Stygnopsidae
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| Stygnopsidae | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Opiliones |
| Superfamily: | Gonyleptoidea |
| Family: | Stygnopsidae Sørensen, 1932 |
| Species | |
|
see text | |
| Diversity | |
| 8 genera, c. 40 species | |
The Stygnopsidae are a small family of harvestmen, with almost all species found in Mexico.
The name of the type genus Stygnopsis is combined from the genus Stygnus (Stygnidae) and Ancient Greek opsis, "looks like".[1]
Description
The body length of these harvestmen ranges from 2.5 (Karos) to 7 mm (Hoplobunus). Their color ranges from dark brown to black, with much lighter appendages. Cave-dwelling species are pale light brown.[1]
Distribution
As in other Laniatores, most species have narrow distributions. Almost all species occur in Mexico, with some found in the southern USA (Hoplobunus), and Guatemala, El Salvador and Belize (Paramitraceras).
Relationships
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| Proposed phylogeny (after Kury 2003) |
Epedanidae could be the sister group to Gonyleptoidea sensu lato (including the Assamiidae), with the Stygnopsidae the sister group to the rest of Gonyleptoidea. Although they reach into the Nearctic, they are more closely related to neotropical harvestmen.[1]