Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones) from the Middle Jurassic of China

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Naturwissenschaften Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones) are familiar animals in most terrestrial habitats but are rare as fossils, with only a handful of species known from each of the Palaeozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic eras. Fossil harvestmen from Middle Jurassic (ca. 165 Ma) strata of Daohugou, Inner Mongolia, China, are described as Mesobunus martensi gen. et sp. nov. and Daohugopilio sheari gen. et sp. nov.; the two genera differ primarily in the relative length of their legs and details of the pedipalps. Jurassic arachnids are extremely rare and these fossils represent the first Jurassic, and only the fourth Mesozoic, record of Opiliones. These remarkably well-preserved and modern-looking fossils are assigned to the Eupnoi, whereby M. martensi demonstrably belongs in Sclerosomatidae. It thus represents the oldest record of a modern harvestman family and implies a high degree of evolutionary stasis among one of the most widespread and abundant groups of long-legged, round-bodied harvestmen.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ansorge J (2003) Insects from the Lower Toarcian of Middle Europe and England. Acta Zool Cracov 46(Supplement—fossil insects):291–310

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen W, Ji Q, Liu D-Y, Zhang Y, Song B, Liu X-Y (2004) Isotope geochronology of the fossil-bearing beds in the Daohugou area, Ningcheng, Inner Mongolia. Geol Bull China 23:1165–1169 In Chinese, English abstract

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cokendolpher JC, Poinar GO (1992) Tertiary harvestmen from Dominican Republic amber (Arachnida: Opiliones: Phalangodidae). Bull Br Arachnol Soc 9:53–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Cokendolpher JC, Poinar GO (1998) A new fossil harvestman from Dominican Republic amber (Opiliones, Samoidae, Hummelinckiolus). J Arachnol 26:9–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Delclòs X, Nel A, Azar D, Bechly G, Dunlop JA, Engel MS, Heads SW (2008) The enigmatic Mesozoic insect taxon Chresmodidae (Polyneoptera): new palaeobiological and phylogenetic data, with the description of a new species from the Lower Cretaceous of Brazil. N Jb Geol Paläont Abh 247:353–381

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dunlop JA (2007) Paleontology. In: Pinto-da-Rocha R, Machado G, Giribet G (eds) Harvestmen. The biology of Opiliones. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, pp 247–265

    Google Scholar 

  • Dunlop JA, Anderson LI, Kerp H, Hass H (2003) Preserved organs of Devonian harvestmen. Nature 425:916

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dunlop JA, Kamenz C, Scholtz G (2007) Reinterpreting the morphology of the Jurassic scorpion Liassoscorpionoides. Arth Struc Devel 36:245–252

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eskov K (1984) A new fossil spider family from the Jurassic of Transbaikalia (Araneae: Chelicerata). N Jb Geol Paläont Mh 1984:645–653

    Google Scholar 

  • Eskov K (1987) A new archaeid spider (Chelicerata: Araneae) from the Jurassic of Kazakhstan, with notes on the so-called “Gondwanan” ranges of recent taxa. N Jb Geol Paläont Abh 175:81–106

    Google Scholar 

  • Fet V, Sissom WD, Lowe G, Braunwalder ME (2000) Catalog of the scorpions of the world (1758–1998). The New York Entomological Society, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Giribet G, Dunlop JA (2005) First identifiable Mesozoic harvestman (Opiliones: Dyspnoi) from Cretaceous Burmese amber. Proc R Soc B 272:1007–1013

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Giribet G, Edgecombe GD, Wheeler WC, Babbitt C (2002) Phylogeny and systematic position of Opiliones: a combined analysis of chelicerate relationships using morphological and molecular data. Cladistics 18:5–70

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gnaspini P, Hara MR (2007) Defense mechanisms. In: Pinto-da-Rocha R, Machado G, Giribet G (eds) Harvestmen. The biology of Opiliones. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, pp 374–399

    Google Scholar 

  • Haupt H (1956) Beitrag zur Kenntnis der eözenen Arthropodenfauna des Geiseltals. Nova Acta Leop n.s 128:1–90

    Google Scholar 

  • Hong Y-C (1984) Arachnida. In: Tianjin Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources (ed) Palaeontological Atlas of North China II. Mesozoic Volume. Geological Publishing House, Beijing, China. pp 185-187 In Chinese, English abstract

  • Huang D-Y, Nel A, Shen Y-B, Selden PA, Lin Q-B (2006) Discussions on the age of the Daohugou fauna—evidence from invertebrates. Prog Nat Sci Special Issue:308–312

  • Jell PA, Duncan PM (1986) Invertebrates, mainly insects, from the freshwater Lower Cretaceous Koonwarra fossil bed (Korumburra Group), South Gippsland, Victoria. Mem Assoc Australas Palaeont 3:111–205

    Google Scholar 

  • Koch CL, Berendt GC (1854) Die im Bernstein befindlichen Crustaceen, Myriapoden, Arachniden und Apteren der Vorwelt. In: Berendt GC (ed) Die im Bernstein befindlichen organischen Reste der Vorwelt. Vol. 1, part II. Nicholai, Berlin, p i–iv + 1–124

    Google Scholar 

  • Krivolutsky DA, Druk AY (1986) Fossil oribatid mites. Ann Rev Entom 31:533–545

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kury A (2008) Classification of Opiliones. Available online under: http://www.museunacional.ufrj.br/mndi/Aracnologia/opiliones.html

