A taxonomic catalogue of the Dyspnoi Hansen and Sørensen, 1904 (Arachnida: Opiliones)

Abstract

An update of the systematics and determination key of the Opiliones suborder Dyspnoi is provided. The included catalogue represents the first comprehensive species and synonymy listing since Roewer (1923). It summarises all taxonomic changes to date and attempts to be a sound basis against the exponential growing number of online errors, for which examples are given. Species taxonomy features most obvious changes within the Nemastomatidae. The number of species in the collective genus Nemastoma is reduced from 96 (Hallan 2005) to its sensu stricto definition of 7, and the excluded names are transferred to other genera or considered as nomina dubia, predominantly in Paranemastoma. The systematics of the superfamily Ischyropsalidoidea is discussed and family-level diagnoses are renewed to support taxonomical changes: The morphological heterogeneity in the Sabaconidae is resolved by reverting the family to its original monogeneric state. Taracus and Hesperonemastoma are separated as Taracidae fam. n., and Crosbycus is tentatively transferred to this assembly. The remaining genera of Ceratolasmatidae, Acuclavella and Ceratolasma, are included as subfamily Ceratolasmatinae in the Ischyropsalididae and Ischyropsalis is assigned subfamily status, respectively. Other nomenclatural acts are restricted to species-group level with the following synonymies established: Sabacon jonesi Goodnight & Goodnight, 1942 syn. n. (=cavicolens (Packard, 1884)), Dicranolasma diomedeum Kulczyński, 1907 syn. n. (=hirtum Loman, 1894), Mitostoma (Mitostoma) sketi Hadži, 1973a syn. n. (=chrysomelas (Hermann, 1804)), Mitostoma asturicum Roewer, 1951 syn. n. (=pyrenaeum (Simon, 1879a)), Nemastoma formosum Roewer, 1951 syn. n. (=Nemastomella bacillifera bacillifera (Simon, 1879a)), Nemastoma reimoseri Roewer, 1951 syn. n. (=Paranemastoma bicuspidatum (C.L. Koch, 1835)), Nemastoma tunetanum Roewer, 1951 syn. n. (=Paranemastoma bureschi (Roewer, 1926)), Phalangium flavimanum C.L. Koch, 1835 syn. n. (=Paranemastoma quadripunctatum (Perty, 1833)), Crosbycus graecus Giltay, 1932 syn. n. (=Paranemastoma simplex (Giltay, 1932)), Nemastoma bimaculosum Roewer 1951 syn. n. (=Paranemastoma titaniacum (Roewer, 1914)), Trogulocratus tunetanus Roewer, 1950 syn. n. (=Calathocratus africanus (Lucas, 1849)), Trogulus albicerus Sø-rensen, 1873 syn. n. (=Calathocratus sinuosus (Sørensen, 1873)), Metopoctea exarata Simon, 1879a syn. n. (=Trogulus aquaticus Simon, 1879a), Trogulus galasensis Avram, 1971 syn. n. (=Trogulus nepaeformis (Scopoli, 1763)) and Trogulus roeweri Avram, 1971 syn. n. (=Trogulus nepaeformis (Scopoli, 1763)). Paranemastoma werneri (Kulczyński, 1903) is elevated from subspecies to species. Ischyropsalis luteipes Simon, 1872b is proposed as nomen protectum, taking precedence over Lhermia spinipes Lucas 1866 nomen oblitum. The same accounts for Anelasmocephalus cambridgei (Westwood, 1874) nomen protectum, taking precedence over Trogulus violaceus Gervais, 1844 nomen oblitum, Trogulus closanicus Avram, 1971 nomen protectum over Trogulus asperatus C...

Response of ground-dwelling harvestman assemblages (Arachnida: Opiliones) to European beech forest canopy cover

“…We recorded 16 of the 27 species of harvestmen known to occur in beech forests in Slovakia (Stašiov, 2004). Five species (Dicranolasma scabrum, Nemastoma lugubre, Mitostoma chrysomelas, Trogulus nepaeformis, Trogulus tricarinatus) belonging to the suborder Dyspnoi and superfamily Troguloidea (Schönhofer, 2013). These soil-dwelling harvestmen are short legged and are more likely to fall into pitfall traps then long-legged harvestmen.…”

Mediostoma izmirica sp. nov.: a new harvestman species(Arachnida, Opiliones, Nemastomatidae) from Turkey

“…The genus Mediostoma currently includes 11 species (Schönhofer, 2013): M. armatum Martens, 2006;M. ceratocephalum Gruber, 1976;M.…”

<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><strong>Order Opiliones Sundevall, 1833. <em>In</em>: Zhang, Z.-Q. (Ed.) Animal Biodiversity: An Outline of Higher-level Classification and Survey of Taxonomic Richness (Addenda 2013) </strong></span></span>

“…For the Dyspnoi, the greater change was the catalogue of Schönhofer (2013), which introduced new combinations, new synonymies, consolidation of overlooked nomenclatural acts and denomination of nomina dubia. Likewise, descriptions of many new Nearctic and Palearctic species appeared (Chemeris & Kovblyuk 2012;González-Luque & Labrada 2012;Karaman 2013;Richart & Hedin 2013;Snegovaya & Marusik 2012;, and even a new genus (Schönhofer & Martens 2012).…”

“…However, 3 new infraorders have been proposed in Cyphophthalmi and familiar arrangement in Dyspnoi has been altered, with the creation of the new family Taracidae and the merging of Ceratolasmatidae into Ischyropsalididae (Schönhofer 2013). The total of 46 extant families has thus remained constant.…”