Kingdom Animalia Class Arachnida Suborder Laniatores Rank Genus | Phylum Arthropoda Order Opiliones Family Gonyleptidae | |
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Similar Pachylinae, Gonyleptidae, Gonyleptoidea, Laniatores, Harvestmen | ||
Lacronia is a genus of Pachylinae (Arachnida, Opiliones, Gonyleptidae), which includes four Brazilian species. A striking diagnostic character is the trochanter IV of male with strong medial prolateral apophysis forming a pincer with the dorso-apical apophysis of coxa IV. Two of these species present neon green stripes on the mesotergum (Kury, 2003b), which is uncommon in this subfamily.
Contents
Taxonomic history
This genus was at first called Luederwaldtia Mello-Leitão, 1923, but the name was already preoccupied, being a junior homonym of Luederwaldtia Schmidt, 1922 (Hemiptera). Strand (1942) proposed the valid replacement name Lacronia, which was ignored by most subsequent authors and unearthed only 60 years later (Kury, 2003a).
Species
Ecological remarks
Lacronia ceci is the first species of the genus to be found in highlands away from the coast. The other three species of Lacronia are known from coastal environments: Lacronia serripes is known only from small islands. The other two were found in continental "restinga" biome. Individuals of both sexes of Lacronia ceci were found inside bamboo (Guadua taguara) hollows or in immediately surrounding areas. No individuals were found in other locations during diurnal collectings. Lacronia camboriu and L. ricardoi were found inside bromeliads, suggesting that the species of this genus are related to phytotelmata (Kury & Orrico, 2006).