Data from: Taxonomic revision of the tarantula genus Aphonopelma Pocock, 1901 (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Theraphosidae) within the United States

This systematic study documents the taxonomy, diversity, and distribution of the tarantula spider genus Aphonopelma Pocock, 1901 within the United States. By employing phylogenomic, morphological, and geospatial data, we evaluated all 55 nominal species in the United States to examine the evolutionary history of Aphonopelma and the group’s taxonomy by implementing an integrative approach to species delimitation. Based on our analyses, we now recognize only 29 distinct species in the United States. We propose 33 new synonymies (A. apacheum, A. minchi, A. rothi, A. schmidti, A. stahnkei = A. chalcodes; A. arnoldi = A. armada; A. behlei, A. vogelae = A. marxi; A. breenei = A. anax; A. chambersi, A. clarum, A. cryptethum, A. sandersoni, A. sullivani = A. eutylenum; A. clarki, A. coloradanum, A. echinum, A. gurleyi, A. harlingenum, A. odelli, A. waconum, A. wichitanum = A. hentzi; A. heterops = A. moderatum; A. jungi, A. punzoi = A. vorhiesi; A. brunnius, A. chamberlini, A. iviei, A. lithodomum, A. smithi, A. zionis = A. iodius; A. phanum, A. reversum = A. steindachneri), 14 new species (A. atomicum sp. n., A. catalina sp. n., A. chiricahua sp. n., A. icenoglei sp. n., A. johnnycashi sp. n., A. madera sp. n., A. mareki sp. n., A. moellendorfi sp. n., A. parvum sp. n., A. peloncillo sp. n., A. prenticei sp. n., A. saguaro sp. n., A. superstitionense sp. n., and A. xwalxwal sp. n.), and seven nomina dubia (A. baergi, A. cratium, A. hollyi, A. mordax, A. radinum, A. rusticum, A. texense). Our proposed species tree based on Anchored Enrichment data delimits five major lineages: a monotypic group confined to California, a western group, an eastern group, a group primarily distributed in high-elevation areas, and a group that comprises several miniaturized species. Multiple species are distributed throughout two biodiversity hotspots in the United States (i.e., California Floristic Province and Madrean Pine-Oak Woodlands). Keys are provided for identification of both males and females. By conducting the most comprehensive sampling of a single theraphosid genus to date, this research significantly broadens the scope of prior molecular and morphological investigations, finally bringing a modern understanding of species delimitation in this dynamic and charismatic group of spiders.

本系统性研究对美国境内阿芬捕鸟蛛属（Aphonopelma Pocock, 1901）的分类学特征、物种多样性及分布格局进行了系统记录。本研究依托系统发育基因组学、形态学与地理空间数据，对美国境内全部55个命名种开展系统评估，通过整合性物种界定方法解析阿芬捕鸟蛛属的演化历史与类群分类体系。基于本研究的分析结果，美国境内现仅确认29个有效独立物种。本研究提出33项新异名：（A. apacheum、A. minchi、A. rothi、A. schmidti、A. stahnkei 归为 A. chalcodes 异名；A. arnoldi 归为 A. armada 异名；A. behlei、A. vogelae 归为 A. marxi 异名；A. breenei 归为 A. anax 异名；A. chambersi、A. clarum、A. cryptethum、A. sandersoni、A. sullivani 归为 A. eutylenum 异名；A. clarki、A. coloradanum、A. echinum、A. gurleyi、A. harlingenum、A. odelli、A. waconum、A. wichitanum 归为 A. hentzi 异名；A. heterops 归为 A. moderatum 异名；A. jungi、A. punzoi 归为 A. vorhiesi 异名；A. brunnius、A. chamberlini、A. iviei、A. lithodomum、A. smithi、A. zionis 归为 A. iodius 异名；A. phanum、A. reversum 归为 A. steindachneri 异名）；发表14个新种（A. atomicum sp. n.、A. catalina sp. n.、A. chiricahua sp. n.、A. icenoglei sp. n.、A. johnnycashi sp. n.、A. madera sp. n.、A. mareki sp. n.、A. moellendorfi sp. n.、A. parvum sp. n.、A. peloncillo sp. n.、A. prenticei sp. n.、A. saguaro sp. n.、A. superstitionense sp. n. 及 A. xwalxwal sp. n.）；认定7个存疑学名（nomina dubia）：A. baergi、A. cratium、A. hollyi、A. mordax、A. radinum、A. rusticum及A. texense。本研究基于锚定富集（Anchored Enrichment）数据构建的物种树将该类群划分为5个主要演化支：仅分布于加利福尼亚州的单型类群、西部类群、东部类群、主要分布于高海拔区域的类群，以及包含多个微型化物种的类群。多个物种分布于美国境内两处生物多样性热点区域——加利福尼亚植物区省（California Floristic Province）与马德雷松栎林（Madrean Pine-Oak Woodlands）。本研究提供了雌雄个体的分类检索表。本研究针对单个捕鸟蛛科属类群开展了迄今为止最为全面的采样工作，大幅拓展了此前分子与形态学研究的边界，最终为这一类群多样且极具魅力的蜘蛛类群建立了现代化的物种界定认知框架。