Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Responsive image
Issue: Vol. 5661 No. 3: 16 Jul. 2025
Type: Article
Published: 2025-07-16
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5661.3.5
Page range: 381-393
Abstract views: 67
PDF downloaded: 4

Systematic placement of the enigmatic genus Timesius Simon, 1879 (Opiliones, Laniatores, Nomoclastidae), with description of a new species from the Colombian Andes

Department of Biology; Center for Science and Agriculture; Wilmington College; 1870 Quaker Way; 45177 Wilmington; OH; U.S.
Division of Invertebrate Zoology; American Museum of Natural History; Central Park West at 79th street; 10024-5192; New York City; NY; U.S.
Instituto de Biociências; Universidade de São Paulo; Departamento de Zoologia. Rua do Matão; travessa 14; 321; 005508-900; São Paulo; Brazil.
Opiliones Páramo ecosystem Neotropics harvestmen taxonomy molecular DNA

Abstract

The enigmatic monotypic genus Timesius Simon, 1879, hitherto assigned to Stygnidae Simon, 1879, is redescribed and its phylogenetic position inferred upon morphological and molecular evidence, resulting in its reallocation to the family Nomoclastidae Roewer, 1943. The type material of Timesius vesicularis (Gervais, 1844), long presumed lost, was rediscovered, and is hereby redescribed and illustrated. Also, a new species, Timesius paramuno sp. nov., is described based on specimens collected in the Páramo ecosystem in the Central Cordillera, Colombia. Timesius vesicularis can be readily distinguished by having two long spines on area III of the dorsal scutum (two short tubercles in T. paramuno sp. nov.) and small whitish-yellow granules on the ocularium and dorsal scutum (vestigial whitish-yellow granules in T. paramuno sp. nov.).

 

