Nemastoma C.L. Koch, 1836
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Tree derived from morphological concepts by Gruber & Martens (1968).
Nemastoma comprises seven species with a wide distribution in Central and Northern Europe, one species reaching as far East as to the Caucasus (Gruber and Martens 1968; Martens 2006). Animals are small and short-legged without conspicuous dorsal spination but some species have dorsal silver spots. Penial morphology is variable but all species share a pointed stylus and the glans is armed with spines that can vary in size and number that aids in species discrimination.
Taxonomy and Discussion of Phylogenetic Relationships
Being the first and nominate genus of Nemastomatidae, Nemastoma has long been a collective genus to encompass species of uncertain placement within the family. The decrease of species assigned to this genus is directly correlated with the progress in Nemastomatid systematics. While Roewer (1951) was the first to assign Nemastoma-species to other genera the original genus still contained 107 species. Kratochvíl (1958) reordered the systematics but still recognized 86 species of Nemastoma, while he included 23 within the subgenus Lugubrostoma, which came closest to Gruber and Martens (1968) definition of Nemastoma. Gruber and Martens (1968) clarified the type species of Nemastoma and restricted the generic name to a defined number of seven species, which is widely accepted. Still, many species remained in "Nemastoma", that have now been formally removed and assigned to nomina dubia or other genera (Schönhofer 2013). Relationships within Nemastoma are discussed by Gruber and Martens (1968) upon male genital morphology. They outline two groups, one containing N. bidentatum and N. dentigerum based on the presence of blade-like, movable spines on the glans, while the rest of the species exhibits a somewhat asymmetrical glans and massive, non-movable thorns. Nemastoma bidentatum exhibits a complex subspecies system, that is in need of revision.
Ecology and Life History
Single species as N. bimaculatum, lugubre, dentigerum and bidentatum cover large individual distribution areas, while schuelleri and transsylvanicum are small scale montane to alpine endemics. Nemastoma can be very abundant in a variety of forest communities and different species often occur together. Microhabitats are diverse, from the narrow ecozone of alpine Alnus shrubs to inundation forests and thermophilic woodland. Intersection of these habitats enables sympatry of different species on a very small scale. Some species exhibit silver spots that can be gradually lost but seem to be pronounced were they co-occur with spotless species.
References
Gruber, J. and J. Martens. 1968. Morphologie, Systematik und Ökologie der Gattung Nemastoma C. L. Koch (s.str.) (Opiliones, Nemastomatidae). Senckenbergiana biolgica 49:137-172.
Kratochvíl, J. 1958. Höhlenweberknechte Bulgariens (Palpatores — Nemastomatidae). Práce Brnenské základny Ceskoslovenské akademie ved 30 (12):523-576.
Martens, J. 2006. Weberknechte aus dem Kaukasus (Arachnida, Opiliones, Nemastomatidae), Senckenbergiana biologica 86 (2):145-210.
Roewer, C. F. 1951. Über Nemastomatiden. Weitere Weberknechte XVI. Senckenbergiana 32:95-153.
Schönhofer, A.L. 2013. A taxonomic catalogue of the Dyspnoi Hansen and Sørensen, 1904 (Arachnida: Opiliones). Zootaxa 3679 (1): 1-68.
Credits
Page created by Axel L. Schönhofer. Angela DiDomenico helped improve the English.
Nemastoma comprises seven species with a wide distribution in Central and Northern Europe, one species reaching as far East as to the Caucasus (Gruber and Martens 1968; Martens 2006). Animals are small and short-legged without conspicuous dorsal spination but some species have dorsal silver spots. Penial morphology is variable but all species share a pointed stylus and the glans is armed with spines that can vary in size and number that aids in species discrimination.
Taxonomy and Discussion of Phylogenetic Relationships
Being the first and nominate genus of Nemastomatidae, Nemastoma has long been a collective genus to encompass species of uncertain placement within the family. The decrease of species assigned to this genus is directly correlated with the progress in Nemastomatid systematics. While Roewer (1951) was the first to assign Nemastoma-species to other genera the original genus still contained 107 species. Kratochvíl (1958) reordered the systematics but still recognized 86 species of Nemastoma, while he included 23 within the subgenus Lugubrostoma, which came closest to Gruber and Martens (1968) definition of Nemastoma. Gruber and Martens (1968) clarified the type species of Nemastoma and restricted the generic name to a defined number of seven species, which is widely accepted. Still, many species remained in "Nemastoma", that have now been formally removed and assigned to nomina dubia or other genera (Schönhofer 2013). Relationships within Nemastoma are discussed by Gruber and Martens (1968) upon male genital morphology. They outline two groups, one containing N. bidentatum and N. dentigerum based on the presence of blade-like, movable spines on the glans, while the rest of the species exhibits a somewhat asymmetrical glans and massive, non-movable thorns. Nemastoma bidentatum exhibits a complex subspecies system, that is in need of revision.
Ecology and Life History
Single species as N. bimaculatum, lugubre, dentigerum and bidentatum cover large individual distribution areas, while schuelleri and transsylvanicum are small scale montane to alpine endemics. Nemastoma can be very abundant in a variety of forest communities and different species often occur together. Microhabitats are diverse, from the narrow ecozone of alpine Alnus shrubs to inundation forests and thermophilic woodland. Intersection of these habitats enables sympatry of different species on a very small scale. Some species exhibit silver spots that can be gradually lost but seem to be pronounced were they co-occur with spotless species.
References
Gruber, J. and J. Martens. 1968. Morphologie, Systematik und Ökologie der Gattung Nemastoma C. L. Koch (s.str.) (Opiliones, Nemastomatidae). Senckenbergiana biolgica 49:137-172.
Kratochvíl, J. 1958. Höhlenweberknechte Bulgariens (Palpatores — Nemastomatidae). Práce Brnenské základny Ceskoslovenské akademie ved 30 (12):523-576.
Martens, J. 2006. Weberknechte aus dem Kaukasus (Arachnida, Opiliones, Nemastomatidae), Senckenbergiana biologica 86 (2):145-210.
Roewer, C. F. 1951. Über Nemastomatiden. Weitere Weberknechte XVI. Senckenbergiana 32:95-153.
Schönhofer, A.L. 2013. A taxonomic catalogue of the Dyspnoi Hansen and Sørensen, 1904 (Arachnida: Opiliones). Zootaxa 3679 (1): 1-68.
Credits
Page created by Axel L. Schönhofer. Angela DiDomenico helped improve the English.
