Phylogeny and biogeography support ancient vicariance and subsequent dispersal out-of-Africa in Palpimanidae spiders (Araneae)

Palpimanidae is one of five extant Palpimanoidea families that occurs mainly in South America and Africa, although there are lineages in Madagascar, islands of the Indian Ocean, and parts of Asia. The current study examines the role of continental drift in shaping the distribution of Palpimanidae and in explaining their presence on different landmasses. We perform molecular sequencing via target enrichment and most specimens are stored in natural history collections. We perform phylogenetic analysis, divergence dating, and ancestral range reconstructions to assess whether continental drift shaped the evolution of Palpimanidae. We also examine evolution of eye loss via ancestral character reconstruction. We report the first Palpimanidae phylogeny based on genomic data that samples the majority of Chediminae genera. Results suggest that Palpimanidae originated in the Triassic, with diversification spanning the Jurassic to the Cretaceous. Vicarance played a role in early diversification, with later range expansion out of Africa. Based on morphology and phylogenetic analysis, Sceliraptor is synonymized with Sarascelis, Sceliscelis is synonymized with Scelidocteus, and the new genus and species Sitamacho tao gen. n. and sp. n. is described with three species transferred from Hybosida.