Pseudoscorpions of the World

Last updated: 19 January 2009

Version 1.2, 2009
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Family Menthidae Chamberlin 1930

History

 

The Menthidae were first recognized by Chamberlin (1930) who included the genus Menthus from south-western U.S.A. and Mexico. Additional genera were added from western South America (Beier, 1962), the Middle East (Beier, 1963), Australia (Harvey and Muchmore, 1990) and Suqutra (Mahnert, 2007). The family was revised by Harvey and Muchmore (1990).

 

Composition

 

The Menthidae contains five genera, Menthus, Oligomenthus, Paramenthus, Pseudomenthus and Thenmus, and just 12 species.

 

Distribution

 

The family is sporadically distributed in xeric habitats around the world. Menthus occurs in south-western U.S.A. and Mexico, Oligomenthus in Chile and Argentina, Paramenthus in the Middle East and Suqutra, Pseudomenthus in Suqutra, and Thenmus in northern Australia.

 

Important references

 

Harvey, M.S. and Muchmore, W.B. (1990). The systematics of the family Menthidae (Pseudoscorpionida). Invertebrate Taxonomy 3: 941-964.

        Mahnert, V. (2007). Pseudoscorpions (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones) of the Socotra Archipelago, Yemen. Fauna of Arabia 23: 271-307.

 

 
Text Box: Thenmus aigialites from Australia (Image: M. Harvey)