Infraorder:   Grassatores
      The larger of the two infraorders, the Grassatores is divided into six superfamilies three of which are represented in the Northern Rivers albeit only just.  Most Grassatores are tropical in nature and even though there are records from as far south as Sydney, very few of the 3.741 species in this group have been identified from our more temperate region.   Whereas the Grassatores are the most diverse subdivision of the Opillionids, those that are found locally are rather plain looking, resembling Daddy Longlegs but with relatively short legs not usually more than 4 - 5x  the bodylength.
      About 70 %  of all Grassatores species are found in the New World - North and South America.  The remainder can be found mostly in the Far East and Indonesia, but also the southern half of Africa and, the warmer parts of western Europe.  There is also one record of a Zalmoxid from Denmark but this was likely unitentionally imported.
The Grassatores appear to be the oldest of the two infraorders with the fossil record, although sparse, going back to the Late Cretaceous and are dated as 99.6 to 93.5 My old.  So far, fossils that were identifiable have only been found in Burma and in the Dominican Republic. 
      
      The lack of locally found species should not be taken as an indication of scarcity.  Many Grassatores are fairly small creatures, and whereas there are definitely some bold looking ones, there are also those that because of their plain looks blend in well with their environment.  On top of that may be secretive.  Most local records so far are likely to be chance encounters. There is a good possibility that those who search for them may find species hitherto unknown to Australia.
References  and  links:
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>      Kury, A., (2003).   'Annotated catalogue of the Laniatores of the New World (Arachnida, Opiliones).'   Revista Iberica de Aracnología. 1. 1-337. 

      https://www.catalogueoflife.org/data/taxon/4KZ
      https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/141195768​
​      https://www.mindat.org/taxon-P281527.html
      https://www.mindat.org/taxon-4662037.html
      https://www.mindat.org/taxon-8567962.html

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