Sitalcina oasiensis DiDomenico & Hedin

DiDomenico, Angela & Hedin, Marshal, 2016, New species in the Sitalcinasura species group (Opiliones, Laniatores, Phalangodidae), with evidence for a biogeographic link between California desert canyons and Arizona sky islands, ZooKeys 586, pp. 1-36 : 14-15

Taxon classification Animalia Opiliones Phalangodidae

Sitalcina oasiensis DiDomenico & Hedin sp. n. Figures: map Figure 1; male Figure 9 A–E; female Figure 10 A–D

Type material.

Holotype male (SDSU_TAC000211, CASENT 9029998) from California, San Diego County, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Borrego Palm Canyon. N33.28025°, W116.43369° elev. ca. 430 m. Collected by A. DiDomenico, D. Carlson, S. Derkarabetian, S. Bejarano, February 23, 2013.

Etymology.

Named for the well-known palm oases of Borrego Palm Canyon.

Diagnosis.

Both sexes are small-bodied, with a low EM and a flattened body profile, similar to Sitalcina borregoensis . Females can be distinguished by the more strongly imbricate OVM. The male TrIV spur is approximately straight, shorter than in Sitalcina borregoensis .

Genetic data.

GenBank Accession numbers: KX064804, KX064805, KX064832, KX064833, KX064857, KX064858, KX064900, KX064901, KX064926, KX064927.

Description.

Integument color pale orange with lighter appendages. Body finely rugose with larger tubercles along tergal margins and small tubercles anteriorly on EM; 2-3 pairs of AT. EM low and rounded, eyes present. Palpal Fm with median dorsobasal row of 3 asetose tubercles and one small mesal tubercle. Palpal megaspines: trochanter 2 ventral; Fm 3 ventrobasal, one mesodistal; patella 2 mesal, one ectal; tibia and tarsus 2 mesal, 2 ectal. TC 3-5-5-5.

MALE. Holotype (paratypes SDSU_TAC000297, SDSU_TAC000298): BL 1.3 (1.13-1.28). SL 0.81 (0.75- 0.8), SW 0.78 (0.73-0.88). EM width 0.19 (0.20), height 0.11 (0.10- 0.13). GO length 0.14, width 0.15. Leg II length 2.7 (2.34-2.64), Leg II/SL 3.33 (2.93-3.12). TrIV spur short, straight. Penis VP entire, apically rounded, with 9 pairs of setae, AS absent; glans DL quadrate; PSL simple and bilobed, rounded at apical end; S not visible.

FEMALE paratype SDSU_TAC000299: BL 1.5. SL 0.8, SW 0.9. EM width 0.25, height 0.13. Leg II length 3.0, Leg II/SL 3.75. Strongly imbricate OVM, apical teeth absent, 7 pairs of OVS, curved, multifurcate.

Other material examined.

See Suppl. material 1: Table S1 for locality information for specimens examined.

Distribution and habitat.

Known only from the type locality. Specimens were collected from sparse desert chaparral habitat, under small rocks amongst larger granite boulders, NE-facing slope above palm oases.