Lawrence 1931 : 482
Lawrence 1931 : 491
Notes on Phalangiidae (Arachnida: Opiliones) of southern Africa with description of new species and comments on within-species variation
Taylor, Christopher K.
Zootaxa
2017
4272
2
236
250
7YRDS
Lawrence 1931
Lawrence
1931
[151,610,1281,1307]
Arachnida
Phalangiidae
Rhampsinitus
GBIF
Animalia
Opiliones
11
247
Arthropoda
species
vittatus
Rhampsinitus vittatus Lawrence 1931: 482–483, fig. 70. Rhampsinitus silvaticus Lawrence 1931: 491–493, fig. 76 syn. n.
Materialexamined(all CAS). 6 males, 3 juveniles, Harkerville State Forest, 19 kmE Knysna, Western Cape Province, 34°03’S 23°14’E, el. 240 m, indigenous forest, 11–13.xii.1996, C. E. Griswold; 11 males, 3 females, 4 juveniles, Kranshoek, 20 kmE Knysna, Western Cape Province, 34°05’S 23°14’E, el. 180 m, forest, 13.xii.1996, C. E. Griswold.
Description. Male(fig. 7). As for Lawrence (1931), with the following additions: Carapace with anterior margin unarmed except for single median denticle. Penis(figs 7c–e) with blunt hatchet-shaped glans, distal profile truncate, point of reflexion of posterior margin in lateral view in distal half; shaft thick, slightly broadening towards distal end to form moderate ‘spoon’ with weakly sclerotised margins, base moderately bulbous. Notes. Rhampsinitus vittatuswas described by Lawrence (1931)from two males collected at Sir Lowry’s Pass in western South Africa, near CapeTown. The specimens examined herein are similar to Lawrence’s description in cheliceral and pedipalp morphology and overall armature, and are likely to represent the same species. Though the current specimens’ collection locality is some distance from the typelocality, Lotz(2009)listed records of this species from this region and further east, and it is possible that Rhampsinitus vittatusoccurs along much of the coastal region of South Africa. This species has a distinctive male genital morphology compared to other Rhampsinitus, the majority of which have a glans with a narrow, blade-like posterior edge and an acute terminus near the origin of the stylus (as found in R. conjunctidensand R. regulusdescribed herein; Kauri 1961; Staręga 1984, 2009; Schönhofer 2008). The glans of R. vittatushas a rounder posterior edge and a broadly truncate terminus (fig. 5d). Kauri (1961)illustrated the same genital morphology for R. silvaticus Lawrence 1931, a species originally described from Knysna and supposed to differ from R. vittatusin having fewer denticles on the pedipalp and less enlarged male chelicerae. The specimens examined herein, however, exhibit variation in these characters between individuals, with the degree of pedipalpal denticulation and cheliceral inflation correlating with overall body size. As such, R. vittatusand R. silvaticusare synonymised herein.
1562860375
1996-12-11
1996-12-13
1996-12-11
CAS
C. E. Griswold
240
-34.05
Harkerville State Forest
1201
23.233334
Material
11
247
9
3
6
Western Cape Province
1562860374
1996-12-13
C. E. Griswold.
180
-34.083332
Kranshoek
1201
23.233334
11
247
18
3
4
11
Western Cape Province
1562860377
South Africa
Cape
11
247
1
Cape
1562860367
South Africa
Lotz
11
247
1
holotype