigena n. gen., two in Eratigena and eight in Tegenaria) and the males of three species are newly described and 17 new synonyms are proposed here. The new generic concepts necessitate numerous new or revised combinations (rev. stat. or n. comb.). Due to the lack of specimens or diagnostic descriptions, four species remain unplaced and one taxon is regarded as “nomen dubium”. Additional information is given and taxonomic changes are proposed for some extra European Malthonica and Tegenaria species. For most of the included European taxa, supplementary information or redescriptions with figures are provided. In addition, dichotomous keys for the European agelenid genera and for all Aterigena n. gen., most European Eratigena n. gen. and Tegenaria species are provided.