Further cases of paternal care in Opiliones (Arachnida)

摘要

To the single existing observation of paternal care in opilionids two more are added: eggs glued on right leg IV inLeytpodoctis ovigern. gen. n. sp. (Podoctidae; Philippines: Leyte); flattened egg clutch guarded below stones and decaying wood inLepchana spinipalpisRoewer 1927 (Assamiidae; Nepal). The three known cases of paternal care in opilionids are all within the superfamily Gonyleptoidea in the suborder Laniatores, but represent three different families. Apparently, this behaviour developed independently in all cases, the three families concerned not being closely related.