Laniatores Temporal range: | |
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Pellobunus insularis | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
Class: | Arachnida |
Order: | Opiliones |
Suborder: | Laniatores Thorell, 1876 |
Superfamilies | |
Travunioidea Contents |
Laniatores is the largest suborder of the arachnid order Opiliones with over 4,200 described species worldwide. The majority of the species are highly dependent on humid environments and usually correlated with tropical and temperate forest habitats.
Laniatores are typically (relatively) short-legged, hard-plated, spiny Opiliones, common under logs and stones, in leaf litter and in caves. They often have spiny pedipalps and paired or branched claws on the third and fourth pairs of legs. [1] The largest family is Gonyleptidae Sundevall, 1833, endemic of the Neotropics, with over 800 valid species and showing many cases of maternal and paternal care.
The dorsal scutum consists of a single piece, with the carapace or peltidium entirely fused with abdominal scutum. The pedipalpus is usually robust and armed with strong spines. The ovipositor is short and unsegmented (derived character state shared with the Dyspnoi). The penis is complex, with many sclerites. Some of the sclerites are movable, with a single penial muscle present. For the most part, the penis is without muscles, instead working by hemolymph pressure.
Definitions and limits of superfamilies are still in a state of flux. The largest by far is the Gonyleptoidea, with over 2,000 described species.
Distribution of subunits of Laniatores is very interesting from the biogeographic point of view. The Travunioidea are typical of northern temperate regions while the Triaenonychoidea make their counterpart in the southern temperate regions. The other superfamilies are tropical, with many noteworthy endemisms and transcontinental relationships.
The Opiliones are an order of arachnids colloquially known as harvestmen, harvesters, harvest spiders, or daddy longlegs. As of April 2017, over 6,650 species of harvestmen have been discovered worldwide, although the total number of extant species may exceed 10,000. The order Opiliones includes five suborders: Cyphophthalmi, Eupnoi, Dyspnoi, Laniatores, and Tetrophthalmi, which were named in 2014.
Gonyleptidae is a neotropical family of harvestmen with more than 800 species, the largest in the suborder Laniatores and the second largest of the Opiliones as a whole. The largest known harvestmen are gonyleptids.
Gonyleptoidea is the most diverse superfamily of the Grassatores. It includes around 2,500 species distributed in the Neotropics. They are characterized by the simplified male genitalia, with the glans free subapical in the truncus.
Samooidea is a large superfamily in the Grassatores group of harvestmen. It includes around 380 species distributed throughout the tropics. They are characterized by the complex male genitalia, with eversible complementary sclerites.
The Grassatores Kury, 2002 are the most diverse infraorder of the Laniatores. It includes over 3,700 species distributed mainly in the tropics They are characterized by the male genitalia without musculature, operated by hydraulic pressure and by the double tarsal claws of posterior legs.
Cosmetidae is a family of harvestmen in the suborder Laniatores. With over 700 species, it is one of the largest families in Opiliones. They are endemic of the New World with a Nearctic-Neotropical distribution where a large fraction of the diversity of Opiliones are represented by this single family. Cosmetidae have the northern extent of their range into the USA, where a small number species occur in the southern states. However, the family is especially diverse in Mexico, Central America and northern South America; especially the Andean realms. Their range also extends further south into Argentina and southern Brazil, but they are absent in Chile. Cosmetidae are prevalent in Amazonian region, but only relatively few also occur in Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Several species are also found in the Caribbean.
The Eupnoi are a suborder of harvestmen, with more than 200 genera, and about 1,700 described species.
Epedanidae is a family of the harvestman infraorder Grassatores with about 200 described species. They are the sister group of the Gonyleptoidea.
Assamiidae are a family of harvestmen with more than 400 described species. It is the third most diverse family of the suborder Laniatores.
The Stygnopsidae are a small family of harvestmen, with almost all species found in Mexico.
The Stygnidae are a family of neotropical harvestmen within the suborder Laniatores.
Agoristenidae are a neotropical harvestman family of the Suborder Laniatores, in the superfamily Gonyleptoidea.
The Zalmoxidae are a family of harvestmen within the suborder Laniatores.
The Cladonychiidae are a small family of harvestman with about 33 described species, within the suborder Laniatores.
Harvestmen (Opiliones) are an order of arachnids often confused with spiders, though the two orders are not closely related. Research on harvestman phylogeny is in a state of flux. While some families are clearly monophyletic, that is share a common ancestor, others are not, and the relationships between families are often not well understood.
Travunioidea is a superfamily of armoured harvestmen in the order Opiliones. There are 4 families and around 75 described species in Travunioidea.
Neosiro exilis is a species of mite harvestman in the family Sironidae. It is found in North America.
Cryptomastridae is a family of armoured harvestmen in the order Opiliones. There are two genera and four described species in Cryptomastridae, found in Oregon and Idaho.
Triaenonychoidea is a superfamily of armoured harvestmen in the order Opiliones. There are 4 families and more than 440 described species in Triaenonychoidea.
Insidiatores is an infraorder of opilions in the suborder Laniatores. It includes over 500 species distributed mainly in temperate latitudes.