Haematotropis divergens (Chamberlin, 1918), new combination

Figs 44, 45, 50

Aphelidesmus divergens Chamberlin, 1918: 249 .

Aphelidesmus divergens: Loomis (1934: 34, fig. 18).

Aphelidesmus guianensis Chamberlin, 1923: 46, pl. 18, figs 119–122. syn. nov.

Ochrotropis guianensis: Jeekel (2000: 82, figs 9–11); Almeida et al. (2018: 355, fig. 2).

Diagnosis. Adult males of H. divergens n. comb. differ from other Haematotropis species based on the following combination of characters: gonopod without LP1 and LP2, presence of LP3; opening of the solenomere originates at the distal end of acropodite; solenomere without projection (Fig. 45A, C, D).

Material examined. 1 ♂, Trinidad and Tobago, Monte Santo Benedict (10º39’49’’N, 61º23’56”W), 27– 30. VI .1999, R . Pinto-da-Rocha leg. (MZUSP 962); 1 ♂, idem, 27–30. VI .1999, R . Pinto-da-Rocha leg. (MZUSP 962); 1 ♂, Trinidad, Tamana Caves, 28.I.1966, Joana Darlington leg. Labeled as A. divergens (VMNH); 1 ♂, idem, North Range, Lopinot Cave, 24.II.1967, J. Darlington leg., identified on the label as A. divergens (VMNH); 1 ♂, idem, under stones, Mt. Tabor, 25.I.1932, D. Vesey-Fitzgerald leg., labeled as A. divergens (VMNH); 4 ♂♂, idem, Tamana Caves, 15.II.1966, Joanna Darlington leg., identified on the label as A. divergens (VMNH); 5 ♂♂, Tobago, A. V . Armour Expedition, 19.II.1932, Scarborough, labeled as A. divergens (VMNH) .

Redescription.

Size and form. Body length = 48 and wide = 6 mm. TL/GW = 8.

Coloration (long preserved in 70% ethanol). Head, prozonite, metazonite and telson light brown, polygonal areas on rings 11–18 of the metazonite, antennomeres, paranota, sides of metazonite and legs yellow (Fig. 44A–D).

Head. Dorsal surface smooth and shiny, without microgranulations.

Trunk. Collum 1.3 mm long, 3.4 mm wide; dorsal surface of all rings smooth and shiny, without microgranulation; posterolateral margins slightly concave (Fig. 44A, B). Rings 2–19: prozonite and metazonite smooth and shiny, without microgranulation in dorsal region of all rings. Anterolateral teeth on paranota of rings 2–4 (Fig. 2G). Lateral margins of ring 2 not projected posteriad (Fig. 44A, B). Gonopodal aperture elliptical, approximately 0.8 mm wide and 0.5 mm long at midpoints. Telson (Fig. 44D) smooth and shiny, without microgranulations.

Legs. Smooth and shiny, without microgranulations.

Gonopods. Left gonopod structure as follows: coxa with lateral swelling at midlength absent (Fig. 45A, C); acropodite elongated, about four times as long as prefemur; median region expanded, cup-shaped in ventral view, with a concavity and cavity (Fig. 45D); distal region of acropodite lightly sinuous, not bifurcate, bivalve shellshaped, curved ventrally at a 70° angle (Fig. 45A–D); VP1 emarginated on posterior region, not very evident, not exceeding the width of ventral region of acropodite, in lateral view (Fig. 45A, C); VP2, LP1 and LP2 absent, LP3 hemispheric (Fig. 45B, D); DP absent. Opening of solenomere located at distal end of acropodite (Fig. 45A, C, D), without projection. Solenomere without projection (Fig. 45A, C, D).

Remarks. Aphelidesmus guianensis was described by Chamberlin (1923) from Guyana (Fig. 46A–D). Jekeel (2000) established a new combination of A. guianensis, transferring it to the new genus Ochrotropis Jekeel, 2000 . However, he failed to justify his decision and only mentioned that Ochrotropis seemed to be more closely related to such typical species of Aphelidesmus as A. hermaphroditus Brölemann, 1898 (the type species), A. kervillei Brölemann, 1898, A. divergens or A. frangens Chamberlin, 1950 . Species of Aphelidesmus Brölemann, 1898 show the most complex acropodital region which is divided into a distal and a proximal lamella. Jeekel (2000) stated that Ochrotropis differed from other genera of Aphelidesmidae by having an even more complex tibiotarsus (= acropodite), with the tibiotarsal lamella divided into LP3 (formerly b) and a distal lamella (= a). Additionally, he noted that the distal lamella was twisted around the axis of the tibiotarsus, and the femur was generally distinctly longer than the prefemur, corroborating this with the illustration of the type specimen (Fig. 46E, F). On the other hand, the characteristics observed by Jeekel also agree with those observed in specimens from Trinidad & Tobago (Fig. 45A–D). We compared the specimens with the original description (Chamberlin 1918) and the later redescription (Loomis 1934) of A. divergens, as well as the original description of A. guianensis by Chamberlin (1923) and the later redescription of O. guianensis by Jeekel (2000). All those specimens revised have the well-defined characteristics observed in Haematotropis such as the presence of anterolateral teeth on rings 2–4 (Fig. 2F) and the conformation of the gonopods, with the median region expanded and cup-shaped in ventral view, and a concave ventral region (Fig. 45D).

We have analyzed specimens of Aphelidesmus divergens from Trinidad and of O. guianensis from Guyana (Fig. 46A–D) with lateral margins of ring 2 not projected posteriad and the gonopod with the distal region of the acropodite slightly sinuous, not bifurcate, bivalve shell–shaped, and curved ventrally. Therefore, O. guianensis is proposed herein as a junior subjective synonym of A. divergens .

Distribution. Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago (Fig. 50).