Mapping the distribution of armored harvestmen (Opiliones, Laniatores) in Colombia: updated list of species, taxonomic contributions, and insight of diversity in protected areas.

Colombia is a biodiverse country with 1,486 protected areas covering almost 50 million hectares, yet little is known about the biodiversity they harbor, particularly in terms of harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones). This study provides a comprehensive updated summary of the armored harvestmen (Laniatores) species found in Colombia with a list of 173 nominal species, focusing on the Laniatores fauna found in protected areas and its diversity is detailed and analyzed. Maps with all records associated with ecoregions and protected areas in Colombia are presented. Additionally, three new Laniatores species are described here: Phalangodusandresisp. nov. from the department of Cundinamarca, and Ventrifurcaphallainasp. nov. and Ampycellafortunatasp. nov. from the department of Valle del Cauca; and a new family assignment is proposed for Paraphalangodus Roewer, 1915, placing it in the family Nomoclastidae. Information available on Laniatores in the National System of Protected Areas is still scarce and promoting strategies to facilitate the regulatory procedures for collecting specimens in these areas and increasing investment in basic science projects, are suggested to improve the understanding and study of the Laniatores fauna and other invertebrates in Colombia. Finally, a chronicle and timeline set of figures of species of Laniatores from Colombia, described by various authors during three periods, is given.

Too early for the ferry: The biogeographic history of the Assamiidae of southeast Asia (Chelicerata: Opiliones, Laniatores).

Opiliones (harvestmen) have come to be regarded as an abundant source of model groups for study of historical biogeography, due to their ancient age, poor dispersal capability, and high fidelity to biogeographic terranes. One of the least understood harvestman groups is the Paleotropical Assamiidae, one of the more diverse families of Opiliones. Due to a labyrinthine taxonomy, poorly established generic and subfamilial boundaries, and the lack of taxonomic keys for the group, few efforts have been undertaken to decipher relationships within this arachnid lineage. Neither the monophyly of the family, nor its exact placement in the harvestman phylogeny, have been established. Here, we assessed the internal phylogeny of Assamiidae using a ten-locus Sanger dataset, sampling key lineages putatively ascribed to this family for five of the ten markers. Our analyses recovered Assamiidae as a monophyletic group, in a clade with the primarily Afrotropical Pyramidopidae and the southeast Asian Beloniscidae. Internal relationships of assamiids disfavored the systematic validity of subfamilies, with biogeography reflecting much better phylogenetic structure than the existing higher-level taxonomy. To assess whether the Asian assamiids came to occupy Indo-Pacific terranes via rafting on the Indian subcontinent, we performed divergence dating to infer the age of the family. Our results show that Indo-Pacific clades are ancient, originating well before the Cretaceous and therefore predate a vicariant mechanism commonly encountered for Paleotropical taxa.

Description of Nilgiriuspygoprominulus sp. n. (Opiliones, Assamiidae, Trionyxellinae) from China, with notes on its sexual dimorphism.

Background: A new species of Nilgirius, N.pygoprominulus sp. n. (male and female) in the family Assamiidae from Yunnan Province, China, is described and illustrated herein. Sexual size dimorphism (male larger than female) is inconsistent with most assamiids. Other sexually dimorphic features (body shape, leg IV and pseudonychium) are reported. New information: Nilgiriuspygoprominulus sp. n. is described as a new species of Trionyxellinae. Information about sexual dimorphism of the species is reported.

Stereoselective total synthesis of arachnid harvestmen natural product: (4S,5S)­4-hydroxy-γ-decalactone.

Herein, we described the novel synthetic strategy for the total synthesis of harvestmen natural product (4S,5S)­4-hydroxy-γ-decalactone (minor) from an inexpensive precursor ((R)-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane-4-carbaldehyde) with 31% overall yield. Hydroxy-γ-lactones represent a special class of harvestmen exocrine defense compounds. The present convergent synthesis utilizes classical reactions like the Barbier reaction, the Grignard reaction, and the employment of an olefin as a masked carboxylic acid functionality followed by lactone formation as key steps.

The scent gland chemistry of Gagrellinae (Opiliones, Sclerosomatidae): evidence for sequestration of myrmicacin in a species of Prionostemma.

