Ammotrechidae

Ammotrechidae is a family of solifuges distributed in the Americas and the Caribbean Islands. It includes 22 described genera and at least 83 species. Members of this family can be distinguished from members of other families by the absence of claws on tarsi of leg I, tarsal segmentation 1-2-2-(2-4), pedipalps with pairs of lateroventral spines, and by males having an immovable flagellum on the mesal face of each chelicerum. The propeltidium of the Ammotrechidae is recurved.[1]

Ammotrechidae
Temporal range: Miocene–recent
Chinchippus peruvianus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Arachnida
Order:
Solifugae
Family:
Ammotrechidae

Roewer, 1934
Genera

See text.

Diversity
22 genera, > 80 species

The common names used for Ammotrechidae are curve-faced solifugids and sand runners. They live in arid regions, such as dune and rocky habitats. They are carnivores which feed mainly on other invertebrates. Ammotrechidae have relatively high metabolic rates, which allow them to be voracious predators.[2] They feed by masticating their prey and sucking out the liquids.[3] They are preyed upon by other vertebrates. Species of Ammotrechidae are found to be cannibalistic.[4] Males and females dig shallow burrows for protection and nesting.[5]

The species in North America are found in the South to Southwest and are rarely longer than 2 inches.[6] Though they can be pests, they are considered beneficial because they feed on scorpions, spiders, and termites.[6]

Taxonomy

This family is subdivided in 5 subfamilies and 22 genera.[7]

  • Ammotrechinae (North, Central and South America)
    • Ammotrecha Banks, 1900 — Chile to USA (9 species)
    • Ammotrechella Roewer, 1934 — West Indies, northern South America to Florida (13 species)
    • Ammotrechesta Roewer, 1934 — Central America (5 species)
    • Ammotrechinus Roewer, 1934 — Haiti, Jamaica (1 species)
    • Ammotrechona Roewer, 1934 — Cuba (1 species)
    • Ammotrechula Roewer, 1934 — Ecuador to USA (12 species)
    • Antillotrecha Armas, 1994 — Dominican Republic, Leeward Islands (2 species)
    • Campostrecha Mello-Leitão, 1937 — Ecuador (1 species)
    • Dasycleobis Mello-Leitão, 1940 — Argentina (1 species)
    • Neocleobis Roewer, 1934 — Galapagos (1 species)
    • Pseudocleobis Pocock, 1900 — South America (20 species)
  • Mortolinae
    • Mortola Mello-Leitão, 1938 — Argentina (1 species)
  • Nothopuginae
    • Nothopuga Maury, 1976 — Argentina (2 species)
  • Oltacolinae
    • Oltacola Roewer, 1934 — Argentina (4 species)
  • Saronominae (Central and South America)
    • Branchia Muma, 1951 — Mexico, USA (3 species)
    • Chinchippus Chamberlin, 1920 — Peru (2 species)
    • Innesa Roewer, 1934 — Guatemala (1 species)
    • Procleobis Kraepelin, 1899 — Argentina (1 species)
    • Saronomus Kraepelin, 1900 — Colombia, Venezuela (1 species)
  • Subfamily not assigned
    • Chileotrecha Maury, 1987 — Chile (1 species)
    • Eutrecha Maury, 1982 — Venezuela (1 species)
    • Xenotrecha Maury, 1982 — Venezuela (1 species)
    • † Happlodontus proterus Poinar & Santiago-Blay, 1989 — fossil: Miocene amber (1 species)

References
  1. Carl Friedrich Roewer (1934). "Solifuga, Palpigrada". In H. G. Bronn (ed.). Klassen und Ordnungen des Tierreichs. Fünfter Band: Arthropoda; IV. Abeitlung: Arachnoidea und kleinere ihnen nahegestellte Arthropodengruppen. 4. Leipzig: Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft M. B. H. pp. 1–723.
  2. Martin H. Muma (1966). "Burrowing habits of North American Solpugida (Arachnida)" (PDF). Psyche. 73 (4): 251–260. doi:10.1155/1966/36510.
  3. Fred Punzo (1998). The Biology of Camel-spiders (Arachnida, Solifugae). Boston: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
  4. Martin H. Muma (1967). "Basic behavior of North American Solpugida". Florida Entomologist. 50 (2): 115–123. doi:10.2307/3493620. JSTOR 3493620.
  5. Martin H. Muma (1966). "Feeding behavior of North American Solpugida (Arachnida)". Florida Entomologist. 49 (3): 199–216. doi:10.2307/3493444. JSTOR 3493444.
  6. Mike Quinn (January 18, 2007). "Curve-faced Solifugid. Class Arachnida - Order Solifugae - Family Ammotrechidae". Texas Entomology. Retrieved April 15, 2010.
  7. Joel Hallan. "Ammotrechidae". Joel Hallan's Biology Catalog. Texas A&M University.
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