Epedanidae

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Epedanidae
Temporal range: Cretaceous–present
Unicorn Harvestman (Epedanidae) (15485761431).jpg
Unicorn harvestman (Epedanidae)
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Opiliones
Suborder: Laniatores
Infraorder: Grassatores
Superfamily: Epedanoidea
Family: Epedanidae
Sørensen, 1886 [in L. Koch & Keyserling]
Genera

See text for list

Diversity
70 genera, c. 138 species

Epedanidae is a family of the harvestman infraorder Grassatores with about 200 described species. They are the sister group of the Gonyleptoidea. [1]

Contents

The Epedanidae are endemic to Asia. The subfamily Dibuninae forms the predominant harvestman fauna of the Philippines. The other three subfamilies are more predominant in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, and some are found in Burma and Nepal. Some species occur outside this region, in India, China, Vietnam and Japan. [1] One species is even endemic to New Guinea. [2] The oldest fossils of the family are known from the Cenomanian aged Burmese amber of Myanmar. [3]

Description

The body size ranges from two to five millimeters, with thin legs ranging from six to 26 mm. The chelicerae are heavy with strong teeth in both fingers. The pedipalps are long and strong, with powerful spines lining the inside of the claw. Most species are light brown with few black mottling. Some species possess white patches on the scutum. The pedipalps are much more heavily spined in males, together with a swollen cheliceral hand. [1]

Name

The type genus Epedanus is derived from Ancient Greek epedanos "weak, feeble".

Genera

For a list of all currently described species see List of Epedanidae species.

Dibuninae Roewer, 1912

Epedaninae Sørensen, in L. Koch 1886

Acrobuninae Roewer, 1912

Sarasinicinae Roewer, 1923

incertae sedis

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Opiliones</span> Order of arachnids

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.

<i>Opilio</i> Genus of harvestmen/daddy longlegs

Opilio is a genus of harvestmen with 35 known species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sclerosomatidae</span> Family of harvestmen/daddy longlegs

The Sclerosomatidae are a family of harvestmen with about 1,300 known species. One former subfamily has been recently removed to form a new family, Globipedidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Triaenonychidae</span> Family of harvestmen/daddy longlegs

The Triaenonychidae are a family of harvestmen with about 120 genera and more than 440 described species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stylocellidae</span> Family of harvestmen/daddy longlegs

The Stylocellidae are a family of harvestmen with about 40 described species, all of which occur in Southern or Southeastern Asia. Members of this family are from one to seven millimeters long. While Stylocellus species have eyes, these are absent in the other two genera.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nemastomatidae</span> Family of harvestmen/daddy longlegs

The Nemastomatidae are a family of harvestmen with about 170 described species in 16 recent genera. Several fossil species and genera are known.

Epedanoidea is a small superfamily of the Grassatores. It includes around 355 species distributed in Asia, primarily Southeast Asia.

The Stygnidae are a family of neotropical harvestmen within the suborder Laniatores.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samoidae</span> Family of harvestmen/daddy longlegs

Samoidae is a family of the harvestman infraorder Grassatores with about fifty described species.

Biantidae is a family of the harvestman infraorder Grassatores with about 130 described species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Podoctidae</span> Family of harvestmen/daddy longlegs

Podoctidae is a family of the harvestman infraorder Grassatores with about 130 described species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Travuniidae</span> Family of harvestmen/daddy longlegs

The Travuniidae are a small family of harvestman with little more than ten described species, within the suborder Laniatores.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cladonychiidae</span> Family of harvestmen/daddy longlegs

The Cladonychiidae are a small family of harvestman with about 33 described species, within the suborder Laniatores.

Zalmoxis is a genus of harvestmen, within the Zalmoxidae family. They are found in tropical Australia, Borneo, New Guinea, the Philippines and on Pacific islands.

Acropsopilionoidea is a superfamily of harvestmen with 1 family and 3 genera, found in North America and the Southern Hemisphere.

Tithaeidae is a family of the harvestman infraorder Grassatores, Epedanoidea with about 40 described species.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Kury, Adriano B. (2007): Epedanidae. Sørensen, 1886. In: Pinto-da-Rocha et al. 2007: 188.
  2. ↑ Hallan Biology Catalog
  3. ↑ Selden, Paul A.; Dunlop, Jason A.; Giribet, Gonzalo; Zhang, Weiwei; Ren, Dong (October 2016). "The oldest armoured harvestman (Arachnida: Opiliones: Laniatores), from Upper Cretaceous Myanmar amber". Cretaceous Research. 65: 206–212. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2016.05.004. ISSN   0195-6671.

Further reading

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