465 1999. The Journal of Arachnology 27:465–469 NEW SYNONYMS IN THE GENERA DISCOCYRTUS AND PACHYLOIDES (OPILIONES, GONYLEPTIDAE, PACHYLINAE) Luis Eduardo Acosta: Ca ´tedra de Diversidad Animal I, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Fı ´sicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Co ´rdoba; Av. Ve ´lez Sarsfield 299, 5000 Co ´rdoba, Argentina ABSTRACT. To contribute to a depuration of the species-level taxomomy in the Gonyleptidae Pachy- linae, the following synonymies are proposed: Discocyrtus minutus Roewer 1913 = Discocyrtus testudi- neus (Holmberg 1876); Discocyrtus spinosus Roewer 1916 and Discocyrtus exceptionalis Mello-Leita ˜o 1933 = Discocyrtus prospicuus (Holmberg 1876); Pachylus spinosus Canestrini 1888 (currently in Pa- chyloides) = Discocyrtus dilatatus Sørensen 1884; Canalsia delicata Mello-Leitn ˜o 1930 (removed from the synonymy of Pachyloides iheringi Roewer 1913) and Pachyloides aelleni S ˘ ilhavy ´ 1979 = Pachyloides thorellii Holmberg 1878. All citations of Discocyrtus affinis Roewer 1913 from Argentina are referred to D. prospicuus (the full synonymy is suspected but not formally proposed). References of P. iheringi from Argentina are determined to be P. thorellii. Comments on the type material, the type localities and on misidentifications of previous authors are included. RESUMEN. A fin de contribuir a una depuracio ´n taxono ´mica en Gonyleptidae Pachylinae, se proponen las siguientes sinonimias: Discocyrtus minutus Roewer 1913 = Discocyrtus testudineus (Holmberg 1876); Discocyrtus spinosus Roewer 1916 y Discocyrtus exceptionalis Mello-Leita ˜o 1933 = Discocyrtus pros- picuus (Holmberg 1876); Pachylus spinosus Canestrini 1888 (hasta ahora en Pachyloides) = Discocyrtus dilatatus Sørensen 1884; Canalsia delicata Mello-Leita ˜o 1930 (excluida de la sinonimia de Pachyloides iheringi Roewer 1913) y Pachyloides aelleni S ˘ ilhavy ´ 1979 = Pachyloides thorellii Holmberg 1878. Todas las referencias de Discocyrtus affinis Roewer 1913 para Argentina son referidas a D. prospicuus (se sospecha la sinonimia plena de ambas especies, pero no se la propone formalmente). Se determina que las citas de P. iheringi para Argentina corresponden a P. thorellii. Se incluyen comentarios sobre el material tı ´pico, las localidades tipo y sobre los errores de identificacio ´n de autores previos. One major hindrance in estimating the di- versity of a given taxon is, no doubt, the per- sistence of nominal taxa with unclear status. The speciose subfamily Pachylinae (Gonylep- tidae), which includes not less than 400 spe- cies, contains many entities described from a single or few specimens, chiefly by Roewer and Mello-Leita ˜o. Because most of them were not further considered, or were merely men- tioned in checklists, numerous doubtful situ- ations and poorly known forms still persist. In recent years I have devoted my research to members of this subfamily from Argentina and neighboring countries. Through the study of several collections (types included) I was able to detect several species, hitherto as- signed to the genera Discocyrtus Holmberg 1878 and Pachyloides Holmberg 1878, whose current status needs correction, either by in- validation through full synonymy, or deletion from the Argentinian checklist. The results given here contribute to the depuration of the taxonomy of the group. The nomenclatural changes are indicated in abbreviated synony- mies and briefly discussed below (references to where complete synonymies can be found are provided). Abbreviations of museums and collections are listed in the Acknowledgments section. Discocyrtus testudineus (Holmberg) Gonyleptes testudineus Holmberg 1876:29. Type: According to Holmberg (1876) it is ‘‘one exam- ple [male] in the Museum of the A.A. [= Aca- demia Argentina], caught by [Rafael] Obligado and [Martin] Coronado (loc. cit.)’’ [Puerto Obli- gado, province of Buenos Aires, Argentina]; lost. Discocyrtus testudineus: Holmberg 1878:74. Rin- guelet 1959:308 [complete synonymy for D. tes- tudineus]. Discocyrtus minutus Roewer 1913:115, fig. 53. Roewer 1923:431, 437, fig. 548. Roewer 1929: 202. Mello-Leitn ˜o 1932:167. Soares & Soares 1954:252. Type: Holotype male (SMF RI/796), ‘‘Argentinien: San Ignacio’’ (examined). NEW SYNONYMY.