O. Merkl szerk.: Folia Entomologica Hungarica 66. (Budapest, 2005)

Amilenus aurantiacus (Simon, 1881) (Opiliones), new to Hungary D. MURÁNYI Department of Zoology, Hungarian Natural History Museum H-1088 Budapest, Baross u. 13, Hungary. E-mail: muranyi@zoo.zoo.nhmus.hu Abstract - First Hungarian specimens of Amilenus aurantiacus (SIMON, 1881), a harvestman with Alpine-Dinaric distribution, were caught in the Kőszeg Mts, Western Hungary. This is the 34th harvestman species recorded from Hungary. An illustration on its habitus, notes on its distribution and Hungarian habitats are given. With one figure. Key words - Opiliones, Amilenus aurantiacus, faunistics, Hungary. Amilenus aurantiacus (SIMON, 1881), the only member of the genus Amilenus MARTENS, 1969 has an Alpine-Dinaric distribution. It is known from France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania and Greece (MlTOV 2000). The Slovakian record from the Low Tatras (KRATOCHVÍL 1934) is questionable (MARTENS 1978). A troglophilous species, it occurs only in montane or submontane habitats (MARTENS 1978). According to the latest Hungarian checklist (KOMPOSCH 2004), the species was unknown from Hungary, and increases the number of the known species of Hungarian harvestmen to 34. Although all specimens are juveniles, their distinctive habitus differs from all other European harvestmen (Fig. 1 ). Chelicera and pedipalpus are also characteristic to the genus. The animals were found during samplings in creeks in the Kőszeg Mts, W Hungary. Two of the valleys, where the species occurs are narrow and deep, with beech forest mixed with alders at the valley bottom. The third valley (Sötét-völgy) is wider and covered with alder forest. Animals were caught on and under stones and dead wood near streamsides. The specimens are stored in 70% ethanol, and deposited in the Soil Zoological Collections, Department of Zoology, Hungarian Natural History Museum (Budapest).