Annotated catalogue of the Laniatores of the New World (Arachnida, Opiliones)

All the systematic literature (774 references) of the suborder Laniatores of the Americas up to year 2002 is tabulated to generate a thorough annotated classification. 2372 species in 746 genera of Laniatores of the New World are listed. 26 families of Laniatores are recognized as valid, of which 21 occur in the New World. The most diverse family is Gonyleptidae (823 species), followed by Cosmetidae (710 species), both endemic to the New World. Synonymies, revalidations, replacement names and emended spellings are done when necessary. The complete list of nomenclatural acts herein proposed is given. The new family Escadabiidae Kury & Pérez is proposed, the new subfamily Ampycinae Kury is proposed in Gonyleptidae. Countries and ultramarine departments included are 1) South America: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guyana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay and Venezuela; 2) Central America: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama; 3) Antilles: Bahamas, Bermuda Island, Caicos Islands, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Leeward Islands, Netherland Antilles, Puerto Rico, Tortuga Island, UK Virgin Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, Windward Islands; 4) North America: Canada, Greenland, Mexico, U.S.A. First order administrative divisions (departments, provinces, states) for all most diverse countries are interpolated in the locality names. A list of species by first order administrative divisions is provided for all countries treated. The most diverse country is Brazil, with 855 species of Laniatores, followed by Venezuela with 328 species. An exhaustive list of the depository institutions of the type material with curators and contacts addresses is given.