Sarax batuensis Roewer, 1962

Miranda, Gustavo Silva de, Giupponi, Alessandro P. L., Prendini, Lorenzo & Scharff, Nikolaj, 2021, Systematic revision of the pantropical whip spider family Charinidae Quintero, 1986 (Arachnida, Amblypygi), European Journal of Taxonomy 772, pp. 1-409 : 172-176

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.5852/ejt.2021.772.1505

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:9B82A32F-0A07-47E3-8684-FED7C8EBF1E9

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5570609

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/8F431375-FF32-FF7C-A53A-F881FAB0D8D2

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Sarax batuensis Roewer, 1962
status

stat. nov.

Sarax batuensis Roewer, 1962 View in CoL , stat. rev.

Figs 103–104 View Fig View Fig ; Table 8

Sarax batuensis Roewer, 1962: 519–520 View in CoL , fig. 3a–b. Sarax sarawakensis View in CoL – Weygoldt 1994: 244 (from Batu caves, misidentification).

Diagnosis

This species may be separated from other species of Sarax in Southeast Asia and Oceania by the following combination of characters: sternal platelets narrow and projecting; pedipalp patella with four to six dorsal spines in primary series and two prominent setiferous tubercles distal to spine I.

Etymology

The species name refers to the caves inhabited by this species ( Roewer 1962).

Type material

Holotype MALAYSIA • ♂; Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur , Batu Caves ; [03°14′16.19″ N, 101°41′02.5″ E]; Feb.–Dec. 1959 –60; H.E. McClure leg.; SMF RII/13906/51 [not examined]. GoogleMaps

Paratypes MALAYSIA • 3 ♀♀, 5 juv.; same collection data as for holotype; SMF GoogleMaps .

Additional material

MALAYSIA • 2 juv.; Batu caves ; 2001; P. Schwendinger leg.; captive bred; AMCC [ LP 1927 ] .

Redescription

CARAPACE. Curved carina between ocular triads and carapace margin ( Fig. 104A View Fig ); six anterior setae ( Fig. 104A View Fig ); frontal process triangular. Small granules densely scattered between ocular triads and among sulci. Median eyes and median ocular tubercle well developed ( Fig. 104A View Fig ); pair of setae on median tubercle; lateral eyes well developed, pale, with seta lateral to lateral ocular triad; lateral ocular triad near margin of carapace.

STERNUM. Tritosternum projected anteriorly with typical setation, long, surpassing base of pedipalp coxae ( Fig. 104B View Fig ); other sternal platelets narrow and projected, with pair of setae anteriorly and some smaller setae posteriorly; pentasternum with four setae anteriorly and four setae near membranous region.

OPISTHOSOMA. Ventral sacs and ventral sac cover present.

GENITALIA. Female genital operculum with short setae posteromedially; pair of white bulges with slender setae apically, in median region; gonopod finger-like, unsclerotized basally. Male genitalia unknown.

CHELICERAE. Short, broad projection on retrolateral surface of basal segment, opposite to bifid tooth; retrolateral surface of claw with row of setae basally to medially; claw with five teeth; more than two rows of several setae on prolateral surface of basal segment; bifid tooth on basal segment with dorsal cusp larger than ventral cusp.

PEDIPALPS. Coxae without seta encircled by round carina and three setae on margin. Femur with four dorsal spines and four or five ventral spines ( Fig. 104C–D View Fig ); three prominent setiferous tubercles between first dorsal spine and proximal margin; long spine between ventral spine 1 and proximal margin, twothirds length of spine 1; ventral spine between spines 1 and 2 ( Fig. 104D View Fig ). Patella with 4–6 dorsal spines in primary series ( Fig. 104C View Fig ); two prominent setiferous tubercles distal to spine I; three or four ventral spines; small setiferous tubercle between spine I and distal margin. Tibia with ventral spine distally and four setae between spine and distal margin. Tarsus with two dorsal spines, distal spine long, about onethird length of tarsus, proximal spine one-third length of distal spine; cleaning organ with 29–31 setae in ventral row.

LEGS. Tibia of leg I with 29 articles; tarsus incomplete; first tarsal article similar in length to second article. Leg IV basitibia with four pseudo-articles, with sclerotized, denticulate margin at apex of articles; trichobothrium bt situated in proximal third of pseudo-article; distitibia trichobothrium bc situated closer to bf than to s bf, sc and sf series each with five trichobothria.

Measurements

See Table 8.

Distribution

Sarax batuensis is endemic to the Batu Caves. Previous reports of S. brachydactylus and S. sarawakensis from these caves ( Fage 1929; McClure et al. 1967) are misidentifications. Only S. batuensis and S. rimosus are known from the Batu Caves.

Natural history

This troglobitic species appears to be restricted to the dark zone of the Batu Caves, as no specimens were found in other parts of the cave. Sarax rimosus occurs in the entrance of the cave.

Remarks

The vial of paratypes comprises three adult females and five juveniles, but the holotype male is missing.

The unique morphological characters of S. batuensis , including the large size of the adults and the basitibia of leg IV with four pseudo-articles, justify its recognition as a distinct species, as proposed by Kraus (1970). Accordingly, this species is removed from synonymy with S. buxtoni .

The vial of paratypes contains five juveniles, and three adult females, but the male holotype is missing.

Table 8 (continued on next page). Measurements of all Asian Sarax Simon, 1892.

