Pseudoscorpions of the World

Last updated: 19 January 2009

Version 1.2, 2009

History

 

The Bochicinae were first recognized by Chamberlin (1930) who included the group within the Ideoroncidae. It contained only a single species, Bochica withi from the West Indies. It was first elevated to family level by Muchmore (1982) who distinguished it from the Hyidae. Harvey (1992) placed the Vachoniidae, described by Chamberlin (1947) for two troglobitic species from Mexican caves, as a junior synonym of Bochicidae.

 

Muchmore (1998) revised the Bochicidae and divided the group into two subfamilies, Bochicinae and Leucohyinae.

 

Composition

 

The family consists of two subfamilies, Bochicinae and Leucohyinae. The Bochicinae contains seven genera (Antillobisium, Bochica, Spelaeobochica, Troglobisium, Troglobochica, Troglohya and Vachonium) and the Leucohyinae contains four genera (Apohya, Leucohya, Mexobisium and Paravachonium). There are 40 named species.

 

Distribution

 

The family currently contains representatives from central and South America, and an isolated species (Troglobisium racovitzai) from Spain. The majority of described species are highly modified troglobites but several have been found in forest litter or soil.

 

Important references

 

Chamberlin, J.C. (1947). The Vachoniidae - a new family of false scorpions represented by two new species from caves in Yucatan (Arachnida, Chelonethida, Neobisioidea). Bulletin of the University of Utah, Biological Series 10(4): 1-15.

 

Muchmore, W.B. (1998). Review of the family Bochicidae, with new species and records (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpionida). Insecta Mundi 12: 117-132.

 

 

Family Bochicidae Chamberlin 1930