A review of the spider genus Anapis (Araneae, Anapidae), with a dual cladistic analysis

The presence of an anterior labral spur is suggested to be synapomorphic for the Anapidae. Anapis is redefined to include those anapids with a procurved posterior eye row, medially excavate chelicerae bearing a distal plate, a ridged palpal conductor, and a recurved retrolateral apophysis on the male palpal patela; at least some species build orb webs. The genera Epecthina Simon and Epecthinula Simon are newly synonymized with Anapis. A key, diagnoses, and supplementary ilustrations are provided for the 21 known species, found from southern Mexico and Jamaica south to Peru and Brazil. Because more than half the species are known from only one sex, males and females were subjected to separate cladistic analyses; despite the availability of only an extremely small sample of characters, the resulting cladograms are compatible. A technique developed to combine the irinformation generated eight specific predictions about the morphology of unknown specimens that can serve as tests of the hypothesized relationships. Fifteen new species are described: A. heredia and A. monteverde from Costa Rica, A. anchicaya, A. saladito, A. calima, A. digua, A. felidia, A. atuncela, A. guasca, A. meta, and A. amazonas from Colombia, A. choroni from Venezuela, A. chiriboga from Ecuador, and A. castilla and A. caluga from Peru. Pseudanapis discoidalis Balogh and Loksa is transferred to Anapis. The male of A. keyserlingi Gertsch is described for the first time.