Reinstatement of the genus Pseudoleiobunum Müller, 1914 with the inclusion of a new species from Hong Kong and reallocation of the Leiobunum maximum species complex (Arachnida: Opiliones: Eupnoi: Sclerosomatidae)

Desmond Kai Teck TAN; Nobuo TSURUSAKI; Jonathan J. FONG; Chao ZHANG

doi:10.11646/zootaxa.5646.3.1

Reinstatement of the genus Pseudoleiobunum Müller, 1914 with the inclusion of a new species from Hong Kong and reallocation of the Leiobunum maximum species complex (Arachnida: Opiliones: Eupnoi: Sclerosomatidae)

Desmond Kai Teck TAN, Nobuo TSURUSAKI, Jonathan J. FONG^*, Chao ZHANG

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Journal Publications › Journal Article (refereed) › peer-review

Abstract

The genus Leiobunum Koch, 1839 is extremely diverse and includes species distributed globally. Taxonomic relationships within Leiobunum are unclear since diagnostic features of the genus are vague and common in many other eupnoan species. The discovery of a new species in Hong Kong prompted an examination of East Asian Leiobuninae using a combination of external morphological and molecular analyses, and comparison of genital morphology and ecological features. Morphological and molecular data link this new species to the Leiobunum maximum superspecies. In this paper, we resurrect Pseudoleiobunum, the oldest genus name for Leiobunum maximum. We place members of the superspecies into Pseudoleiobunum, along with the new species P. lutulentum sp. nov..

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	301-343
Number of pages	43
Journal	Zootaxa
Volume	5646
Issue number	3
Early online date	10 Jun 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5646.3.1
Publication status	Published - 10 Jun 2025

Bibliographical note

Special thanks to Mr. Liu Hua Bing, Alex; Mr. Lee Wing Him, Henry; Mr. Lam Pui Yin, Ivan; Ms. Yuen Hiu Ching, Hilda; Mr. So, Halbert; Mr. Chan Man Ho, Henry; Ms. Fok Wing Lam, Amy (Science Unit, Lingnan University) and Mr. Moses Fu for the help in fieldwork and specimen collection, as well as all of the people who have collected and gifted Pseudoleiobunum specimens from various parts of Japan to Dr. Tsurusaki. We would also like to thank Dr. Jochen Martens and Mr. Panos Kontos (Senckenberg Natural History Museum) and Dr. Tobias Malm (Swedish Museum of Natural History for their help in the acquisition of type specimens and access to related papers. This study was made possible with the technical support of the Electron Microscope Unit, Hong Kong University, as well as the Science Unit, Lingnan University.

Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2025 Magnolia Press.

Funding

This study is also supported by the Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fund, Sino-British Fellowship Trust Fund and the American Arachnological Society. Partial funding for Open Access was supported by Lingnan-Open Access Publishing Support Fund.

Keywords

Harvestmen
Integrative Taxonomy
Phylogeny
Scanning Electron Microscopy

Access to Document

10.11646/zootaxa.5646.3.1Licence: CC BY-NC

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Reinstatement of the genus Pseudoleiobunum Müller, 1914 with the inclusion of a new species from Hong Kong and reallocation of the Leiobunum maximum species complex (Arachnida: Opiliones: Eupnoi: Sclerosomatidae)'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this

@article{dcdf483a88c34e118672191f935e3436,

title = "Reinstatement of the genus Pseudoleiobunum M{\"u}ller, 1914 with the inclusion of a new species from Hong Kong and reallocation of the Leiobunum maximum species complex (Arachnida: Opiliones: Eupnoi: Sclerosomatidae)",

abstract = "The genus Leiobunum Koch, 1839 is extremely diverse and includes species distributed globally. Taxonomic relationships within Leiobunum are unclear since diagnostic features of the genus are vague and common in many other eupnoan species. The discovery of a new species in Hong Kong prompted an examination of East Asian Leiobuninae using a combination of external morphological and molecular analyses, and comparison of genital morphology and ecological features. Morphological and molecular data link this new species to the Leiobunum maximum superspecies. In this paper, we resurrect Pseudoleiobunum, the oldest genus name for Leiobunum maximum. We place members of the superspecies into Pseudoleiobunum, along with the new species P. lutulentum sp. nov..",

keywords = "Harvestmen, Integrative Taxonomy, Phylogeny, Scanning Electron Microscopy",

author = "TAN, \{Desmond Kai Teck\} and Nobuo TSURUSAKI and FONG, \{Jonathan J.\} and Chao ZHANG",

