Nemastoma relictum Gruber & Martens, 1968

Novak, Tone, Novak, Ljuba Slana, Kozel, Peter, Schaider, Miriam Gudrun, Komposch, Christian, Lipovšek, Saška, Podlesnik, Jan, Paušič, Igor & Raspotnig, Günther, 2021, Hidden diversity within the Nemastoma bidentatum Roewer, 1914 complex (Opiliones: Nemastomatidae) Part I: Morphological evidence, European Journal of Taxonomy 777, pp. 1-67 : 16-18

Nemastoma relictum Gruber & Martens, 1968 stat. nov. Komposch

Figs 1B , 2 , 4C , 5C , 6C , 7D , 8D , 9C , 10C , 11D , 12C , 13C ; Tables 5–6

Nemastoma bidentatum relictum Gruber & Martens, 1968: 147–149 , figs 14−16, 24 (original description).

Nemastoma bidentatum relictum – Martens 1978: 112–113, figs 148−150. — Komposch & Gruber 2004: 485. — Komposch 2009: 476; 2011: 65. — Schönhofer 2013: 36.

Diagnosis

Species within the N. b. complex with button-shaped Ch-Apo, and secretion field oriented frontally. Pa- Fe without spines, slightly club-shaped (Pa-Fe min:max width ~1:2.3). Rec sem with 5 lobate, tubularsaccular vesicles.

Material examined

AUSTRIA • 2 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀; Grosses Kar , the Koralpe Mts ; 25 Oct. 2005; C. Komposch leg. (CK det.); PMSL .

Description (according to Gruber & Martens 1968, slightly modified)

Male (from Grosses Kar, Salzburg)

BODY. Length 1.55−1.60.

CHELICERAE. Ch with flat triangular dorsal margin in front of dorsal indentation; ventral margin straight, with minute triangular hump. Ch-Apo button-like, inferior and frontal margins straight, embracing a

90° angle, Ch-Apo dorsally round, secretion field with dense setae (brush) frontally ( Figs 4C , 6C , 9C ). Proximal article length 0.54, distal article length 0.53, max width 0.18, movable finger length 0.19.

PEDIPALPS. Pa-Tr dorsal margin high, oval, leaned distally; Pa-Fe distended distally (max:min width ~ 1.7:1), without spines. Pa-Pt with conspicuously convex ventral margin and finger-like medial Apo. Pa-Ti and Pa-Ta straight ( Figs 5C , 6C ). Pa article lengths in Table 5.

PENIS. Pe length 1.6, Pe basis ¼ Pe length, glans isosceles triangular ( Figs 7C , 8C ).

LEGS. Leg article lengths in Tables 5–6.

Female (from Grosses Kar, Salzburg)

BODY. Length 1.70.

CHELICERAE. Ch basal article with low-arched dorsal margin in front of indentation, and ventral lowarched concavity, Ch basal article length:width ~ 2.3:1 ( Fig. 13C ). Proximal article length 0.56, distal article length 0.55, max width 0.19, movable finger length 0.20.

PEDIPALPS. Pa short, ~ 2 mm long, Pa-Tr with high, isosceles triangular dorsal margin arched on the top, Pa-Fe distended distally (max:min width ~1.6:1), Pa-Ta short, Pa-Ta length:Pa-Ti length ~1:1.6 ( Fig. 13C ). Pa article lengths in Table 5.

OVIPOSITOR. Rec sem with 5 lobate, tubular-saccular vesicles ( Fig. 11D ).

LEGS. Leg article lengths in Tables 5–6.

Remarks

We did not examine the original type material; for the current description, we used other specimens from the type location. Rec sem were found much different from the other taxa within the N. b. complex.

Distribution

Austria, endemite of eastern Central Alps ( Gruber & Martens 1968; Martens 1978; Komposch 1999, 2009). Vertical distribution: 1325−2240 m a.s.l. ( Komposch 1999, 2009). Type locality: Grosses Kar, near the Tappenkarsee Lake, Kleinartal, Salzburg (47.19° N, 13.32° E, 1760 m a.s.l.), Radstädter Tauern Mts, Austria.

