First record of Megaselia abdita (Schmitz, 1959) (Diptera: Phoridae) infestation in captive tarantulas (Araneae: Theraphosidae

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  First record of Megaselia abdita (Schmitz, 1959) (Diptera: Phoridae) infestation in captive tarantulas (Araneae: Theraphosidae Abstract Flies of the genus Megaselia Rondani, 1856 exhibit exceptional ecological flexibility, with certain species acting as facultative parasites. This study presents the first documented cases of Megaselia abdita (Schmitz, 1959) infesting captive tarantulas (Araneae: Theraphosidae, Ceratogyrus darlingi Pocock, 1897 and Psalmopoeus irminia Saager, 1994) in terrarium settings. Our observations demonstrate that M . abdita colonise artificial habitats and exploit spider hosts similarly to Megaselia scalaris . Citation: Szymański, D.M., Szymański, D., Kłonowski, P. (2026). First record of Megaselia abdita (Schmitz, 1959) (Diptera: Phoridae) infestation in captive tarantulas (Araneae: Theraphosidae). Dipteron, 42, 25-29. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23137389

Uncovering the worldwide footprint of an ancient relictual lineage of harvestmen: new genus and species of Buemarinoidae from Australia (Opiliones: Laniatores: Triaenonychoidea)

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Uncovering the worldwide footprint of an ancient relictual lineage of harvestmen: new genus and species of Buemarinoidae from Australia (Opiliones: Laniatores: Triaenonychoidea)

Abstract

Phocyx gen. nov. and Phocyx australis sp. nov. have been newly described from New South Wales, Australia. This represents the first record of the family Buemarinoidae in Australia, thereby remarkably extending the known distribution of this ancient and relictual group of Opiliones. Our descriptions include images of genital morphology, a critical element in group diagnosis. Additionally, we present a discourse on the conserved external morphology within Triaenonychoidea and underscore the significance of genital morphology in the taxonomy of this superfamily. Very low species diversity and relict taxa surviving in scattered isolated refugia (tropical environments of the Southern Hemisphere and hypogean habitats of the Northern Hemisphere) are a clear signature that extinction probably played a major role in shaping the current distribution ranges of Buemarinoidae. That is also reflected in buemarinoid systematics by the prevalence of monotypic genera, a product of the large-scale extinction process affecting this old harvestman lineage.

Willians Porto, Lionel Monod, Abel Pérez-González, Uncovering the worldwide footprint of an ancient relictual lineage of harvestmen: new genus and species of Buemarinoidae from Australia (Opiliones: Laniatores: Triaenonychoidea), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2024;, zlae067, https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae067