Trogulus Latreille, 1802
Tree derived from the phylogenetic concepts of Schönhofer and Martens (2010) and Schönhofer et al. (2013) based on molecular and morphological data.
Members of Trogulus are among the most distinct harvestmen in Europe. Their fairly large and flattened appearance – often combined with large body size (4 – 23 mm) and the peculiar bifurcate branched head cap – immediately identifies them in the field. Species are present in most of Europe (except Northern Scandinavia) and reach as far East as to the Caucasus. Most species are found along the northern Mediterranean Coast. Trogulus is discriminated from other similar Trogulidae by its two-segmented tarsus II. Trogulus torosus represents the largest known harvestmen in terms of body length.
Taxonomy and Discussion of Phylogenetic Relationships
Below the generic level, Trogulus proves problematic as the uniform body shape and the lack of unambiguous characters do not allow straight forward morphological species delineation. Recent integrative studies based on molecular, morphological, morphometrical and geographical data have helped to define species borders and interspecific relationships more clearly. In the process the number of accepted species was raised from 17 to 32, and preliminary estimation based on morphology and mitochondrial data anticipate about 70 species, suggesting that it may be the most species rich harvestmen genus within the European fauna. Species diversity is highest along the Northern border of the Mediterranean Sea (Schönhofer and Martens 2008, 2009, 2010; Schönhofer et al. (2013)).
Ecology and Life History
Trogulus occur in a wide range of habitats from dry macchia to humid caves. Highest abundance is reached in forests with structured, open soils, especially in calcareous areas where shell-building snails, their main prey, are common. Here Trogulus can account for more than 50% of the harvestmen and 17% of the total arthropod fauna (Chemini 1981). Life cycle is about a year, with adults being present all year (Pabst 1953). Some of the large and cave inhabiting species from the Balkan can be assumed to develop much more slowly. Trogulus seem to prey exclusively on snails.
References
Chemini, C. 1981. The Opilionid Community of a Hornbeam Wood near Pergine, Trento, Italian Alps. Studi Trentini di Scienze Naturali, B, Biologica 57:67-73.
Pabst, W. 1953. Zur Biologie der mitteleuropäischen Troguliden. Zoologische Jahrbücher. Abteilung für Systematik, Geographie und Biologie der Tiere 82 1-46.
Schönhofer, A. L. and J. Martens. 2008. Revision of the genus Trogulus Latreille: the Trogulus coriziformis species-group of the western Mediterranean (Opiliones: Trogulidae). Invertebrate Systematics 22 (5):523-554.
Schönhofer, A. L. and J. Martens. 2009. Revision of the genus Trogulus Latreille: the Trogulus hirtus species-group (Opiliones: Trogulidae). In Kropf, C. & Horak, P. (eds). Towards a natural history of arthropods and other organisms. In memoriam Konrad Thaler. Contributions to Natural History 12:1143-1187.
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.
Schönhofer, A. L., Karaman, I. M. and Martens, J. 2013. Revision of the genus Trogulus Latreille: The morphologically divergent Trogulus torosus species-group of the Balkan Peninsula (Opiliones: Dyspnoi: Trogulidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 167:360-388.
Credits
Page created by Axel L. Schönhofer. Dave Carlson helped improve the English.
Members of Trogulus are among the most distinct harvestmen in Europe. Their fairly large and flattened appearance – often combined with large body size (4 – 23 mm) and the peculiar bifurcate branched head cap – immediately identifies them in the field. Species are present in most of Europe (except Northern Scandinavia) and reach as far East as to the Caucasus. Most species are found along the northern Mediterranean Coast. Trogulus is discriminated from other similar Trogulidae by its two-segmented tarsus II. Trogulus torosus represents the largest known harvestmen in terms of body length.
Taxonomy and Discussion of Phylogenetic Relationships
Below the generic level, Trogulus proves problematic as the uniform body shape and the lack of unambiguous characters do not allow straight forward morphological species delineation. Recent integrative studies based on molecular, morphological, morphometrical and geographical data have helped to define species borders and interspecific relationships more clearly. In the process the number of accepted species was raised from 17 to 32, and preliminary estimation based on morphology and mitochondrial data anticipate about 70 species, suggesting that it may be the most species rich harvestmen genus within the European fauna. Species diversity is highest along the Northern border of the Mediterranean Sea (Schönhofer and Martens 2008, 2009, 2010; Schönhofer et al. (2013)).
Ecology and Life History
Trogulus occur in a wide range of habitats from dry macchia to humid caves. Highest abundance is reached in forests with structured, open soils, especially in calcareous areas where shell-building snails, their main prey, are common. Here Trogulus can account for more than 50% of the harvestmen and 17% of the total arthropod fauna (Chemini 1981). Life cycle is about a year, with adults being present all year (Pabst 1953). Some of the large and cave inhabiting species from the Balkan can be assumed to develop much more slowly. Trogulus seem to prey exclusively on snails.
References
Chemini, C. 1981. The Opilionid Community of a Hornbeam Wood near Pergine, Trento, Italian Alps. Studi Trentini di Scienze Naturali, B, Biologica 57:67-73.
Pabst, W. 1953. Zur Biologie der mitteleuropäischen Troguliden. Zoologische Jahrbücher. Abteilung für Systematik, Geographie und Biologie der Tiere 82 1-46.
Schönhofer, A. L. and J. Martens. 2008. Revision of the genus Trogulus Latreille: the Trogulus coriziformis species-group of the western Mediterranean (Opiliones: Trogulidae). Invertebrate Systematics 22 (5):523-554.
Schönhofer, A. L. and J. Martens. 2009. Revision of the genus Trogulus Latreille: the Trogulus hirtus species-group (Opiliones: Trogulidae). In Kropf, C. & Horak, P. (eds). Towards a natural history of arthropods and other organisms. In memoriam Konrad Thaler. Contributions to Natural History 12:1143-1187.
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.
Schönhofer, A. L., Karaman, I. M. and Martens, J. 2013. Revision of the genus Trogulus Latreille: The morphologically divergent Trogulus torosus species-group of the Balkan Peninsula (Opiliones: Dyspnoi: Trogulidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 167:360-388.
Credits
Page created by Axel L. Schönhofer. Dave Carlson helped improve the English.
