Neogoveidae
Encyclopedia
The Neogoveidae are a family of harvestmen with twelve described species in five genera. However, at least seven species of Huitaca, 17 species of Metagovea and twelve species of Neogovea are currently awaiting description.
. Metasiro is most closely related to species from West Africa
. Florida was part of Western Africa near what is today Senegal
prior to the formation of Pangea. When North America parted from West Africa about 170 million years ago, it took Florida and its harvestmen with it.
Current research suggests that the diversity of neotropical Neogovidae is much higher than currently known, as new species were found at virtually every place where samples were taken.
Huitaca species have been found in Colombia
at elevations ranging from 300 m to more than 3,000 m. Neogovea is found from Trinidad
, the lowlands of the Amazonas
and Orinoco
basins, but also at higher elevations in the Colombian Andes
and Venezuela
. Metagovea species live mostly along the Andes, but a few are found in the Amazonas basin.
The following species is no longer considered to belong in this family, but has not yet been included in any other:
Distribution
They occur between 10° north and 5° south of the equator in South America and Africa, with the exception of Metasiro, which is found in FloridaFlorida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. Metasiro is most closely related to species from West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
. Florida was part of Western Africa near what is today Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
prior to the formation of Pangea. When North America parted from West Africa about 170 million years ago, it took Florida and its harvestmen with it.
Current research suggests that the diversity of neotropical Neogovidae is much higher than currently known, as new species were found at virtually every place where samples were taken.
Huitaca species have been found in Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
at elevations ranging from 300 m to more than 3,000 m. Neogovea is found from Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
, the lowlands of the Amazonas
Amazon Basin
The Amazon Basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries that drains an area of about , or roughly 40 percent of South America. The basin is located in the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela...
and Orinoco
Orinoco
The Orinoco is one of the longest rivers in South America at . Its drainage basin, sometimes called the Orinoquia, covers , with 76.3% of it in Venezuela and the remainder in Colombia...
basins, but also at higher elevations in the Colombian Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
and 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...
. Metagovea species live mostly along the Andes, but a few are found in the Amazonas basin.
Relationships
Molecular studies suggest that the American species are monophyletic, forming a sister group to the African species, and that those two are themselves related to the North American Metasiro.Species
- Huitaca Shear, 1979 (ColombiaColombiaColombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
) - Huitaca ventralis Shear, 1979
- Metagovea Rosas Costa, 1950
- Metagovea disparunguis Rosas Costa, 1950 (Colombia)
- Metagovea oviformis Martins, 1969 (Brazil: ManausManausManaus is a city in Brazil, the capital of the state of Amazonas. It is situated at the confluence of the Negro and Solimões rivers. It is the most populous city of Amazonas, according to the statistics of Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, and is a popular ecotourist destination....
) - Metagovea philipi Goodnight & Goodnight, 1980 (EcuadorEcuadorEcuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
)
- Metasiro Juberthie, 1960 (FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
) - Metasiro americanus (Davis, 1933)
- Neogovea Hinton, 1938
- Neogovea immsi Hinton, 1938 (ParáParáPará is a state in the north of Brazil. It borders the Brazilian states of Amapá, Maranhão, Tocantins, Mato Grosso, Amazonas and Roraima. To the northwest it also borders Guyana and Suriname, and to the northeast it borders the Atlantic Ocean. The capital is Belém.Pará is the most populous state...
, BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
; under logs in moist forest) - Neogovea kamakusa Shear, 1977 (Essequibo District, GuyanaBritish GuianaBritish Guiana was the name of the British colony on the northern coast of South America, now the independent nation of Guyana.The area was originally settled by the Dutch at the start of the 17th century as the colonies of Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice...
) - Neogovea kartabo (Davis, 1937) (Kartabo, GuyanaKartabo, GuyanaKartabo is a village in the Cuyuni-Mazaruni Region of Guyana.Kartabo is on the lower Mazaruni River, 6 miles from Bartica. Its population is approximately 354. Residents are involved in fishing, farming, boat-building and logging. Some people are employed at the Tiperu Stone Quarries.Kartabo has...
) - Neogovea microphaga (Martens, 1969) (Brazil)
- Parogovia Hansen, 1921 (Gulf of GuineaGulf of GuineaThe Gulf of Guinea is the northeasternmost part of the tropical Atlantic Ocean between Cape Lopez in Gabon, north and west to Cape Palmas in Liberia. The intersection of the Equator and Prime Meridian is in the gulf....
, Sierra LeoneSierra LeoneSierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
) - Parogovia gabonica (Juberthie, 1969) (GabonGabonGabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...
) - Parogovia pabsgarnoni Legg, 1990 (Sierra Leone)
- Parogovia sironoides Hansen, 1921 (BiokoBiokoBioko is an island 32 km off the west coast of Africa, specifically Cameroon, in the Gulf of Guinea. It is the northernmost part of Equatorial Guinea with a population of 124,000 and an area of . It is volcanic with its highest peak the Pico Basile at .-Geography:Bioko has a total area of...
)
- ?Genus enigmaticus Martens, 1969 — not assigned to a genus yet, because no males are known; possibly Neogovea.
The following species is no longer considered to belong in this family, but has not yet been included in any other:
- Neogovea mexasca Shear, 1977 (Acatlán, OaxacaOaxacaOaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...
, southern MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
)