Magnispina robusta, Gueratto & Mendes & Pinto-Da-Rocha, 2017

Gueratto, Caio, Mendes, Amanda Cruz & Pinto-Da-Rocha, Ricardo, 2017, Description of two new species of Magnispina and a new hypothesis of phylogenetic relationships for Heteropachylinae (Opiliones: Laniatores: Gonyleptidae), Zootaxa 4300 (2), pp. 180-194 : 184-186

Magnispina robusta sp. nov.

(Figs. 0 1, 0 3 A–D, 0 4 A–C, and 0 6 C–D)

Type material. BRAZIL. Bahia: Camacan ( RPPN Serra Bonita , riacho da estrada, 15°23’12.4”S 39°34’04.9”W), A.A. Nogueira leg., 2.IX.2014, male holotype ( MZSP 70874) ; ditto, 5 males and 3 females paratypes ( MZSP 70875) ; ditto, 1 male and 1 female paratypes ( MNRJ 9253) ; ditto, 1 male and 1 female paratypes ( IBSP 10727) ; ditto, Camacan ( RPPN Serra Bonita , 15°23’31”S 39°34’51”W), Pinto-da-Rocha & Bragagnolo leg., 24– 26.VI.2009, 5 males and 10 females paratypes ( MZSP 31266) .

Etymology. From the Latin robustus, meaning robust, strong. This is due to its huge armature on both the dorsal scutum and femur IV, larger than the armature of the other species of the genus.

Diagnosis. Magnispina robusta sp. nov. resembles M. neptunus by: dorsal scutum area III with two paramedian tubercles, dorsal anal operculum with tubercles, femur IV with dorsobasal apophysis and prodorsal apical conical apophysis and free tergite II with large and long median apophysis, this being much larger than other heteropachylines. It differs from M. neptunus by: laterals of free tergites II–III with smaller tubercles, free tergite III without median armature, free tergite III with substraight posterior margin, dorsal anal operculum with a robust bifurcate median apophysis, the femur IV slightly curved (convex side outwards) in dorsal view and straight (lateral view), with a robust dorsomedian apophysis and similar size dorsal pro- and retroapical apophyses.

Description. Male holotype: Dorsum ( Fig. 1 A, C, D): Measurements: Dorsal scutum: L including fused free tergites: 7.2; W: 7.5. Prosoma: L: 2.7; W: 3.5. Femur IV: 6.3.. Scutum outline typical γ type, widest at dorsal scutum area II. Anterior margin of carapace with few tubercles on each side. Frontal hump with 4 tubercles. Ocularium with 1 pair of paramedian large tubercles, taller than the eye diameter ( Fig. 1 A, C). Carapace mostly smooth. Dorsal scutum divided into three areas; dorsal scutum area I divided by median longitudinal groove, with a pair of paramedian tubercles and 2 sparse small tubercles on each side; dorsal scutum area II with a median transversal row of 8 tubercles; dorsal scutum area III with 1 pair of paramedian tubercles (bigger than the tubercles on dorsal scutum areas I–II), and 1 pair of small tubercles just posteriorly; no vestiges of groove separating in dorsal scutum areas III and IV. Lateral margins of dorsal scutum with a row of tubercles increasing in size posteriorly until dorsal scutum groove III. Posterior margin of the dorsal scutum with tubercles of the same size. Free tergites I–II fused to the dorsal scutum; free tergite I with a row of similar size tubercles. Free tergite II with a row of tubercles, a conspicuous tubercle on each corner and a median, robust spiniform apophysis curved posteriorly (this at least larger than half of dorsal scutum) bearing a pair of tubercles on its base ( Fig. 1 A, C). Free tergite III with a row of small, rounded tubercles, and a pair of tubercles on the corners ( Fig. 1 C). Dorsal anal operculum small tuberculate, with a robust bifurcate median apophysis on the posterior region ( Fig. 1 C, D). Venter. Coxa I with a row of 6 tubercles, coxae II–III small tuberculate and coxa IV smooth. Ventral anal operculum with a row of 8 small tubercles ( Fig. 1 D). Chelicerae. Segment I with 1 prolateral and 1 retrolateral subapical tubercles. Fixed and movable fingers each with 7 teeth. Pedipalps. Trochanter with 2 ventral setiferous small tubercles. Femur with ventral row of 4 setiferous small tubercles and a subapical prolateral macrosetae. Tibial setation: prolateral Ii[Ii], retrolateral iIi. Tarsal setation: prolateral IiIi and retrolateral IiIi. Legs. Coxae I–III as in the subfamily ( Mendes, 2011). Trochanters, patellae and tibiae I–III unarmed. Femora I–II unarmed. Femur I ventral face with row of tubercles. Calcaneus I swollen, thicker than the astragalus I. Femur III ventral face with a row of tubercles increasing in size towards the apex. Calcaneus III smaller than one third of metatarsus III. Coxa IV with a prolateral apical blunt apophysis ( Fig. 1 A). Trochanter IV with 1 dorsal prolateral apical blunt apophysis, and 2 retroapical curved apophyses ( Fig. 1 C). Femur IV ( Fig. 3 A–D) short, slightly curved (convex side outwards) in dorsal view and straight in lateral view, dorsal face with a large basal tubercle; a large and sharp dorsobasal apophysis, this pointing upwards; a large, sharp dorsomedian apophysis pointing backwards; sharp median subapical apophysis (smallest) pointing upwards. Femur IV dorsal face also bearing 3 longitudinal dorsal rows of rounded tubercles of similar size and shape ( Fig. 3 A), dorsomedian one with tubercles reducing in size towards the apex between the dorsomedian and dorso subapical apophyses and sharp pro- and retrolateral apical apophyses of similar size. Femur IV ventral face with 2 rows of similar size tubercles and a large proapical tubercle ( Fig. 3 D), a prolateral row of tubercles increasing in size towards the apex. Tarsal counts: 6/10/6 /6. Male genitalia ( Fig. 4 A–C). Ventral plate with distal border slightly concave and depressed on basal half, with 1 mediolateral pair of robust MS A; a laterodistal row of 3 short MS C on each side; 1 pair of lateromedian MS D; ventrodistal half with 2 pairs of small bulb like MS E (distal and subdistal). Glans with digitiform dorsal process. Stylus with apical papillae of subequal size. Color (in ethanol) ( Fig 6 C). Background of the body reddish dark-brown, with dorsal scutum reticulated with black, dark in the margins and with a yellowish transversal line in the middle of dorsal scutum areas II and III. Chelicerae and pedipalps yellow, reticulated with dark brown. Trochanters I–III yellowish shaded with dark brown spots. Metatarsi and tarsi III and IV yellow.

