Withiidae Chamberlin, 1931

Family

Cystowithius smithersi from Ecuador  (Image: M. Harvey)

Chamberlin (1931) first recognized this group as a subfamily of the Cheliferidae, and was raised to family level by Weygoldt (1970). The enigmatic Philomaoriinae which consists of the Australasian genus Philomaoria, was removed from the Withiidae to the Cheliferidae by Harvey (1992).

Composition

Two subfamilies of withiids are currently recognized, Withiinae and Paragoniochernetinae. The Withiinae contain 31 genera placed in three tribes (Cacodemoniini, Juxtacheliferini, Protowithiini and Withiini), while the Paragoniochernetinae contain five genera.

Distribution

Withiids are found in many regions of the world but are most diverse in Africa and South America. They occur in leaf litter, under bark, and under stones. Withius piger is nearly cosmopolitan, primarily living in stored grain.

Distribution Count
2
United Arab Emirates 1
Angola 2
Argentina 11
Austria 2
Australia 2
Azerbaijan 2
Bosnia and Herzegovina 1
Bulgaria 1
Brazil 17
Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire) 15
Congo 1
Switzerland 2
Ivory Coast 4
Chile 4
Cameroon 2
China 3
Colombia 3
Costa Rica 1
Cuba 2
Cape Verde 1
Germany 1
Denmark 1
Dominican Republic 2
Algeria 2
Ecuador 8
Egypt 1
Eritrea 2
Spain 2
Ethiopia 5
France 4
United Kingdom 1
Georgia 1
Ghana 1
Guinea 3
Equatorial Guinea 1
Greece 1
Guatemala 1
Guinea-Bissau 1
Guyana 2
Croatia 1
Hungary 1
Indonesia 4
Israel 1
India 7
Italy 2
Japan 1
Kenya 21
Cambodia 3
Sri Lanka 2
Libya 2
Morocco 2
Montenegro 1
Madagascar 2
Marshall Islands 2
Myanmar 1
Mongolia 1
Northern Mariana Islands 2
Mauritania 1
Malta 1
Mauritius 2
Malawi 5
Mexico 6
Malaysia 3
Mozambique 3
Namibia 3
Netherlands 1
Nepal 1
New Zealand 1
Oman 1
Peru 6
Papua New Guinea 2
Philippines 2
Pakistan 1
Puerto Rico 1
Portugal 2
Paraguay 9
Reunion 3
Russia 1
Saudi Arabia 3
Solomon Islands 2
Seychelles 4
Saint Helena 6
Sierra Leone 1
Senegal 2
Somalia 1
South Sudan 1
Sao Tome and Principe 2
El Salvador 3
Syria 1
Chad 3
Togo 2
Thailand 2
Tunisia 2
Turkey 2
Taiwan 3
Tanzania 9
Uganda 4
United States 6
Venezuela 9
U.S. Virgin Islands 1
Vietnam 6
Samoa 1
Yemen 3
South Africa 19
Zambia 1
Zimbabwe 2

Important References

Harvey, M.S. (2004). Remarks on the New World pseudoscorpion genera Parawithius and Victorwithius, with a new genus bearing a remarkable sternal modification (Pseudoscorpiones, Withiidae). Journal of Arachnology 32: 436-456.

Mahnert, V. (1979d). Pseudoskorpione (Arachnida) aus dem Amazonas-Gebiet (Brasilien). Revue Suisse de Zoologie 86: 719-810.

References

Withiidae Chamberlin: Weygoldt, 1970a: 253; Muchmore, 1982a: 101-102; Harvey, 1985b: 154; Harvey, 1991a: 640; Gärdenfors and Wilander, 1992: 29; Harvey, 1992c: 1425.