Progonyleptoidellus picinguaba, Benedetti & Pinto-Da-Rocha, 2019

Benedetti, Alípio R. & Pinto-Da-Rocha, Ricardo, 2019, Description of two new species of Progonyleptoidellus (Opiliones: Gonyleptidae), with a cladistic analysis of the genus, an overview of relationships in the K 92 group, and taxonomic notes on Deltaspidium, Zootaxa 4691 (5), pp. 461-490 : 478-482

Progonyleptoidellus picinguaba sp. nov.

( Figs. 4 , 5 , 6 , 9 )

Progonyleptoidellus sp.: Almeida-Neto et al, 2006: 367 (dist).

Type material. BRAZIL. São Paulo. Ubatuba, Picinguaba, Morro do Cuscuzeiro , 21.xii.1995, G. Machado leg., ♂ holotype ( MZSP 73601 ) , 2 ♀ paratypes ( MZSP 16257 ) ; same loc., 20.xii.1995, G. Machado leg., 3 ♂ 4 ♀ ( MZSP 16258 ) , 3 ♂ 7 ♀ ( MZSP 16259 ) ; same loc., 25–29.iv.1991, P. Gnaspini leg., 1 ♂ ( MZSP 16009 ) ; Ubatuba, Parque Estadual Serra do Mar, núcleo Picinguaba , 600m, 14.iii.2008, F. Esteves & R. Feitosa leg., 1 ♀ paratype ( MZSP 30176 ) .

Etymology. The name, a noun in apposition, refers to the type locality, a region in the municipality of Ubatuba, São Paulo, Brazil.

Type locality. BRAZIL. São Paulo. Ubatuba: Picinguaba, Morro do Cuscuzeiro

Geographical distribution ( Fig. 9 ). Known only from the type locality.

Diagnosis. Males. Progonyleptoidellus picinguaba sp. nov. can be distinguished from the other species of the genus by the following combination of characters: Free tergite III armed with a long spine; proapical apophysis on coxa IV straight, without curved apex; femur III unarmed; femur IV without DBA. Females. This species differs from the other species of the genus in the absence of sexual dimorphism on armature of coxa IV and femur IV.

Description. Male holotype (MZSP 73601)

Measurements: CL 2.2; CW 3.2; DSL 4.3; DSW 5.1; FeP 3.7; FI 4.5; FII 12; FIII 8; FIV 10.6.

Dorsum ( Figs. 4A , 5A, F ): DS shape type gamma-P, with two median acuminate tubercles on the corner of its anterior margin. Frontal hump low, slightly projected anteriorly, with two upwards-pointing median acuminate tubercles. Ocularium narrow, low, with two parallel acuminate tubercles upwards and one pair of small tubercles posteriorly. Carapace with a pair of rounded tubercles posterior to the ocularium and a few scattered granules. Scutal areas I–II each with a paramedian pair of tiny tubercles; scutal area III with a paramedian pair of large spines directed posteriorly, and scattered granules. Lateral margins of DS with 2–3 small tubercles and one median spine on posterior 1/3. Two ozopores. Posterior margin of DS straight with prominent corners, with a row of small tubercles (two median ones larger). Free tergites I–III each with a row of varied-sized tubercles, predominantly small; free tergites II–III each with a large median spine. Anal operculum unarmed.

Venter ( Fig. 5C ): Coxa I with a median row of enlarged setiferous tubercles; coxa II with a median row of small tubercles; coxae III–IV with scattered tubercles. Coxae II–IV connected by a row of tubercles. Posterior margin of the stigmatic area convex, most lateral parts touching coxa IV. Stigmata elliptical and slanted.

Chelicerae: Segment I with scattered granules; bulla weakly marked; segment II with scattered granules; fixed finger with 3–4 teeth; movable finger with 3–4 teeth.

Pedipalps ( Fig. 5F ): Coxa smooth and enlarged, reaching the cheliceral bulla and trochanter I. Trochanter with a dorsoapical small elevation, with one apical and one basal ventro-median small setiferous tubercle. Femur and patella elongated, slender and smooth. Tibial setation: mesal IiIi; ectal IiIi. Tarsus with 2 ventral median row of setae; tarsal setation: mesal Ii; ectal II.

Legs: Coxae I–II with one prodorsal apophysis; coxa III with two retrolateral apophyses. Coxa IV with scattered granules; a strong, large and straight proapical apophysis, with an acuminate apex, obliquely directed, and a retroapical small, acuminate apophysis. Trochanters I–III unarmed, with some apical small tubercles; trochanter IV ( Figs. 4B , 5A,D ) prolaterally with one sub-basal and one apical tubercle, these short and acuminate, the sub-basal one the largest; retrolaterally with one median and one apical tubercles, these short and acuminate, the apical largest; ventral face with scattered granules. Femora I–III unarmed, with scattered granules; femur IV ( Figs. 4B , 5D ) straight and long; dorsobasally with a row of 4–6 median spines (those located in the middle of the row larger); retrodorsally with a row of intercalated tubercles and spines of irregular size (those located in the middle of the row larger); proventrally with a row of very short conical tubercles. Patellae and tibiae I–IV unarmed, with ventral scattered granules. Metatarsi I–IV smooth, astragalus swollen. Claws smooth. Tarsal process large. Tarsal counts:.7(3),?, 12, 15.

