Eulibitia scalaris (Sørensen, 1932) Medrano & Kury, 2017

Medrano, Miguel & Kury, Adriano B., 2017, Taxonomic revision of the Andean genus Eulibitia Roewer, 1912 (Arachnida, Opiliones, Cosmetidae), with the description of five new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 357, pp. 1-55 : 40-48

Eulibitia scalaris (Sørensen, 1932) comb. nov.

Figs 27–30 , 31A , 33 ; Table 5

Libitia (Messa) scalaris Sørensen in Henriksen, 1932: 414.

Acromares lateralis Goodnight & Goodnight, 1943: 2 , fig 7. syn. nov.

Messa scalaris – Mello-Leitão 1933: 112.

Messatana scalaris – Strand 1942: 398.

Cynorta lateralis – Goodnight & Goodnight 1953: 38.

Acromares lateralis – Flórez & Sánchez 1995: 368. — Kury 2003: 37.

Diagnosis

This species is similar to E. h-inscriptum by having paramedian tubercles in areas I, III and on the posterior margin of the scutum, but differs from it because its ladder mask does not reach the lateral margins of the scutum ( Fig. 28 C–H), and from the other species of Eulibitia by the size of the coda ( Fig. 27A ), ⅓ of the mid-bulge length (vs ¼ of the mid-bulge length in other species, except E. h-inscriptum). It is similar to E. castor sp. nov. by having two paramedian tubercles in areas I, III

and on the posterior margin, and for the symmetrical mid-bulge, but it differs from it by the shape of the tubercles on the posterior margin, being rounded instead of acuminate ( Fig. 28A ).

Etymology

Scalaris: refers to the shape of the ladder of white blots on DS. Lateralis: refers to the rails of the ladder mask on DS (visible in the holotype of Acromares lateralis ).

Material examined

Syntypes

COLOMBIA: 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, Cundinamarca Department, Bogotá ( BMNH, examined by photograph).