The scent gland secretion of an undetermined species of Prionostemma from Costa Rica was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and shown to consist of medium-chain carboxylic acids (mainly octanoic acid) and a ß-hydroxy-carboxylic acid, eventually identified as myrmicacin (= (R)-3-hydroxydecanoic acid). While scent gland secretions in harvestmen have traditionally been considered to be products of de novo synthesis, we here provide evidence for the unusual case of sequestration-derived scent gland constituents: at least myrmicacin appears to be sequestered from leaf-cutter ants that constitute a part of the prey of the Prionostemma-species herein investigated. This is the first report on the scent gland chemistry of the sclerosomatid subfamily Gagrellinae as well as on a possible sequestration mechanism in harvestmen.

Diversity and abundance of soil macroinvertebrates along a contamination gradient in the Central Urals, Russia.

BACKGROUND: Since the late 1980s, long-term monitoring of terrestrial ecosystems in metal-contaminated areas near the Middle Ural Copper Smelter has been carried out in the Central Urals. As a part of these monitoring programmes, the data on species diversity, community composition and abundance of soil macroinvertebrates continue to be gathered. NEW INFORMATION: The dataset (available from the GBIF network at https://www.gbif.org/dataset/61e92984-382b-4158-be6b-e391c7ed5a64) includes a 2004 census for soil macroinvertebrates of spruce-fir forests along a pollution gradient in the Central Urals. The dataset describes soil macrofauna's abundance (the number of individuals per sample, i.e. the density) and community structure (list of supraspecific taxa, list of species for most abundant taxa and supraspecific taxa or species abundance). Seventeen sampling plots differed in the levels of toxic metal (Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd and Fe) soil contamination from air emissions of the Middle Ural Copper Smelter (heavily polluted, moderately polluted and unpolluted areas). The dataset consists of 340 sampling events (= samples corresponding to upper and lower layers of the 170 soil monoliths) and 64658 rows (2907 and 61751 for non-zero and zero density of taxa, respectively). Arachnida (Araneae and Opiliones), Carabidae (imagoes), Elateridae (larvae), Chilopoda, Diplopoda, Gastropoda, Staphylinidae (imagoes) and Lumbricidae were identified to species level. In contrast, Mermithida, Enchytraeidae, Lepidoptera larvae, Diptera larvae, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera and some other insects were identified to family or order levels. In total, 8430 individuals of soil macroinvertebrates were collected in two soil layers (organic and organic-mineral horizons), including 1046 Arachnida (spiders and harvestmen), 45 Carabidae, 300 Elateridae, 529 Myriapoda, 741 Gastropoda, 437 Staphylinidae, 623 Lumbricidae and 4709 other invertebrates. The presence-absence data on each taxon are provided for each sampling event. An overwhelming majority of such absences can be interpreted as "pseudo-absences" at the scale of sampling plots or study sites. The dataset contains information helpful for long-term ecotoxicological monitoring of forest ecosystems and contributes to studying soil macrofauna diversity in the Urals.

The type of leg lost affects habitat use but not survival in a non-regenerating arthropod.

Finding shelter and surviving encounters with predators are pervasive challenges for animals. These challenges may be exacerbated after individuals experience bodily damage. Certain forms of damage arise voluntarily in animals; for instance, some taxa release appendages (tails, legs, or other body parts) as a defensive strategy ("autotomy"). This behavior, however, may pose long-term negative consequences for habitat use and survival. Additionally, these putative consequences are expected to vary according to the function of the lost body part. We tested the effects of losing different functional leg types (locomotor or sensory) on future habitat use and survival in a Neotropical species of Prionostemma harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones) that undergo frequent autotomy but do not regrow limbs. Daytime surveys revealed that both eight-legged harvestmen and harvestmen missing legs roosted in similar frequencies across habitats (tree bark, mossy tree, or fern), and perched at similar heights. Mark-recapture data showed that harvestmen that lost sensory legs roosted in tree bark less frequently, but on mossy trees more frequently. On the contrary, we did not observe changes in habitat use for eight-legged animals or animals that lost locomotor legs. This change might be related to sensory exploration and navigation. Lastly, we found that recapture rates across substrates were not affected by the type of legs lost, suggesting that leg loss does not impact survival. This potential lack of effect might play a role in why a defensive strategy like autotomy is so prevalent in harvestmen despite the lack of regeneration.

Revision of the southern Andean genus Sadocus Sørensen, 1886 (Opiliones, Gonyleptidae, Pachylinae).

