A new species of Laniatores (Arachnida: Opiliones) from Eocene Baltic amber with notes on the evolution of Insidiatores.

Two new laniatoreans from Eocene Baltic amber are described. Baltonychia obscura gen. et sp. nov. represents the first fossil Laniatores with a peltonychium on tarsus III--IV, implying that its closest living relatives are likely members of the extant families Cladonychiidae or Travuniidae. A second fossil is described as Insidiatores indet. as its preservation does not allow further assignment. Both fossils are substantially different to the so far only known Baltic amber laniatorean species Proholoscotolemon nemastomoides (Koch & Berendt, 1854), and suggest a more diverse Laniatores fauna in the Eocene of north-central Europe. The evolutionary history of the infraorder Insidiatores and their development into troglomorphic species is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]