Biantidae

Biantidae
Image of Biantida
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Opiliones
Suborder:	Laniatores
Infraorder:	Grassatores
Superfamily:	Samooidea
Family:	Biantidae Thorell, 1889
Genera
See text for list
Diversity
c. 30 genera, c. 130 species

Biantidae is a family of the harvestman infraorder Grassatores with about 130 described species.

Description

Biantidae are between 1.5 and 5.5 millimeters long, with legs ranging from three to 25 mm and enlarged, armed pedipalps. Many species are mahogany, many others yellow with dark mottling.

Distribution

Biantidae have radiated greatly on the Indian subcontinent and Madagascar (which was once connected to India), with many other species from mainland Africa. One subfamily however, the Stenostygninae, is found on the West Indies, with one described species from mainland northern South America.

Relationships

Biantidae are included in the superfamily Samooidea, which mainly radiated in South America.

Name

The type genus is named after Biantes, the son of Parthenopaeus, one of the Epigoni who marched against Thebes in Greek mythology.

Genera

For a list of all described species, see the List of Biantidae species.

Biantinae

• Anaceros Lawrence, 1959 — Madagascar (4 species)
• Biantella Roewer, 1927 — Cameroon (1 species)
• Biantes Simon, 1885 — Nepal, India, Myanmar, Indonesia, Seychelles (30 species)
• Biantessus Roewer, 1949 — South Africa (2 species)
• Biantomma Roewer, 1942 — Equatorial Guinea (Bioko) (1 species)
• Clinobiantes Roewer, 1927 — Cameroon (1 species)
• Cryptobiantes Kauri, 1962 South Africa (1 species)
• Eubiantes Roewer, 1915 — Tanzania (1 species)
• Fageibiantes Roewer, 1949 — Madagascar (2 species)
• Hinzuanius Karsch, 1880 — Madagascar, Socotra, Comoros, Ethiopia (14 species)
• Ivobiantes Lawrence, 1965 — Ivory Coast (1 species)
• Metabiantes Roewer, 1915 — Africa (various countries) (41 species)
• Monobiantes Lawrence, 1962 — Kenya (1 species)
• Probiantes Roewer, 1927 — India (1 species)
• Tetebius Roewer, 1949 — Mozambique (1 species)

Lacurbsinae

• Eulacurbs Roewer, 1949 — Ghana (1 species)
• Heterolacurbs Roewer, 1912 — Togo (1 species)
• Lacurbs Sørensen, 1896 — Cameroon, Ivory Coast (2 species)
• Metalacurbs Roewer, 1914 — western Africa (4 species)
• Prolacurbs Roewer, 1949 — Ghana (1 species)

Stenostygninae

• Bidoma Silhavy, 1973 — Haiti (1 species)
• Caribbiantes Silhavy, 1973 — Cuba (3 species)
• Decuella Avram, 1977 — Cuba (1 species)
• Galibrotus Silhavy, 1973 — Cuba (3 species)
• Heterolacurbs Roewer, 1912 — Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands (2 species, inc. Martibianta Silhavy, 1973) (!After Hallan)
• Manahunca Silhavy, 1973 — Cuba (3 species)
• Negreaella Avram, 1977 — Cuba (5 species)
• Stenostygnus Simon, 1879 — northern South America (1 species)
• Vestitecola Silhavy, 1973 — Haiti (1 species)

Zairebiantinae

• Zairebiantes H. Kauri, 1985 — Zaire (1 species)

References

• Joel Hallan's Biology Catalog: Biantidae
• Pinto-da-Rocha, R., Machado, G. & Giribet, G. (eds.) (2007): Harvestmen - The Biology of Opiliones. Harvard University Press ISBN 0-674-02343-9