Indohya sagmata Harvey & Burger, 2023

Harvey, Mark S., Burger, Mieke A. A., Abrams, Kym M., Finston, Terrie L., Huey, Joel A. & Perina, Giulia, 2023, The systematics of the pseudoscorpion genus Indohya (Pseudoscorpiones: Hyidae) in Australia, Zootaxa 5342 (1), pp. 1-119 : 89-92

Indohya sagmata Harvey & Burger , n. sp.

( Figs. 1–3 , 5 , 48 , 49 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:48172E49-D718-43A0-A282-D0B467CF5C04

Material examined. Holotype male. AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: Packsaddle 6, Area C, 100 km WNW. of Newman , 22°53′55.32″S, 119°04′04.12″E, 18 April 2008, troglofauna net scrape, P. Bell, K. Muirhead ( WAM T138967 ).

Paratypes. AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: 1 Ô, Packsaddle P 4, 100 km NW. of Newman , 22°54′13.7″S, 118°59′03.4″E, 9 April 2010, troglofauna scrape, G.B. Pearson, M.K. Curran ( WAM T111711 ) .

Other material. AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: 1 ♀, Packsaddle Range, Packsaddle deposit 6, bore hole PSF0091 R , 22°53′57″S, 119°04′04″E, 10 December 2008, stygofauna scraping, staff from Subterranean Ecology ( WAM T97275 ; specimen consumed during DNA extraction); 1 tritonymph, Packsaddle P 4, 100 km NW. of Newman, 22°54′05.3″S, 118°59′15.8″E, 9 April 2010, G.B. Pearson, M.K. Curran ( WAM T111710 ); 1 tritonymph, Packsaddle P 4, 100 km NW. of Newman, 22°54′10.2″S, 118°59′14.0″E, 26 June 2010, troglofauna scrape, G.B. Pearson, M.K. Curran ( WAM T111712 ) .

Diagnosis. Indohya sagmata belongs to a group of Indohya species that have 12 setae on the carapace and no eyes. It differs from I. anastomosa , I. aquila and I. humphreysi by the presence of 4 setae on tergite I (only 2 setae in I. anastomosa , I. aquila and I. humphreysi ). It differs from I. arnoldstrongi , I. cockingi and I. finitima by having numerous pointed teeth on the fixed chelal finger, and from I. cribbi and I. lynbeazleyae by the smooth femur and patella (femur and patella granulate in I. cribbi and I. lynbeazleyae ). It differs from I. damocles by its smaller size [e.g. chela (with pedicel) 1.50–1.66 (Ô) mm, vs. 2.22–2.32 (Ô), 2.22–2.55 (♀) mm in I. damcoles ], and from I. jessicae and I. scanloni by its narrow pedipalpal segments [e.g. chela (with pedicel) at least 5.0 × longer than broad; femur at least 6.5 × longer than broad, vs. chela (with pedicel) less than 4.5 × longer than broad; femur less than 6.0 × longer than broad].

There are no unique nucleotide substitutions in COI mtDNA that distinguish this species from all other species of Indohya . The four sequenced specimens differ from all other sequenced specimens of Indohya by 16.5–29.0% (Table 2).

Description (adult). Colour ( Fig. 48 ): Carapace and pedipalps red-brown, tergites yellow-brown.

Setae and cuticle: setae long, mostly straight and acicular; most cuticular surfaces smooth and glossy.

Chelicera: surface smooth; hand with 5 setae, except for 6 in right chelicera of holotype, movable finger with 1 sub-medial seta, all setae acuminate; galea present, long, slender and slightly curved; fixed finger with 10 teeth (Ô), each approximately same size; movable finger with 8, each approximately same size; with 2 dorsal and 1 ventral lyrifissures; lamina exterior absent; rallum with 7 blades, all blades with anterior spinules, basal blade shorter than others.

