Cosmetidae is a family of harvestmen in the suborder Laniatores. With over 700 species, it is one of the largest families in Opiliones. They are endemic of the New World with a Nearctic-Neotropical distribution where a large fraction of the diversity of Opiliones are represented by this single family. Cosmetidae have the northern extent of their range into the USA, where a small number species occur in the southern states. However, the family is especially diverse in Mexico, Central America and northern South America; especially the Andean realms. Their range also extends further south into Argentina and southern Brazil, but they are absent in Chile. Cosmetidae are prevalent in Amazonian region, but only relatively few also occur in Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Several species are also found in the Caribbean.
Description This family comprises members that may have elaborate white or yellow (but rarely also green/orange/red) markings such as stripes and spots on the dorsal body and peculiar pedipalps strongly compressed and applied on the chelicerae. Some aspects of diagnosis are as follows Eye mound is very low, saddle shaped, placed on middle of cephalothorax, each ocular globe bears a crest of small pointed tubercles or is smooth. Ozopores slit-like, one opening partially covered by tubercle of coxa II. Scutal areas are often indistinct; sometimes the sulci can be distinguished by color pattern or absence of tubercles; scutum and tergites are typically weakly armed. Genitalia. Penis are standard gonyleptoid and very conservative, with rectangular ventral plate, puffed sac-glans, well-developed thumb-like dorsal process. See more details in Kury & Pinto-da-Rocha (2007).
Etymology The family name is derived from the type genus Cosmetus, which is from the Greek kosmetós 'ornate'.
Taxonomy As of 2006, there are 125 genera and 712 species described. Most species belong to Cynorta (153 spp), Paecilaema (102 spp), Flirtea and Erginulus (30 spp each). However, there is no reason to believe most of genera of cosmetids are natural groups, except for a few like Metavononoides, Cosmetus (Kury, 2003) and Roquettea (Ferreira & Kury 2010). Attempts to organize the family in supra-specific units are hindered by the poorly resolved basic taxonomy.
The family was divided into two subfamilies for many years as: Cosmetinae and Discosomaticinae.
Relationships Cosmetidae is the sister-group of Gonyleptidae and both are closely related to the Stygnidae and Cranaidae (Kury, 1992).
The family was subsequently divided into seven subfamilies as:
Cosmetinae Koch, 1839 Cynortinae Mello-Leitão, 1933 Discosomaticinae Roewer, 1923 Ferkeriinae Medrano, Kury & Mendes, 2021 Flirteinae Medrano, Kury & Mendes, 2021 Libitiinae Medrano, Kury & Mendes, 2021 Metergininae Medrano, Kury & Mendes, 2021 Taitoinae Medrano, Kury & Mendes, 2021
Below is a scheme of genera now placed into revised subfamilies. Many currently recognised genera remain unplaced in subfamilies.
