Rhaucus is a genus of harvestmen in the family Cosmetidae. The genus is endemic to the northern Andes in Colombia. There are currently seven described species in the genus.[1] [2]
Many other species were included in the genus Rhaucus, until a taxonomic revision (in 2017) reduced the genus to a more clearly defined grouping and synonymized or transferred multiple previously described species to leave five remaining species.[1] A previously synonymized species, R. papilionaceus, was revalidated in 2018.[2]
Rhaucus is named for an ancient Cretian town, Rhaucus.[1]
Rhaucus contains seven species:[3] (after García et al. (2017)[1]
(Note: Rhaucus trilineatus is interpreted[3] as having been indirectly transferred to Rhaucus due to the synonymy of Metarhaucus F.O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1905 under Rhaucus in García & Kury (2017: 417).[1] There, the type species Metarhaucus fuscus Pickard-Cambridge 1905 became a junior synonym of Rhaucus serripes (Simon, 1879)), consequently leading to Metarhaucus = Rhaucus. Other species then placed in Metarhaucus at that time and similarly affected by the same synonymy have since been re-formalised into other genera).