The travuniidae are a family of harvestmen (Opiliones) with uncertain disjunktem paläarktischem distribution area, focusing southern Europe. The representatives are very small (1 - 5 mm) and have no reinforced legs, but pronounced pedipalps with strong thorns. As is customary for the subordination of the Laniatores , the Pedipalps also represent fangs with which they catch their prey. In Central Europe it is represented by only one species, namely Peltonychia leprieuri (Lucas, 1860), which Martens identified in Switzerland in 1978. About ten species have been found in the karst of the northern Balkans and the southern Alps and the Pyrenees. Most of them live epigeously (in the litter of the soil), but troglobionte (cave-dwelling) species are also locally found in the Pyrenees and Karst . Many of the finds were made in the mountains, and in Switzerland it was found at an altitude of 1,400 m. Around 13 species have been described worldwide so far.
↑ a b Jochen Martens : Arachnids, Arachnida: Harvestmen, Opiliones . In: The animal world of Germany . Vol. 64. G. Fischer Verlag , Jena 1978, p.464 pp .
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