Metalacurbs foordi, Pérez-González & Mamani, 2024

Pérez-González, Abel & Mamani, Vanesa, 2024, Metalacurbs foordi sp. nov., a new Lacurbsinae (Opiliones, Laniatores, Biantidae) from Ankasa National Park, Ghana, African Invertebrates 65 (2), pp. 199-211 : 199-211

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.3897/afrinvertebr.65.138398
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:45BDCA97-EB71-44AF-AFE4-47CD13CFD787
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14278140
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/405BB887-E449-5F4B-BDD5-20C29102F044
treatment provided by	African Invertebrates by Pensoft
scientific name	Metalacurbs foordi
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Metalacurbs foordi sp. nov.

Figs 1 View Figure 1 , 2 View Figure 2 , 3 View Figure 3 , 4 View Figure 4 , 5 View Figure 5 , 6 View Figure 6 , 7 View Figure 7

Material examined.

Type material: Holotype: Ghana • 1 ♂; Western Region, Ankasa National Park ; [5.2172, - 2.6514]; 180 m a. s. l.; 22 Feb 2013; B. A. Huber leg.; forest near entrance, day collecting; ( ZFMK Op 835 ). GoogleMaps

Etymology.

Patronym in honour of our dear and long-time good friend, the late Stefan Foord (1971–2023), in recognition of a productive, passionate and dedicated life to the research and development of African Arachnology; name in the genitive case.

Diagnosis.

The new species can be easily distinguished not only from the other species in the genus, but also from all species of Lacurbsinae by the presence, in males, of basally enlarged metatarsus II (Fig. 4 D View Figure 4 ) and a dorsal spiniform apophysis on femur IV (Fig. 6 A – D View Figure 6 ). Only Metalacurbs oedipus ( Roewer, 1958) and Metalacurbs villiersi ( Roewer, 1953) exhibit a tibia IV stout and enlarged as in Metalacurbs foordi sp. nov., but the tibia IV outline and armature are completely different amongst these three species (compare Fig. 6 A – C, E View Figure 6 versus Roewer 1953: 620, fig. 5 and Roewer 1958: 236, fig. 4).

Description.

Male holotype ( ZFMK Op 835). Body measurements: Total body length 2.78, carapace length 0.73, scutum magnum length 2.30, carapace maximum width 1.14, abdominal scutum maximum width 1.81. Appendage measurements in Table 1 View Table 1 .

Dorsum: Outline with a theta (θ) shape, campaniform (bell-shaped) (Figs 1 A View Figure 1 , 2 A View Figure 2 ). Carapace wider than long, with a small and rounded frontal hump; anterior border slightly convex (Figs 1 A View Figure 1 , 2 A View Figure 2 ). Cheliceral sockets not marked (Fig. 2 A View Figure 2 ). Eyes separated, eye mounds high along the mid-line of the carapace; interocular area is smooth with a small transversal elevation (Figs 1 A, E View Figure 1 , 2 A View Figure 2 ). Carapace straight in lateral view (Fig. 1 E View Figure 1 ). Abdominal scutum convex in lateral view (Fig. 1 E View Figure 1 ). Sulcus I deep and well-marked, in dorsal view medially slightly curved to posterior body region (Fig. 2 A View Figure 2 ). Mesotergal areas defined; sulci II – V notably wide, shallow and complete (Figs 1 A View Figure 1 , 2 A View Figure 2 ). Mesotergal area I larger than mesotergal areas II – IV (Figs 1 A View Figure 1 , 2 A View Figure 2 ). Mesotergal areas I – II with two lateral tubercles; mesotergal area IV with two medial tubercles; tubercles of mesotergal area II longer than tubercles of mesotergal areas I and IV; mesotergal area III with two medial long spiniform apophyses (Figs 1 A, E, F View Figure 1 , 2 A View Figure 2 ). Mesotergal area V with a row of five small pointed tubercles (Figs 1 G View Figure 1 , 2 A View Figure 2 ). Lateral borders of abdominal scutum with a row of rounded granules, but at level of posterior mesotergal area II and anterior mesotergal area III with larger tubercles (Figs 1 A View Figure 1 , 2 A View Figure 2 ). Free tergite I with a row of six tubercles, with the two most lateral tubercles longer than medial ones; free tergite II with a row of seven tubercles; free tergite III with a row of lateral tubercles and one medial spiniform apophysis [broken] (Figs 1 A, E – G View Figure 1 , 2 A View Figure 2 ).