Pedipalp ( Fig. 49B ): long and slender; trochanter smooth, 1.94–2.54 (Ô) ×; femur slightly broadened distally, smooth, without dorsal tactile seta, with 3 stout retrolateral setae near base, 6.71–6.94 (Ô) ×; patella slightly broadened distally, smooth, pedicel not strongly pronounced but basal portion slimmer than distal portion, with several small lyrifissures situated basally on dorsal surface, 4.85–5.11 (Ô) ×; chela ( Fig. 49C ): hand slender, with prolateral face lightly granulate, chela (with pedicel) 5.00–5.03 (Ô) ×, chela (without pedicel) 4.70–4.77 (Ô) ×, hand (without pedicel) 1.75–1.98 (Ô) × longer than broad, movable finger 1.50–1.54 (Ô) × longer than hand (without pedicel). Fixed finger with 8 trichobothria, eb, esb and isb in straight row at base of finger, ib situated dorsally at the end of the chelal hand, isb at the basal end of the fixed finger, ib situated on dorsum of chelal hand, it closer to et than to est, et distal to it; movable finger with 4 trichobothria, sb much closer to b than to st, st situated much closer to t than to sb, ratio sb–st / sb–b = 1.69 (Ô), t acuminate. Both fingers straight in lateral view. Fixed finger smooth, movable finger with several retrolateral granulations basally. Chelal teeth ( Figs. 49D, E ) juxtadentate, fixed finger with 85 (Ô) teeth, teeth 1–10, 38, 41, 43–85 pointed, remainder rounded or truncate, movable finger with 54, low, but discernible teeth. Venom apparatus present only in movable chelal finger, venom duct long, terminating in nodus ramosus between sb and st.

Cephalothorax: carapace ( Fig. 49A ) sub-rectangular; smooth; anterior margin slightly convex; epistome absent; lateral margins slightly convex; 1.30 (Ô) × longer than broad; with 12 setae arranged 3: 1: 4: 2: 2 (Ô holotype), 4: 0: 4: 2: 2 (Ô paratypes); without furrows; eyes absent. Manducatory process distally triangular, with 2 distal setae; pedipalpal coxa with 6 additional setae. Coxa I with anterior margin not modified; chaetotaxy of coxae I–IV: Ô, 4: 4: 4: 5.

Legs: femora I and II much longer than patellae I and II, respectively; femora I and II with basal swelling; femora I and II with primary slit sensillum directed transversely; junction between anterior femora and patellae perpendicular; junction between posterior femora and patellae slightly oblique; femora III and IV much smaller than patellae III and IV, respectively; femur + patella IV 4.68 (Ô) × longer than broad; metatarsi shorter than tarsi; subterminal tarsal seta acuminate; claws smooth, arolium slightly shorter than claws; arolium not divided.

Abdomen: tergites not divided; tergal chaetotaxy Ô, 3: 4: 5: 6: 6: 6: 6: 6: 6: 4 (including 2 tactile setae): 4 (including 2 tactile setae): 2; arranged in single rows; sternal chaetotaxy Ô, 19: (2) 20 [2 + 2] (2): (2) 4 (2): 9: 9: 8: 8: 8: 7: 4 (including 2 tactile setae): 2; posterior tergites and sternites with several tactile setae; medial sternites without suture line; pleural membrane uniformly granulate; without setae; stigmatic helix present.

Genitalia: male: lateral genital sacs large and ovoid; median genital sac short and ovoid; ejaculatory duct atrium large and rounded; dorsal apodeme wing-like; without a pair of large dorsal genital sacs; with 2 pairs of setae within genital atrium.

