| Neogoveidae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| ImmatureMetasiro sassafrasensis | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Opiliones |
| Suborder: | Cyphophthalmi |
| Infraorder: | Sternophthalmi |
| Superfamily: | Ogoveoidea |
| Family: | Neogoveidae Shear, 1980 |
| Diversity | |
| 8 genera, 27 species | |
 | |
TheNeogoveidae are a family ofharvestmen with 27 described species in eight genera. However, eight species ofHuitaca, 17 species ofMetagovea and 12 species ofNeogovea are currently awaiting description.[1]
The name is a combination ofAncient Greekneo "new" andOgoveidae, a previously described family ofCyphophthalmi that is closely related to Neogoveidae.[2]
Neogoveidae are 1 to 4.5 mm long and eyeless. They often exhibit a solea (modified area with a high concentration of sensory setae) on the first pair oftarsi. Theirchelicerae are smooth, with a dorsal crest and ventral process, and can be either short and robust or long and antennuate. They possess laterally projectingozophores, tarsal claws on the second pair of legs with a row of teeth, tarsal claws on the third and fourth pairs of legs often with small pegs, and an inconspicuous or absentopisthosomal median furrow. The adenostyle is variable, and can be lamelliform, fimbriate, or digitiform. They exhibit both the fusion of coxae 2 and 3, and the fusion of sternites 8 and 9 with tergite 9, the latter of which forms a completecorona analis, which is not present in the genusMetasiro.[2] Exocrine gland pores are located on the sternum in most genera, exceptCanga andNeogovea, in which they are absent, andMetasiro, in which they are located on the anal plate.[3] The dorsal scutum is heavily granulated, the metatarsi of the legs are ornamented, and the structure of the spermatopositor is highly variable across genera.[2]
Neogoveidae occur in tropical regions between 10° north and 5° south of the equator in bothSouth America andWest Africa, with the exception ofMetasiro, which is found in southeasternUnited States.[2]
Current research suggests that the diversity of neotropical Neogovidae is much higher than currently known, as new species were found at virtually every place where samples were taken. Currently, the greatest amount of known Neogoveid diversity is known fromColombia, although it is unknown if this reflects greater ecosystem diversity or greater sampling efforts in that country.[1] It is thought that Neogoveidae possesses a considerably large amount of undescribed diversity compared to most other Cyphophthalmi families.[3]
A recent phylogeographical study ofMetasiro suggests that, as the genus exists at endpoints of large watersheds, mite harvestmen may be able to disperse by utilizing moving bodies of water.[4]
Molecular studies suggest that the South American species are paraphyletic, with the North AmericanMetasiro forming a sister group to all other Neogoveids,Canga forming a sister group to the AfricanParogovia, and the rest of the South American genera forming a clade.[5][3] The family is believed to form a sister group relationship with the West African family Ogoveidae. Together, these 2 families make up the superfamilyOgoveoidea, which is the sister group toTroglosironidae. Troglosironidae and Ogoveoidea together make up the infraorderSternophthalmi, which is well supported asmonophyletic by recent phylogenetic analyses.[5]
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| Recovered by Giribet et al. (2012), with position of Tucanogovea based on original description by Karaman (2013). |
The speciesShearogovea mexasca was formerly included in the genusNeogovea, but has since been removed from both the genus and the family, and its taxonomic position within Cyphophthalmi is uncertain.[6] It has been proposed, however, that the species be re-included within Neogoveidae, and thatMetasiro be excluded from the family.[7]
Species:[8]