Venter: Coxa I with setiferous granules (Fig. 1 B, C View Figure 1 ); anterior and posterior borders of coxa III with a row of granules connecting with coxae II and IV, respectively; posterior granules of coxa III larger than anterior granules (Fig. 1 B – D View Figure 1 ); free sternites with a row of setiferous granules (Fig. 1 D, F, G View Figure 1 ); anal operculum with two small tubercles (Fig. 1 E – G View Figure 1 ). Spiracles not concealed (Fig. 1 D View Figure 1 ).

Chelicerae: Basichelicerite unarmed, with an elongated and slightly marked bulla (Fig. 2 B View Figure 2 ). Cheliceral hand with sparse setae and rounded frontal setiferous granules (Fig. 2 B, C View Figure 2 ). Fixed and movable finger with a row of conical teeth (Fig. 2 C View Figure 2 ).

Pedipalps: Raptorial, with spines concentrated on tibia and tarsus (Fig. 2 D, E View Figure 2 ). Coxa elongated, slightly shorter than basichelicerite; proximally with one dorsomesal and one dorsoectal granule; ventrally with small granules (Figs 1 A – C View Figure 1 , 2 A View Figure 2 ). Trochanter rounded. Femur straight; ventrally with a row of four proximomedial pointed tubercles and one mesal spine in the third proximal region (Fig. 2 D – F View Figure 2 ). Patella elongated ventrodistally with one ectal pointed tubercle and one mesal spine (Fig. 2 D, E View Figure 2 ). Tibia ventrally with four ectal spines followed by a pointed setiferous tubercle (Fig. 2 E View Figure 2 ) and three mesal spines (Fig. 2 D View Figure 2 ). Tarsus shorter than tibia; ventrally armed with two ectal and two mesal spines (Fig. 2 D, E View Figure 2 ). Claw elongated and pointed (Fig. 2 D View Figure 2 ).

Legs: Coxa IV with prolateral pointed setiferous tubercles and two spiniform apophyses, one distal and one subdistal (Figs 1 A, B, D, F View Figure 1 , 2 A View Figure 2 ). Trochanter II with one dorsal tubercle (Fig. 4 A, B View Figure 4 ); trochanter IV apically with one retrolateral and one prolateral spiniform apophysis (Figs 1 F View Figure 1 , 6 A – D View Figure 6 ). Femur I unarmed (Fig. 3 A, B View Figure 3 ); femur II with a dorsal row of short tubercles (Fig. 4 B View Figure 4 ); femur III with a row of longer dorsal pointed tubercles than in femur II (Fig. 5 B View Figure 5 ); femur IV distally slightly thickened, armed with longitudinal rows of pointed tubercles on all surfaces; ventrodistal tubercles longer; dorsally with one spiniform apophysis at the beginning of the distal third and one spiniform apophysis on the distal edge; ventrally with a prolateral subdistal spiniform apophysis (Fig. 6 A – D View Figure 6 ). Patellae I – II unarmed (Figs 3 A, B View Figure 3 , 4 A, B View Figure 4 ); patella III with dorsal tubercles, the most distal longer and sharp-pointed (Fig. 5 A – C View Figure 5 ); patella IV with sharp-pointed tubercles, the most distal tubercles longer (Fig. 6 A – E View Figure 6 ). Tibiae I – II unarmed (Figs 3 C View Figure 3 , 4 C View Figure 4 ); tibia III with a dorsoproximal tubercle (Fig. 5 C View Figure 5 ); tibia IV ventrally enlarged, dorsally with four proximal tubercles, followed by small tubercles decreasing in size, distally with a prolateral and retrolateral pointed tubercle; ventral surface with a row of prolateral tubercles increasing in size, followed by a curved, strong and pointed prolateral apophysis and by a short conical and blunt-tipped apophysis; ventrodistally with two retrolateral short blunt-tipped apophyses (Fig. 6 A – C, E View Figure 6 ). Metatarsi I and III thin and unarmed, with pseudoarticular rings (Figs 3 D View Figure 3 , 5 D View Figure 5 ); metatarsus II unarmed, proximally swollen (obclavate) and distally thin with pseudoarticular rings (Fig. 4 D View Figure 4 ); metatarsus IV proximally broadened, ventroproximally with conical tubercles; dorsoproximally with three pointed tubercles (Fig. 6 A – C, F View Figure 6 ). Tarsi III – IV with a dense scopula (Figs 5 E View Figure 5 , 6 G View Figure 6 ). Tarsal formula: 4 (2): 9–10 (3): 5: 6 (Figs 3 E View Figure 3 , 4 E View Figure 4 , 5 E View Figure 5 , 6 G View Figure 6 ).

Colour (specimen preserved in 80 % ethanol): General body appearance yellowish-brown; carapace and coxae I – III with dark reticulations; mesotergal areas I – IV, lateral border of scutum magnum, posterior border of area V and free tergites I – III darker; posterior border of stigmatic area and free sternites dark yellowish-brown (Fig. 1 A – G View Figure 1 ); lighter colouration at the level of cheliceral insertion, creating a false appearance of a marked cheliceral socket; pseudoarticular rings lighter (Fig. 1 A View Figure 1 ). Appendages light yellowish-brown (Fig. 1 A View Figure 1 ); trochanters I – IV, distal portion of femora I – IV, patellae I – IV and tibiae IV with dark brown reticulations (Figs 3 A, B View Figure 3 , 4 A, B View Figure 4 , 5 A, B View Figure 5 , 6 C – E View Figure 6 ); tibia I – III, proximal portion of metatarsi II, IV dark brown (Figs 3 C View Figure 3 , 4 C, D View Figure 4 , 5 F View Figure 5 , 6 F View Figure 6 ).

Genitalia: General shape of penis tubular (Fig. 7 A, E View Figure 7 ) apically enlarged (Fig. 7 C, D View Figure 7 ), making the pars basalis and pars distalis clearly defined (Fig. 7 C View Figure 7 ). Pars distalis with a ventral enlarged, rounded and laterally compressed portion, that connects to a ventral thin and wide lamina apicalis; the junction between these two regions forms a semicircular edge (Fig. 7 D View Figure 7 ). Lamina apicalis with a dorsal pseudotubular-shaped fold (Fig. 7 B, D View Figure 7 ); lamina apicalis with two ventral pairs of small and acute macrosetae (Fig. 7 F View Figure 7 ). Pars distalis with a basal pair of lateral small and acute macrosetae, pointed to the apical region, located just below the narrow-rounded portion (Fig. 7 D View Figure 7 ). Narrow-rounded portion of pars distalis with two ventral and one ventrolateral pair of small, acute macrosetae (Fig. 7 F View Figure 7 ). Glans with basal capsula externa articulated with the truncus and with a jack-knife movement during the hydraulic expansion. Capsula externa as a rigid sclerite (similar to the stragulum in Zalmoxoidea) with two long and curved projections basally fused; apically, each projection with an enlarged laminar portion tapering to a pointing end, extending laterally over the rounded portion of the pars distalis (Fig. 7 A, D View Figure 7 ); dorsally with a wide mediobasal cleft (leaving part of the capsula interna exposed) becoming mediodistally very narrow so that the curved projections are in contact (Fig. 7 B View Figure 7 ). Capsula interna, barely visible through transparency, rigid, with a stylus and conductors largely fused, only separated at the apical end; conductors with straight apical margin; stylus pointed with a subapical opening of ductus ejaculatorius (Fig. 7 B, D View Figure 7 ).