Ecology

Nemastoma relictum stat. nov. is a montane to alpine species within the N. b. complex inhabiting forests below the krummholz zone, alpine meadows, spring-areas, and gravel and block heaps in the eastern Central Alps ( Gruber & Martens 1968; Martens 1978; Komposch 1999, 2009) in 1325–2240 m a.s.l. ( Komposch 1999). Phenology: evidence of adults from the end of May till the end of October, but probably eurychronous.

Figures

Fig. 1. Representatives of the Nemastoma bidentatum Roewer, 1914 complex. A. The habitus of a male Nemastoma bidentatum gruberi Novak, Slana Novak, Kozel & Raspotnig ssp. nov.; Svete gore, Slovenia (photo: C. Komposch); inset: femur IV with two pseudo-articles (apparent articles, i.e., sections delimited with pale, indented rings on the proximal femur portion), and a saw on the latero-posterior margin. B. The body of a male Nemastoma relictum Gruber & Martens, 1968 stat. nov. showing the tuberculate surface of glittering scutum compositum, and position of the ocular mound (tuber oculorum), supracheliceral lamellae, chelicerae with cheliceral apophysis, and pedipalps and leg. The frontal portion of the scutum is smeared over with a hardened secretum of the integumental glands (cf. Wolff et al. 2016); Mt. Grosses Karr, the Koralpen Mts, Austria. C. The body of a male Nemastoma bidentatum gruberi ssp. nov., smeared over with the secretum; Kozje, Slovenia.

Fig. 2. The complete distributional area of the Nemastoma bidentatum Roewer, 1914 complex, according to Gruber & Martens (1968), Martens (2006), Schönhofer & Holle (2007) and own data, with marked positions of the type localities of the taxa.

Fig. 4. Nemastoma bidentatum Roewer, 1914 complex, ♂♂. Ch basal articles (medial, lateral views).

Fig. 5. Nemastoma bidentatum Roewer, 1914 complex, ♂♂. Pa (medial view).

Fig. 6. Nemastoma bidentatum Roewer, 1914 complex, ♂♂. Synchroscopic images of the male Ch basal article and Pa-Fe (medial views, except G, right figure, which is in dorso-medial view).

Fig. 7. Nemastoma bidentatum Roewer, 1914 complex. Penes (lateral view). Note: The penis of N. pluridentatum (Hadži, 1973) stat. nov. is unknown.

Fig. 8. Nemastoma bidentatum Roewer, 1914 complex. Glans (dorsal and lateral views). Note: The penis of N. pluridentatum (Hadži, 1973) stat. nov. is unknown.

Fig. 9. Nemastoma bidentatum Roewer, 1914 complex, ♂♂. Variation of the Ch basal article (medial view) in species, subspecies and hybrids.

Fig. 10. Nemastoma bidentatum Roewer, 1914 complex, ♂♂. Variation of the Pa-Fe (A–B first image, C, D–E first image, F–G first image; H–J, L–M right, N–O: lateral view; the others in dorso-medial view to show the armament).

Fig. 11. Nemastoma bidentatum Roewer, 1914 complex, ♀♀; Rec sem (lateral view, right portion, except F left figure, which is in dorsal view). A. The frame encloses the ovipositor portion with Rec sem. Note: Female N. pluridentatum (Hadži, 1973) stat. nov. is unknown.

Fig. 12. Nemastoma bidentatum Roewer, 1914 complex, ♂♂. From left to right: Ch basal article (medial, lateral views), Pa (medial view) and Pe tip (dorsal, lateral views). Arrows indicate the most identifying characters. Note: Pe of N. pluridentatum (Hadži, 1973) stat. nov. is unknown.

Fig. 13. Nemastoma bidentatum Roewer, 1914 complex, ♀♀. From left to right: Silhouettes of the Ch basal article, Pa (both medial view) and Rec sem. Arrows indicate the most identifying characters. Note: female N. pluridentatum (Hadži, 1973) stat. nov. is unknown.