Species of the genus Sadocus Sørensen, 1886 are conspicuous gonyleptids that occur in Chile and Argentina. Here, the genus is revised for the first time and the cladistic analysis based on morphological characters does not corroborate its monophyly unless a phylogenetically unrelated species is excluded (explained further on). A new classification is proposed for the seven species left in the genus and considered valid, of the 13 nominal species previously recognized. Two out of the seven valid species are considered as species inquirendae: Sadocus allermayeri (Mello-Leitão, 1945) [= Carampangue allermayeri Mello-Leitão, 1945] and Sadocus nigronotatus (Mello-Leitão, 1943) [= Carampangue nigronotatum Mello-Leitão, 1943]. The following synonymies are proposed: Sadocus bicornis (Gervais, 1849) [original combination = Gonyleptes bicornis Gervais, 1849] is a junior synonym of Sadocus asperatus (Gervais, 1847) [= Gonyleptes asperatus Gervais, 1847]; Sadocus conspicillatus Roewer, 1913, Sadocus exceptionalis (Mello-Leitão, 1946) [= Araucanoleptes exceptionalis Mello-Leitão, 1946] and Sadocus guttatus Sørensen, 1902 are junior synonyms of the valid name Sadocus polyacanthus (Gervais, 1847) [= Gonyleptes polyacanthus Gervais, 1847]; and Sadocus calcar (Roewer, 1913) [= Lycomedes calcar Roewer, 1913] is a junior synonym of the valid name Gonyleptes horridus Kirby, 1819. Sadocus brasiliensis Soares & Soares, 1949 is not congeneric with Argentinean/Chilean species of the genus according to the cladistic analysis and is here synonymized with Discocyrtus catharinensis (Mello-Leitão, 1923 [= Sadocus catharinensis Mello-Leitão, 1923]).

Two new species of Plistobunus from China (Opiliones: Laniatores: Epedanidae).

The present paper describes two new species of Plistobunus Pocock, 1903, from China: Plistobunus gracilipenis sp. nov. from Yunnan Province, and P. weiguang sp. nov. from Guangxi Province. Their discovery greatly expands the distribution of this genus to the northwest and further inland in China.

Semideciduous seasonal forest opiliofauna (Arachnida, Opiliones), State of Paraná, Brazil

Harvestmen are arachnids that play an important role in organic matter breakdown. However, there are many ecosystems in Brazil, including Conservation Units, which lack information about these organisms or are sub-sampled. Even in areas of Atlantic forest, a biome that hosts the greatest diversity and endemic rates of these arthropods in the world. In this perspective, the purpose of this study was to survey the harvestmen fauna in areas of Semideciduous Seasonal Forest in the Ilha Grande National Park, Paraná, southern Brazil, from February to November 2019, totaling 15 days and 60 hours, on six islands in the Paraná River. A total of 170 specimens was collected, distributed in five genera, comprising two species and three morphotypes. The low species richness may reflect the isolation of populations imposed by the island effect, however the study expanded the geographic distribution of Parapachyloides uncinatus and Discocyrtus invalidus, for which until then there was no record of occurrence in the Paraná State.

A new Miopsalis from Mindanao supports a biogeographic umbilicus between Borneo and the southern Philippines (Arachnida: Opiliones: Cyphophthalmi: Stylocellidae).

A new species of Cyphophthalmi belonging to the Southeast Asian genus Miopsalis Thorell, 1890 is described and illustrated using SEM and confocal microscopy. The species is known from two localities in the northern part of Mindanao and constitutes only the second described Cyphophthalmi species endemic to the Philippines. Sequence data obtained from this species show that it is phylogenetically distinct from two juvenile specimens previously collected from Bangaray Kimlawis (southern Mindanao) in 2009. The new Miopsalis is clearly distinguishable from other Miopsalis by characters pertaining to spermatopositor morphology.

Paragoniosomatinae, a new subfamily of Gonyleptidae (Arachnida: Opiliones), based on a new species from the Chapada Diamantina relict cloud forests, Brazil.

In this paper, we describe a new subfamily of Gonyleptidae, Paragoniosomatinae subfam. nov., based on a new genus and species, Paragoniosoma cachaceiro gen. nov., sp. nov., found in an upper montane cloud forest of Chapada Diamantina mountains, one of the small interior patches of Atlantic Forest. This discovery suggests that the narrow-restricted cloud forests are old relicts of an Atlantic Forest hotspot. Paragoniosoma cachaceiro gen. nov., sp. nov. is characterized by the presence of four areas on the dorsal scutum, serose dry mark in areas III-IV, seven basal setae in penis (macrosetae A and B) in two rows, and very large tarsal process. We performed a phylogenetic analysis based on morphological characters that revealed a close relationship of the new species with Goniosomatinae, a subfamily that includes six genera and 38 valid species distributed throughout the coastal Atlantic Forest. The new species also has the same habitat and other behavioural and ecological traits as Goniosomatinae, furnishing great insights on the evolution of their characteristic biology, e.g., subsocial behavior. Field surveys of harvestmen from the type locality and nearby lowland seasonal forests indicate a unique fauna, including additional new, undescribed species. In addition to phylogenetics, this dissimilarity with other regions and the presence of endemic species of other animal and plant taxa provide support for the consideration of the cloud montane patches of Chapada Diamantina as relicts. We discuss this rule in the historical biogeographic context of Atlantic Forest and suggest that the new species represents evidence of an Atlantic Forest that was more widespread in the past.

