Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Responsive image
Issue: Vol. 5296 No. 3: 29 May 2023
Type: Article
Published: 2023-05-29
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5296.3.6
Page range: 421-445
Abstract views: 372
PDF downloaded: 23

An unexpected diversity of Cyphophthalmi (Arachnida: Opiliones) in Upper Cretaceous Burmese amber

Freie Universität Berlin; Institute of Geological Sciences; Palaeontology Section; Malteserstraße 74-100; D-12249 Berlin; Germany
Museum für Naturkunde; Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science; Invalidenstraße 43; D-10115 Berlin; Germany
Museum of Comparative Zoology and Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology; Harvard University; 26 Oxford Street; Cambridge; MA 02138; USA
Opiliones Biogeography Cenomanian fossils Stylocellidae

Abstract

Ten new Cyphophthalmi specimens (Arachnida: Opiliones) from the Upper Cretaceous (Lower Cenomanian) Burmese amber of northern Myanmar are described. Seven of these are placed in Stylocellidae, the predominant extant family found today in Southeast Asia. Sirocellus iunctus gen. et sp. nov. represents the first fossil with a combination of sironid and stylocellid characters, suggesting a still ongoing transition in some lineages during the Upper Cretaceous. Mesopsalis oblongus gen. et sp. nov. represents a second fossil with elongated ozophores, a character not known from modern species. Leptopsalis breyeri sp. nov. is the first Cretaceous cyphophthalmid assignable to an extant genus. The species Foveacorpus cretaceus gen. et sp. nov. and F. parvus gen. et sp. nov., which cannot be placed in an extant family, show morphological novelties for Cyphophthalmi such as numerous pits covering the whole body. The possible function of these pits is discussed. Three more adult males with unique adenostyles and two juveniles are not formally named but further indicate an already highly diverse cyphophthalmid fauna during the Cretaceous. The total number of named Burmese amber Cyphophthalmi species is raised from one to six, and the total fossil record for this suborder now stands at eight.

 