Other material

COLOMBIA: Boyacá Department – 1 ♀, Chiquinquirá, Monte Batallón Sucre, 5°35′59.33′′ N, 73°50′9.28′′ W, 2580 m a.s.l., 24 May 1979, C. Hernandez leg. ( ICN-AO 56); 4 ♂♂, 7 ♀♀, Paipa, La Pradera, 5°45′36.26′′ N, 73°8′29.37′′ W, 2650 m a.s.l., 2 Dec. 1978, I. de Arevalo leg. ( ICN-AO 84); 2 ♀♀, Arcabuco, 5°45′0′′ N, 73°28′45′′ W, 2500 m a.s.l., S. Sierra leg. ( ICN-AO 221); 1 ♂, Arcabuco, 5.75012° N, 73.433482° W, 2600 m a.s.l., 23 Sep. 2013, A. García and S. Galvis leg. ( ICN-AO 1202); 34 ♂♂, 49 ♀♀, Arcabuco, 5.75012° N, 73.433482° W, 2600 m a.s.l., 23 Sep. 2013, A. García and S. Galvis leg. ( ICN-AO 1208); 7 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀, Villa de Leyva, SFF Iguaque, 5.720016° N, 73.457901° W, 2800 m a.s.l., 22 Sep. 2013, A. García and S. Galvis leg. ( ICN-AO 1214); 2 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀, Arcabuco, 5.75012° N, 73.433482° W, 2600 m a.s.l., 23 Sep. 2013, A. García and S. Galvis leg. ( ICN-AO 1372); 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, Arcabuco, 5.75012° N, 73.433482° W, 2600 m a.s.l., 23 Sep. 2013, A. García and S. Galvis leg. ( ICN-AO 1378); 2 ♀♀, Villa de Leyva, SFF Iguaque, Cabaña Chaina, Lado Río, 5°42′ N, 73°27′ W, 2600 m a.s.l. ( IAvH 40, IAvH 42); 1 ♂, same collection data as preceding ( IAvH 41); 1 ♀, Villa de Leyva, Colegio Antonio Nariño, 5.63° N, 73.527° W, 2200 m a.s.l. ( IAvH 46); 1 ♀, Arcabuco, near El Cometa, 5.7439° N, 73.4713° W ( IAvH 53); 1 ♀, Villa de Leyva, Colegio Antonio Nariño, 5.63° N, 73.527° W, 2200m a.s.l.( IAvH 93); 1♂,Villa de Leyva,ColegioAntonio Nariño, 5.63°N, 73.527°W, 2200m a.s.l.( IAvH 94); 1 ♂, 4 ♀♀,Villa de Leyva, SFF Iguaque, 5°42′ N, 73°27′W, 2941 m a.s.l., Nov.2011,A. Garcia and AB Kury leg. ( MNRJ 19380). Cundinamarca Department – 1 ♂, Susa,Vereda La Fragua, Finca Bermejales, 5°25′37.90′′ N, 73°49′11.81′′ W, 2710 m a.s.l., 30 Dec. 2006, J. Pinzon and G. Alarcón leg. ( ICN-AO 481); 2 ♀♀, Soacha, Vereda San Francisco, Granja Ecológica El Porvenir, 4°34′30.13′′ N, 74°17′49.62′′ W, 10 Jul. 2009, pastureland, fallen trunk, G.Amat, C. Cantor, I. Romero and D. Martínez leg. ( ICN-AO 602); 2 ♂♂, Suesca, Vereda Santa Rosa, 5°6′20.71′′ N, 73°45′9.02′′ W, 30 Mar. 2010, paddock, under trunk, L.Sanchez leg.( ICN-AO 669); 2♂♂,SanAntonio del Tequendama,Vereda Quinta Colombia,4°35.603′′N, 74°20.170′′ W, 1733 m a.s.l., 20 Aug. 2008, R. Botero, D. Luna and J. A. Ochoa leg. ( ICN-AO 792); 1 ♂, San Francisco, near Pueblo, 4°57′37.40′′ N, 74°16′45.08′′ W, 8 May 2011, D. Martínez, M. Medrano and A. García leg. ( ICN-AO 846); 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, Albán, Vereda Namay 4°55′31.38′′ N, 74°27′12.47′′ W, 28Jun.2008,J.Cepeda leg.( ICN-AO 504); 11♂♂, 11 ♀♀, 4immature,Cota [4.813113°N, 74.110399°W], 30Aug. 2006,A. Giupponi leg. ( MNRJ 17948); 1 ♂, Mosquera, Sabrinsky [4.688968° N, 74.271632° W], 10 Jan. 2014, under rocks, J. Guerrero leg. ( ICN-AO 1404); 4 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀, Albán, Vereda Namay, 4°55′31.38′′ N, 74°27′12.47′′ W, 1584 m a.s.l., Oct. 2007 – Aug. 2008, Cafetal, J. Cepeda, C. Cantor and D. Luna leg. ( ICN-AO 935); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Cota Sendero, Cerro del Majuy, 4°48′42.16′′ N, 74°6′59.14′′ W, 3000 m a.s.l., 24 Jun. 2012, under rock, C. Castellanos and Y. Cifuentes leg. ( ICN-AO 1058); 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, Albán, Vereda Namay, 4°55′31.38′′ N, 74°27′12.47′′ W, 28 Jun. 2008, J. Cepeda leg. ( ICN-AO 504); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Albán, Reserva Natural Peñas del Aserradero, 4.875959° N, 74.422635° W, 2630 m a.s.l., Aug. 2013, under trunk, M. Medrano, E. Flórez, A. Sabogal and D. Martínez leg. ( ICN-AO 1387); 2 ♀♀, 1 immature, Chocontá, Vereda Boquerón Bajo, Finca Nápoles, 5.094417° N, 73.670240° W, 13 Feb 2015, A. García and T. Rodrígues leg. ( ICN-AO 1434).

Description

Male (based on MNRJ 17948)

MEASUREMENTS. CL = 1.62, AL = 3.06, CW = 2.63, AW = 4.31, Fe IV = 2.94, Ti IV = 2.38.

DORSUM ( Figs 27 , 28A ). Dorsal scutum beta-shaped, with symmetrical mid-bulge. Areas I, III and posterior margin with two paramedian tubercles. Lateral margins with irregular row of minute granules at

mid-bulge. Posterior margin of scutum with row of small tubercles. Tergites with row of small tubercles and anal operculum finely granular.

VENTER ( Fig. 27 D–E). Free sternites finely granular; coxae II–IV finely and uniformly granular; coxa I with longitudinal row of tubercles and smooth area corresponding to lace area of pedipalp.

CHELICERAE ( Fig. 29 F–G). Basichelicerite uniformly covered with tubercles of different sizes, some basal and one mesodistal larger; movable finger with row of ten tubercles; fixed finger with four tubercles, decreasing in size from basal to distal part of finger.

PEDIPALPS ( Fig. 29 D–E). Trochanter with strong ventral apophysis. Femur with pronounced dorsal keel, with ventral row of eight setiferous tubercles and mesodistal process. Patella with mesal keel formed by five small tubercles and large one distally. Shallow slit along tibia mesal surface, separating dorsal and ventral sides.

