Three new species of Misionella from northern Brazil (Araneae, Haplogynae, Filistatidae)

Abstract. Three new species of the genus Misionella are described from Brazil: Misionella carajas sp. n. and Misionella aikewara sp. n. from caves in the states of Pará and Tocantins and Misionella pallida sp. n. from natural and synanthropic dry areas in the states of Piauí, Maranhão, Rio Grande do Norte and Bahia. These species seem to belong to a distinct group within the genus; the males have an elongate palpal tibia and bulb, a pair of characteristic and hirsute macrosetae in the second metatarsus and the females have internal genitalia with only one pair of spermathecae, with relatively short ducts, lacking the auxiliary receptacles. Their phylogenetic placement and geographic distribution are briefly discussed.