Cheliferoidea

Members of Cheliferoidea are distinguished from the other major pseudoscorpion superfamily, Feaelloidea, by specific morphological features of the pedipalps and trichobothria. Within Cheliferoidea, families are distinguished by chelal dentition patterns, trichobothrial arrangements, and genital morphology. For example, Cheliferidae possess well-developed venom glands in both fingers of the chelae, while Chernetidae exhibit diverse spermathecal structures used in subfamilial classification.

Terrestrial habitats including leaf litter, soil, under tree bark, and rocks. Some members occupy specialized subterranean environments such as cave systems in karst regions. Fossil evidence indicates presence in Cretaceous tropical forest ecosystems.

Cosmopolitan distribution with extant members on all continents except Antarctica. The superfamily includes both widespread species and range-restricted endemics, particularly in karst regions such as the Dinaric Karst where single-cave endemic species have been documented.

Generally cryptic, inhabiting concealed microhabitats. Some species exhibit vector-mediated dispersal through phoresy on larger arthropods or small vertebrates, which may explain patchy distributions and haplotype sharing across localities in certain species.

• FeaelloideaThe other major superfamily within suborder Iocheirata; distinguished by pedipalp and trichobothrial morphology.

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Catalogue of Life
• The first Cheliferidae (Pseudoscorpiones: Cheliferoidea) from mid‐Cretaceous Kachin amber
• Integrative taxonomy of the pseudoscorpion family Chernetidae (Pseudoscorpiones: Cheliferoidea): evidence for new range-restricted species in the Dinaric Karst