| Cranaidae | |
|---|---|
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| Santinezia serratotibialis Trinidad | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Opiliones |
| Suborder: | Laniatores |
| Infraorder: | Grassatores |
| Superfamily: | Gonyleptoidea |
| Family: | Cranaidae Roewer, 1913 |
| Subfamilies | |
| Diversity | |
| c. 80 genera, > 140 species | |
TheCranaidae are a family ofneotropicalharvestmen within the suborderLaniatores.
The name of the type genus is derived fromCranaus, the successor ofCecrops I as king ofAttica inGreek mythology.[1]
Body length ranges from about six to sixteen millimeters. The color normally ranges from brown to black greenish, with the legs sometimes lighter to yellowish. Some species feature white stripes on some regions.[1]
Most species are found in northernSouth America, with few species found inPanama andCosta Rica. The diversity of the family is probably explained by the diversity of habitats in thecloud forests ofEcuador andColombia, ranging from elevations of 500 to 3,500 m. Some species were even collected from elevations as high as 5,000 meters.[1]
The four subfamilies constituting the Cranaidae were transferred fromGonyleptidae by Kury (1994), erecting it as a sister group toCosmetidae and Gonyleptidae. Cranainae and Stygnocranainae are probably closely related.[2]
See theList of Cranaidae species for a list of currently described species.