Kimulidae


Kimulidae is a small neotropical family of the harvestman infraorder Grassatores with about thirty described species.

Description

These brown harvestmen dwell in soil and litter.

Distribution

Whereas most species occur in Venezuela, Colombia and the West Indies, the isolated species Tegipiolus pachypus is found in northeastern Brazil. This species also differs from the others morphologically. Another Brazilian species, Microminua soerenseni Rio de Janeiro, does not belong to this family.

Relationships

Kimulidae are probably closely related to Escadabiidae.

Name

This family was originally called Minuidae, but as the name of the type genus proved invalid, the family name needed a replacement.

Species

Acanthominua Sørensen, 1932Euminua Sørensen, 1932Euminuoides Mello-Leitão, 1935Fudeci M. A. González-Sponga, 1997Jimeneziella Avram, 1970 — CubaKimula Goodnight & Goodnight, 1942Microminua Sørensen, 1932Minua Sørensen, 1932 — VenezuelaPseudominua Mello-Leitão, 1933Tegipiolus Roewer, 1949