Eupnoi
Encyclopedia
The Eupnoi are a suborder of harvestmen, with more than 200 genera, and about 1,700 described species.
They consist of two superfamilies, the Phalangioidea with many long-legged species common to northern temperate regions, and the small group Caddoidea, which have prominent eyes and spiny pedipalp
s.
Examples of this suborder include Hadrobunus grandis
(Sclerosomatidae), Phalangium opilio
and Dicranopalpus ramosus
(Phalangiidae).
only from Japan
, and from Baltic amber
(about 40 million years old). One species known from Japan is also found in North America
, where several more species are found. Other species occur in Southern South America
, Venezuela
, New Zealand
and Australia
.
Neopilionidae show a Gondwana
n distribution, with species found in South America, South Africa
and Australia.
Sclerosomatidae are divided into several subfamilies, with Gagrellinae found in the Indo-Malayan and neotropical region, Gyinae at high elevations in the Caucasus
, Alps
and Nepal
, Leiobuninae in the holarctic region down to Costa Rica
, and Sclerosomatinae only in the Palearctic.
In the Phalangiidae, the Phalangiinae are most diverse in the Mediterranean, with several endemic genera in nearby coastal Africa. Although there are several Phalangiinae in the Nearctic, they are all introduced. Opilioninae are mostly palearctic, with a few species found in Southeast Asia
. Oligolophinae are holarctic, with most species found in Europe. Platybuninae are also found from Europe to the Caucasus, with one find from Sumatra
.
form a clade
, with Laniatores
as a sister group; however recently it has been proposed that Eupnoi are sister to a clade formed by Dyspnoi and Laniatores.
The supposed family "Stygophalangiidae", with its sole described species Stygophalangium karamani
Oudemans, 1933 from former Yugoslavia
is not a harvestman, but very likely a species of mite
.
They consist of two superfamilies, the Phalangioidea with many long-legged species common to northern temperate regions, and the small group Caddoidea, which have prominent eyes and spiny pedipalp
Pedipalp
Pedipalps , are the second pair of appendages of the prosoma in the subphylum Chelicerata. They are traditionally thought to be homologous with mandibles in Crustacea and insects, although more recent studies Pedipalps (commonly shortened to palps or palpi), are the second pair of appendages of the...
s.
Examples of this suborder include Hadrobunus grandis
Hadrobunus grandis
Hadrobunus grandis is a species of harvestman that occurs in the United States ....
(Sclerosomatidae), Phalangium opilio
Phalangium opilio
Phalangium opilio is "the most widespread species of harvestman in the world", occurring natively in Europe, and much of Asia, and having been introduced to North America, North Africa and New Zealand...
and Dicranopalpus ramosus
Dicranopalpus ramosus
Dicranopalpus ramosus is a species of harvestman. Males are up to 4 mm long, females can reach up to 6 mm. Both sexes have very long legs , with a distinct elongated apophysis that reaches almost to the end of the tibia. This makes their pedipalps look forked...
(Phalangiidae).
Distribution
Caddoidea are mostly found in temperate zones of both hemispheres; however, they are known from the PalearcticPalearctic
The Palearctic or Palaearctic is one of the eight ecozones dividing the Earth's surface.Physically, the Palearctic is the largest ecozone...
only from Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and from Baltic amber
Baltic amber
The Baltic region is home to the largest known deposit of amber, called Baltic amber or succinite, with about 80% of the world's known amber found there. It dates from 44 million years ago...
(about 40 million years old). One species known from Japan is also found in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, where several more species are found. Other species occur in Southern South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Neopilionidae show a Gondwana
Gondwana
In paleogeography, Gondwana , originally Gondwanaland, was the southernmost of two supercontinents that later became parts of the Pangaea supercontinent. It existed from approximately 510 to 180 million years ago . Gondwana is believed to have sutured between ca. 570 and 510 Mya,...
n distribution, with species found in South America, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and Australia.