References

  1. Benavides, L.R., Pinto-da-Rocha, R. & Giribet, G. (2021) The phylogeny and evolution of the flashiest of the armored harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones). Systematic Biology, 70, 648–659. https://doi.org/10.1093/sysbio/syaa080
  2. Bragagnolo, C., Hara, M.R. & Pinto-da-Rocha, R. (2015) A new family of Gonyleptoidea from South America (Opiliones, Laniatores). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 173 (2), 296–319. https://doi.org/10.1111/zoj.12207
  3. 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, 291–298. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2011.12.025
  4. Chamberlin, R.V. (1925) Diagnoses of new American Arachnida. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard College, 67 (4), 211–248.
  5. Buytaert, W., Célleri, R., De Bièvre, B., Cisneros, F., Wyseure, G., Deckers, J. & Hofstede, R. (2006) Human impact on the hydrology of the Andean páramos. Earth-Science Reviews, 79 (1–2), 53–72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2006.06.002
  6. DaSilva, M.B. & Gnaspini, P. (2010) A systematic revision of Goniosomatinae (Arachnida: Opiliones: Gonyleptidae), with a cladistic analysis and biogeographical notes. Invertebrate Systematics, 23 (6), 530–624. https://doi.org/10.1071/IS09022
  7. Derkarabetian, S. & Hedin, M. (2014) Integrative taxonomy and species delimitation in harvestmen: a revision of the western North American genus Sclerobunus (Opiliones: Laniatores: Travunioidea). PLoS ONE, 9, e104982. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0104982
  8. Fetzner Jr., J.W. (1999) Extracting high-quality DNA from shed reptile skins: a simplified method. Biotechniques, 26, 1052–1054. https://doi.org/10.2144/99266bm09
  9. Gervais, P. (1844) Acères Phrynéides, Scorpionides, Solpugides, Phalangides et Acarides; Dicères Épizoïques, Aphaniptères et Thysanoures. In: Walckenaer, C.A. (Ed.), Histoire naturelle des Insectes Aptères. Tome 3. Librairie encyclopédique de Roret, Paris, pp. 94–131.
  10. Giribet, G., Sheridan, K., Baker, C.M., Painting, C.J., Holwell, G.I., Sirvid, P.J. & Hormiga, G. (2021) A molecular phylogeny of the circum-Antarctic Opiliones family Neopilionidae. Invertebrate Systematics, 35, 827–849. https://doi.org/10.1071/IS21012
  11. Hedin, M., Tsurusaki, N., Macías-Ordóñez, R. & Shultz, J.W. (2012) Molecular systematics of sclerosomatid harvestmen (Opiliones, Phalangioidea, Sclerosomatidae): geography is better than taxonomy in predicting phylogeny. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 62, 224–236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2011.09.017
  12. Kästner, A. (1937) Chelicerata. 7. Ordnung der Arachnida: Opiliones Sundevall = Weberknechte. In: Kukenthal, W. & Krumbach, T. (Eds.), Handbuch der Zoologie. Vol. 3. Walter de Gruyter and Co., Berlin, pp. 300–393.
  13. Katoh, K. & Standley, D.M. (2013) MAFFT multiple sequence alignment software version 7: improvements in performance and usability. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 30, 772–780. https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/mst010
  14. Kirby, W. (1819) A Century of Insects, including several new genera described from his Cabinet. Transactions of the Linnean Society of London, 12 (2), 375–453. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8339.1817.tb00239.x
  15. Koch, C.L. (1839) Übersicht des Arachnidensystems. Zweites Heft. C. H. Zeh, Nürnberg, 38 pp.
  16. Kury, A.B. (1994) Early lineages of Gonyleptidae (Arachnida Opiliones Laniatores). Tropical Zoology, 7 (2), 343–353. https://doi.org/10.1080/03946975.1994.10539264
  17. Kury, A.B. (1997) A new subfamily of Agoristenidae, with comments on suprageneric relationships of the family (Arachnida Opiliones Laniatores). Tropical Zoology, 10 (2), 333–346. https://doi.org/10.1080/03946975.1997.10539346
  18. Kury, A.B. (2003) Annotated catalogue of the Laniatores of the New World (Arachnida, Opiliones). Revista Ibérica de Aracnología, Volumen Especial Monográfico, 1, 1–337.
  19. Kury, A.B. (2014) Why does the Tricommatinae position bounce so much within Laniatores? A cladistic analysis, with description of a new family of Gonyleptoidea (Opiliones, Laniatores). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 172 (1), 1–48. https://doi.org/10.1111/zoj.12165
  20. Kury, A.B. (2016) A classification of the penial microsetae of Gonyleptoidea (Opiliones: Laniatores). Zootaxa, 4179 (1), 144–150. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4179.1.13
  21. Kury, A.B., Manzanilla, O.V. & Sampaio, C. (2007) Redescription of the type species of Cynorta (Arachnida, Opiliones, Cosmetidae). The Journal of Arachnology, 35 (2), 325–333. https://doi.org/10.1636/H06-35.1
  22. Kury, A.B. & Villarreal, O. (2015) The prickly blade mapped: establishing homologies and a chaetotaxy for macrosetae of penis ventral plate in Gonyleptoidea (Arachnida, Opiliones, Laniatores). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 174, 1–46. https://doi.org/10.1111/zoj.12225
  23. 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
  24. Kury, A.B., Villarreal, O. & Medrano, M. (2024) On the systematic allocation of Liomma Rower, 1959 (Arachnida: Opiliones: Nomoclastidae) and discovery of a putative synapomorphy for Nomoclastinae. Journal of Natural History, 58, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2023.2287765
