''Ischyropsalis'' is a genus of

harvestmen The Opiliones (formerly Phalangida) are an Order (biology), order of arachnids Common name, colloquially known as harvestmen, harvesters, harvest spiders, or daddy longlegs. , over 6,650 species of harvestmen have been discovered worldwide, alth ...

in the family

Ischyropsalididae Ischyropsalididae is a family of harvestmen The Opiliones (formerly Phalangida) are an Order (biology), order of arachnids Common name, colloquially known as harvestmen, harvesters, harvest spiders, or daddy longlegs. , over 6,650 species of ...

, found in Europe. There are more than 20 described species in ''Ischyropsalis''.

Description

Species in this genus range in body length from about four to 8.5 mm. They have moderately long legs. The greatly enlarged

chelicera The chelicerae () are the mouthparts of the subphylum Chelicerata, an arthropod group that includes arachnids, horseshoe crabs, and sea spiders. Commonly referred to as " jaws", chelicerae may be shaped as either articulated fangs, or similarly ...

e can be almost twice as long as the body. While they share this feature with the

Nipponopsalididae Nipponopsalididae is a family of harvestmen with three described species in one genus, ''Nipponopsalis'', which is found in East Asia. Name The genus name ''Nipponopsalis'' is a combination of ''Nippon'', meaning Japan, where the genus was first ...

, this is a case of

convergent evolution Convergent evolution is the independent evolution of similar features in species of different periods or epochs in time. Convergent evolution creates analogous structures that have similar form or function but were not present in the last com ...

. The elongated

pedipalp Pedipalps (commonly shortened to palps or palpi) are the second pair of appendages of chelicerates – a group of arthropods including spiders, scorpions, horseshoe crabs, and sea spiders. The pedipalps are lateral to the chelicerae ("jaws") a ...

s are rather slender. Some species occur in

cave A cave or cavern is a natural void in the ground, specifically a space large enough for a human to enter. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. The word ''cave'' can refer to smaller openings such as sea ...

Distribution

Members of this genus are restricted to

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located enti ...

, with many species found in the mountains (

Pyrenees The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to ...

Alps The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, ...

, Carpathian Mountains, and

Dinaric Mountains The Dinaric Alps (), also Dinarides, are a mountain range in Southern and Southcentral Europe, separating the continental Balkan Peninsula from the Adriatic Sea. They stretch from Italy in the northwest through Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and ...

). They reach into the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

, northwestern

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG),, is a country in Central Europe. It is the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany lies between the Baltic and North Sea to the north and the Alps to the sou ...

and

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, , is a country in Central Europe. Poland is divided into Voivodeships of Poland, sixteen voivodeships and is the fifth most populous member state of the European Union (EU), with over 38 mill ...

in the north and to Calabria in the south. A find from

Sardinia Sardinia ( ; it, Sardegna, label= Italian, Corsican and Tabarchino ; sc, Sardigna , sdc, Sardhigna; french: Sardaigne; sdn, Saldigna; ca, Sardenya, label= Algherese and Catalan) is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, af ...

is considered doubtful.

Name

The genus name is a combination of

Ancient Greek Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic p ...

''ischyros'' "strong" and ''psalis'' "shears", referring to the greatly enlarged chelicerae.

Species

These 21 species belong to the genus ''Ischyropsalis'': * ''

Ischyropsalis adamii ''Ischyropsalis'' is a genus of harvestmen in the family Ischyropsalididae, found in Europe. There are more than 20 described species in ''Ischyropsalis''. Description Species in this genus range in body length from about four to 8.5 mm. ...

'' Canestrini, 1873 * ''

Ischyropsalis cantabrica ''Ischyropsalis'' is a genus of harvestmen in the family Ischyropsalididae, found in Europe. There are more than 20 described species in ''Ischyropsalis''. Description Species in this genus range in body length from about four to 8.5 mm. ...

'' Luque & Labrada, 2012 * ''

Ischyropsalis carli ''Ischyropsalis'' is a genus of harvestmen in the family Ischyropsalididae, found in Europe. There are more than 20 described species in ''Ischyropsalis''. Description Species in this genus range in body length from about four to 8.5 mm. ...

