A revision of the genus Synsphyronus Chamberlin (Garypidae : Pseudoscorpionida : Arachnida)

Abstract

Twenty-eight species of the Australian and New Zealand genus Synsphyronus are recognised: S. absitus, sp. nov.; S. amplissimus, sp, nov.; S. apimelus, sp, nov.; S. attiguus, sp. nov.; S. bounites, sp. nov.; S. callus Hoff; S. dewae Beier; S. dorothyae, sp. nov.; S. ejuncidus, sp. nov.; S. elegans Beier; S. gigas Beier; S. gracilis, sp. nov.; S. greensladeae, sp. nov.; S. hadronennus, sp. nov.; S. hansenii (With); S. heptatrichus, sp. nov.; S. lathrius, sp. nov.; S. leo, sp. nov.; S. lineatus Beier; S. magnus Hoff; S. meganennus, sp. nov.; S. melanochelatus (Chamberlin); S. mimetus Chamberlin; S. mimulus Chamberlin; S. niger Hoff; S. nullarborensis Beier; S. paradoxus Chamberlin; S. silveirai, sp. nov. The following synonymies are proposed (junior synonym first): S. grayi Beier = S. mimulus Chamberlin; S. gisleni Beier = S. hansenii (With); S. fallaciosus Beier = S. hansenii (With). Maorigarypus viridis Tubb is designated as a nomen dubium. The subgenera Synsphyronus, s. str., and Maorigarypus Chamberlin, which have been distinguished on the presence or absence, respectively, of fusion of the pedal tarsi, are abandoned because the degree of tarsal fusion was found to be intraspecifically variable. Post-embryonic development, biogeography and possible evolutionary pathways are discussed.