Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Responsive image
Issue: Vol. 5646 No. 3: 10 Jun. 2025
Type: Article
Published: 2025-06-10
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5646.3.1
Page range: 301-343
Abstract views: 66
PDF downloaded: 32

Reinstatement of the genus Pseudoleiobunum Müller, 1914 with the inclusion of a new species from Hong Kong and reallocation of the Leiobunum maximum species complex (Arachnida: Opiliones: Eupnoi: Sclerosomatidae)

Science Unit; School of Interdisciplinary Studies; Lingnan University; Hong Kong; China
Katsurami 632-13; Tottori City; 680-1417 Japan
Science Unit; School of Interdisciplinary Studies; Lingnan University; Hong Kong; China
Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Application; Hebei Basic Science Center for Biotic Interaction; College of Life Sciences; Hebei University; Baoding Hebei; China
Opiliones Harvestmen Integrative Taxonomy Phylogeny Scanning Electron Microscopy

Abstract

The genus Leiobunum Koch, 1839 is extremely diverse and includes species distributed globally. Taxonomic relationships within Leiobunum are unclear since diagnostic features of the genus are vague and common in many other eupnoan species. The discovery of a new species in Hong Kong prompted an examination of East Asian Leiobuninae using a combination of external morphological and molecular analyses, and comparison of genital morphology and ecological features. Morphological and molecular data link this new species to the Leiobunum maximum superspecies. In this paper, we resurrect Pseudoleiobunum, the oldest genus name for Leiobunum maximum. We place members of the superspecies into Pseudoleiobunum, along with the new species P. lutulentum sp. nov..

 

