New species of Austropurcellia, cryptic short-range endemic mite harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones, Cyphophthalmi) from Australia’s Wet Tropics biodiversity hotspot

Researchers have identified six new species of Austropurcellia, tiny leaf-litter arachnids endemic to the Wet Tropics rainforests of northeast Queensland. These cryptic mite harvestmen, studied through morphological data, contribute significantly to the documented diversity of the genus, with the majority now accounted for. The study sheds light on the biogeographic history of limited-dispersal invertebrates in the region, offering insights into how climatic changes like rainforest contraction have shaped its exceptional biodiversity and endemism.

Boyer, S., Jay, K., Popkin-Hall, Z., Coblens, M., Oberski, J., & Sharma, P. (2016). New species of Austropurcellia, cryptic short-range endemic mite harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones, Cyphophthalmi) from Australia’s Wet Tropics biodiversity hotspot. ZooKeys, 586, 37–93. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.586.6774