Sarax willeyi Gravely, 1915

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 : 208

Sarax willeyi Gravely, 1915

Figs 3G–H , 4G–H , 103 , 130 ; Table 8

Sarax willeyi Gravely, 1915b: 441 , fig. 7.

Sarax willeyi – Mello-Leitão 1931: 55. — Werner 1935: 471. — Kraus 1970: figs 10–11. — Harvey 2003: 9. — Rahmadi & Kojima 2010: 476, figs 1a, 2a–g.

Diagnosis

This species may be separated from other species of Sarax in Southeast Asia and Oceania by the following combination of characters: small size (adult body length about 4.0– 6.2 mm); carapace projected anteriorly ( Fig. 130A ); sternum projected anteriorly with typical setation ( Fig. 130B ); frontal process triangular, short ( Fig. 130C ); female gonopod plunger-like; cheliceral claw with three teeth; pedipalp femur with four dorsal spines (dextral pedipalp with five dorsal spines due to presence of additional spine distally, and equal in length, to spine 4) and four ventral spines (spine 4 very small on dextral pedipalp) ( Figs 3G– H , 130E–F ); pedipalp patella with three dorsal spines, large spine distal to dorsal spine 3, and three ventral ( Figs 4G–H , 130E–F ); pedipalp tarsus with two short spines ( Fig. 130D ), tarsal cleaning organ with 23 (sinistral) or 26 (dextral) setae in ventral row of setae; tibia of leg I with 23 articles, tarsus I with 41 articles; leg IV basitibia with four pseudo-articles.

Etymology

Although unspecified, the name is evidently a patronym honoring the collector, Dr Willey.

Type material

Syntypes PAPUA NEW GUINEA • 1 ♀, 1 ♂; New Britain; Dr Willey leg.; SMF 64589 [examined] .

Additional material (examined)

PAPUA NEW GUINEA • 1 ♂, 6 juv.; New Britain, S. Küst; 5–8 Feb. 1909; G. Duncker le g.; Hamburg. Südsee Exped.; ZMH • 1 ♀ [opisthosoma detached]; Ralum [Ralum, New Britain]; 21 Oct. 1896; L. Dahl leg.; ZMH .

Measurements

See Table 8.

Distribution

Known from the island of New Britain, Papua New Guinea.

Natural history

Found under stones, fallen trees and rotten logs on the forest floor.

Remarks

The holotype is dismembered, and the dextral pedipalp is missing. See Rahmadi & Kojima (2010) for redescription.

Figures

Fig. 3. Charinidae Quintero, 1986, pedipalp femur, prolateral and dorsal views. A–B. Charinus carinae sp. nov. (MNRJ 9293). C–D. Charinus gertschi Goodnight & Goodnight, 1946 (AMCC [LP 10076]). E–F. Sarax bispinosus (Nair, 1934) (AMCC [LP 12298]). G–H. Sarax willeyi Gravely, 1915 (SMF). Scale bars: A–D, G–H = 1 mm; E–F = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 4. Charinidae Quintero, 1986, pedipalp patellar articles, dorsal and prolateral views. A–B. Charinus carinae sp. nov. (MNRJ 9293). C–D. Charinus gertschi Goodnight & Goodnight, 1946 (AMCC [LP 10076]). E–F. Sarax bispinosus (Nair, 1934) (AMCC [LP 12298]). G–H. Sarax willeyi Gravely, 1915 (SMF). Scale bars: A–D, G–H = 1 mm; E–F = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 103. Map plotting known distributions of species of Sarax Simon, 1892 in Southeast Asia and Oceania, with insets for Singapore (A), eastern Borneo (B), and western West Papua (C).

Fig. 130. Sarax willeyi Gravely, 1915 (SMF), general morphology, ♀. A. Carapace, dorsal view. B. Sternum, ventral view. C. Frontal process. D. Pedipalp tarsus, frontal view. E. Pedipalp, dorsal view. F. Pedipalp, ventral view. Scale bars: A–B = 0.5 mm; C = 0.1 mm; D–F = 1 mm.