A taxonomic study on Epedanidae from Thailand including functional aspects of male genital morphology (Opiliones, Laniatores).

The South-East Asian opilionid family Epedanidae Sørensen, 1886 has one of its strongholds in Thailand from where a multitude of genera and species have been described but the epedanid fauna of the country is still poorly known. This paper records four species from this country, three of which are new: Euepedanus dashdamirovi sp. nov. (male and female), Plistobunus jaegeri sp. nov. (male and female), and Toccolus kuryi sp. nov. (male and female). Toccolus globitarsis Suzuki, 1969 was previously known only from the type locality in Thailand and is redescribed here. Functional aspects of epedanid penial morphology are highlighted.

A new genus of Kimulidae; first record of the family from Colombia (Opliones, Grassatores).

Usatama gen. nov. is described to include a new species of Kimulidae from Colombia. This is the first record of the family from the country. The new genus presents a weakly armed ocularium, feeble sexual dimorphism, and unique genital structure with three parallel horseshoe-shaped girdles in pars distalis and absence of cochleariform macrosetae.

Opiliones of Canada.

The taxonomic diversity of the Opiliones fauna of Canada is reviewed and summarised. At present, 36 native and seven non-native species have been documented in Canada using traditional morphological taxonomy, although more than 20 species may remain undiscovered based on species diversity in the adjacent United States and evidence from DNA barcoding. Consequently, the native fauna is yet to be fully explored and the number, distribution and ecological effects of non-native species remain unclear. Until the 1960s, work on the Canadian Opiliones fauna was largely conducted by researchers based outside the country. From that time on, several Canadian workers became active. However, these taxonomists have now retired and no one has assumed their role. Thus, there is a need to invigorate taxonomic research on the harvestmen of Canada and for the production of easy-to-use identification tools for use by non-taxonomists.

Two new species of Petrobunus from China (Opiliones: Laniatores: Petrobunidae).

Two new species of Petrobunus Sharma Giribet, 2011, (Petrobunidae) are described: P. chongqing sp. nov. (♀♂) and P. hebei sp. nov. (♀♂). Petrobunus chongqing sp. nov. is similar to P. spinifer Sharma Giribet, 2011, in having two large spines on the male sternite 7. However, the new species can be distinguished from P. spinifer by the absence of a ventral tubercle on the male femur IV, as well as the presence of three pairs of enlarged tubercles on the lateral margin of area V and free tergites I-II. Petrobunus hebei sp. nov. and P. torosus Sharma Giribet, 2011 closely resemble each other. They are distinguished by the morphology of the ocularium, in that P. torosus has a median tubercle whereas the ocularium of P. hebei sp. nov. is unarmed. The discovery and descriptions of these species greatly expand the known range of the genus Petrobunus.

A whiter shade of pale: anchoring the name Paecilaema C. L. Koch, 1839 onto a neotype (Opiliones, Cosmetidae).

