Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Variation in ovipositor morphology among laniatorean harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones)

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Zoomorphology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

There are relatively few published illustrations of ovipositors for harvestmen belonging to the suborder Laniatores. As a result, the ovipositor of these harvestmen has largely been ignored as a source of informative characters. We used scanning electron microscopy to examine the ovipositor of eight species representing several major lineages (Gonyleptoidea, Phalangodoidea, Samooidea, and Zalmoxoidea). We observed interspecific variation with respect to the number of external lobes on the distal tip, the surface texture of the distal tip, and the morphology of the peripheral setae. The ovipositors of Bishopella (Phalangodoidea) and Stygnomma (Samooidea) were similar in appearance and differed with respect to the number and position of peripheral setae. We observed significant interspecific variation among the gonyleptoidean species, especially with respect to the peripheral setae. The ovipositors of Zalmoxoidea harvestmen had smooth, spatulate peripheral setae but differed with respect to the surface texture of the distal tip. The unusual morphology of these setae has not been observed previously and may represent a new synapomorphy for the family. Characters based upon ovipositor morphology have the potential to illuminate phylogenetic relationships within and between families and genera in these harvestmen.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bennett MK, Townsend VR Jr (2013) Reproductive morphology of three species of Neotropical harvestmen (Opiliones, Laniatores, Gonyleptoidea). J Morphol 274:1415–1424

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bragagnolo C, Hara MR, Pinto-da-Rocha R (2015) A new family of Gonyleptoidea from South America (Opiliones, Laniatores). Zool J Linn Soc 173:296–319

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Briggs TS (1971a) The harvestman family Triaenonychidae in North America (Opiliones). Occ Pap Calif Acad Sci 90:1–43

    Google Scholar 

  • Briggs TS (1971b) Relict harvestmen from the Pacific Northwest (Opiliones). Pan-Pac Entomol 47:165–178

    Google Scholar 

  • DaSilva MB, Gnaspini P (2009) A systematic revision of the Goniosomatinae (Arachnida: Opiliones: Gonyleptidae), with cladistics analysis and biogeographic notes. Invert Syst 23:530–624

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Giribet G, Kury AB (2007) Phylogeny and Biogeography. In: Pinto-da-Rocha R, Machado G, Giribet G (eds) Harvestmen: the biology of Opiliones. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, pp 62–87

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodnight ML, Goodnight CJ (1976) Observations on the systematics, development, and habits of Erginulus clavotibialis (Opiliones: Cosmetidae). Trans Am Micro Soc 95:654–664

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goodnight CJ, Goodnight ML (1983) Opiliones of the family Phalangodidae found in Costa Rica. J Arachnol 11:201–242

    Google Scholar 

  • Guffey CA, Townsend VR Jr, Felgenhauer BE (2000) External morphology and ultrastructure of the prehensile region of the legs of Leiobunum nigripes (Arachnida, Opiliones). J Arachnol 28:231–236

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hara MR, Pinto-da-Rocha R (2010) Systematic review and cladistics analysis of the genus Eusarcus Perty 1833 (Arachnida, Opiliones, Gonyleptidae). Zootaxa 2698:1–136

    Google Scholar 

  • Hunt GS, Hickman JL (1993) A revision of the genus Lomanella Pocock and its implications for family level classification in the Travunioidea (Arachnida: Opiliones: Triaenonychidae). Rec Aust Mus 45:81–119

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kury AB (2003) Annotated catalogue of the Laniatores of the New World (Arachnida, Opiliones). Rev Ibérica Aracnol 1:1–337

    Google Scholar 

  • Kury AB (2014) Why does the Tricommatinae position bounce so much within Laniatores? A cladistics analysis, with description of a new family of Gonyleptoidea (Opiliones, Laniatores). Zool J Linn Soc 172:1–48

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kury AB, Villareal Manzanilla O, Sampaio C (2007) Redescription of the type species of Cynorta (Arachnida, Opiliones, Cosmetidae). J Arachnol 35:325–333

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Machado G, Macías-Ordóñez R (2007) Reproduction. In: Pinto-da-Rocha R, Machado G, Giribet G (eds) Harvestmen: the biology of Opiliones. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, pp 414–454

    Google Scholar 

  • Macías-Ordóñez R, Machado G, Pérez-González A, Shultz JW (2010) Genitalic evolution in Opiliones. In: Leonard J, Cordoba-Aguilar A (eds) The evolution of primary sexual characters in animals. Oxford University Press, New York, pp 285–306

    Google Scholar 

  • Martens J (1986) Die Großgliederung der Opiliones und die evolution der Ordnung (Arachnida). In: Barrientos JA (ed) Proceedings of the 10th international congress of arachnology. Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología & Grupo de Aracnología, Barcelona, Spain, pp 289–310