  • Liu Y-Q, Liu X-Y, Li P-X, Zhang H, Zhang L-J, Li Y, Xia H-D (2004) Daohugou biota-bearing lithostratigraphic succession on the southeastern margin of the Ningcheng basin, Inner Mongolia, and its geochronology. Geol Bull China 23:1180–1185 In Chinese, English abstract

    Google Scholar 

  • Menge A (1854) Footnotes. In: Koch CL, Berendt GC (eds) Die im Bernstein befindlichen Crustaceen, Myriapoden, Arachniden und Apteren der Vorwelt. Berendt GC Die im Bernstein befindlichen organischen Reste der Vorwelt. Vol. 1, part II. Nicholai, Berlin, p i–iv + 1–124 17 pls

    Google Scholar 

  • Petrunkevitch AI (1922) Tertiary spiders and opilionids of North America. Trans Conn Acad Arts Sci 18:1–137

    Google Scholar 

  • Poinar GO (2008) Palaeosiro burmanicum n. gen., n. sp., a fossil Cyphophthalmi (Arachnida: Opiliones: Sironidae) in early Cretaceous Burmese amber. In: Makarov SE, Dimitrijević RN (eds) Advances in arachnology and developmental biology. Papers dedicated to Prof. Dr. Božidar Ćurčić. Inst Zool, Belgrade; BAS, Sofia; Fac Life Sci, Vienna; SASA, Belgrade & UNESCO MAB Serbia. Vienna, Belgrade, Sofia. Monographs 12:267–274

    Google Scholar 

  • Polz H (1975) Zur Unterschiedung von Phyllosomen und deren Exuvien aus der Solnhofener Plattenkalken. N Jb Geol Paläont Mh 1975:40–50

    Google Scholar 

  • Ren D, Gao K-Q, Guo Z-G, Ji S-A, Tan J-J, Song Z (2002) Stratigraphical division of the Jurassic in the Daohugou area, Nincheng, Inner Mongolia. Geol Bull China 21:584–591 In Chinese, English abstract

    Google Scholar 

  • Roger J (1946) Résultates scientifiques de la mission C. Arambourg en Syrie et en Iran (1938–1939). Les invertébrés des Couches à Poissons du Crétacé supérieur du Liban—étude palébiologique des gisements. Mém Soc Géol Fr Paléontol 51:1–92

    Google Scholar 

  • Schlüter T (1978) Zur Systematik und Palökologie harzkonservierter Arthropoda einer Taphozönose aus dem Cenomanium von NW-Frankreich. Berl Geowiss Abh (Ser A) 9:1–150

    Google Scholar 

  • Selden PA, Baker AS, Phipps KJ (2008a) An oribatid mite (Arachnida: Acari) from the Oxford Clay (Jurassic: Upper Callovian) of South Cave Station Quarry, Yorkshire. Palaeontology 51:623–633

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Selden PA, Huang D, Ren D (2008b) Palpimanoid spiders from the Jurassic of China. J Arachnol 36:306–321

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shen Y-B, Chen P-J, Huang D-Y (2003) Age of the fossil conchostracans from Daohugou of Ningcheng, Inner Mongolia. J Strat 27:311–313 In Chinese, English abstract

    Google Scholar 

  • Shultz JW (2000) Skeletomuscular anatomy of the harvestman Leiobunum aldrichi (Weed, 1893) (Arachnida: Opiliones: Palpatores) and its evolutionary significance. Zool J Linn Soc 128:401–438

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Suzuki S (1976) The genus Leiobunum C. L. Koch of Japan and adjacent countries (Leiobunidae, Opiliones, Arachnida). J Sci Hiroshima Uni Ser B (Zool) 26:187–260

    Google Scholar 

  • Suzuki S, Tsurusaki N (1983) Opilionid fauna of Hokkaido and its adjacent areas. J Fac Sci Hokkaido Uni Ser IV Zool 23:195–243

    Google Scholar 

  • Tourinho AL (2007) Sclerosomatidae. In: Pinto-da-Rocha R, Machado G, Giribet G (eds) Harvestmen. The biology of Opiliones. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, pp 128–131

    Google Scholar 

  • Tourinho AL, Kury AB (2001) Notes on Holcobunus Roewer, 1910, with two new generic synonymies (Arachnida, Opiliones, Sclerosomatidae). Bol Mus Nac 461:1–22

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We acknowledge financial support from the National Science Foundation of China (grant no. 40672013, 40632010, 0630967) and the Major Basic Research Projects (2006CB806400) of MST of China. We thank three anonymous referees for their helpful comments.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, People’s Republic of China

    Diying Huang

  2. Paleontological Institute and Department of Geology, University of Kansas, 1475 Jayhawk Boulevard, Lawrence, KS, 66045, USA

    Paul A. Selden

  3. Department of Palaeontology, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, UK

    Paul A. Selden

  4. Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Research on Evolution and Biodiversity, Humboldt University Berlin, 10115, Berlin, Germany

    Jason A. Dunlop

Authors
  1. Diying Huang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Paul A. Selden
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jason A. Dunlop
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Paul A. Selden.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Huang, D., Selden, P.A. & Dunlop, J.A. Harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones) from the Middle Jurassic of China. Naturwissenschaften 96, 955–962 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-009-0556-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-009-0556-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation