How many species of mite-harvestmen (Opiliones, Cyphophthalmi) are there in Austria?

Der bodenbewohnende Milbenkanker Cyphophthalmus duricorius Joseph, 1868 (Fam. Sironidae) galt mehr als 60 Jahre lang als die einzige in Österreich vorkommende Art der Weberknecht-Unterordnung Cyphophthalmi. Neuere Aufsammlungen zeigen jedoch, dass mindestens zwei weitere Cyphophthalmi-Arten in Österreich existieren: 1) Siro cf. crassus Novak & Giribet, 2006 wurde an einer Lokalität in der SW Steiermark nahe der slowenischen Grenze gefunden und repräsentiert eine zweite Gattung von Sironiden in Österreich. 2) Ein weiterer, morphologisch distinkter Sironide („Sironidae gen. et sp. nov.?“) − derzeit noch unbeschrieben und taxonomisch nicht zugeordnet − stammt aus Böden im Grenzgebiet Steiermark-Kärnten. Obwohl bislang kein syntopes Vorkommen belegt ist, können alle drei Arten in einem kleinen Areal von wenigen Quadratkilometern gefunden werden.For the last 60 years, the mite-harvestman Cyphophthalmus duricorius Joseph, 1868, a soil-dwelling sironid, has been considered to be the only representative of the opilionid suborder Cyphophthalmi in Austria. However, novel data from recent collections confirm the presence of at least two further Austrian cyphophthalmid species. (1) Siro cf. crassus Novak & Giribet, 2006 occurs in at least one location in SW Styria near the Slovenian border and hence represents a member of a second genus of Austrian sironids. (2) A further morphologically distinct sironid (“Sironidae gen. et sp. nov.?”) – so far undescribed and systematically not placed in detail – was collected in the borderland between Styria and Carinthia. All three species can be found in a small area of a few square-kilometers; although no syntopic occurrence was recorded

A Model for Phylogenetic Chemosystematics: Evolutionary History of Quinones in the Scent Gland Secretions of Harvestmen

By the possession of unique exocrine scent glands, Opiliones (harvestmen) arise as a perfect model for studies on the evolutionary history of secretion chemistry. Among gland compounds of harvestmen, it is the quinones that represent recurring elements across the secretions of all suborders. Reliable data on quinone-distribution, however, is only known for Laniatores (benzoquinones) and Cyphophthalmi (naphthoquinones). We here unraveled the quinone-distribution across scent gland secretions of the third large harvestman suborder, the Palpatores (= Eu- and Dyspnoi): Naphthoquinones were found in phalangiid Eupnoi across all subfamilies as well as in nemastomatid (and at least one ischyropsalid) Dyspnoi. Benzoquinones (1,4-benzoquinone) were restricted to a small entity within Eupnoi, namely platybunine Phalangiidae, probably misplaced Gyantinae (currently Sclerosomatidae) and Amilenus (incertae sedis). Our findings, combined with data from Laniatores and Cyphophthalmi, allow evaluation of a comprehensive chemosystematic model for Opiliones for the first time. Evolutionary scenarios imply naphthoquinones as scent gland compounds of common ancestry, having evolved in an early harvestman ancestor and present in cyphophthalmids and palpatoreans, but lost in laniatoreans. Benzoquinones evolved later and independently at least twice: once in the secretions of gonyleptoid Laniatores (alkylated benzoquinones), and a second time in a lineage of phalangiid Eupnoi (1,4-benzoquinone)

Data from: Taking the discovery approach in integrative taxonomy: decrypting a complex of narrow-endemic Alpine harvestmen (Opiliones: Phalangiidae: Megabunus)

Species delimitation is fundamental for biological studies, yet precise delimitation is not an easy task, and every involved approach has an inherent failure rate. Integrative taxonomy, a method that merges multiple lines of evidence, can profoundly contribute to reliable alpha taxonomy and shed light on the processes behind speciation. In this study, we explored and validated species limits in a group of closely related Megabunus harvestmen (Eupnoi, Phalangiidae) endemic to the European Alps. Without a priori species hypotheses, we used multiple sources of inference, including mitochondrial and multilocus nuclear DNA, morphometrics, and chemistry. The results of these discovery approaches revealed morphological crypsis and multiple new species within two of the five hitherto known species. Based on our analyses, we discussed the most plausible evolutionary scenarios, invoked the most reasonable species hypotheses, and validated the new species limits. Building upon the achieved rigour, three new species, M. cryptobergomas Muster & Wachter sp. nov., M. coelodonta Muster & Steiner sp. nov., and M. lentipes Muster & Komposch sp. nov., are formally described. In addition, we provide a dichotomous morphological key to the Megabunus species of the Alps. Our work demonstrates the suitability of integrative, discovery-based approaches in combination with validation approaches to precisely characterise species and enabled us to implement nomenclatural consequences for this genus

TableS6 - CHC profiles

Contains a table with individual cuticular profiles for all individuals used in this stud

nuDNA Meg77 fasta file

Contains fasta sequences of anonymous locus Meg77 for all individuals used in this stud

TableS7 - Morphometric characters

Contains a table with measurements of twelve characters of the legs for all individuals used in this stud

nuDNA Meg15 fasta file

Contains fasta sequences of anonymous locus Meg15 for all individuals used in this stud

nuDNA Meg52 fasta file

Contains fasta sequences of anonymous locus Meg52 for all individuals used in this stud