'' Lessert, 1905 * ''

Ischyropsalis dentipalpis ''Ischyropsalis'' is a genus of harvestmen in the family Ischyropsalididae, found in Europe. There are more than 20 described species in ''Ischyropsalis''. Description Species in this genus range in body length from about four to 8.5 mm. ...

'' Canestrini, 1872 * ''

Ischyropsalis dispar ''Ischyropsalis'' is a genus of harvestmen in the family Ischyropsalididae, found in Europe. There are more than 20 described species in ''Ischyropsalis''. Description Species in this genus range in body length from about four to 8.5 mm. ...

'' Simon, 1872 * ''

Ischyropsalis gigantea ''Ischyropsalis'' is a genus of harvestmen in the family Ischyropsalididae, found in Europe. There are more than 20 described species in ''Ischyropsalis''. Description Species in this genus range in body length from about four to 8.5 mm. ...

'' Dresco, 1968 * ''

Ischyropsalis hadzii ''Ischyropsalis'' is a genus of harvestmen in the family Ischyropsalididae, found in Europe. There are more than 20 described species in ''Ischyropsalis''. Description Species in this genus range in body length from about four to 8.5 mm. ...

'' Roewer, 1950 * ''

Ischyropsalis hellwigi ''Ischyropsalis'' is a genus of harvestmen in the family Ischyropsalididae, found in Europe. There are more than 20 described species in ''Ischyropsalis''. Description Species in this genus range in body length from about four to 8.5 mm. ...

'' (Panzer, 1794) * ''

Ischyropsalis hispanica ''Ischyropsalis'' is a genus of harvestmen in the family Ischyropsalididae, found in Europe. There are more than 20 described species in ''Ischyropsalis''. Description Species in this genus range in body length from about four to 8.5 mm. ...

'' Roewer, 1953 * ''

Ischyropsalis kollari ''Ischyropsalis'' is a genus of harvestmen in the family Ischyropsalididae, found in Europe. There are more than 20 described species in ''Ischyropsalis''. Description Species in this genus range in body length from about four to 8.5 mm. Th ...

'' C.L.Koch, 1839 * ''

Ischyropsalis lithoclasica ''Ischyropsalis'' is a genus of harvestmen in the family Ischyropsalididae, found in Europe. There are more than 20 described species in ''Ischyropsalis''. Description Species in this genus range in body length from about four to 8.5 mm. ...

'' Schönhofer & Martens, 2010 * ''

Ischyropsalis luteipes ''Ischyropsalis'' is a genus of harvestmen in the family Ischyropsalididae, found in Europe. There are more than 20 described species in ''Ischyropsalis''. Description Species in this genus range in body length from about four to 8.5 mm. ...

'' Simon, 1872 * ''

Ischyropsalis magdalenae ''Ischyropsalis'' is a genus of harvestman, harvestmen in the family Ischyropsalididae, found in Europe. There are more than 20 described species in ''Ischyropsalis''. Description Species in this genus range in body length from about four to 8.5 ...

'' Simon, 1881 * ''

Ischyropsalis manicata ''Ischyropsalis'' is a genus of harvestmen in the family Ischyropsalididae, found in Europe. There are more than 20 described species in ''Ischyropsalis''. Description Species in this genus range in body length from about four to 8.5 mm. Th ...

'' C.L.Koch, 1865 * '' Ischyropsalis muellneri'' Hamann, 1898 * '' Ischyropsalis navarrensis'' Roewer, 1950 * '' Ischyropsalis nodifera'' Simon, 1879 * ''

Ischyropsalis noltei ''Ischyropsalis'' is a genus of harvestmen in the family Ischyropsalididae, found in Europe. There are more than 20 described species in ''Ischyropsalis''. Description Species in this genus range in body length from about four to 8.5 mm. ...

'' Dresco, 1972 * ''

Ischyropsalis petiginosa ''Ischyropsalis'' is a genus of harvestmen in the family Ischyropsalididae, found in Europe. There are more than 20 described species in ''Ischyropsalis''. Description Species in this genus range in body length from about four to 8.5 mm. ...

