Meeting Abstract
Mite harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones, Cyphophthalmi) are a globally distributed suborder of tiny arachnids inhabiting leaf litter and cave habitats. These animals are extremely dispersal-limited, making them ideal for fine-scale historical biogeographic studies. The mite harvestmen that are endemic to Queensland, Australia are members of the genus Austropurcellia, and the highest diversity of species is found in the rainforests of the Wet Tropics in the northernmost part of Austropurcellia’s range. In the current study, as part of ongoing efforts to document the diversity of these animals, we collected and identified specimens from 16 localities, including animals that represent two new species. Specimens were hand-collected after sifting leaf litter. We amplified and sequenced DNA for two mitochondrial loci, 12S and COI, which are known to be useful for species delimitation of mite harvestmen, and added them to our lab’s growing dataset. Phylogenetic analyses were performed in MrBayes. Males from select localities were dissected and mounted on stubs for viewing in a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) to assess morphological differences within and between species. Both molecular and morphological evidence support the discovery of two new species, each of which is known from four localities from the central uplands region of the Wet Tropics. Furthermore, biogeographic patterns have emerged in the phylogeny of Austropurcellia, with well-supported clades distributed within distinct geographic areas. Further work in modeling rainforest stability over time will allow for detailed exploration of the link between habitat stability and diversity of mite harvestmen within the Wet Tropics.