                Pedipalp             Leg IV      
Species Additional information Source Sex Carapace length Carapace width Femur length Patella length Tibia length Tarsus length Claw length Femur I length Femur Basitibia article I Basitibia article II Basitibia article III Basitibia article IV Distitibia Basitarsus Other tarsal articles
S. batuensis SMF 13906 This work 4.06 5.63 4.40 4.30 2.23 1.38 1.25 11.03 7.20 3.44 1.08 1.00 1.40 3.12 1.43 0.95
S. batuensis SMF 13906 This work 3.44 4.69 3.50 3.35 1.50 1.10 1.10 10.64 6.25
S. batuensis SMF 13906 This work 2.75 3.85 2.41 2.31 1.25 0.88 0.78 7.20 4.72 2.52 0.76 0.80 0.88 2.40 1.20 0.76
S. bilua AMCC [LP 5564], This work 2.95 3.85 2.85 2.75 1.28 0.92 0.80 7.28 5.00 2.20 0.80 0.82 1.10 2.66 1.32 0.80
  holotype                                    
S. bilua AMCC [LP 5564] This work ♀, with eggs 2.40 3.44 2.10 2.00 1.00 0.70 0.60 5.00 3.56 1.48 0.45 0.50 0.78 1.78 1.00 0.62
S. bilua AMCC [LP 5564] This work ♀, no 2.70 3.70 2.52 2.20 1.16 0.74 0.70 7.20
      abdomen                                
S. brachydactylus ZMH, paratype This work 4.40 6.40 4.63 4.44 2.13 1.40 1.05 10.55 7.44 3.50 1.25 1.25 1.55 3.60 2.19 1.34
S. brachydactylus BMNH This work 2.60 3.75 2.44 2.41 1.14 0.79 0.63 6.88 4.20 1.93 0.68 0.73 0.83 2.00 1.20 0.85
  1894.12.16.1–2                                    
S. brachydactylus BMNH This work 3.00 4.25 2.50 2.34 1.25 0.90 0.78 7.20 4.688 2.06 0.63 0.78 1.06 2.34 1.30 0.80
  1894.12.16.1–2                                    
S. cavernicola   Rahmadi 3.20 4.17 2.92 3.26 1.59 1.87 17.08 9.08 9.90 4.81 2.40
    et al. 2010                                  
S. cavernicola Mean values Rahmadi et al. 2010 4.57–6.37 6.30–8.29 5.95– 8.98 6.15– 9.08 2.81– 3.82 3.00– 4.51   24.35– 35.79 12.92– 18.28] 13.14– 23.28 6.79–10.29 4.21–6.13
S. curioi NMP,Holotype This work 2.67 3.73 2.04 2.21 1.04 0.69 0.56
S. dunni NMNZ This work 2.75 4.25 3.30 3.25 1.25 1.00 0.76 4.50 2.50 0.81 0.81 0.91 2.19 1.09 0.78
S. huberi SMNS, paratype This work 2.32 3.40 2.44 2.52 1.00 0.68 0.63 5.44 3.48 1.68 0.53 0.58 0.83 1.68 0.93 0.56
S. huberi SMNS, paratype This work 2.28 3.40 1.78 1.72 0.97 0.63 0.65 4.30 3.25 1.47 0.53 0.53 0.69 1.53 0.90 0.58
S. huberi SMNS, paratype This work 2.50 3.55 2.40 2.40 1.00 0.74 0.60 5.04 3.30 1.56 0.45 0.55 0.68 1.53 0.90 0.68
S. indochinensis ZMUC 21613, This work 2.76 3.72 2.03 2.00 1.03 0.63 0.63 5.63 3.64 1.64 0.48 0.48 0.72 1.70 0.87 0.63
  holotype                                    
S. indochinensis ZMUC 21612, This work 2.60 3.50 2.00 2.00 1.03 0.70 0.63 5.75 3.70 1.92 0.50 0.55 0.78 1.75 0.93 0.68
  paratype                                    
S. indochinensis ZMUC 21612, This work 2.95 3.90 4.50 4.50 1.38 0.86 0.75 6.96 4.35 1.91 0.69 0.69 0.83 1.88 1.03 0.85
  paratype                                    
S. javensis ZMH This work 3.30 5.25 2.75 2.50 1.60 1.20 1.00 8.88 5.63 2.88 0.84 0.88 1.20 2.64 1.44 1.00
S. javensis ZMH This work juv.♂ 6.4/2 8.6/2 6.2/2.5 6.1/2.5 3.1/2.5 2.4/2,5 1.9/2.5 7.20 4.35 2.20 0.68 0.64 0.80 2.00 1.00 0.80
S. lembeh sp. nov. FMNH 3489485 This work 2.60 3.68 1.91 1.84 1.06 0.91 0.56 5.44 3.69 2.12 0.63 0.83 1.93 1.00 0.78
S. mardua   Rahmadi 3.35 4.47 11.39 6.87 7.74 3.52 3.02
    et al. 2010                                  
S. mardua   Rahmadi 3.82 5.59 15.39 8.99 9.65 4.38 3.64
    et al. 2010                                  
S. monodenticulatus   Rahmadi 2.00–2.48 3.00–3.60 1.40– 1.60– 0.68– 0.60– 3.40– 2.40–3.28 0.44–0.60 2.16–3.04 1.40–1.60 1.20–1.52
    & Kojima       2.20 2.64 1.00 1.20   4.80                
    2010                                  
SMF

Forschungsinstitut und Natur-Museum Senckenberg

AMCC

Ambrose Monell Cryo Collection, American Museum of Natural History

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Arachnida

Order

Amblypygi

Family

Charinidae

Genus

Sarax

Loc

Sarax batuensis Roewer, 1962

Miranda, Gustavo Silva de, Giupponi, Alessandro P. L., Prendini, Lorenzo & Scharff, Nikolaj 2021
2021
Loc

Sarax batuensis

Weygoldt P. 1994: 244
Roewer C. F. 1962: 520
1962
GBIF Dataset (for parent article) Darwin Core Archive (for parent article) View in SIBiLS Plain XML RDF