Neogoveidae
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Neogoveidae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Immature Metasiro sassafrasensis | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Opiliones |
| Suborder: | Cyphophthalmi |
| Infraorder: | Sternophthalmi |
| Family: | Neogoveidae Shear, 1980 |
| Diversity | |
| 8 genera, 27 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.[1]
The name is a combination of Ancient Greek neo "new" and Ogoveidae, a previously described family of Cyphophthalmi that is closely related to Neogoveidae.[2]
Description
Neogoveidae are 1 to 4.5 mm long and eyeless. They often exhibit a solea (modified area with a high concentration of sensory setae) on the first pair of tarsi. Their chelicerae are smooth, with a dorsal crest and ventral process, and can be either short and robust or long and antennuate. They possess laterally projecting ozophores, tarsal claws on the second pair of legs with a row of teeth, tarsal claws on the third and fourth pairs of legs often with small pegs, and an inconspicuous or absent opisthosomal median furrow. The adenostyle is variable, and can be lamelliform, fimbriate, or digitiform. They exhibit both the fusion of coxae 2 and 3, and the fusion of sternites 8 and 9 with tergite 9, the latter of which forms a complete corona analis, which is not present in the genus Metasiro. [2] Exocrine gland pores are located on the sternum in most genera, except Canga and Neogovea, in which they are absent, and Metasiro, in which they are located on the anal plate.[3] The dorsal scutum is heavily granulated, the metatarsi of the legs are ornamented, and the structure of the spermatopositor is highly variable across genera.[2]
Distribution
Neogoveidae occur in tropical regions between 10° north and 5° south of the equator in both South America and West Africa, with the exception of Metasiro, which is found in southeastern United States.[2]
Current research suggests that the diversity of neotropical Neogovidae is much higher than currently known, as new species were found at virtually every place where samples were taken. Currently, the greatest amount of known Neogoveid diversity is known from Colombia, although it is unknown if this reflects greater ecosystem diversity or greater sampling efforts in that country.[1] It is thought that Neogoveidae possesses a considerably large amount of undescribed diversity compared to most other Cyphophthalmi families.[3]
A recent phylogeographical study of Metasiro suggests that, as the genus exists at endpoints of large watersheds, mite harvestmen may be able to disperse by utilizing moving bodies of water.[4]