Harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones) with notes on their habitat requirements in selected areas of Central Slovakia

Abstract

In some areas of Central Slovakia, the occurrence of harvestmen (Opiliones) species has been investigated fairly well; however, the data from other parts of the country are both scarce and out-of-date, or they have not been published yet. This work presents a summary of harvestmen species identified in the material sampled over the period 2003-2009, in 13 selected localities in the following geomorphological units in Central Slovakia: the Cerová vrchovina Hills, Horehronské podolie Valley, Hornonitrianska kotlina Basin, Pol'ana Mts, Revúcka vrchovina Hills, Slovenský kras Karst, Strážovské vrchy Mts and Zvolenská kotlina Basin. Altogether there have been identified 21 harvestmen species - representing 63.6% of the Slovak opiliofauna. There have been recorded thermophilous species like Dicranolasma scabrum, Egaenus convexus and Zacheus crista, as well as invasive thermophilous Nelima semproni. The work is the most recent and most comprehensive contribution to the knowledge of harvestmen species diversity, especially in the Hornonitrianska kotlina Basin and several mountain units in Central Slovakia.