Forsteropsalis grimmetti ( Forster 1944 ) Taylor, 2011

Taylor, Christopher K., 2011, Revision of the genus Megalopsalis (Arachnida: Opiliones: Phalangioidea) in Australia and New Zealand and implications for phalangioid classification 2773, Zootaxa 2773 (1), pp. 1-65 : 53-55

Forsteropsalis grimmetti ( Forster 1944) new combination

( Figs 29 , 102–110 )

Megalopsalis grimmetti Forster 1944: 192 , figs 7–8.

Material examined. Female holotype. WD. Waiho Gorge , West Coast District, New Zealand, 12 February 1927, R . E. R. Grimmett ( MONZ 2 /12) .

Other material examined ( MONZ). FD. 1 female, Anita Bay , Milford Sound, New Zealand, 16 December 1944 , off ferns; 2 males, 2 females, Milford Sound, 19 December 1943; 4 females, Milford Sound I, beaten from ferns, 30 January 1946.

Description. MALE (N = 2). Prosoma length 1.2–1.4, width 2.2–2.8. Prosoma silvery white and tan; denticles on anterior corners and anterior margin in front of ocularium, otherwise unarmed. Ocularium silvery white with minute black points. Rest of dorsum tan except white stripe on posterior and lateral margins of opisthosoma. Dorsum of opisthosoma without lateral punctures. Coxae tan, with black setae; venter of opisthosoma tan with white spots.

Chelicerae (figs 104–105). Segment I 2.0–2.5, segment II 3.5–4.0. Orange, except dorsodistal end of first segment white; both segments denticulate; second segment inflated. Cheliceral fingers slightly separated proximally; mobile finger crescent-shaped (fig. 105).

Pedipalps (fig. 106). Femur 1.8, patella 0.8, tibia 1.2–1.4, tarsus 2.2. Striped tan and medium brown; femur with few scattered, small denticles; patella with flat, triangular apophysis (smaller than in female); patella and tibia both hypersetose along entire inner margin. Microtrichia in distal third of tarsus; no tooth-comb on claw.

Legs. Leg I femur 4.8–5.0, patella 1.0, tibia 4.5–5.0; leg II femur 9.5, patella 1.5, tibia 10.5; leg III femur 4.0– 4.5, patella 1.0, tibia 4.0–4.5; leg IV femur 7.0–7.5, patella 1.0–1.5, tibia 6.0. Tan; trochanters unarmed; femora dorsally denticulate, other segments unarmed; black setae throughout. Tibia II with seven pseudosegments; tibia IV not pseudosegmented.

Penis (figs 108–109). Anterior left bristle group slightly reduced, remaining bristle groups well-developed. Glans in line with shaft; long, sides subparallel in ventral view; no dorsolateral keel. Pores shallowly recessed.

Spiracle (fig. 29). Sparse curtain of reticulate spines extending across spiracle; terminations of spines palmate; no lateral lace tubercles.

FEMALE (fig. 103; N = 6). Prosoma length 1.4–2.0, width 2.8–3.2. Dorsal prosomal plate patched silver-white and tan; unarmed. Ocularium silver-white, setae absent. Rest of dorsum mostly tan; white spots and/or transverse stripes present on opisthosoma of some specimens; broad white transverse stripe on posterior margin of opisthosoma. Opisthosoma with broad, squat appearance, slightly dorsoventrally flattened. Lateral punctures absent. Coxae tan; venter of opisthosoma white.

Chelicerae. Segment I 1.0, segment II 2.0–2.5. Tan; first segment lightly dorsally denticulate.

Pedipalps. Femur 1.8–2.1, patella 0.8–1.0, tibia 1.4–1.6, tarsus 2.2–2.8. Tan; femur smooth; large rounded apophysis on patella (fig. 107); medial sides of patella and tibia covered by hypersetose areas, small hypersetose area present or absent on mediodistal end of femur; no tooth-comb on claw.

Legs. Leg I femur 4.3–5.0, patella 1.0, tibia 4.0–5.0; leg II femur 8.3–9.5, patella 1.0–1.5, tibia 8.5–10.0; leg III femur 4.0–4.5, patella 1.0, tibia 3.8–4.0; leg IV femur 6.3–7.5, patella 1.0–1.5, tibia 5.3–6.5. Tan, with scattered black setae; unarmed. Tibia II with seven or eight pseudosegments; tibia IV with two or no pseudosegments.

Ovipositor. Seminal receptacles as shown in fig. 110.

Comments. Male specimens have been assigned to this species on the basis of their association with females similar in appearance to the holotype. However, many species of Monoscutidae have similar or indistinguishable females ( Taylor, 2004). Male specimens from the type locality are necessary to confirm if the Milford Sound specimens described here are truly conspecific.

The characteristic broad, slightly flattened opisthosoma of this species is distinct from that of any other neopilionid species. The large rounded apophysis on the pedipalpal patella in the female and the matt white venter on the opisthosoma also make this species easily differentiated from all other New Zealand Monoscutidae .

Figures

FIGURES 27–30. Spiracles of Neopantopsalis and Forsteropsalis. 27. Neopantopsalis pentheter, with multifurcate reticulate spines. 28. Neopantopsalis quasimodo, with non-reticulate spines briefly extending at lateral corner onto posterior margin of spiracle. 29. Forsteropsalis grimmetti, with sparse, elongate reticulate spines. 30. Forsteropsalis fabulosa, with dense curtain of elongate reticulate spines.

FIGURES 102–110. Forsteropsalis grimmetti (Forster 1944) (all MONZ AS.00092). 102. Body of male, dorsal view. 103. Body of female, dorsal view. 104. Left male chelicera, retrolateral view. 105. Right male cheliceral fingers, dorsal view. 106. Left male pedipalp, prolateral view. 107. Left female pedipalp, dorsal view of patella and tibia. 108. Glans, ventral view. 109. Glans, lateral view. 110. Seminal receptacles. Scale bars for figs 102–104, 106–107 = 1 mm; fig. 105 = 0.5 mm; figs 108–110 = 0.2 mm.