References

  1. Agassiz, J.L.R. (1846) Nomenclatoris zoologici index universalis: continens nomina systematica classium, ordinum, familiarum et generum animalium omnium, tam viventium quam fossilium, secundum ordinem alphabeticum unicum disposita, adjectis homonymiis plantarum, nec non variis adnotationibus et emendationibus. Jent et Gassmann, Soloduri, viii + 393 pp.
  2. Ba-Akdah, M.A., Satheesh, S., Al-Sofyani, A.M.A., Lucas, Y., Álvarez-Campos, P. & San Martín, G. (2018) Taxonomy of some species of the genus Syllis (Annelida: Syllidae: Syllinae) from the Red Sea found among the first colonizers of an artificial substrate. Marine Biology Research, 14 (8), 790–805. https://doi.org/10.1080/17451000.2018.1531133
  3. Banks, N. (1893) The Phalanginae of the United States. The Canadian Entomologist, 25 (8), 205–211. https://doi.org/10.4039/Ent25205-8
  4. Boyer, S.L., Clouse, R.M., Benavides, L.R., Sharma, 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 (12), 2070–2085. [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4640673] https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2699.2007.01755.x
  5. Burns, M., Hedin, M. & Shultz, J.W. (2012) Molecular phylogeny of the leiobunine harvestmen of eastern North America (Opiliones: Sclerosomatidae: Leiobuninae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 63 (2), 291–298. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2011.12.025
  6. Crawford, R.L. (1992) Catalogue of the Genera and Type Species of the Harvestman Superfamily Phalangioidea (Arachnida). Burke Museum Contributions in Anthropology and Natural History, 8, 1–60.
  7. Curtis, D.J. (2007) Methods and Techniques of Study. In: Pinto-da-Rocha, R., Machado, G. & Giribet, G. (Eds.), Harvestmen: The Biology of Opiliones. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, pp. 489–524.
  8. Davis, N.W. (1934) A revision of the genus Leiobunum (Opiliones) of the United States. The American Midland Naturalist, 15 (6), 662–705. https://doi.org/10.2307/2419891
  9. Edgar, R.C. (2004) MUSCLE: multiple sequence alignment with high accuracy and high throughput. Nucleic acids research, 32 (5), 1792–1797. https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkh340
  10. Fowler, H.G. (1984) Note on a Clubionid Spider Associated with Attine Ants. Journal of Arachnology, 12 (1), 117–118.
  11. Giribet, G., Carranza, S., Baguñà, J., Riutort, M. & Ribera, C. (1996) First molecular evidence for the existence of a Tardigrada+ Arthropoda clade. Molecular biology and evolution, 13 (1), 76–84. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.molbev.a025573
  12. Giribet, G., Vogt, L., González, A.P., Sharma, P. & Kury, A.B. (2010) A multilocus approach to harvestman (Arachnida: Opiliones) phylogeny with emphasis on biogeography and the systematics of Laniatores. Cladistics, 26 (4), 408–437. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-0031.2009.00296.x
  13. Hedin, M., Tsurusaki, N., Macías-Ordôñez, R. & Shultz, J.W. (2012) Molecular systematics of sclerosomatid harvestmen (Opiliones, Phalangioidea, Sclerosomatidae): geography is better than taxonomy in predicting phylogeny. Molecular Phylogenetics & Evolution, 62, 224–236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2011.09.017
  14. Hedin, M., Derkarabetian, S., McCormack, M., Richart, C. & Shultz, J.W. (2010) The phylogenetic utility of the nuclear protein-coding gene EF-1α for resolving recent divergences in Opiliones, emphasizing intron evolution. Journal of Arachnology, 38 (1), 9–20. https://doi.org/10.1636/HA09-49.1
  15. Hörandl, E. (2006) Paraphyletic versus monophyletic taxa–evolutionary versus cladistic classifications. Taxon, 55 (3), 564–570. https://doi.org/10.2307/25065631
  16. Hörandl, E. (2007) Neglecting evolution is bad taxonomy. Taxon, 56 (1), 1–5. [https://www.jstor.org/stable/25065730]
  17. ICZN [International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature] (1999) International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. 4th Edition. International Trust for Zoological Nomenclature, Lodnon, 306 pp.
  18. Kato, T., Okamoto, T. & Tsuchida, K. (2023) Distribution boundaries of two subspecies of the harvestman Leiobunum japanense in central Japan. Acta Arachnologica, 72 (1), 63–70. https://doi.org/10.2476/asjaa.72.63
  19. 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 catalog of harvestmen of the World (Arachnida, Opiliones) curated in TaxonWorks. Zootaxa, 4908 (3), 447–450. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4908.3.10
