o .eg an Jo of En1tomol0lD' - Norsk entomologisk forening

On the Norwegian Harvestmen (Opiliones). Contribution
to ecology, morphological variation and distribution
INGVAR STOL
Stol, I. 1982. On the Norwegian Harvestmen (Opiliones). Contribution to ecology, morphological
variation and distribution. Fauna norv. Ser. B. 29, 122-134.
During the period Sept. 1976-Sept. 1977 Opiliones were collected at 32 localities in
Southern Norway. In addition museum material in Bergen and Oslo were checked. Two
species found are new to Norway - Oligolophus hanseni (Kraepelin, 1896) and Nelima gothica
Lohmander, 1945. Leiobunum rupestre (Herbst, 1799) is with certainty found in Norway,
and Opilio parietinus (De Geer, 1778) is recommended to be excluded from the Norwegian
fauna-list. 14 Opiliones species are known from Norway. Distributional maps, notes on
ecology and morphological variation and comments to author names and dates of taxa are
included
Ingvar Stol, N-4274 Stol, Norway.
INTRODUCTION
The knowledge of Norwegian Opiliones is
small. This is true both for distribution, ecology
and morphological variation. With assistance
from The University of Bergen I visited 3210calities
in Southern Norway in the period Sept.
1976 - Sept. 1977, with the intention of throwing
light primarily on the distribution.
The material at the museum of Bergen and
Oslo also have been investigated.
At about 1900, 9- 10 species were known
from Norway. Professor Kauri has found 3 further
(I 966-1977), and after the present work 14
species of Opiliones are known from Norway.
Some notes on ecology, morphological variation
and author names and dates of taxa are also
given.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The fieldwork at 32 localities in Southern Norway
was carried out in the period Sept.
1976-Sept. 1977.
Most of the 23 localities on Vestlandet (SW
Norway) were continually investigated throughout
almost one year. One locality on S0r1andet
(S Norway) and 8 localities on 0stlandet (E Norway)
were visited twice.
Altogether 77 30 specimens were collected
and identified. In addition most of the material
at the zoological museums of Bergen and Oslo
were controlled, identified or revised.
The localities were classified into 6 biotope
types based on the vegetation: (A) coniferous
122
~
wood, (B) deciduous wood, (C) grazing land, (D)
garden/park, (E) heather and (F) beach.
Some types are underrepresentated or overrepresentated.
Two sampling methods have
been employed: (0 pitfali traps and (IO handpicking.
The Opiliones collections from these 3210cali·
ties are preserved at Museum of Zoology, University
of Bergen.
Detailed locality descriptions are given in Appendix
1. Geographical positions of localities are
shown in Fig. 1.
SYNOPSIS OF THE SPECIES
Kauri (I977) mentions the 13th species from
Norway. This fieldwork with its literature studies,
resulted in further 2 additonal species of
Opiliones, Oligolophus hanseni and Nelima gothica.
In addition one species Opilio parietinus should
be removed from the Norwegian fauna-list.
In the species-list also localities from unpublished
material at the zoological museums of
Bergen (= 2MB) and Oslo ( = ZMO) are given.
Not all museum material had got a number,
and almost all museum material was previously
unpublished.
Long journal-lists with reports of one species
at the same locality are here shortened (i.e. ­
A568-14N-A2376-ZMB, means that fourteen
numbered journal reports are dropped in this
context. First and last number only are mentioned).
Fauna norv. Se,. B 29,122-134. Oslo 1982.