+ Cosmetid genera by different authors (many genera absent)Genus (see below) Roewer Goodnight & Goodnight Medrano, Kury & Mendes Cosmetus Perty, 1833 Cosmetinae Cosmetinae: (?) "Paecil." CosmetinaeMetavononoides Roewer, 1912 Cosmetinae Cosmetinae: "Cyno." Cosmetinae Paecilaema Koch, 1839 Cosmetinae Cosmetinae: "Paecil." Cosmetinae Abria Sørensen, 1932 Cosmetinae - Cynortinae (?) Cynorta Koch, 1839 Cosmetinae Cosmetinae: "Cyno." Cynortinae Cynortoides Roewer, 1912 Cosmetinae Cosmetinae: "Cyno." Cynortinae Eucynorta Roewer, 1912 Cosmetinae Cosmetinae: "Cyno." Cynortinae Holovonones Roewer, 1912 Cosmetinae Cosmetinae: "Vono." Cynortinae Metagryne Roewer, 1912 Discosomaticinae Discosomaticinae Cynortinae Vonones Simon, 1879 Cosmetinae Cosmetinae: "Vono." Cynortinae Gryne Simon, 1879 Discosomaticinae Discosomaticinae Discosomaticinae Marronia Simon, 1879 Discosomaticinae Discosomaticinae Discosomaticinae Neokayania Yao & Xing, 2022 - - Discosomaticinae Paraprotus Roewer, 1912 Discosomaticinae Discosomaticinae Discosomaticinae Protus Simon, 1879 Discosomaticinae Discosomaticinae Discosomaticinae Roquettea Mello-Leitão, 1931 Discosomaticinae Discosomaticinae Discosomaticinae Sibambea Roewer, 1917 Discosomaticinae Discosomaticinae Discosomaticinae Ferkeria Roewer, 1947 Cosmetinae? Ferkeriinae Metalibitia Roewer, 1912 Cosmetinae? Ferkeriinae Platygyndes Roewer, 1943 Cosmetinae? Ferkeriinae Flirtea Koch, 1839 Cosmetinae Cosmetinae: "Cyno." Flirteinae Paecilaemana Roewer, 1928 Cosmetinae? Flirteinae Paecilaemella Roewer, 1925| Cosmetinae Cosmetinae: "Paecil." Flirteinae Ambatoiella Mello-Leitão, 1943 Cosmetinae Cosmetinae: "Vono." Libitiinae Libitia Simon, 1879 Cosmetinae Cosmetinae: "Vono." Libitiinae Oligovonones di Caporiacco, 1951 - - Libitiinae Arucillus Šilhavý, 1971 - - Metergininae Erginulus Roewer, 1912 Cosmetinae Cosmetinae: "Cyno." Metergininae Meterginus F.O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1905 Cosmetinae Cosmetinae: "Paecil." Metergininae Poecilaemula Roewer, 1912 Cosmetinae Cosmetinae: "Paecil." Metergininae Rhaucoides Roewer, 1912 Cosmetinae ? Metergininae Rhauculanus Roewer, 1928 Cosmetinae ? Metergininae Rhauculus Roewer, 1928 Cosmetinae ? Metergininae Rhaucus Simon, 1879 Cosmetinae Cosmetinae: "Cyno." Metergininae Trinimontius Šilhavý, 1970 - - Metergininae Acritas Sørensen, 1932 - - Taitoinae Chinchipea Roewer, 1952 - - Taitoinae Chirinosbius Roewer, 1952 - - Taitoinae Chusgonobius Roewer, 1952 - - Taitoinae Cynortoplus Roewer, 1925- - Taitoinae Cynortopyga Roewer, 1947 - - Taitoinae Eucynortella Roewer, 1912 Cosmetinae Cosmetinae: "Cyno." Taitoinae Pygocynorta Roewer, 1925 - - Taitoinae Taito Kury & Barros, 2014 - - Taitoinae Vononana Roewer, 1928 - - Taitoinae Vononoides Roewer, 1912 - - Taitoinae
The following genera are recognised, but unplaced in a subfamily: In:
Abria Acantholibitia Anduzeia Bokwina Boneta Caracarana Caurimare Cocholla Colima Corosalia Cynortellana Cynortellina Cynortellula Cynortesta Cynortetta Cynortoperna Cynortosoma Cynortula Erginiperna Erginoides Eucynortoides Eucynortula Eugnidia Eulibitia Eupoecilaema Frizellia Gnidia Guaricia Guatopia Gueroma Heterovonones Kevonones Libitioides Libitiosoma Litoralia Maniapure Metacynorta Metacynortoides Metavonones Meterginoides Meterginulus Michella Moselabius Namballeus Neocynorta Opisthopristis Palpinus Paracynorta Pararhauculus Paravonones Pebasia Pelechucia Perugnidiella Poala Portachuelo Prasiana Proerginus Prosontes Puerilia Qarikichkauru Reimoserius Soaresella Socotabius Spongaobaria Syncynorta Tajumulcia Tobotanus Vononella Vononissus Vononula Zaraxolia
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