Podoctidae
| Podoctidae | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| undescribed Lomanius from the Philippines | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Opiliones |
| Suborder: | Laniatores |
| Infraorder: | Grassatores |
| Superfamily: | Samooidea |
| Family: |
Podoctidae Roewer, 1912 |
| Genera | |
|
See text for list. |
|
| Diversity | |
| c. 60 genera, c. 130 species | |
See text for list.
Podoctidae is a family of the harvestman infraorder Grassatores with about 130 described species.
Body length ranges from 2.5 to 5 millimeters, with leg length ranging from three to almost thirty mm. While most species are brown to yellow, some are deep green. The legs may be ringed in black and yellow. The penis is uniquely built.
Most species occur in Southeast Asia, especially in New Guinea. Others are found in Melanesia, Micronesia, Japan, India and Sri Lanka, Madagascar, the Seychelles and Mauritius, and central Africa. Ibantila cubana was introduced in a botanical garden in Cuba. Although one Podoctidae was described from Brazil in 1938, it was later transferred to Triaenonychidae.
Although Podoctidae are currently included in Samooidea, and are surely Grassatores, there is no obvious relationship with any family.
The name of the type genus is derived from Ancient Greek podos "foot" and oktis "spine", referring to the ventral row of long spines in femur I.
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