References

  1. Adis, J., Messner, B. & Platnick, N.I. (1999) Morphological structures and vertical distribution in the soil indicate facultative plastron respiration in Cryptocellus adisi (Arachnida, Ricinulei) from Central Amazonia. Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment, 34, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1076/snfe.34.3.1.8897 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1076/snfe.34.3.1.8897
  2. Balashov, I. (2021) An inventory of molluscs recorded from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber, with the description of a land snail, Euthema annae sp. nov. (Caenogastropoda, Cyclophoroidea, Diplommatinidae). Cretaceous Research, 118, 104676. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104676 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104676
  3. Bartel, C., Dunlop, J.A., Sharma, P.P., Selden, P.A., Ren, D. & Shih, C. (2021) Laniatorean harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones) from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. Cretaceous Research, 119, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104703 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104703
  4. Boyer, S.L., Clouse, R.M., Benavides, L.R., Sharma, P.P., Schwendinger, P.J., Karunarathna, I. & Giribet, G. (2007) Biogeography of the world: a case study from cyphophthalmid Opiliones, a globally distributed group of arachnids. Journal of Biogeography, 34, 2070–2085. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2699.2007.01755.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2699.2007.01755.x
  5. Clerck, C. (1757) Aranei Svecici. Svenska spindlar, uti sina hufvud-slågter indelte samt under några och sextio särskildte arter beskrefne och med illuminerade figurer uplyste. Laurentius Salvius, Stockholmiae [Stockholm], 154 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.119890 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.119890
  6. Clouse, R.M. (2012) The lineages of Stylocellidae (Arachnida: Opiliones: Cyphophthalmi). Zootaxa, 3595 (1), 1–34. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3595.1.1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3595.1.1
  7. Clouse, R.M. & Giribet, G. (2010) When Thailand was an island—the phylogeny and biogeography of mite harvestmen (Opiliones, Cyphophthalmi, Stylocellidae) in Southeast Asia. Journal of Biogeography, 37, 1114–1130. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2699.2010.02274.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2699.2010.02274.x
  8. Clouse, R.M. & Schwendinger, P.J. (2012) Leptopsalis foveolata sp. nov., a new species of Stylocellidae from Thailand that displays a novel morphological feature in the suborder Cyphophthalmi (Arachnida, Opiliones). Revue suisse de Zoologie, 119, 529–546. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.part.150204 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.part.150204
  9. Coleman, C.O. (2003) “Digital inking”: How to make perfect line drawings on computers. Organisms, Diversity and Evolution, 14, 1–14. [Electronic Supplement at http://senckenbergde/odes/03-14htm] https://doi.org/10.1078/1439-6092-00081 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1078/1439-6092-00081
  10. Cruickshank, R.D. & Ko, K. (2003) Geology of an amber locality in the Hukawng Valley, Northern Myanmar. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 21, 441–455. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1367-9120(02)00044-5 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1367-9120(02)00044-5
  11. Dunlop, J.A. & Giribet, G. (2003) The first fossil cyphophthalmid (Arachnida: Opiliones) from Bitterfeld amber, Germany. The Journal of Arachnology, 31, 371–378. https://doi.org/10.1636/h03-03 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1636/H03-03
  12. Dunlop, J.A. & Mitov, P.G. (2011) The first fossil cyphophthalmid harvestman from Baltic amber. Arachnologische Mitteilungen, 40, 47–54. https://doi.org/10.5431/aramit4006 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5431/aramit4006
  13. Fernández, R., Sharma, P.P., Tourinho, A.L. & Giribet, G. (2017) The Opiliones tree of life: Shedding light on harvestmen relationships through transcriptomics. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 284, 20162340. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2016.2340 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2016.2340
  14. Friedrich, D. (2015) Cyphophthalmids (Opiliones, Cyphophthalmi) in Burmese amber: described using light microscopy and micro-computed tomography. Unpublished M.Sc. thesis, Humboldt University, Berlin, 80 pp.
  15. Giribet, G. (2002) Stylocellus ramblae, a new stylocellid (Opiliones, Cyphophthalmi) from Singapore, with a discussion of the family Stylocellidae. The Journal of Arachnology, 30, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1636/0161-8202(2002)030[0001:sranso]2.0.co;2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1636/0161-8202(2002)030[0001:SRANSO]2.0.CO;2
  16. Giribet, G. (2020) An updated catalogue of the suborder Cyphophthalmi (Arachnida: Opiliones). Revista Ibérica de Aracnología, 37, 61–100.
  17. Giribet, G. & Prieto, C.E. (2003) A new Afrotropical Ogovea (Opiliones, Cyphophthalmi) from Cameroon, with a discussion on the taxonomic characters in the family Ogoveidae. Zootaxa, 329 (1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.329.1.1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.329.1.1
  18. Giribet, G., Sharma, P.P., Benavides, L.R., Boyer, S.L., Clouse, R.M., De Bivort, B.L., Dimitrov, D., Kawauchi, G.Y., Murienne, J.Y. & Schwendinger, P.J. (2012) Evolutionary and biogeographical history of an ancient and global group of arachnids (Arachnida: Opiliones: Cyphophthalmi) with a new taxonomic arrangement. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 105, 92–130. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8312.2011.01774.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8312.2011.01774.x
  19. Grimaldi, D., Engel, M.S. & Nascimbene, P. (2002) Fossiliferous Cretaceous amber from Myanmar (Burma): its rediscovery, biotic diversity, and paleontological significance. American Museum Novitates, 3361, 1–72. https://doi.org/10.1206/0003-0082(2002)361<0001:fcafmb>2.0.co;2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1206/0003-0082(2002)361<0001:FCAFMB>2.0.CO;2
  20. Hansen, H.J. & Sørensen, W. (1904) On two orders of Arachnida: Opiliones, especially the suborder Cyphophthalmi, and Ricinulei, namely the family Cryptostemmatoidae. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 174 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.13898 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.13898
  21. Juberthie, C. (1970) Un Cyphophthalme nouveau d’une grotte de Nouvelle-Calédonie: Troglosiro aelleni n. gen., n. sp. (Opilion Sironinae). Revue suisse de Zoologie, 86, 221–231. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.part.82287 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.part.82287
  22. Kury, A.B., Mendes, A.C., Cardoso, L., Kury, M.S., Granado, A.A., Yoder, M.J. & Kury, I.S. (2021). WCO-Lite version 1.1: an online nomenclatural catalogue of harvestmen of the world (Arachnida, Opiliones) curated in TaxonWorks. Zootaxa, 4908 (3), 447–450. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4908.3.10 DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4908.3.10
  23. Mahadik, G.A., Hernandez-Sanchez, J.F., Arunachalam, S., Gallo Jr., A., Cheng, L., Far-inha, A.S., Thoroddsen, S.T., Mishra, H. & Duarte, C.M. (2020) Superhydrophobicity and size reduction enabled Halobates (Insecta: Heteroptera, Gerridae) to colonize the open ocean. Scientific Reports, 10, 7785. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-64563-7 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-64563-7
  24. Metcalfe, I. (2017) Tectonic evolution of Sundaland. Bulletin of the Geological Society of Malaysia, 63, 27–60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gr.2010.02.016 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7186/bgsm63201702
  25. Murphree, C.S. (1988) Morphology of the dorsal integument of ten opilionid species (Arachnida, Opiliones). The Journal of Arachnology, 16, 237–252.
  26. Nattier, R., Pellens, R., Robillard, T., Jourdan, H., Legendre, F., Caesar, M., Nel, A. & Grandcolas, P. (2017) Updating the phylogenetic dating of New Caledonian biodiversity with a meta-analysis of the available evidence. Scientific Reports, 7, 3705. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-02964-x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-02964-x
  27. Oberski, J.T., Sharma, P.P., Jay, K.R., Coblens, M.J., Lemon, K.A., Johnson, J.E. & Boyer, S.L. (2018) A dated molecular phylogeny of mite harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones: Cyphophthalmi) elucidates ancient diversification dynamics in the Australian Wet Tropics. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 127, 813–822. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2018.06.029 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2018.06.029
  28. Pinto-da-Rocha, R., Machado, G. & Giribet, G. (2007) Harvestmen: The Biology of Opiliones. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, x + 597 pp. https://doi.org/10.4159/9780674276833 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv322v442
  29. Platnick, N.I. (1988) A new Cryptocellus (Arachnida: Ricinulei) from Brazil. Journal of the New York Entomological Society, 96 (3), 363–366.
  30. Poinar Jr., G.O. (2008) Palaeosiro burmanicum n. gen., n. sp., a fossil Cyphophthalmi (Arachnida: Opiliones: Sironidae) in Early Cretaceous Burmese amber. In: Makarov, S.E. & Dimitrijevic, R.N. (Eds.), Advances in arachnology and developmental biology. Papers dedicated to Prof. Dr. Bozidar Curcic. Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, and Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Vienna, Belgrade, Sofia, pp. 267–274.
  31. Poinar Jr., G.O., Lambert, J.B. & Wu, Y. (2007) Araucarian source of fossiliferous
  32. Burmese amber: spectroscopic and anatomical evidence. Journal of the Botanical Research Institute Texas, 1, 449–455.
  33. Ross, A.J. (2023) Supplement to the Burmese (Myanmar) amber checklist and bibliography, 2022. Palaeoentomology, 6 (1), 22–40. https://doi.org/10.11646/palaeoentomology.6.1.6 DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/palaeoentomology.6.1.6
  34. Selden, P.A. & Ren, D. (2017). A review of Burmese amber arachnids. Journal of Arachnology, 45 (3), 324–343. https://doi.org/10.1636/JoA-S-17-029 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1636/JoA-S-17-029
  35. Shear, W.A. (1985) Marwe coarctata, a remarkable new cyphophthalmid from a limestone cave in Kenya (Arachnida, Opiliones). American Museum Novitates, 2830, 1–6.
  36. Shi, G., Grimaldi, D.A., Harlow, G.E., Wang, J., Wang, J., Yang, M., Lei, W., Li, Q. & Li, X. (2012) Age constraint on Burmese amber based on U-Pb dating of zircons. Cretaceous Research, 37, 155–163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2012.03.014 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2012.03.014
  37. Simon, E. (1879) Les Arachnides de France VII. Contenant les ordes des Chernetes, Scorpiones et Opiliones. Roret, Paris, 332 pp.
  38. Smith, R.D.A. & Ross, A.J. (2018) Amberground pholadid bivalve borings and inclusions in Burmese amber: implications for proximity of resin-producing forests to brackish waters, and the age of the amber. Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, 107, 239–247. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1755691017000287 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1755691017000287
  39. Stelbrink, B., Albrecht, C., Hall, R. & Von Rintelen, T. (2012) The biogeography of Sulawesi revisited: Is there evidence for a vicariant origin of taxa on Wallace’s “anomalous island”? Evolution, 66, 2252–2271. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1558-5646.2012.01588.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1558-5646.2012.01588.x
  40. Sundevall, C.J. (1833) Conspectus Arachnidum. C.F. Berling, Londini Gothorum [Lund], 39 pp.
  41. Thorell, T. (1882) Descrizione di alcuni Aracnidi inferiori dell’ Arcipelago Malese. Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Genova, 18, 21–69.
  42. Thorell, T. (1890) Aracnidi di Nias e di Sumatra raccolti nel 1886 dal Sig. E. Mondigliani. Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Genova, Series 2a, 10, 5–106. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.10511 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.10511
  43. Westerweel, J., Roperch, P., Licht, A., Dupont-Nivet, G., Win, Z., Poblete, F., Ruffet, G., Swe, H.H., Thi, M.K. & Aung, D.W. (2019) Burma Terrane part of the Trans-Tethyan arc during collision with India according to palaeomagnetic data. Nature Geoscience, 12, 863–868. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-019-0443-2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-019-0443-2
  44. Westwood, J.O. (1874) Thesaurus entomologicus oxoniensis; or, illustrations of new, rare, and interesting insects, for the most part contained in the collections presented to the University of Oxford by the Rev. F.W. Hope, M.A., D.C.L., F.R.S., &c. with forty plates from drawings by the author. Clarendon Press, Oxford, 205 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.14077 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.14077
  45. Wunderlich, J. (2015) New and rare fossil Arachnida in Cretaceous Burmese Amber (Amblypygi, Ricinulei and Uropygi: Thelephonida). Beiträge zur Araneologie, 9, 409–436.
  46. Wunderlich, J. (2017) New extinct taxa of the arachnid order Ricinulei, based on new fossils preserved in mid Cretaceous Burmese amber. Beiträge zur Araneologie, 10, 48–71.
  47. Yu, T., Kelley, R., Mu, L., Ross, A., Kennedy, J., Broly, P., Xia, F., Zhang, H., Wang, B. & Dilcher, D. (2019) An ammonite trapped in Burmese amber. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, 116, 11345–11350. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1821292116 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1821292116