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The Opiliones are an order of arachnids colloquially known as harvestmen, harvesters, 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.
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 distributed from Argentina to the southern USA with the highest diversity in northern South America, Central America and Mexico. This Nearctic-Neotropical family comprises Opiliones with elaborate white/yellow/green/orange/red stripes and spots on the dorsal scutum and peculiar pedipalps strongly compressed and applied on the chelicerae.
The Eupnoi are a suborder of harvestmen, with more than 200 genera, and about 1,700 described species.
The 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.
Megabunus diadema is a species of harvestman distributed in Western Europe, where it has been found in Iceland, Faroe Islands, Western Norway, Great Britain, Western France, Belgium and Northern Spain.
The Neopilionidae are a family of harvestmen.
The Sironidae are a family of harvestmen with more than 30 described species.
The Neogoveidae are a family of harvestmen with 27 described species in eight genera. However, eight species of Huitaca, 17 species of Metagovea and 12 species of Neogovea are currently awaiting description.
Trogulidae is a family of harvestmen with 5 genera and 57 extant species and one fossil species.
Eotrogulus is an extinct genus of harvestmen known from the Carboniferous fossil record. The genus is the only member of the family Eotrogulidae and contains one species Eotrogulus fayoli. Eotrogulus was found in the Coal Measures of Commentry in northern France, together with Nemastomoides elaveris. Eotrogulus was previously thought to be a trigonotarbid.
Nemastomoides is an extinct genus of harvestmen known from the Carboniferous fossil record. The genus is the only member of the family Nemastomoididae and contains three described species. Nemastomoides elaveris was found in the Coal Measures of Commentry in northern France, together with Eotrogulus fayoli.
Assamiidae are a family of harvestmen with more than 400 described species. It is the third most diverse family of the suborder Laniatores.
The Stygnidae are a family of neotropical harvestmen within the suborder Laniatores.
The Cranaidae are a family of neotropical harvestmen within the suborder Laniatores.
The Icaleptidae are a small family of neotropical harvestmen within the suborder Laniatores. Although only two species have been described, many more are probably to be discovered.
Escadabiidae is a small neotropical family of the harvestman infraorder Grassatores with six described species.
The Fissiphalliidae are a small neotropical family of harvestmen within the suborder Laniatores.
The Travuniidae are a small family of harvestman with little more than ten described species, within the suborder Laniatores.
The Cladonychiidae are a small family of harvestman with about 33 described species, within the suborder Laniatores.
Ischyropsalis is a genus of harvestmen in the family Ischyropsalididae, found in Europe. There are more than 20 described species in Ischyropsalis.
References
- Joel Hallan's Biology Catalog: Phalangiidae [ permanent dead link ]
- Pinto-da-Rocha, R., Machado, G. & Giribet, G. (eds.) (2007): Harvestmen - The Biology of Opiliones. Harvard University Press ISBN 0-674-02343-9