The generic name Paecilaema C.L. Koch, 1839 is anchored to the nomen dubium Cosmetus u-flavum Perty, 1833, and the fixation of the latter is proposed by designating a neotype. The choice was made on a potential topotype, being a common species in metropolitan Rio de Janeiro city, SE Brazil, which has been described as new five times and is currently best known as Metavononoides bellus (Mello-Leitão, 1932). Cosmetus u-flavum has been originally included in Paecilaema along with Paecilaema limbatum Kollar in C.L. Koch, 1839, the latter here synonymized with the former. Therefore, our choice of this species is adequate in conveying Koch's original concept of Paecilaema. The most striking diagnostic feature of the species of Paecilaema is the presence of a lyra, a unique shape of blots in layers of shades of white to pale yellow on the dorsal scutum. Other patterns of scutal white blots are hereby defined and named. Paecilaema is here considered most closely related to Metavononoides Roewer, 1928. Comments are made on the diagnostic characters and the terminology of parts of the lyra is expanded with the introduction of new terms. Comments are made on the formation of the generic name Paecilaema. Taxonomic adjustments are made in the closest relatives of Paecilaema u-flavum, and the following nomenclatural acts are proposed: (1) MNRJ 3433 is designated as male neotype of Cosmetus u-flavum, type species of Paecilaema. (2) Proposed new synonymies: Poecilaema soerenseni Henriksen, 1932 = Paecilaemula bella Mello-Leitão, 1932 = Eucynorta brasiliensis Mello-Leitão, 1923 = Paecilaema limbatum Kollar in C.L. Koch, 1839 = Cosmetus u-flavum Perty, 1833. (3) Nine species originally described elsewhere but currently placed in Metavononoides are transferred to Paecilaema, either as new or as restored combinations: Paecilaemula albisecta Mello-Leitão, 1942, Poecilaemula albosigillata Mello-Leitão, 1941, Paecilaema lyra Sørensen, 1932, Metavononoides melanacanthus Ferreira, Pedroso Kury, 2005, Paecilaema muticum Sørensen, 1932, Paecilaema ornatissimum Mello-Leitão 1942, Poecilaemula peculiare Roewer, 1917, Paecilaemula preciosa Roewer 1928 and Metavononoides renneri Ferreira, Pedroso Kury, 2007. (4) The following genera, currently in the synonymy of Paecilaema, are all revalidated and given emended diagnoses: Meterginoides Roewer, 1912, Meterginulus Roewer, 1912, Paecilaemella Roewer, 1925, Pararhauculus Roewer, 1933, Soaresella Goodnight Goodnight 1947. (5) Their respective type species, currently combined under Paecilaema, are transferred back to their revalidated genera: Paecilaema rastelliferum Pickard-Cambridge 1905 to Meterginulus; Meterginus inermis Banks, 1909 to Meterginoides; Pararhauculus lineatus Roewer, 1933 to Pararhauculus; Paecilaemella festae Roewer, 1925 to Paecilaemella and Soaresella gracilis Goodnight Goodnight, 1947 to Soaresella.

Rediscovery of Lobonychiumpalpiplus Roewer, 1938 (Opiliones, Laniatores, Epedanidae) in Sabah, Malaysia.

Lobonychiumpalpiplus Roewer, 1938, originally reported from Indonesian Borneo, is redescribed based on the specimens from Malaysia. The genitalia of this species are described for the first time and a new genital terminology is proposed. The rediscovery expands the known distribution of the species to Malaysian Borneo.

Annotated checklist of Gonyleptoidea (Opiliones: Laniatores) associated with Brazilian caves.

In Brazil, the order Opiliones has been well studied, making this country the leader in research with the group, but few extensive works have been made on the distribution of harvestmen associated with caves. In this context, the present paper aims to list all records of the superfamily Gonyleptoidea associated with Brazilian caves, using records from the literature and unreported data from scientific collections. The compiled checklist contains the largest number of harvestmen species recorded for caves in one country, worldwide. A total of 155 species belonging to 7 families were recorded from 952 caves throughout 152 municipalities and 17 states of Brazil. A considerable number of 46 putative (undescribed) new species were recognized, including 9 troglomorphic species. Additionally, 161 new municipal records where found for 58 known species. The most diverse family was Gonyleptidae (104 spp.), with the subfamilies Pachylinae (55 spp.), followed by Goniosomatinae (18 spp.) and Mitobatinae (16 spp.). The number of described species analysed in the present work represents about 12% of the Brazilian opiliofauna of Gonyleptoidea, with many species widely distributed, being indicative of affinity of the group with the cave environments. Thus, the compilation of distribution data of such species (mainly the troglobitic and troglomorphic) can directly contribute to a higher valuation of their habitats, leading to better preservation policies, as well as being useful for future ecological and biogeographical studies.

Ancient home or in exile? The easternmost species of genus Starengovia Snegovaya, 2010 found in China (Opiliones, Nemastomatidae, Nemastomatinae).

Starengovia quadrituberculatasp. n. is described and illustrated based on male and female specimens collected in Yunnan Province, China. The new species is distinct from the two other congeners, S. kirgizica Snegovaya, 2010 and S. ivanloebli Martens, 2017, in having two pairs of low submedian tubercles on abdominal areae III and IV; distal margin of the lateral foliate wing-like structures of the penis situated close to the glans base, the short rod-like stylus, the form and position of spines on the stylus of the penis, anvil-shaped tubercles mainly on front margin of prosoma. The occurrence of Starengovia in Yunnan, the second nemastomatine species in China, creates a huge distributional gap of roughly 2700 km distance to its closest neighbor S. ivanloebli in Northwest Pakistan. The historical relations of Chinese nemastomatines are discussed.