  25. Luteyn, J.L. (1999) Paramos-Checklist plant diversity, geographical distribution. Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden. Vol. 84. The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York, 278 pp.
  26. Mello-Leitão, C.F. (1923) Opiliones Laniatores do Brasil. Archivos do Museu Nacional do Rio de Janeiro, 24, 107–197.
  27. Mello-Leitão, C.F. (1926) Notas sobre Opiliones Laniatores sul-americanos. Revista do Museu Paulista, 14, 327–383.
  28. Mello-Leitão, C.F. (1932) Opiliões do Brasil. Revista do Museu Paulista, 17 (2), 1–505.
  29. Mello-Leitão, C.F. (1949) Famílias, subfamílias, espécies e gêneros novos de opiliões e notas de sinonimia. Boletim do Museu Nacional do Rio de Janeiro, New Series, Zoology, 94, 1–33.
  30. Minh, B.Q., Schmidt, H.A., Chernomor, O., Schrempf, D., Woodhams, M.D., Von Haeseler, A. & Lanfear, R. (2020) IQ-TREE 2: New models and efficient methods for phylogenetic inference in the genomic era. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 37, 1530–1534. https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaa015
  31. Mora, H., Guarnizo, L.F. & Murcia, A. (1995) Volcán nevado del Tolima: generalidades y consideraciones glaciológicas. Boletín Geológico, 35 (2–3), 59–149. https://doi.org/10.32685/0120-1425/bolgeol35.2-3.1995.319
  32. Palmieri, L., Giribet, G. & Sharma, P.P. (2023) Too early for the ferry: The biogeographic history of the Assamiidae of southeast Asia (Chelicerata: Opiliones, Laniatores). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 178, 107647. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107647
  33. Pinto-da-Rocha, R. (1997) Systematic review of the Neotropical family Stygnidae (Opiliones, Laniatores, Gonyleptoidea). Arquivos de Zoologia, São Paulo, 33, 163–342. https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.2176-7793.v33i4p163-342
  34. Pinto-da-Rocha, R., Benedetti, A.R., Vasconcelos, E.G. & Hara, M.R. (2012) New systematic assignments in Gonyleptoidea (Arachnida, Opiliones, Laniatores). ZooKeys, 198, 25–68. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.198.2337
  35. Pinto-da-Rocha, R. & Bragagnolo, C. (2017) Cladistic analysis of the family Nomoclastidae with descriptions of a new genus and eight new species (Opiliones, Laniatores). Invertebrate Systematics, 31, 91–123. https://doi.org/10.1071/IS15050
  36. Pinto-da-Rocha, R., Bragagnolo, C., Marques, F.P. & Antunes Junior, M. (2014) Phylogeny of harvestmen family Gonyleptidae inferred from a multilocus approach (Arachnida: Opiliones). Cladistics, 30, 519–539. https://doi.org/10.1111/cla.12065
  37. Roewer, C.F. (1913) Die Familie der Gonyleptiden der Opiliones Laniatores. Archiv für Naturgeschichte, 79A (5), 1–256 and 257–473.
  38. Roewer, C.F. (1915) Fünfzehn neue Opilioniden. Archiv für Naturgeschichte, 80 (9), 106–132.
  39. Roewer, C.F. (1923) Die Weberknechte der Erde. Systematische Bearbeitung der bisher bekannten Opiliones. Gustav Fischer, Jena, 1116 pp.
  40. Roewer, C.F. (1929) Weitere Weberknechte III. (III. Ergänzung der Weberknechte der Erde, 1923). Abhandlungen der Naturwissenschaftlichen Verein zu Bremen, 27 (2), 179–284.
  41. Roewer, C.F. (1932) Weitere Weberknechte VII (VII. Ergänzung der Weberknechte der Erde, 1923). Archiv für Naturgeschichte, 1 (2), 275–350.
  42. Roewer, C.F. (1943) Über Gonyleptiden. Weitere Weberknechte (Arachn., Opil.) XI. Senckenbergiana Biologica, 26 (1–3), 12–68.
  43. Roewer, C.F. (1963) Opiliones aus Peru und Colombien. [Arachnida Arthrogastra aus Peru V]. Senckenbergiana Biologica, 44, 5–72.
  44. Schwentner, M. & Giribet, G. (2018) Phylogeography, species delimitation and population structure of a Western Australian short-range endemic mite harvestman (Arachnida: Opiliones: Pettalidae: Karripurcellia). Evolutionary Systematics, 2, 81–87. https://doi.org/10.3897/evolsyst.2.25274
  45. Simon, E. (1879) Essai d’une classification des Opiliones Mecostethi. Remarques synonymiques et descriptions d’espèces nouvelles. Première partie. Annales de la Société Entomologique de Belgique, 22, 183–241.
  46. Soares, H.E.M. (1968) Contribuição ao estudo dos opiliões do Chile (Opiliones: Gonyleptidae, Triaenonychidae). Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia, São Paulo, 21 (27), 259–272. https://doi.org/10.11606/0031-1049.1968.21.p259-272
  47. Sørensen, W. (1886) Opiliones. In: Koch, L.C.C. & Keyserling, E. von (Eds.), Die Arachniden Australiens nach der Natur beschrieben und abgebildet. Vol. 2. Bauer & Raspe, Nürnberg, pp. 53–86.
  48. Sørensen, W. (1932) Descriptiones Laniatorum (Arachnidorum Opilionum subordinis). Opus posthumum recognovit et edidit K.L. Henriksen. In: Henriksen, K.L. (Ed.), Mémoires de l’Académie Royale des Sciences et des Lettres de Danemark, Series 9, pp. 199–422.
  49. Sundevall, C.J. (1833) Conspectus Arachnidum. C. F. Berling, Londini Gothorum [Lund], 39 pp.
  50. Thorell, T.T.T. (1876) Descrizione di alcune specie di Opilioni dell’ Arcipelago Malese appartenenti al Museo Civico di Genova. Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Genova, 9, 111–138.
  51. Thorell, T.T.T. (1891) Opilioni nuovi o poco conosciuti dell´Arcipelago Malese. Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Genova, 10, 669–770.

How to Cite

Damron, B., Moreno-González, J.A. & Pinto-Da-Rocha, R. (2025) Systematic placement of the enigmatic genus Timesius Simon, 1879 (Opiliones, Laniatores, Nomoclastidae), with description of a new species from the Colombian Andes. Zootaxa, 5661 (3), 381–393. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5661.3.5