Giljarovia Kratochvíl, 1958
Martens (2006) revised Giljarovia to comprise nine species in the Caucasus and in northern Turkey. The species count is assumed to be higher due to the small-scaled distribution of the known taxa and large sampling gaps throughout the distribution area. The genus stands out for males having exceptionally large cheliceral apophyses, which can reach about the size of the basal cheliceral segments and have different shapes from elongated-cone like to irregular triangular. In addition, both sexes have a unique stridulatory mechanism that consists of special structures on the palps and the eye-hill (Gruber 1969). Genital morphology is simple, with the truncus tapering into the glans and the stylus being slender, long and pointed, often with bent sharply at the base.
Taxonomy and Discussion of Phylogenetic Relationships
Kratochvíl listed and briefly defined Giljarovia and Malekia as new genera in 1958, but gave full descriptions, later, in 1959. The genera Giljarovia and Malekia were originally ranked as subfamily Giljaroviinae by Kratochvíl (1958) based on their unique stridulatory mechanism. Gruber (1976) rejected the subfamily status pointing out stridulatory organs to be acquired and lost on species-level and synonymized Malekia with Giljarovia. Closer relationship to Nemaspela is assumed upon the presence of large cheliceral apophyses in males of some species (Martens 2006). “Mediostoma” ceratocephalum is also assumed to be a close relative, as it also possesses the same rare stridulatory system as Giljarovia. Yet, males of ceratocephalum are still unknown to confirm other genus specific characters. An isolated position for Giljarovia tenebricosa is proposed for missing or having lost the stridulation apparatus.
Ecology and Life History
Giljarovia inhabits the litter of closed forest communities that provide constant humidity. Records are from sea-level to 3000 m and one species is known from caves without showing cave adaption.
References
Gruber, J. 1969. Über Stridulationsorgane bei einem Ischyropsalididen: Ceratolasma tricantha Goodnight & Goodnight (Opiliones, Arachnida). Anzeiger der mathematisch-naturwissenschaftlichen Klasse der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften 105 (11):249-255.
Gruber, J. 1976. Ergebnisse zoologischer Sammelreisen in der Türkei: Zwei neue Nemastomatidenarten mit Stridulationsorganen, nebst Anmerkungen zur systematischen Gliederung der Familie (Opiliones, Arachnida). Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien 80:781-801.
Kratochvíl, J. 1958. Höhlenweberknechte Bulgariens (Palpatores — Nemastomatidae). Práce Brnenské základny Ceskoslovenské akademie ved 30 (12):523-576.
Kratochvíl, J. 1959. Über eine neue Unterfamilie der Weberknechte (Giljaroviinae, Nemastomatidae). Zoologicheskiy Zhurnal 38 (9):1344-1352.
Martens, J. 2006. Weberknechte aus dem Kaukasus (Arachnida, Opiliones, Nemastomatidae), Senckenbergiana biologica 86 (2):145-210.
Credits
Page created by Axel L. Schönhofer. Dave Carlson helped improve the English.
Taxonomy and Discussion of Phylogenetic Relationships
Kratochvíl listed and briefly defined Giljarovia and Malekia as new genera in 1958, but gave full descriptions, later, in 1959. The genera Giljarovia and Malekia were originally ranked as subfamily Giljaroviinae by Kratochvíl (1958) based on their unique stridulatory mechanism. Gruber (1976) rejected the subfamily status pointing out stridulatory organs to be acquired and lost on species-level and synonymized Malekia with Giljarovia. Closer relationship to Nemaspela is assumed upon the presence of large cheliceral apophyses in males of some species (Martens 2006). “Mediostoma” ceratocephalum is also assumed to be a close relative, as it also possesses the same rare stridulatory system as Giljarovia. Yet, males of ceratocephalum are still unknown to confirm other genus specific characters. An isolated position for Giljarovia tenebricosa is proposed for missing or having lost the stridulation apparatus.
Ecology and Life History
Giljarovia inhabits the litter of closed forest communities that provide constant humidity. Records are from sea-level to 3000 m and one species is known from caves without showing cave adaption.
References
Gruber, J. 1969. Über Stridulationsorgane bei einem Ischyropsalididen: Ceratolasma tricantha Goodnight & Goodnight (Opiliones, Arachnida). Anzeiger der mathematisch-naturwissenschaftlichen Klasse der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften 105 (11):249-255.
Gruber, J. 1976. Ergebnisse zoologischer Sammelreisen in der Türkei: Zwei neue Nemastomatidenarten mit Stridulationsorganen, nebst Anmerkungen zur systematischen Gliederung der Familie (Opiliones, Arachnida). Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien 80:781-801.
Kratochvíl, J. 1958. Höhlenweberknechte Bulgariens (Palpatores — Nemastomatidae). Práce Brnenské základny Ceskoslovenské akademie ved 30 (12):523-576.
Kratochvíl, J. 1959. Über eine neue Unterfamilie der Weberknechte (Giljaroviinae, Nemastomatidae). Zoologicheskiy Zhurnal 38 (9):1344-1352.
Martens, J. 2006. Weberknechte aus dem Kaukasus (Arachnida, Opiliones, Nemastomatidae), Senckenbergiana biologica 86 (2):145-210.
Credits
Page created by Axel L. Schönhofer. Dave Carlson helped improve the English.