Female (paratype; MZSP 70875) ( Figs 2 B, 6D): Measurements: Dorsal scutum: L: 5.6; W: 6.0. Prosoma: L: 2.3; W: 3.2. Femur IV: 5.0. Scutum outline typical α type, with a constriction at the dorsal scutum area III. Free tergites not fused to the dorsal scutum, free tergite II bearing small median spine. Apical prolateral apophysis of coxa IV spiniform and smaller than male. Trochanter IV cylindrical and only with retrolateral apical spiniform apophysis. Femur IV unarmed and with longitudinal rows of similar size tubercles.

Variation. Males (n=6): Anterior margin of the carapace with 3–6 tubercles on each side. Ocularium can present 2 small tubercles at anterior and posterior parts beside the median ones. Lateral margin of dorsal scutum with 10–16 tubercles and posterior margin of dorsal scutum with 8–12 tubercles. Free tergite I with 12–14 tubercles. Free tergite II with 8–12 tubercles. Free tergite III with 5–9 tubercles besides those on the corners.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Magnispina robusta sp. nov. A, C, D Male holotype (MZSP 70874), dorsal, left lateral and posterior views, respectively; B, Female paratype (MZSP 70875), dorsal view. Scale bars = 1 mm.

FIGURE 2. Magnispina bahiana sp. nov. A, C, D Male holotype (MZSP 70876), dorsal, left lateral and posterior views, respectively; B, Female paratype (MZSP 70877) dorsal view. Scale bars = 1 mm.

FIGURE 3. Right Trochanter – patella IV from Magnispina robusta sp. nov. (A – D) and M. bahiana sp. nov. (E – H). M. robusta, male holotype (MZSP 70874): A – D, dorsal, prolateral, retrolateral and ventral views, respectively. M. bahiana sp. nov., male holotype (MZSP 70876): E – H, dorsal, prolateral, retrolateral and ventral views, respectively. Scale bars = 1 mm.

FIGURE 4. Penis of Magnispina spp. in dorsal, left lateral and ventral views. A – C, M. robusta sp. nov .. D – F: M. bahiana sp. nov. Scale bars = 20 µm

FIGURE 6. Photos of the Magnispina spp. A, male in vivo of M. neptunus, B, ditto, female in vivo; C, male in vivo of M. robusta sp. nov.; D, ditto, female in vivo; E, male paratype of M. bahiana sp. nov.; F, ditto, female paratype. Photos A, taken by Bruno Buzzato; B – D, taken by Ricardo Pinto-da-Rocha; E, F, taken by Caio Gueratto.