Salfacarus antsirananensis Vázquez & Klompen, 2010

Ma. Magdalena Vázquez G. & Hans Klompen, 2010, The genus Salfacarus (Acari: Opilioacarida) in Madagascar, Zootaxa 2482, pp. 1-21 : 5-8

Salfacarus antsirananensis Vázquez & Klompen n. sp.

( Figs. 2–12 )

Diagnosis. With an unusually large number of papilliform setae on the palp femur of the adults (15–19, relative to 6–12 in other species). Ovipositor with a pair of large spinose structures and 1–2 pairs of small structures (gland ducts?).

Description. Based on observations on 1 larva, 2 protonymphs, 10 deutonymphs, 3 tritonymphs, 7 females, 4 males.

Gnathosoma. Chelicera ( Fig. 2 ). Basal segment without setae in L, PN and DN. One seta added in TN, fixed digit with 3 setae in all instars. All setae lightly barbed. Dorsal and antiaxial lyrifissure well developed in nymphs and adults, not observed in L. Fixed digit with 1 distinct tooth, movable digit with 2 teeth and a well developed terminal hook. Movable digit with one ventral denticle in L, PN and most DNs, two in some DNs and TN, and 3–5, in adults. Most distal denticle in adults largest. Internal surface of movable digit with a small sensillum ( Fig. 28 , arrow).

Subcapitulum ( Fig. 3 ). All 4 pairs of paralabial setae present: pl1 small, conical; With’s organ (pl2) membranous with a distinct, undivided (not forked) support structure; rutella (pl3) with 1 row of 5 teeth, inserted dorso-laterally; pl4 very small, inserted dorsally on subcapitulum. In addition, 4 circumbuccal (cb), and 10–11 median and subcapitular (vm (in part), lvm, ldm, vp, lvp) setae. Sexual dimorphism absent. L, PN, DN and TN similar but number of median and subcapitular setae smaller, 0, 2, 3, and 7–10, respectively. Lateral lips with distinct canals in all instars (dl1 and/or dl2 of Grandjean (1936)) ( Fig. 3 , arrow).

Palps. Adult ( Figs. 4–5 ). Trochanter with 6–7 ribbed, tapering (r-type) setae; femur with 7–8 r-type and 18–19 papilliform or mucronate (= p-type) setae in female, 10–13 r and 15–16 p-type setae in male; genu with 31–43 r and 8 (females) or 5–6 (males) p-type setae. Tibia and tarsus partially fused. Tibia with approximately 12 smooth (s-type) and 51 r-type setae. Palp tarsus with lyrifissures i π and i α. Setation including 3 s, 5 d (leaflike), and approximately 26 ch, 11 sm, and 10 v setae. Sexual differentiation in tibiotarsus absent or indistinct. Pretarsus in shape of a pair of well developed sessile claws. Immatures ( Figs. 6-9 ). Trochanter: L, PN, 0 setae; DN, 1 (rarely 2) r-type, TN, 3–5. Femur: L 4–5 r-type and 0 p-type setae; PN, 3–4 r and 1–2 p; DN, 3–4 r and 2–3 p; TN, 3–5 r and 5– 9 p. Genu: L, 8 r and 0 p setae; PN, 6 r and 1 p; DN, 8–9 r and 0–2 p; TN, 15 r and 2– 3 p. Tibia: L, 11 setae; PN, 12; DN, 28; TN, 34. Palp tarsus of L, PN, DN and TN with, respectively, 0, 2, 3 and 4 d setae; L with 2 s setae, other instars with 3; numbers of v, ch, and sm setae not scored for immatures.

Idiosoma. Anterior dorsal shield of adults with 78–92 (N=3) papilliform setae, and two pairs of eyes. Lyrifissures absent. Rostrum more or less blunt. L, PN, and DN with, respectively, 24, 24–28, and 44–54 shield setae (setae could not be counted in tritonymph). Remaining idiosoma with lyrifissures arranged in more or less transverse rows. Setation limited to 1 dorsal and 2 ventral setae on preanal segment in L and PN; subsequent instars all with more than 200 papilliform setae. Setae predominantly mid-dorsal and mid-ventral. Anal valves each with 21–22 papilliform setae in adults; L, PN, DN and TN with, respectively, 1, 2, 6–10, and 9–11 setae on each valve.

Sternitogenital region ( Figs. 10-11 ). Sternal verrucae in adults with 1 long, tapering, and 4 (rarely 3–6) shorter setae each. Remaining sternal area with 2 pairs of long tapering and 8–9 (female) or 4-6 (male) pairs of papilliform setae, plus 3 pairs of lyrifissures (two pairs very large, the third smaller; all different in shape and size from “standard” opisthosomal lyrifissures). L, DN and TN with, respectively, 0, 1, and 3–4 shorter setae on sternal verrucae, and 0, 1, and 4–8 papilliform setae in remaining sternal area (numbers unclear in PN).

