Konfiniotis Roewer, 1940 - Konfiniotis creticus Roewer, 1940
Introduction
Konfiniotis is a very small (2 mm) litter-dwelling trogulid well camouflaged by soil-crypsis. In addition, elongated papillae on leg II enable it to hide the distal segments of the legs when tucked towards the body, so that the fuzzy body form blends in perfectly. The monotypic genus was recollected on Corfu, and the adjacent mainland in north-western Greece but not recovered on Crete, its designated type locality, and erroneous labeling can be presumed.
Taxonomy and Discussion of Phylogenetic Relationships
Konfiniotis is probably most closely related to Anelasmocephalus given the similar body shape and appearance of the two genera. Molecular support for this grouping is weak (Schönhofer & Martens 2010). While in groups like Trogulus and Dicranolasma relatively recent biogeographic connections exist between southern Italy and north-western Greece, the connection between Italian Anelasmocephalus and Greek Konfiniotis is probably much older.
Ecology and Life History
Konfiniotis inhabits deep, well-drained and humid leaf-litter or needle layers in different forest types, from sea level to 800 m. These animals are hard to find but can be abundant, best to be collected by Berlese of litter.
References
Roewer, C. F. 1940. Neue Assamiidae und Trogulidae - "Weitere Weberknechte X." Veröffentlichungen aus dem Deutschen Kolonial- und Übersee-Museum in Bremen 3 (1):1-31.
Schönhofer, A. L. and J. Martens. 2010. Hidden Mediterranean diversity: Assessing species taxa by molecular phylogeny within the opilionid family Trogulidae (Arachnida, Opiliones). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 54 (1): 59-75.
Credits
Page created by Axel L. Schönhofer. Dave Carlson helped improve the English.
Konfiniotis is a very small (2 mm) litter-dwelling trogulid well camouflaged by soil-crypsis. In addition, elongated papillae on leg II enable it to hide the distal segments of the legs when tucked towards the body, so that the fuzzy body form blends in perfectly. The monotypic genus was recollected on Corfu, and the adjacent mainland in north-western Greece but not recovered on Crete, its designated type locality, and erroneous labeling can be presumed.
Taxonomy and Discussion of Phylogenetic Relationships
Konfiniotis is probably most closely related to Anelasmocephalus given the similar body shape and appearance of the two genera. Molecular support for this grouping is weak (Schönhofer & Martens 2010). While in groups like Trogulus and Dicranolasma relatively recent biogeographic connections exist between southern Italy and north-western Greece, the connection between Italian Anelasmocephalus and Greek Konfiniotis is probably much older.
Ecology and Life History
Konfiniotis inhabits deep, well-drained and humid leaf-litter or needle layers in different forest types, from sea level to 800 m. These animals are hard to find but can be abundant, best to be collected by Berlese of litter.
References
Roewer, C. F. 1940. Neue Assamiidae und Trogulidae - "Weitere Weberknechte X." Veröffentlichungen aus dem Deutschen Kolonial- und Übersee-Museum in Bremen 3 (1):1-31.
Schönhofer, A. L. and J. Martens. 2010. Hidden Mediterranean diversity: Assessing species taxa by molecular phylogeny within the opilionid family Trogulidae (Arachnida, Opiliones). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 54 (1): 59-75.
Credits
Page created by Axel L. Schönhofer. Dave Carlson helped improve the English.