LEGS ( Figs 28B , 29 A–C). Coxa IV granulated, with small clavi inguines, larger in females. Trochanter IV with small retro-distal apophysis. Femur IV substraight, with two longitudinal ventral rows of small

tubercles along entire length. Patella IV substraight, with small setiferous tubercles. Tarsal counts: 5–5/10–10/6–6/6–7.

COLOR ( Fig. 27 ). Body and appendages color background 40 (Strong Reddish Brown) mottled in 44 (Dark Reddish Brown), ladder mask 104 (Pale Greenish Yellow). Trochanters and tarsomeres 83 (Brilliant Yellow).

GENITALIA ( Fig. 30 ). VP of penis trapezoidal, narrower basally, with distal border concave; dorsal apophysis of glans subsquare to rounded, wattle of stylus long. Shapes and organization of macrosetae as follows: MS C1–C2 large, curved and flat; MS D1–D2 large and straight; MS A1–A2 large, straight, cylindrical, located in basal middle of ventral plate; MS B and MS E1–E2 ventral, very small, immersed in microsetae. MS B most basal MS. Microsetae confined to lateral margins of ventral plate.

Variation

Pattern of yellow spots as in Fig. 28 C–H. Tubercles of pedipalpal femur vary in number from 5 to 8. Tarsal counts: 5–6; 7–12; 6–7; 6–7. Variation of measurements is given in Table 5 .

Female

With larger clavi inguines and longer coda than males ( Fig. 28 F–G). Males with thicker basitarsus (but not notably swollen) ( Fig. 28B ).

Distribution

E. scalaris occurs in the WWF ecoregions: (1) Magdalena Valley montane forests (NT0136), tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forest biome, in Cundinamarca and Boyacá Departments, (2) Magdalena Valley dry forests (NT0221), tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forest biome, in Tolima Department, and (3) Northern Andean páramo (NT1006), montane grassland and shrubland biome, in Cundinamarca and Boyacá Departments ( Fig. 33 ).

Remarks

Goodnight & Goodnight (1943) described Acromares lateralis and placed it in that genus because they thought that the outstanding tubercles of the dorsal scutum were localized in area IV. However, examination of a photograph of the type material allows us to conclude that the tubercles are on the posterior margin of the scutum instead of on area IV and to recognize this species as a synonym of E. scalaris comb. nov.

Figures

Fig. 27. Eulibitia scalaris (Sørensen in Henriksen, 1932) comb. nov., ♂ (MNRJ 17948), habitus. A. Dorsal view. B. Panoramic, dorsal view. C. Frontal view. D. Posterior view. E. Lateral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Fig. 28. Eulibitia scalaris (Sørensen in Henriksen, 1932) comb. nov. (MNRJ 17948). A. ♂, habitus, dorsal view. B. Left metatarsus and tarsomeres of leg I, prolateral view. C–F. Variation of spot pattern on dorsal scutum. C–E, G–H: ♀♀. F: ♂. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Fig. 29. Eulibitia scalaris (Sørensen in Henriksen, 1932) comb. nov., ♂ (ICN-AO 1208). A. Trochanter and femur of leg IV, dorsal view. B. Same, prolateral view. C. Same, ventral view. D. Left pedipalpus, ectal view. E. Same, mesal view. F. Fingers of the hand of left chelicera, dorsal view. G. Left chelicera, dorsal view. Scale bars: A–C = 1 mm; D– E = 500 µm; F–G = 200 µm.

Fig. 30. Eulibitia scalaris (Sørensen in Henriksen, 1932) comb. nov., ♂ (ICN-AO 1208), distal part of penis. A. Lateral view. B. Dorsal view. C. Ventral view. D. Detail of MS C, MS D1, MS E1 and microsetae, ventral view. Scale bars: A, C = 50 µm; B = 20 µm; D = 10 µm.

Fig. 31. Living specimens. A. Eulibitia scalaris (Sørensen in Henriksen, 1932) comb. nov. (ICN-AO 1208), photograph by Andrés García, Arcabuco, Boyacá Department. B. Eulibitia pollux sp. nov., photograph by M. Medrano, Choachi, Cundinamarca Department.

Fig. 33. Northern Andes in Colombia, showing localities for Eulibitia leda sp. nov., E. clytemnestra sp. nov. and E. scalaris (Sørensen in Henriksen, 1932) comb. nov. Colored patches on the background represent WWF ecoregions.