Family TRIDENCHTHONIIDAE Balzan, 1892

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Introduction

Members of the Tridenchthoniidae are usually confined to leaf litter, especially in rainforests, but a few species have been collected from under bark of trees and under rocks. Fifteen Recent genera are currently recognised, represented by approximately 70 species (Harvey 1991; Judson 2001). Most of these species are restricted to South-east Asia and Africa, but the Australian fauna is relatively depauperate.

Chamberlin & Chamberlin (1945) provided a synopsis of the family and recognised two subfamilies, Tridenchthoniinae and Cecodithinae. The Tridenchthoniinae was further divided into two tribes Tridenchthoniini and Verrucadithini. The Cecodithinae was based upon a single poorly known genus from South America which has recently been transferred to the Chthoniinae as a synonym of the Gondwanan genus Austrochthonius (Judson 2001).

Diagnosis

The Tridenchthoniidae are distinguished from Chthoniidae and Lechytiidae by the obliquely oriented spiracles which are furnished with sclerotic plates, by the strongly sclerotised female lateral apodeme frame, and by the carapace usually bearing 50 or more setae.

General References

Chamberlin, J.C. & Chamberlin, R.V. 1945. The genera and species of the Tridenchthoniidae (Dithidae): a family of the arachnid order Chelonethida. Bulletin of the University of Utah. Biological Series 9: 1-67

Harvey, M.S. 1991. Catalogue of the Pseudoscorpionida. Manchester : Manchester University Press.

Judson, M.L.I. 2001. Synonymy of Cecoditha (Cecodithinae) with Austrochthonius (Chthoniinae) (Chelonethi, Chthoniidae). Journal of Arachnology 29: 141-145

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