  20. Koch, C.L. (1839) Übersicht des Arachnidensystems. Zweites Heft. Vol. 2. C. H. Zeh, Nürnberg, 38 pp. [in German]
  21. Kumar, V., Lammers, F., Bidon, T., Pfenninger, M., Kolter, L., Nilsson, M.A. & Janke, A. (2017) The evolutionary history of bears is characterized by gene flow across species. Scientific Reports, 7 (1), 46487. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep46487
  22. Kury, A.B. (2020) Leiobunum. Opiliones Wiki. Available from: https://opiliones.fandom.com/wiki/Leiobunum (accessed 20 April 2024)
  23. Machado, G. & Burns, M. (2024) Reproductive biology of harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones): a review of a rapidly evolving research field. Current Zoology, 70 (1), 115–135. https://doi.org/10.1093/cz/zoac102
  24. Martens, J. (1978) Spinnentiere, Arachnida: Weberknechte, Opiliones. Die Tierwelt Deutschlands. 64. G. Fischer Verlag, Jena, 393–416 pp. [in German]
  25. Martens, J., Hoheisel, U. & Gotze, M. (1981) Comparative anatomy of the ovipositors of the Opiliones as a contribution to the phylogeny of the order (Arachnida). Zoologische Jahrbucher. Abteilung für Anatomie und Ontogenie der Tiere, 105, 13–76. [in German]
  26. Masta, S.E. & Boore, J.L. (2008) Parallel evolution of truncated transfer RNA genes in arachnid mitochondrial genomes. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 25 (5), 949–959. https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msn051
  27. Müller, A. (1914) Ein neuer Opilionide. Zoologischer Anzeiger, 44 (13), 627–628.
  28. Müller, A. (1914) Ein neuer japanischer Opilionide. Zoologischer Anzeiger, 44 (2), 95.
  29. Rambaut, A. (2009) FigTree. Molecular Evolution, Phylogenetics and Epidemiology. Available from: http://tree.bio.ed.ac.uk/software/figtree/ (accessed 15 April 2024)
  30. Rastipishe, S., Pakravan, M. & Tavassoli, A. (2011) Phylogenetic relationships in Ranunculus species (Ranunculaceae) based on nrDNA ITS and cpDNA trnL-F sequences. Progress in Biological Sciences, 1 (1), 41–47.
  31. Roewer, C.F. (1910) Revision der Opiliones Plagiostethi (= Opiliones Palpatores). I. Teil: Familie der Phalangiidae. (Subfamilien: Gagrellini, Liobunini, Leptobunini). Abhandlungen aus dem Gebiete der Naturwissenschaften, herausgegeben vom Naturwissenschaftlichen Verein in Hamburg, 19 (4), 1–294.
  32. Roewer, C.F. (1923) Die Weberknechte der Erde. Gustav Fischer, Jena, 1116 pp.
  33. Roewer, C.F. (1957) Über Oligolophinae, Caddoinae, Sclerosomatinae, Leiobuninae, Neopilioninae und Leptobuninae (Phalangiidae, Opiliones Palpatores). (Weitere Weberknechte XX). Senckenbergiana Biologica, 38 (5/6), 323–358.
  34. Sato, I. & Suzuki, S. (1939) Zwei neue Nelima-Arten aus Japan. Annotationes Zoologicae Japonenses, 15, 35–41.
  35. Sharma, P.P. & Giribet, G. (2011) The evolutionary and biogeographic history of the armoured harvestmen–Laniatores phylogeny based on ten molecular markers, with the description of two new families of Opiliones (Arachnida). Invertebrate Systematics, 25 (2), 106–142. https://doi.org/10.1071/IS11002
  36. Shultz, J.W. & Regier, J.C. (2001) Phylogenetic analysis of Phalangida (Arachnida, Opiliones) using two nuclear protein-encoding genes supports monophyly of Palpatores. The Journal of Arachnology, 29 (2), 189–200. https://doi.org/10.1636/0161-8202(2001)029[0189:PAOPAO]2.0.CO;2
  37. Simon, E. (1879) Les Arachnides de France. Librairie Encyclopédique de Roret, Paris, 7, 1–332 pp. [in French]
  38. Stamatakis, A. (2014) RAxML version 8: a tool for phylogenetic analysis and post-analysis of large phylogenies. Bioinformatics, 30 (9), 1312–1313. https://doi.org/10.1093/bioinformatics/btu033
  39. Stoliczka, F. (1869) Contribution towards the knowledge of Indian Arachnoidea. Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, 38 (2), 201–251.
  40. Suzuki, S. (1940) Beschreibung einer neuen gattung (Metaliobunum) der Phalangiiden. Annotationes Zoologicae Japonenses, 19, 276–279.
  41. Suzuki, S. (1953) Studies on the Japanese harvesters. VI. Some new and little-known species of the genus Liobunum C. L. Koch from Japan, with special reference to the comparative study of penis. Journal of Science of the Hiroshima University, B-1 (14), 173–200.
