Nelima doriae (Canestrini), a south European harvestman in Australia and New Zealand (Arachnida, Opiliones, Phalangiidae)
Abstract
Nelima doriae (Canestrini) (Phalangiidae, Leiobuninae), a southern European harvestman, has been introduced to Australia and New Zealand. Previously it had been described as a new endemic Australian species, Nelima dunni Forster. Later it was wrongly made the type of a new monotypic genus, Nodala Forster (subfamily Megalopsalinae).
General comparisons are made between introduced and European populations. The introduced populations seem to resemble the Italian-Jugoslavian forms most closely. Significant differences in leg and scute length in Australian forms are noted.
Harvestmen species transported by human agency from one country to another are tabulated along with notes on their adopted habitats. European species in the subfamily Phalangiinae (Phalangiidae) are most often involved, with transport either occurring within the north-temperate zone or across the tropics with invasion of the south-temperate zone.
