Megalopsalis Roewer 1923

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 : 31

Megalopsalis Roewer 1923

Macropsalis Sørensen 1886: 54–55 non Sclater 1866 — Pocock 1903a: 398; Hogg 1910: 277; Roewer 1911: 102, 1912: 278. Megalopsalis Roewer 1923: 866 (replacement name for Macropsalis Sørensen )— Forster 1944: 184–185 (referring to material of Forsteropsalis new genus); Crawford 1992: 28, 29.

Type species. Macropsalis serritarsus Sørensen 1886 by monotypy.

Other included species. Megalopsalis epizephyros new species, Megalopsalis eremiotis new species, Megalopsalis hoggi Pocock 1903a , Megalopsalis leptekes new species, Megalopsalis pilliga new species.

Diagnosis. Megalopsalis is distinguished from Pantopsalis , Forsteropsalis , Spinicrus and Neopantopsalis by the presence of a well-developed apophysis, longer than wide, on the pedipalpal patella. It differs from Monoscutum , Acihasta , Templar and Australiscutum in having long, slender legs and from Hypomegalopsalis and Tercentenarium in the presence of elongate chelicerae in the male. It also differs from Tercentenarium in having a short glans that is triangular in ventral view.

Description. MALE. Dorsal prosomal plate denticulate; remainder of dorsum unarmed. Chelicerae elongate, heavily denticulate; cheliceral fingers closing tightly against each other. Pedipalpal patella with well-developed hypersetose mediodistal apophysis; claw with ventral tooth-comb. Trochanters I and II usually with prolateral spines (except in Megalopsalis leptekes ). Femora I and II denticulate, femur I usually particularly so; patella and tibia I often denticulate. Penis with elongate shaft and long tendon; well-developed bristle groups at shaft-glans junction. Glans short, triangular in ventral view, bent only slightly dorsad from glans; dorsal side evenly convex, no dorsolateral keel; distal end of glans dorsoventrally flattened. Pores on glans shallowly or deeply recessed without distinct rim. Spiracle with anterior grill of slender spines, often only extending partway across; spines often reticulate (except M. leptekes ), with simple or palmate terminations; cluster of lace tubercles present at lateral corner; posterior margin of spiracle unornamented.

Distribution (fig. 44). Southern Western Australia, southern South Australia, Victoria, eastern New South Wales.