Graecophalangium Roewer, 1923

Murányi, Dávid, 2015, First record of the genus Graecophalangium Roewer, 1923 (Opiliones: Phalangiidae) from Albania, with redescription of G. militare (C. L. Koch, 1839), Ecologica Montenegrina 4, pp. 4-13 : 5

Graecophalangium Roewer, 1923

( Fig. 1 )

Graecophalangium Roewer, 1923 — Roewer 1923: 755. (original description); Martens 1966: 352. (comments and distribution, revised diagnosis); Crawford 1992: 22. (type species designation); Kury 2005 (catalog); Snegovaya & Staręga 2009: 42. (redescription); Anonymous 2014 (catalog).

Type species: Graecophalangium atticum Roewer, 1923 , by subsequent designation ( Crawford 1992).

Diagnosis: Medium sized Phalangiidae , with middle long or short legs and often with distinct longitudinal light stripe on saddle of abdominal scutum. Distal segment of male chelicera usually with processes. Pedipalp with small apophysis only on patella, femur armed with denticles. Legs armed, forelegs usually thickened. Shaft of penis with distinct broad basis, medial tapering and distal spoon.

Distribution ( Fig. 1 ): The genus contains four Balkanian endemics, a further species ( G. punicum ) is known from the Levant, one was recently described from Central Asia ( G. karakalensis Tcheremis & Snegovaya, 2010 ), and two Anatolian species ( Egaenus marenzelleri Nosek, 1905 and Graecophalangium sp. n. sensu Mitov 2009) were also attributed to the genus but not yet published formaly ( Fig. 1A ). All the non-Balkanian species are known only from the type specimens, althought C. karakalensis was described from multiple localities of the western Kopet Dag. One of the Balkanian species is restricted to Crete ( G. cretaeum Martens, 1966 ) while the other three are known from the mainland and the Peloponnese ( Fig. 1B ). Graecophalangium drenskii Mitov, 1995 is known from a single male collected in the southwestern part of the Republic of Macedonia. The other two species are relatively widespread: G. militare is known from the southwestern areas of the peninsula, while G. atticum is from the southern central ranges. It is worth to mention, that Mitov (1995, 2003) cited G. atticum from the Republic of Macedonia, referring to Martens (1966); however, the latter enumerate it only from Greek Macedonia. Martens (1966: Fig. 15) also marked several unspecified records of the genus on his map, these are also depicted herein with a question mark ( Fig. 1A–B ).

Figures

Figure 1. Known distribution of the genus Graecophalangium Roewer, 1923: A – Global distribution in the West Palaearctis; B – known localities in the Balkans. Em: Egaenus marenzelleri Nosek, 1905; Ga: G. atticum Roewer, 1923; Gc: G. cretaeum Martens, 1966; Gd: G. drenskii Mitov, 1995; Gk: G. karakalensis Tchemeris & Snegovaya, 2010; Gm: G. militare (C.L. Koch, 1839); G. punicum Staręga, 1973;?: unknown specific identity or undescribed species (altitudes above 1000 meters are shaded in grey on Fig. 1A; above 500, 1000 and 2000 meters are shaded in different grey on Fig. 1B).