The Schizomida (Arachnida) of the Seychelle Islands

Abstract

The schizomid fauna of the Seychelles is reviewed and the following taxa are recognised: Apozomus gerlachi, sp. nov., Bamazomus aviculus, sp. nov., Mahezomus apicoporus, sp. nov., Anepsiozomus sobrinus, sp. nov., Ovozomus similis (Hirst), Secozomus latipes (Hansen) and Zomus bagnallii (Jackson). Four new genera are recognised, each represented by a single species: Mahezomus, gen. nov. (type species M. apicoporus, sp. nov.); Anepsiozomus, gen. nov. (type species A. sobrinus, sp. nov.); Ovozomus, gen. nov. (type species Schizomus similis Hirst); and Secozomus, gen. nov. (type species Schizomus latipes Hansen). Three species of Schizomus described from Madagascar are transferred to Bamazomus: B. madagassus (Lawrence), comb. nov., B. milloti (Lawrence), comb. nov. and B. vadoni (Lawrence), comb. nov. Problems in the systematics of the subfamily Hubbardiinae are explored, especially with regard to the high number of genera currently recognised. Biogeographic patterns of the arachnid fauna of the Seychelles are briefly explored, and a list of the Scorpiones, Pseudoscorpiones, Amblypygi, Schizomida and Palpigradi is included.