Phylogenetic relationships of the genus Bertkau, 1880, with taxonomic changes and three new species description (Opiliones: Gonyleptidae).

The type species of Bertkau 1880, , was described based on a juvenile. The holotype is lost. Based on a revision of publications, the genus includes 12 species, all in Brazil. The objectives of this research are: to propose a phylogenetic hypothesis for based on Total Evidence (TE); propose taxonomic changes based on the phylogeny; and analyze the phylogenetic hypothesis biogeographically. Using the exemplar approach to taxon selection, we studied 54 specimens, 15 outgroups and 39 ingroup taxa using seven molecular markers (28S, 12S and 16S ribosomal genes, citochrome oxidase subunit I gene, carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase gene, internal transcribed spacer subunit 2 and histone H3 gene), totaling 3,742 bp, and 128 morphological characters. We analyzed the dataset under three optimality criteria: Maximum likelihood (ML), Maximum parsimony (MP) and Bayesian. We discuss the transformation of character states throughout the phylogeny, the different phylogenetic hypotheses using different datasets and the congruence of evidence between the clades obtained by the phylogenetic analysis and the biogeographical hypothesis for the Atlantic Forest areas of endemism. We estimate that clade diverged 50.53 Mya, and inside the genus there are two major clades. One of them cointains species from Paraná, Santa Catarina, South of São Paulo and Serra do Mar Areas of Endemism and the other has species from Espinhaço, Bocaina, South coast of Rio de Janeiro and Serra dos Órgãos Areas of Endemism. The first split inside these two clades occurred at 48.94 and 44.80 Mya, respectively. We describe three new species from Brazil: (type locality: Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro), (type locality: Ribeirão Grande, São Paulo) and (type locality: Nova Iguaçu, Rio de Janeiro). The genus Mello-Leitão, 1935 is considered a junior synonym of . Mello-Leitão, 1923; Mello-Leitão, 1927 and Vasconcelos, 2005 were transferred to . (Roewer, 1913) is a junior synonym of Bertkau, 1880. In the results of the phylogenetic analyses, Mello-Leitão, 1934 (former ) does not belong in and its original combination is re-established. As it is now defined, comprises 17 species, with seven new combinations.