Penis (MZSP 16259, see Figs. 6 C–D): VP subrectangular, ventral face totally covered with microsetae of type 1; distal margin with a U shaped cleft, slightly curved in lateral view. Lateral lobe sub-basal, sub-rectangular shaped, dorsally directed, with microsetae type 3 on its distal part. Macrosetae (MS) A1–A3 well developed, lanceolate, forming a slanted row on the lateral lobe; MS B1 short, conical, separated from MS A; MS C1–C3 long, well developed, basally straight and distally helicoidal; MS D1 short and conical, placed between MS C and MS A; MS E1–E2 short and conical, placed near MS C1–C3. Glans stylus subcylindrical with inclined apex, ornate with microspines subapically. Glans ventral process with stem thicker than stylus, and with flabelliform apex. Flabellum fan-like, with multi-serrated apex. Glans sac short, multi-folded, heel-shaped, projected as a dorsal process. Stylus stem arising from the ventralmost part of glans sac, inserted as a candelabrum-like.

Coloration (in ethanol; see Fig. 5 ): Light yellow with small black spots scattered on anterior, posterior and lateral margins, as well as on scutal areas of DS, ocularium, free tergites I–III, pedipalps, chelicerae and legs. Predominantly black on the carapace around ocularium, on the scutal area III spines and on dorsoapical apophyses of coxae IV. Dry-marks on scutal areas sulci, anterior margin of DS, anterior half of carapace and sparsely on posterior half of carapace.

Variation in males (n=7): Measurements: CL 2.1–2.4; CW 3–3.2; DSL 4.4–5; DSW 4.6–5.5; FeP 3.2–3.6; FI 4.2–4.7; FII 11.1–12.4; FIII 7.5–8.2; FIV 9.9–11.5. Anterior margin of DS with 3–4 median acuminate tubercles on the corners (if more than three, the fourth much smaller than the others). Posterior margin of DS slightly sinuous in some males; armed with one or more acuminate tubercles. Free tergite I–II armed with one or more spines; free tergite III with more than one large spine. The armature of posterior margin of DS and free tergites I–III extremely variable in number, size, position and could be absent in some specimens. Pedipalps: tibia setation: mesal, IiIi, IIiIi, IiII; ectal IiIi, II; tarsal setation: mesal Ii, II, IIII; ectal Ii, II; proapical apophysis with apex slightly slanted. Armature of femur IV weak, with spines like tubercles. Dry-mark weak (inconspicuous in some regions); in some specimens totally or partially absent (in the latter case, notably absent in scutal areas sulci). Tarsal counts: 7(3), 13–14(3–4), 11–13, 15–18.

Female (n=9; Figs. 5B, E )

Measurements: CL 2.2–2.5; CW 3–3.4; DSL 5–5.4; DSW 5.1–5.6; FeP 3–3.6; FI 3.9–4.4; FII 11.2–12.3; FIII 7.5–8.7; FIV 10.3–12.6.

Dorsum: Spines on scutal area III greater than in males in some specimens. Posterior margin of dorsal scutum sub straight (sinuous appearance); posterior margin of DS unarmed or armed with acuminate tubercles. Free tergites I–III armed. Like in males, the armature of posterior margin of DS and free tergites I–III extremely variable in number, size, position, usually with more than one spine; free tergites I–III armature generally greater than those on males (although some specimens have less robust armature).

Pedipalps: tibial setation: mesal, IiIi, IiII; ectal IiIi; tarsal setation: mesal Ii, II; ectal Ii, II.

Legs: Proapical apophysis of coxa IV like in males in size; vary in stoutness (some specimens with apophysis stouter than in males). Tarsal counts: 6–8(3), 13–14(4), 12–13, 15–16.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Progonyleptoidellus picinguaba sp. nov., male holotype (MZSP 73602): A, habitus, dorsal view; B, right trochanter–tibia IV, dorsal view; C, coxa, trochanter and basal part of femur IV, retrodorsal view. Scale bars: A, C: 2 mm, B: 3 mm.

FIGURE 5. Progonyleptoidellus picinguaba sp. nov., male paratype (MZSP 16009) and female paratype (MZSP 16257): A, male habitus, dorsal view; B, female habitus, dorsal view; C, male habitus, ventral view; D, male trochanter–tibia IV, dorsal view; E, female trochanter–patella IV, dorsal view; F, male habitus, left lateral view. Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIGURE 6. Scanning electron micrographs showing the distal part of Progonyleptoidellus spp. penis: A–B, P. bocaina sp. nov. (MZSP 18939), A. dorsal, B. lateral; C–D, P. picinguaba sp. nov. (MZSP 16259), A. dorsal, B. lateral. Scale bars: 20 µm.

FIGURE 9. Distribution of Progonyleptoidellus spp. in Coastal Atlantic Rain Forest of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro States, Brazil. White symbols represent literature records.