  • Martens J, Hoheisel U, Götze M (1981) Comparative anatomy of the ovipositors of the Opiliones as a contribution to the phylogeny of the order (Arachnida). Zool Jb Anat 105:13–76

    Google Scholar 

  • Maury EA (1988) Triaenonychidae sudamericanos. V. Un nuevo género de opiliones cavernícolas de la Patagonia (Opiliones, Laniatores). Mém Biospéol 15:117–131

    Google Scholar 

  • Nation JL (1983) A new method for using hexamethyldisilazane for preparation of soft insect tissue for scanning electron microscopy. Stain Technol 58:347–351

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pinto-da-Rocha R, Benedetti AR, de Vasconcelos EG, Hara MR (2012) New systematic assignments in Gonyleptoidea (Arachnida, Opiliones, Laniatores). ZooKeys 198:25–68

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pinto-da-Rocha R, Bragagnolo C, Marques FPL, Junior MA (2014) Phylogeny of harvestmen family Gonyleptidae inferred from a multilocus approach (Arachnida: Opiliones). Cladistics 30:519–530

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Proud DN, Víquez C, Townsend VR Jr (2011) Paternal care in a Neotropical harvestman (Arachnida: Cosmetidae) from Costa Rica. J Arachnol 39:497–499

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rodriguez AL, Townsend VR Jr, Johnson MB, White TB (2014) Interspecific variation in the microanatomy of cosmetid harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones, Laniatores). J Morphol 275:1386–1405

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schwendiger PJ, Martens J (2002) Penis morphology in Oncopodidae (Opiliones, Laniatores): Evolutionary trends and relationships. J Arachnol 30:425–434

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharma PP, Giribet G (2011) The evolutionary and biogeographic history of the armoured harvestmen—Laniatores phylogeny based on ten molecular markers, with the description of two new families of Opiliones (Arachnida). Invert Syst 25:106–142

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Šilhavỳ V (1977) Further cavernicolous opilionids from Mexico. Quad Acc Naz Lincei 171:219–233

    Google Scholar 

  • Šilhavỳ V (1979) Opilionids of the suborder Gonyleptomorphi from the American caves, collected by Dr. Pierre Strinati. Rev Suisse Zool 86:321–334

    Google Scholar 

  • Spicer GS (1987) Scanning electron microscopy of the palp sense organs of the harvestman Leiobunum townsendi (Arachnida: Opiliones). Trans Am Micro Soc 106:232–239

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walker EA, Townsend VR Jr (2014) Ovipositor morphology of cosmetid harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones, Laniatores): a new source of informative characters. J Morphol 275:1376–1385

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Willemart RH, Gnaspini P (2003) Comparative density of hair sensilla on the legs of cavernicolous and epigean harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones). Zool Anz 242:353–365

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Willemart RH, Chelini MC, De Andrade R, Gnaspini P (2007) An ethological approach to a SEM survey on sensory structures and tegumental gland openings of two Neotropical harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones, Gonyleptidae). Ital J Zool 74:39–54

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Willemart RH, Farine J-P, Gnaspini P (2009) Sensory biology of Phalangida harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones): a review, with new morphological data on 18 species. Acta Zool 90:209–227

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the VWC Science Undergraduate Research Fund (MSB), the VWC Electron Microscopy Lab, and summer faculty development grants (VRT). Specimens were collected in the field with help from D. Proud (University of Louisiana at Lafayette), C. Víquez (INBio), M. Moore (Mercer University), J. Campbell (High Point University), A. Abbate, B. Campbell (University of Florida), and Stephen Broadbridge (Caribbean Discovery Tours). Special thanks to Andrea Rodriguez for assistance with specimen preparation and the operation of the SEM, and Daniel Proud and two anonymous reviewers for insightful comments on earlier versions of this manuscript. Specimens were legally exported from Trinidad (001339) and Costa Rica (01607). Voucher specimens were deposited into the natural history collection at the American Museum of Natural History, New York.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Virginia Wesleyan College, 1584 Wesleyan Drive, Norfolk, VA, 23502, USA

    Victor R. Townsend Jr. & Melinda S. Bertram

  2. Department of Biology, University of Indianapolis, 1400 East Hanna Avenue, Indianapolis, IN, 46227, USA

    Marc A. Milne

Authors
  1. Victor R. Townsend Jr.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Melinda S. Bertram
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Marc A. Milne
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Victor R. Townsend Jr..

Additional information

Communicated by A. Schmidt-Rhaesa.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Townsend, V.R., Bertram, M.S. & Milne, M.A. Variation in ovipositor morphology among laniatorean harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones). Zoomorphology 134, 487–497 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00435-015-0269-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00435-015-0269-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation