A multilocus approach to harvestman (Arachnida: Opiliones) phylogeny with emphasis on biogeography and the systematics of Laniatores

  1. Gonzalo Giribet1,*,
  2. Lars Vogt1,†,
  3. Abel Pérez González2,
  4. Prashant Sharma1,
  5. Adriano B. Kury3

Article first published online: 16 NOV 2009

DOI: 10.1111/j.1096-0031.2009.00296.x

Issue

Cladistics

Cladistics

Volume 26, Issue 4, pages 408–437, August 2010

Additional Information

How to Cite

Giribet, G., Vogt, L., González, A. P., Sharma, P. and Kury, A. B. (2010), A multilocus approach to harvestman (Arachnida: Opiliones) phylogeny with emphasis on biogeography and the systematics of Laniatores. Cladistics, 26: 408–437. doi: 10.1111/j.1096-0031.2009.00296.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Museum of Comparative Zoology, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA

  2. 2

    Grupo de Sistemática e Biologia Evolutiva, Núcleo em Ecologia e Desenvolvimento Sócio-Ambiental, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, CP 119331, CEP 27910-970 Macaé, RJ, Brazil

  3. 3

    Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Quinta da Boa Vista s/n. São Cristóvão 20940-040, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

  1. †

    Present address: Institut für Evolutionsbiologie und Ökologie, Fachgruppe Biologie, Universität Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, D-53121 Bonn, Germany

* Corresponding author: E-mail address: ggiribet@oeb.harvard.edu

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 8 JUL 2010
  2. Article first published online: 16 NOV 2009
  3. Accepted 6 October 2009

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Abstract

The internal phylogeny of the arachnid order Opiliones is investigated by including molecular data from five molecular markers for ca. 140 species totalling 43 families of Opiliones. The phylogenetic analyses consisted of a direct optimization (DO) approach using POY v. 4 and sophisticated tree search algorithms as well as a static alignment analysed under maximum likelihood. The four Opiliones suborders were well-supported clades, but subordinal relationships did not receive support in the DO analysis, with the exception of the monophyly of Palpatores (=Eupnoi + Dyspnoi). Maximum-likelihood analysis strongly supported the traditional relationship of Phalangida and Palpatores: (Cyphophthalmi ((Eupnoi + Dyspnoi) Laniatores)). Relationships within each suborder are well resolved and largely congruent between direct optimization and maximum-likelihood approaches. Age estimates for the main Opiliones lineages suggest a Carboniferous diversification of Cyphophthalmi, while its sister group, Phalangida, diversified in the Early Devonian. Diversification of all suborders predates the Triassic, and most major lineages predate the Cretaceous. The following taxonomic changes are proposed. Dyspnoi: Hesperonemastoma is transferred to Sabaconidae. Insidiatores: Sclerobunidae stat. nov. is erected as a family for Zuma acuta.

 © The Willi Hennig Society 2009.

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