Nemastoma pluridentatum (Hadži, 1973) Novak & Novak & Kozel & Schaider & Komposch & Lipovšek & Podlesnik & Paušič & Raspotnig, 2021

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 : 18-20

Nemastoma pluridentatum (Hadži, 1973) stat. nov. Novak

Figs 2 , 4D , 5D , 6D , 9D , 10D , 12D ; Table 7

Nemastoma (Lugubrostoma) triste pluridentatum Hadži, 1973a: 43 , fig 33a (original description) [partim; the description also includes N. bidentatum schmidti ssp. nov., N. bidentatum gruberi ssp. nov. × N. bidentatum schmidti ssp. nov. and N. bidentatum martensi ssp. nov. × N. bidentatum schmidti ssp. nov.].

Nemastoma bidentatum bidentatum – Martens 1978: 107.

Nemastoma? bidentatum pluridentatum – Novak 2005a: 314, fig. 34.

Nemastoma bidentatum pluridentatum – Schönhofer 2013: 36.

Diagnosis (partly according to Hadži 1973a)

Robust, short-legged member of the Nemastoma b. complex, with extremely stout Ch and Pa. Ch-Apo small, slightly trapezoid button-like, wider than high, with secretion field in frontal third. Pa-Tr nearly round, Pa-Fe and Pa-Pt very stout, Pa-Fe club-shaped, with 4 large, wide humps.

Material examined

Holotype BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – YK10 • 1 ♂; Mt. Paljenik , Vlašić planina Mts ; 1933 m a.s.l.; 18 Jun. 1962; E. Pretner leg. (4/2005, JH’s microscopic preparation); PMSL. (Note: UTM code in Novak (2005a) was erroneously cited as YJ19.)

Partial redescription

Note: male body and penis missing; female unknown.

Male (holotype)

CHELICERAE. Ch basal article length (without Apo) 0.57, stout, 1.8 times as long as wide at Ch max width at dorsal hump, distally rounded. Ch-Apo rounded low trapezoid, with longest margin distally, secretion field frontally. Distal article length 0.57, max width 0.26, movable finger length 0.28 ( Figs 4D , 6D , 9D ).

PEDIPALPS. Pa stout, Pa-Fe extremely stout, with 4 large, bulky humps (instead of spines), club-shaped (Pa-Fe min:max width ~ 1:3.6), Pa-Pt extremely stout (length:max width ~1:2.8) ( Figs 5D , 6D ). Pa article lengths in Table 7.

LEGS. Pseudoarticle leg-Fe formula I−IV: 0−2−1−2. Tarsomere formula I−IV: 8−13−5−8. Leg article lengths in Table 7.

Remarks

Under the name Nemastoma (Lugubrostoma) triste pluridentatum, Hadži (1973a) described four taxa: a) N. pluridentatum (Hadži, 1973) stat. nov. ( Hadži 1973a: fig. 33a) from Mt. Paljenik (1943 m a.s.l.) in the Vlašić Mts, Bosnia, b) a hybrid N. b. gruberi ssp. nov. × N. b. schmidti ssp. nov. ( Hadži 1973a: fig. 33b, č) from the surroundings of Novo mesto, Slovenia, c) a hybrid N. b. martensi ssp. nov. × N. b. schmidti ssp. nov. ( Hadži 1973a: fig. 33c) from the surroundings of Novo mesto, which Hadži (ibid.) erroneously cited for Mt. Vlašić, and d) Nemastoma b. schmidti ssp. nov. from Mt. Šmarna gora, Slovenia ( Hadži 1973a: fig. 34a), from the surroundings of Ljubljana ( Hadži 1973a: fig. 34b), and from the cave Jama Sv. Janeza pri Prestranku near Postojna, Slovenia ( Hadži 1973a: fig. 34c). Figs 33 and 34 were drawn freehand; consequently, shapes and dimensions only partly correspond to the real measurements. Hadži’s original microscopic preparation labeled “ Nemastoma bidentatum Roewer pulli, A-1065 (Novo Mesto), legit Karaman” includes two males and a female, but no juveniles. Hadži (ibid.) drew some details of the males, including damaged legs; see remarks on Nemastoma (Stridulostoma) seliskari Hadži, 1973 under N. b. martensi ssp. nov. × N. b. schmidti ssp. nov. Given that some important parts, e.g., Pa of one male, are missing, Hadži probably made this incomplete preparation after observation of the specimens under a microscope. In his original paper ( Hadži 1973a), the type specimen and the type locality of N. pluridentatum stat. nov. were not designated, but he did that in the catalogue ( Hadži 1973b: 13) under a mistyped name: “ N. (L.) triste pleuridentatum Hadži, 1973 ”. There he wrote: “Loc. typ.: Novo mesto ”. Since the specimens from this locality belong to the above-mentioned hybrids, Novo mesto cannot be the type locality of N. pluridentatum stat. nov.; that is the first-mentioned location in Bosnia, as fig. 33a ( Hadži 1973a) is the only drawing that refers to this taxon. Unfortunately, only the preparation of one Ch, one Pa and four legs of the male holotype are preserved, while the body, as well as a further male and female mentioned by Hadži (1973a: 44) are missing. Because of the lack of any information on the Pe, the saw on Fe IV in preserved legs is the only available character allowing us to place this taxon into the N. b. complex, interpreted as N.? bidentatum pluridentatum ( Novak 2005a: fig. 34) or N. b. pluridentatum ( Schönhofer 2013) . In 2019, we visited the type locality Mt. Paljenik, but we did not find further specimens of N. pluridentatum . Instead we found a new, much different N. kozari sp. nov. there, which unlikely hybridize with N. pluridentatum stat. nov. Consequently, we ascribed the species status to N. pluridentatum . See remarks under N. relictum stat. nov., N. kozari sp. nov. and hybrids N. b. gruberi ssp. nov. × N. b. schmidti ssp. nov. and N. b. martensi ssp. nov. × N. b. schmidti ssp. nov.

Distribution

Bosnia and Herzegovina, endemic to central Bosnia, probably endemic to the Vlašić Mts. Type locality: Mt. Paljenik in the Vlašić planina Mts, Bosnia, (44.29° N, 17.64° E, 1933 m a.s.l.), Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Ecology

Nemastoma pluridentatum stat. nov. inhabit the highest peak areas with the Mastgrass Gentianello crispatae-Nardetum strictae Redžić 1990 communities. Phenology: adults probably eurychronous.

Figures

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. 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. 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.