  42. Suzuki, S. (1957) On the three closely related forms of the genus Liobunum (Phalangiidae, Opiliones). Journal of the Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Zoology, (VI) [JS1], 13, 109–117.
  43. Suzuki, S. (1965) Order Opiliones. In: Okada, Y., Uchida, S. & Uchida, T. (Eds.), New Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Fauna of Japan. Hokuryu-kan, Tokyo, pp. 347–355.
  44. Suzuki, S. (1966) Four remarkable phalangids from Korea. Annotationes Zoologicae Japonenses, 39 (2), 95–106.
  45. Suzuki, S. & Ohrui, M. (1972) Opiliones of the Izu Peninsula, Central Japan. Acta Arachnologica, 24, 41–50. [in Japanese with English abstract] https://doi.org/10.2476/asjaa.24.41
  46. Suzuki, S. (1973) Opiliones from the South-west Islands, Japan. Journal of Science of the Hiroshima University, Series B, Division 1 (Zoology), 24, 205–279.
  47. Suzuki, S. (1976) The genus Leiobunum C. L. Koch of Japan and adjacent countries (Leiobunidae, Opiliones, Arachnida). Journal of Science of the Hiroshima University, 26 (1), 187–260.
  48. Suzuki, S. (1977) Opiliones from Taiwan (Arachnida). Journal of Science of the Hiroshima University, 27 (1), 121–157. https://doi.org/10.2476/asjaa.27.Specialnumber_121
  49. Suzuki, S. & Tsurusaki, N. (1983) Opilionid fauna of Hokkaido and its adjacent areas. Journal of the Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Series VI, Zoology, 23, 195–243.
  50. Suzuki, S. (1986) Opiliones of Hiroshima Prefecture (Arachnida). Hibakagaku, Journal of the Hiba Society of Natural History, 132, 7–45. [in Japanese with English summary]
  51. Talbot, S.L. & Shields, G.F. (1996) Phylogeography of Brown Bears (Ursus arctos) of Alaska and Paraphyly within the Ursidae. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 5 (3), 477–494. https://doi.org/10.1006/mpev.1996.0044
  52. Thorell, T.T.T. (1876) Sopra alcuni Opilioni (Phalangidea) d’Europa e dell’ Asia occidentale, con un quadro dei generi europei di quest’ Ordine. Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Genova, 8, 452–508. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.part.10418
  53. Tsurusaki, N. (1982) A new species of the genus Leiobunum (Arachnida, Opiliones) from Sado Island, Japan. Annotationes Zoologicae Japonenses, 55, 105–109.
  54. Tsurusaki, N. (1985) Taxonomic revision of the Leiobunum curvipalpe-group (Arachnida, Opiliones, Phalangiidae). I. hikocola-, hiasai-, kohyai-, and platypenis-subgroups. Journal of the Faculty of Science Hokkaido University, Series VI, Zoology, 24, 1–42. [http://hdl.handle.net/2115/27686]
  55. Tsurusaki, N. (1990) Taxonomic revision of the Leiobunum curvipalpi group (Arachnida, Opiliones, Phalangiidae), III. Leiobunum curvipalpi subgroup. Japanese Journal of Entomology, 58 (4), 761–780.
  56. Tsurusaki, N. (1991) Some harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones) from Taiwan. I. Phalangiidae, Leiobuninae. Zoological Science, 8, 179–185.
  57. Tsurusaki, N. & Sasaji, H. (1991) Opiliones on Fukui Prefecture, Central Honshu, Japan. Entomological Journal of Fukui, 8, 2–20. [in Japanese with English abstract]
  58. Tsurusaki, N. (2006) Harvestmen of Shimane Prefecture, western Honshu, Japan: An annotated list of species with special reference to geographic variation (Arachnidal: Opiliones). In: Board of the Shimane Meeting of the Japanese Society of Biological Education (Ed.), Animals and Plants of Shimane Prefecture. New Edition. Board of the Shimane Meeting of the Japanese Society of Biological Education, Izumo, Shimane Prefecture, 274 pp. [in Japanese]
  59. Weed, C.M. (1890) The harvest spiders of North America. The American Naturalist, 24, 914–918. https://doi.org/10.1086/275200
  60. Weed, C.M. (1892) A preliminary synopsis of the harvest-spiders (Phalangiidae) of New Hampshire. Transactions of the American Entomological Society, 19, 261–272.
  61. Weed, C.M. (1893) A synopsis of the harvest-spiders (Phalangiidae) of South Dakota. Transactions of the American Entomological Society, 20, 285–292.
  62. Wood, H.C. (1868) On the Phalangeae of the United States of America. Proceedings of the Essex Institute, 6 (1), 10–40.

How to Cite

Tan, D.K.T., Tsurusaki, N., Fong, J.J. & Zhang, C. (2025) Reinstatement of the genus Pseudoleiobunum Müller, 1914 with the inclusion of a new species from Hong Kong and reallocation of the Leiobunum maximum species complex (Arachnida: Opiliones: Eupnoi: Sclerosomatidae). Zootaxa, 5646 (3), 301–343. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5646.3.1