Early detection of an invasive harvestman in an oceanic island? Remarkable findings of Parabalta reedii (Opiliones, Gonyleptidae) in the Juan Fernández archipelago, Chile

DARKO D. COTORAS; LUIS E. ACOSTA; ABEL PÉREZ GONZÁLEZ

STUDIES ON NEOTROPICAL FAUNA AND ENVIRONMENT

TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2020 p. 1 - 8

0165-0521

The Juan Fernández islands (Chile) are a volcanic archipelago, 670 km away 3 from the continent. Arachnids still remain understudied in those islands. We 4 report the first two records of Parabalta reedii (Butler, 1874) (Opiliones, 5 Gonyleptidae) from the Robinson Crusoe Island. One specimen was collected 6 near San Juan Bautista town (in 2011), while a population was documented in 7 2020, in secondary forests also around town. Since other arachnological 8 expeditions did not report the presence of this species, it is suggested that these 9 findings might correspond to an incipient introduction, possibly associated with 10 imported goods from the continent. Otherwise it would be hard to explain why 11 such a conspicuous harvestman has not been noticed before. An accurate 12 assessment of the native or introduced nature of these populations will require 13 further mainland and island surveys, as well as molecular studies. We aim to call 14 the attention to a possible new invasive species in the Juan Fernández 15 archipelago. Oceanic islands have a strong conservation value because of their 16 high levels of endemicity and vulnerability to biological invasions. This finding 17 could be considered as a warning call for other potential arthropod introductions.