Pregenital capsules of adults with 1 long tapering (lt) and 4–5 (rarely 6) papilliform setae each (0, 2, and 2–4 papilliform setae, respectively, in L, DN and TN). Pregenital area and genital sclerite in male with, respectively, 6–9 papilliform and 7–10 ribbed, tapering setae. Pregenital and genital areas in female with, respectively, 2 papilliform and 0 setae. Numbers for the L, DN and TN, respectively, 0 and 0, 0 and 0, 0–1 and 0–2. Ovipositor ( Fig. 12 ). Without long, lightly barbed terminal setae. With two large spinose basal structures and 1–2 pairs of very small structures (gland ducts?).

Legs. Tarsi II each with a dorsal bifurcate seta and two smooth sensilla resembling solenidia. Tarsi II–IV of adults with distinct acrotarsus; first visible on tarsi II–III in TN, on tarsi IV in DN. Trochanters III–IV subdivided in TN and adults. Pretarsi II–IV each with two pairs of setae and a pair of claws.

Collection information. Multiple numbers refer to multiple slides representing a single, dissected, individual. Holotype female ( OSAL007754–57 ), MADAGASCAR: Antsiranana, Forêt de Orangea , 3.6 km 128° SE Remena, 90 m, 12°15’32”S 49°22’29”E, coll. Fisher, B L & Griswold, C E, 22–28 Feb 2001, ex littoral rainforest, sifted litter (BLF3200) . Paratypes, same data as holotype: L ( OSAL007728 ), PN ( OSAL007729 ), PN ( OSAL007730 ), DN ( OSAL007731 ), DN ( OSAL007736 ), DN ( OSAL007739 ), DN ( OSAL007740–41 ), DN ( OSAL007746 ), TN ( OSAL007732–33 ), TN ( OSAL007742–43 ), TN ( OSAL007744–45 ), TN ( OSAL007734–35 ), TN ( OSAL007737–38 ), TN ( OSAL007747–48 ), TN ( OSAL007749 ), TN ( OSAL007750–51 ), F ( OSAL007752–53 ), F ( OSAL007766 ), F ( OSAL92012–13 ), F ( OSAL92014–16 ), F ( OSAL92017–18 ), F ( OSAL92022–23 ), M ( OSAL007758–59 ), M ( OSAL007760–61 ), M ( OSAL007762–63 ), M ( OSAL92019 ) . Same locality, coll. Boutin, L J, 22 Feb 2001, ex remnant dry forest: M (OSAL007764–65), M (OSAL007767).

Additional material (non-paratype): MADAGASCAR: Antsiranana, Montagne des Français , 7.2 km 142° SE Antsiranana, elev. 180 m, 12°19’22”S 49°20’17”E, coll. Boutin, L J, 23–25 Feb 2001, ex unknown: M ( OSAL007768–7770 ), M ( OSAL007771–7772 ), F ( OSAL007773 ) . MADAGASCAR: Antsiranana, R.S. de l'Ankarana, 22.9 km 224° SW Anivorano Nord, Camp Anglaise, elev. 80 m, 12°54’32”S 49°06’35”E, 10–16 Feb 2001, coll. Boutin, L J, ex general collecting: TN ( OSAL007774–7776 ), M ( OSAL007777–7778 ), M ( OSAL007781–7782 ), M ( OSAL007783–7784 ) ; same locality, coll. Fisher, B L & Griswold, C E, 10–16 Feb 2001, ex tropical dry forest; sifted litter (EF19, BLF2858): M ( OSAL007779–7780 ).

Deposition of types. Holotype female at CAS (CAS18500) (4 slides OSAL007754–57). Other specimens at CAS, OSAL, UQRoo.

Etymology. The species is named after the province of Antsiranana in which all available collections were made.

Figures

FIGURES 2 – 5. Salfacarus antsirananensis n. sp., gnathosoma. 2, Chelicera, male, axial view (OSAL 007763); 3, Subcapitulum, male (OSAL 007763), arrow indicated canal in lateral lips; 4, Palp tarsus, male, dorsal (left) and ventral (right) view (OSAL 007764); 5, Palp, female, dorsal (left) and ventral (right) view (OSAL 007756)

FIGURES 6 – 9. Salfacarus antsirananensis n. sp., palp immatures. 6, Larva (OSAL 007728); 7, Protonymph (OSAL 007730); 8, Deutonymph (OSAL 007736); 9, Tritonymph (OSAL 007772).

FIGURES 10 – 11. Salfacarus antsirananensis n. sp., sternitogenital region. 10, Female (OSAL 007754); 11, Male (OSAL 007765). lt: long, tapering setae; ly: lyrifissure (different types); pg: pregenital; g: genital.

FIGURE 12 – 13. Ovipositor. 12, Salfacarus antsirananensis n. sp. (OSAL 007755). 13, Salfacarus kirindiensis n. sp. (OSAL 007323).

FIGURES 28 – 31. Salfacarus ranobensis n. sp., gnathosoma. 28, Chelicera, male, axial view (OSAL 007272); 29, Subcapitulum, female (OSAL 092011); 30, Palp tarsus, female, dorsal (left) and ventral (right) view (OSAL 092011); 31, Palp, female, dorsal (left) and ventral (right) view (OSAL 092011).