Sclerosomatidae are divided into several subfamilies, with Gagrellinae found in the Indo-Malayan and neotropical region, Gyinae at high elevations in the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
, Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
and Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, Leiobuninae in the holarctic region down to Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
, and Sclerosomatinae only in the Palearctic.
In the Phalangiidae, the Phalangiinae are most diverse in the Mediterranean, with several endemic genera in nearby coastal Africa. Although there are several Phalangiinae in the Nearctic, they are all introduced. Opilioninae are mostly palearctic, with a few species found in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
. Oligolophinae are holarctic, with most species found in Europe. Platybuninae are also found from Europe to the Caucasus, with one find from Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
.
Relationships
Two different views exist at the moment: in the traditional view Eupnoi and DyspnoiDyspnoi
The Dyspnoi are a suborder of harvestmen, with about 32 genera, and about 320 described species.Several fossil species are known, including two extinct families.The superfamilies Ischyropsalidoidea and Troguloidea are monophyletic...
form a clade
Clade
A clade is a group consisting of a species and all its descendants. In the terms of biological systematics, a clade is a single "branch" on the "tree of life". The idea that such a "natural group" of organisms should be grouped together and given a taxonomic name is central to biological...
, with Laniatores
Laniatores
Laniatores is the largest suborder of the arachnid order Opiliones with over 4,000 described species worldwide. The majority of the species are highly dependent on humid environments and usually correlated with tropical and temperate forest habitats....
as a sister group; however recently it has been proposed that Eupnoi are sister to a clade formed by Dyspnoi and Laniatores.
Systematics
Although the two recognized superfamilies Caddoidea and Phalangoidea are probably monophyletic, the limits of families and subfamilies are uncertain in many cases, and are in urgent need of further study.- Genus and species numbers are from the year 2005.
- Caddoidea
- CaddidaeCaddidaeCaddidae is a family of harvestmen with 15 known species, the only family of the Eupnoi superfamily Caddoidea.They have mostly a body length between one and three millimeters.-Distribution:Caddids are widely but discontinuously distributed...
(6 genera, 21 species) - PhalangioideaPhalangioideaPhalangioidea is a superfamily of the harvestman suborder Eupnoi with five recognized families and more than 1,500 species.It is not to be confused with the similar spelled subfamily Phalangodoidea, which is also a harvestman superfamily, but within the infraorder Laniatores.-Families:*...
- MonoscutidaeMonoscutidaeThe Monoscutidae are a family of harvestmen with 32 known species that all occur in or near Australia and New Zealand.Species range in body length from two to three millimeters and three to ten mm . The chelicerae are enormously enlarged in males of the subfamily Megalopsalidinae. Most species are...
(5 genera, 32 species) - NeopilionidaeNeopilionidaeThe Neopilionidae are a family of harvestmen with 15 known species.It has a clearly Gondwanan distribution, with species found in Australia, South Africa and South America, and probably represent relicts of that time....
(8 genera, 15 species) - SclerosomatidaeSclerosomatidaeThe Sclerosomatidae are a family of harvestmen with about 1,300 known species.-Name:The name of the type genus is combined from Ancient Greek skleros "hard" and soma "body".-Genera:* Gagrellinae Thorell, 1889* Abaetetuba Tourinho-Davis, 2004...
(148 genera, 1273 species) - PhalangiidaePhalangiidaeThe Phalangiidae are a family of harvestmen with about 380 known species. The best known is Phalangium opilio. Dicranopalpus ramosus is an invasive species in Europe....
(49 genera, 381 species)
The supposed family "Stygophalangiidae", with its sole described species Stygophalangium karamani
Stygophalangium karamani
Stygophalangium karamani is a species of arachnid. Although sometimes classified as a harvestman in the infraorder Eupnoi , its identity is uncertain, but it is probably a species of Acari .-Name:...
Oudemans, 1933 from former Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
is not a harvestman, but very likely a species of mite
Mite
Mites, along with ticks, are small arthropods belonging to the subclass Acari and the class Arachnida. The scientific discipline devoted to the study of ticks and mites is called acarology.-Diversity and systematics:...
.