'' Simon, 1913 * ''

Ischyropsalis pyrenaea ''Ischyropsalis'' is a genus of harvestmen in the family Ischyropsalididae, found in Europe. There are more than 20 described species in ''Ischyropsalis''. Description Species in this genus range in body length from about four to 8.5 mm. Th ...

'' Simon, 1872 * '' Ischyropsalis ravasinii'' Hadzi, 1942 * '' Ischyropsalis robusta'' Simon, 1872 * ''

Ischyropsalis strandi ''Ischyropsalis'' is a genus of harvestman, harvestmen in the family Ischyropsalididae, found in Europe. There are more than 20 described species in ''Ischyropsalis''. Description Species in this genus range in body length from about four to 8.5 ...

'' Kratochvil, 1936

Taxonomic synonyms

The following were determined to be synonyms of the above species and are no longer valid. * ''I. alfkeni'' Roewer, 1950, synonym of ''I. muellneri'' * ''I. amseli'' Roewer, 1950, synonym of ''I. adamii'' * ''I. archeri'' Roewer, 1950, synonym of ''I. dispar'' * ''I. asturica'' Roewer, 1950, synonym of ''I. nodifera'' * ''I. austriaca'' Roewer, 1950, synonym of ''I. manicata'' * ''I. balcanica'' Roewer, 1950, synonym of ''I. manicata'' * ''I. bosnica'' Roewer, 1914, synonym of ''I. kollari'' * ''I. caporiaccoi'' Roewer, 1950, synonym of ''I. luteipes'' * ''I. corcyraea'' Roewer, 1914, synonym of ''I. muellneri'' * ''I. corsica'' Roewer, 1950, synonym of ''I. nodifera'' * ''I. dacica'' Roewer, 1916, synonym of ''I. manicata'' * ''I. danubia'' Roewer, 1950, synonym of ''I. kollari'' * ''I. franzi'' Roewer, 1950, synonym of ''I. hellwigii'' * ''I. goodnighti'' Roewer, 1950, synonym of ''I. dispar'' * ''I. helvetica'' Roewer, 1916, synonym of ''I. dentipalpis, I. manicata'' * ''I. janetscheki'' Roewer, 1950, synonym of ''I. nodifera'' * ''I. kastneri'' Roewer, 1950, synonym of ''I. manicata'' * ''I. knirschi'' Roewer, 1950, synonym of ''I. strandi'' * ''I. kratochvili'' Roewer, 1950, synonym of ''I. adamii'' * ''I. lusitanica'' Roewer, 1923, synonym of ''I. robusta'' * ''I. moreana'' Roewer, 1950, synonym of ''I. nodifera, I. pyrenaea'' * ''I. nicaea'' Roewer, 1950, synonym of ''I. navarrensis'' * ''I. nivalis'' Roewer, 1950, synonym of ''I. kollari'' * ''I. pentelica'' Roewer, 1950, synonym of ''I. carli'' * ''I. pestae'' Roewer, 1950, synonym of ''I. luteipes'' * ''I. plicata'' Roewer, 1923, synonym of ''I. hellwigii'' * ''I. reimoseri'' Roewer, 1950, synonym of ''I. kollari'' * ''I. segregata'' Roewer, 1950, synonym of ''I. kollari'' * ''I. spinichelis'' Roewer, 1950, synonym of ''I. kollari'' * ''I. strasseri'' Roewer, 1950, synonym of ''I. kollari'' * ''I. styriaca'' Roewer, 1950, synonym of ''I. kollari'' * ''I. turki'' Roewer, 1950, synonym of ''I. navarrensis'' According to L. Labrada and C. Prieto in Schönhofer (2013), "Establishment of the present-day taxonomy and validating species-specific characters in Ischyropsalis have been mainly facilitated by the thorough revision of Martens (1969). Having been unable to borrow many types from the Iberian Peninsula, part of his work remained hypothetical for that local fauna, which was later corrected by Dresco (e.g. 1970, 1972), Luque (1991, 1992) and Prieto (1990a, 1990b). Of the 42 species described or emended by Roewer (1914, 1916, 1923, 1950, 1953a) only two remain valid."

Description

Distribution

Name

Species

Taxonomic synonyms

References

Further reading