Kimulidae is a small neotropical family of the harvestman infraorder Grassatores with about thirty described species.[1]

Kimulidae
Temporal range: Neogene–present
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Phylum:
Class:
Order:
Suborder:
Infraorder:
Superfamily:
Family:
Kimulidae

Pérez-González, Kury & Alonso-Zarazaga, 2007
Species

See text for list

Diversity
c. 10 genera, > 30 species
Synonyms

Minuidae

Description

edit

These brown harvestmen dwell in soil and litter.[1]

Distribution

edit

Whereas most species occur in Venezuela, Colombia and the West Indies, the isolated species Tegipiolus pachypus (which was formerly in Zalmoxidae) is found in northeastern Brazil. This species also differs from the others morphologically.[1] Another Brazilian species, Microminua soerenseni Rio de Janeiro, does not belong to this family.[2]

Relationships

edit

Kimulidae are probably closely related to Escadabiidae.[1]

Name

edit

This family was originally called Minuidae, but as the name of the type genus proved invalid, the family name needed a replacement.[1]

Species

edit
  • Fudeci M. A. González-Sponga, 1997
  • Kimula Goodnight & Goodnight, 1942
  • Minua Sørensen, 1932 — Venezuela

Footnotes

edit
  1. ^ a b c d e Pérez-González, Abel & Kury, Adriano B. (2007): Kimulidae. Kury & Pérez in Kury, 2003. In: Pinto-da-Rocha et al. 2007: 207ff
  2. ^ a b Kury 2003

References

edit
  • Joel Hallan's Biology Catalog: Minuidae
  • Kury, Adriano B., 2003. Annotated catalogue of the Laniatores of the New World (Arachnida, Opiliones). Revista Ibérica de Aracnología, vol. especial monográfico 1: 1-337.
  • Pinto-da-Rocha, R., Machado, G. & Giribet, G. (eds.) (2007): Harvestmen - The Biology of Opiliones. Harvard University Press ISBN 0-674-02343-9