note = "Special thanks to Mr. Liu Hua Bing, Alex; Mr. Lee Wing Him, Henry; Mr. Lam Pui Yin, Ivan; Ms. Yuen Hiu Ching, Hilda; Mr. So, Halbert; Mr. Chan Man Ho, Henry; Ms. Fok Wing Lam, Amy (Science Unit, Lingnan University) and Mr. Moses Fu for the help in fieldwork and specimen collection, as well as all of the people who have collected and gifted Pseudoleiobunum specimens from various parts of Japan to Dr. Tsurusaki. We would also like to thank Dr. Jochen Martens and Mr. Panos Kontos (Senckenberg Natural History Museum) and Dr. Tobias Malm (Swedish Museum of Natural History for their help in the acquisition of type specimens and access to related papers. This study was made possible with the technical support of the Electron Microscope Unit, Hong Kong University, as well as the Science Unit, Lingnan University. Publisher Copyright: Copyright {\textcopyright} 2025 Magnolia Press.",

year = "2025",

month = jun,

day = "10",

doi = "10.11646/zootaxa.5646.3.1",

language = "English",

volume = "5646",

pages = "301--343",

journal = "Zootaxa",

issn = "1175-5326",

publisher = "Magnolia Press",

number = "3",

}

Reinstatement of the genus Pseudoleiobunum Müller, 1914 with the inclusion of a new species from Hong Kong and reallocation of the Leiobunum maximum species complex (Arachnida: Opiliones: Eupnoi: Sclerosomatidae). / TAN, Desmond Kai Teck; TSURUSAKI, Nobuo; FONG, Jonathan J. et al.
In: Zootaxa, Vol. 5646, No. 3, 10.06.2025, p. 301-343.

Research output: Journal Publications › Journal Article (refereed) › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Reinstatement of the genus Pseudoleiobunum Müller, 1914 with the inclusion of a new species from Hong Kong and reallocation of the Leiobunum maximum species complex (Arachnida: Opiliones: Eupnoi: Sclerosomatidae)

AU - TAN, Desmond Kai Teck

AU - TSURUSAKI, Nobuo

AU - FONG, Jonathan J.

AU - ZHANG, Chao

N1 - Special thanks to Mr. Liu Hua Bing, Alex; Mr. Lee Wing Him, Henry; Mr. Lam Pui Yin, Ivan; Ms. Yuen Hiu Ching, Hilda; Mr. So, Halbert; Mr. Chan Man Ho, Henry; Ms. Fok Wing Lam, Amy (Science Unit, Lingnan University) and Mr. Moses Fu for the help in fieldwork and specimen collection, as well as all of the people who have collected and gifted Pseudoleiobunum specimens from various parts of Japan to Dr. Tsurusaki. We would also like to thank Dr. Jochen Martens and Mr. Panos Kontos (Senckenberg Natural History Museum) and Dr. Tobias Malm (Swedish Museum of Natural History for their help in the acquisition of type specimens and access to related papers. This study was made possible with the technical support of the Electron Microscope Unit, Hong Kong University, as well as the Science Unit, Lingnan University. Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2025 Magnolia Press.

PY - 2025/6/10

Y1 - 2025/6/10

N2 - The genus Leiobunum Koch, 1839 is extremely diverse and includes species distributed globally. Taxonomic relationships within Leiobunum are unclear since diagnostic features of the genus are vague and common in many other eupnoan species. The discovery of a new species in Hong Kong prompted an examination of East Asian Leiobuninae using a combination of external morphological and molecular analyses, and comparison of genital morphology and ecological features. Morphological and molecular data link this new species to the Leiobunum maximum superspecies. In this paper, we resurrect Pseudoleiobunum, the oldest genus name for Leiobunum maximum. We place members of the superspecies into Pseudoleiobunum, along with the new species P. lutulentum sp. nov..

AB - The genus Leiobunum Koch, 1839 is extremely diverse and includes species distributed globally. Taxonomic relationships within Leiobunum are unclear since diagnostic features of the genus are vague and common in many other eupnoan species. The discovery of a new species in Hong Kong prompted an examination of East Asian Leiobuninae using a combination of external morphological and molecular analyses, and comparison of genital morphology and ecological features. Morphological and molecular data link this new species to the Leiobunum maximum superspecies. In this paper, we resurrect Pseudoleiobunum, the oldest genus name for Leiobunum maximum. We place members of the superspecies into Pseudoleiobunum, along with the new species P. lutulentum sp. nov..

KW - Harvestmen

KW - Integrative Taxonomy

KW - Phylogeny

KW - Scanning Electron Microscopy

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105007797380

U2 - 10.11646/zootaxa.5646.3.1

DO - 10.11646/zootaxa.5646.3.1

M3 - Journal Article (refereed)

AN - SCOPUS:105007797380

SN - 1175-5326

VL - 5646

SP - 301

EP - 343

JO - Zootaxa

JF - Zootaxa

IS - 3

ER -

Reinstatement of the genus Pseudoleiobunum Müller, 1914 with the inclusion of a new species from Hong Kong and reallocation of the Leiobunum maximum species complex (Arachnida: Opiliones: Eupnoi: Sclerosomatidae)

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this