| Pantopsalis cheliferoides | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Opiliones |
| Family: | Neopilionidae |
| Genus: | Pantopsalis |
| Species: | P. cheliferoides |
| Binomial name | |
| Pantopsalis cheliferoides (Colenso, 1883) | |
| Synonyms | |
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Pantopsalis cheliferoides is a species of Neopilionid harvestmen. [1] This species was originally described by William Colenso and is endemic to New Zealand.
P. cheliferoides is a dark-coloured harvestman. They are extremely sexual dimorphic: males have exaggerated chelicerae (jaws), which are reduced in females. As with several other species of the genus Pantopsalis, the male chelicerae have two morphs or forms, long and short. Unusually, the morph with shorter chelicerae are not merely a scaled-down version of the long morph, but instead are stout and exaggerated in the width of the second segment. [2]
Pantopsalis cheliferoides is endemic to New Zealand. [3] It is found on both of the main islands of New Zealand, according to GBIF occurrence data. [1]
Males of P. cheliferoides have jaws which take two forms: elongated or short and broad. [2] The chelicerae are used for combat between males: males with long chelicerae use them for grappling, while males with short chelicerae stab or punch with them. [2]
This species was first described by Colenso in May 1883 under the name Phalangium cheliferoides. [4] He used a specimen collected in Seventy Mile Bush, in the southern Wairarapa between Norsewood and Dannevirke. After first seeing one in 1879, he spent four years hunting for this species; he saw four individuals but was only able to capture one. The second individual he saw waved its chelicerae threateningly at him, and Colenso says "I, bearing in mind our small blackish katipo spider, was on my guard; perhaps too much so." The harvestman escaped. Finally Colenso captured a single specimen in 1881. [4]
He chose the name cheliferoides as a reference to the pseudoscorpion genus Chelifer . [4] In 2000 Cor Vink transferred Phalangium cheliferoides to the genus Pantopsalis after examining Colenso's holotype specimen, now held in Canterbury Museum. [5] However, in 2004 the arachnologist Christopher K. Taylor declared this name nomen dubium because the holotype specimen was in such poor condition. [6] In 2013, after examining specimens from various museums, Taylor redescribed the species, confirming that this species is distinct from similar species in the genus. [7]
The Opiliones are an order of arachnids, colloquially known as harvestmen, harvesters, harvest spiders, or daddy longlegs. As of July 2024, 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.
The chelicerae are the mouthparts of the subphylum Chelicerata, an arthropod group that includes arachnids, horseshoe crabs, and sea spiders. Commonly referred to as "jaws", chelicerae may be shaped as either articulated fangs, or as a type of pincers. Some chelicerae, such as those found on nearly all spiders, are hollow and contain venom glands, used to inject venom into prey or a perceived threat. Both pseudoscorpions and harvestmen have additional structures on their chelicerae that are used for grooming. In Paratrechalea, males and females have shown to have a chelicerae dimorphism, because the chelicerae is used as a mating signal for females.
Phalangium is a genus of harvestmen that occur mostly in the Old World. The best known species is Phalangium opilio, which is so common in many temperate regions that it is simply called "harvestman".
Rilaena triangularis is a species of the harvestman family Phalangiidae. It is sometimes considered to be in the genus Paraplatybunus, in the subfamily Platybuninae.
Mitopus morio is a species of harvestman arachnid belonging to the family Phalangiidae.
Phalangium opilio is a species of harvestman belonging to the family Phalangiidae.
Ogoveidae is a family of harvestmen with three described species in one genus, Ogovea, which is found in equatorial West Africa.
Nipponopsalididae is a family of harvestmen with three described species in one genus, Nipponopsalis, which is found in East Asia.
Opiliones are an order of arachnids and share many common characteristics with other arachnids. However, several differences separate harvestmen from other arachnid orders such as spiders. The bodies of opiliones are divided into two tagmata : the abdomen (opisthosoma) and the cephalothorax (prosoma). Unlike spiders, the juncture between the abdomen and cephalothorax is often poorly defined. Harvestmen have chelicerae, pedipalps and four pairs of legs. Harvestmen were traditionally thought to have two eyes, except in the case of eyeless species. Developmental genetic work has shown that living species retain up to six eyes, including one pair of rudimentary median eyes and one pair of rudimentary lateral eyes.
Tetrophthalmi is an extinct suborder of Opiliones that had both median and lateral eyes. First described in 2014, it is known from two extinct species. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that this eye arrangement is the ancestral condition for harvestmen, placing Tetrophthalmi and Cyphophthalmi in a basal position within Opiliones.
Asiolasma ailaoshan is a species of harvestman belonging to the family Nemastomatidae. It is endemic to Yunnan Province, China. It was initially described in the genus Cladolasma before being redefined within Asiolasma when that genus was newly described.
Pantopsalis is a genus of eleven species of harvestman in the family Neopilionidae. They are all endemic to New Zealand. Males of some species are notable for their enlarged chelicerae.
Forsteropsalis is a genus of harvestmen (Opiliones) endemic to New Zealand. Males of this genus have exaggerated chelicerae weapons used in male-male competition. Forsteropsalis are opportunistic omnivores that both capture live prey and scavenge dead animal matter. The diet includes various insects, arachnids, spiders, millipedes, amphipods, and annelid worms.
Pantopsalis albipalpis is a species of harvestman in the genus Pantopsalis. It was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in a paper published in 1902. P. albipalpis cannot be distinguished from P. johnsi but P. johnsi has not been synonymised as these species each have a distinct distribution.
Pantopsalis listeri is a species of harvestman in the family Neopilionidae.
Forsteropsalis pureora is a species of long-legged harvestman in the family Neopilionidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand, found in the North Island. They are found in native forest, often resting on vegetation or stream banks.
Forsteropsalis photophaga, also known as the glow-worm hunter, is a species of long-legged harvestman in the family Neopilionidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand, found in North Island caves in the vicinity of Waitomo. The name "photophaga" comes from their habit of feeding on the luminescent larvae, pupae, and adults of the New Zealand glow-worm Arachnocampa luminosa.
Prasmiola unica is the only member of the genus Prasmiola in the harvestman family Triaenonychidae. It is found near Wellington, New Zealand, and is known from a single specimen. The New Zealand Threat Classification System status for this species is 'nationally critical'.
Algidia is a genus in the harvestman family Triaenonychidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and currently includes 7 species and several subspecies.
Sorensenella is a genus in the harvestman subfamily Sorensenellinae in the family Triaenonychidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and currently includes three species and several subspecies. Members of this genus have large pedipalps armed with strong spines. The pedipalps are larger in males.
