Pantopsalis Simon, 1879

Taylor, Christopher K., 2025, Further discussion of relationships within Australasian Neopilionidae (Opiliones: Phalangioidea), with description of two new species and eight new genera, Zootaxa 5631 (1), pp. 52-82 : 71-72

Pantopsalis Simon, 1879

Type species: Phalangium listeri White, 1849 , by monotypy.

Other included species (original combinations): Pantopsalis albipalpis Pocock, 1903a , Phalangium (Phrynus) cheliferoides Colenso, 1882 , Pantopsalis coronata Pocock, 1903b , Pantopsalis halli Hogg, 1920 (nomen dubium), Pantopsalis johnsi Forster, 1964 , Pantopsalis phocator Taylor, 2004 , Pantopsalis pococki Hogg, 1920 , Pantopsalis rennelli Forster, 1964 , Pantopsalis snaresensis Forster, 1964 .

Comments: The taxonomic status of Phalangium listeri and Ph. (Phrynus) cheliferoides were clarified by Taylor (2013a). Taylor (2013a) also provided a key to males of Pantopsalis in which the South Island P. listeri was separated from the North Island P. cheliferoides by the absence of denticles on the ocularium and the presence of transverse stripes on the opisthosoma. Use of the latter character was in error as colour pattern varies in both populations (as previously noted by Vélez et al. 2014). The relationship between P. listeri and P. cheliferoides deserves further investigation. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of the P. listeri group by Giribet et al. (2021b) did not support a clear division between populations on the North and South Islands; instead, specimens from the northwestern South Island clustered with those from the North Island. Corroborating this finding, specimens from northern Westland (South Island) held in the collection in MONZ have a denticulate ocularium like that of North Island specimens. The collection locality for the neotype of P. listeri was not specified beyond ‘Ile du Milieu’ (i.e. South Island) but it clearly possesses an unarmed ocularium ( Taylor 2013a).

The status of many other Pantopsalis species requires clarification. Pantopsalis albipalpis , P. coronata , P. phocator and P. pococki form a complex of species from the southern South Island with very similar genital morphology, currently distinguished only by coloration and/or degree of denticulation. Giribet et al. (2021b) identified these species as forming a clade but did not find relationships within the clade conforming to current species boundaries.

The distinction between Pantopsalis albipalpis from the Otago region and P. johnsi from the Auckland Islands was left open by Taylor (2004), who was unable at the time to identify distinguishing features between the two but provisionally maintained them as distinct due to their widely separated distributions. Subsequent re-examination of specimens of both species held at MONZ has confirmed that they may be distinguished by genital morphology, with P. johnsi having a distinctly shorter glans (about as long as deep in lateral view) than P. albipalpis (distinctly longer than deep in lateral view).