Pyza Starega, 1976
Pyza comprises four medium- to large-sized Nemastomatinae that are distributed on the Balkan Peninsula and in Turkey. Species are almost globular in body form and short legged, the southern species often with a golden dorsal pattern. Genital morphology is variable with a blunt and offset stylus tube, close to Mediostoma but often with wings below the glans penis.
Taxonomy and Discussion of Phylogenetic Relationships
Gruber (1979) revised the genus but mentioned the type species P. bosnica to be only distantly related to the remaining species and therefore only tentatively placed them in Pyza. A phylogenetic comparison with Mediostoma and Vestiferum, which exhibit similar cheliceral apophyses in males and partly similar penes, is advised (Gruber 1979).
Ecology and Life History
Pyza bosnica inhabits alpine forest communities in the central and northern Balkans, where it can occur in large numbers. The species from Turkey and Greece seem to prefer drier habitats like macchia and Pine forest communities. They are generally rare (Gruber 1979).
References
Gruber, J. 1979. Ergebnisse zoologischer Sammelreisen in der Türkei. Über Nemastomatiden-Arten aus der Verwandtschaft von Pyza aus Südwestasien und Südosteuropa (Opiliones, Arachnida). - Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien 82: 559-577.
Credits
Page created by Axel L. Schönhofer. Dave Carlson helped improve the English.
Taxonomy and Discussion of Phylogenetic Relationships
Gruber (1979) revised the genus but mentioned the type species P. bosnica to be only distantly related to the remaining species and therefore only tentatively placed them in Pyza. A phylogenetic comparison with Mediostoma and Vestiferum, which exhibit similar cheliceral apophyses in males and partly similar penes, is advised (Gruber 1979).
Ecology and Life History
Pyza bosnica inhabits alpine forest communities in the central and northern Balkans, where it can occur in large numbers. The species from Turkey and Greece seem to prefer drier habitats like macchia and Pine forest communities. They are generally rare (Gruber 1979).
References
Gruber, J. 1979. Ergebnisse zoologischer Sammelreisen in der Türkei. Über Nemastomatiden-Arten aus der Verwandtschaft von Pyza aus Südwestasien und Südosteuropa (Opiliones, Arachnida). - Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien 82: 559-577.
Credits
Page created by Axel L. Schönhofer. Dave Carlson helped improve the English.