Dimensions (mm): male holotype ( WAM T138967 ) (followed by 1 other male, when measured, in parentheses). Body length (excluding chelicerae) 2.32. Pedipalp: trochanter 0.355 / 0.140 (0.330 / 0.170), femur 1.040 / 0.155 (1.180 / 0.170), patella 0.80/0.165 (0.920 / 0.180), chela (with pedicel) 1.500 / 0.300 (1.660 / 0.330), chela (without pedicel) length 1.430 (1.550), chelal hand (without pedicel) length 0.525 (0.625), movable finger length 0.810 (0.985). Carapace 0.670 / 0.515. Leg IV: femur + patella 0.655 / 0.140, metatarsus?, tarsus ?.

Description (tritonymph). Colour: pale, yellow-white.

Chelicera: hand with 5 setae, movable finger with 1 sub-medial seta.

Pedipalp: trochanter 2.35 ×, femur 6.54 ×, patella 4.11 ×, chela (with pedicel) 4.75 ×, chela (without pedicel) 4.48 ×, hand (without pedicel) 1.71 × longer than broad, movable finger 1.62 × longer than hand (without pedicel). Fixed finger with 7 trichobothria ( Fig. 49F ), eb, esb, est, et, ib, ist and it present; movable finger with 3 trichobothria; b, st and t present, st much closer to t than to b. Fixed chelal finger with 55 low, juxtadentate teeth, movable chelal finger with 24 low, juxtadentate teeth.

Cephalothorax: carapace 1.36 × longer than broad; with 12 setae, arranged 4: 0: 4: 2: 2, including posterior margin with 2 setae; smooth; without furrows; eyes absent. Coxal chaetotaxy 3: 3: 3: 3.

Legs: metatarsi and tarsi not fused.

Abdomen: tergal chaetotaxy 2: 4: 6: 6: 6: 6: 6:?:?:?:?: 2; sternal chaetotaxy not visible.

Dimensions (mm): WAM T111712 . Body length ca. 1.49. Pedipalp: trochanter 0.270 / 0.115 , femur 0.785 / 0.120, patella 0.555 / 0.135, chela (with pedicel) 1.140 / 0.240, chela (without pedicel) 1.075, hand (without pedicel) length 0.410, movable finger length 0.665. Carapace 0.565 / 0.415.

Distribution and remarks. Indohya sagmata has been recorded from subterranean habitats within a single small ridge which is separated from another ridge that holds its sister species, I. cockingi ( Fig. 5 ). The species was previously known by WAM identification code Indohya ‘PSE179’.

The specimens are in poor condition, and the holotype lacks most of its legs and the left pedipalp ( Fig. 48 ).

Conservation assessment. Indohya sagmata is only known from a single rocky outcrop, with two collection sites only 9 km apart. Although the site has been approved for an iron ore mine, it is currently undeveloped so there is no current threat to the species. Therefore, it does not meet the status of threatened, at this time, using the criteria developed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (2012).

Etymology. The species epithet is a noun referring to the presence of this species in the Packsaddle Range (sagma, Greek, pack-saddle) ( Brown 1956).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Maximum likelihood phylogeny of Hyidae and other neobisioids, based on alignment of concatenated COI, 18S and 28S. Ultrafast bootstrap values are presented for nodes greater than 80%.

FIGURE 2. Maximum likelihood phylogeny of Australian Indohya, using COI, 18S and 28S concatenated dataset. Bootstrap values are presented for all nodes. The genes amplified for each specimen are depicted with black squares in the gene matrix.

FIGURE 3. Maximum likelihood phylogeny of Australian Indohya, using COI. Bootstrap values are presented for all nodes.

FIGURE 5. Maps of north-western Australia depicting recorded distributions of the subterranean species of Indohya from the Pilbara and Cape Range region.

FIGURE 48. Indohya sagmata Harvey & Burger, n. sp., holotype male (WAM T138967):A, dorsal; B, ventral; C, cephalothorax, dorsal. Scale lines = 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 49. Indohya sagmata Harvey & Burger, n. sp., holotype male (WAM T138967), unless stated otherwise: A, carapace, dorsal; B, right pedipalp, dorsal; C, right chela, retrolateral; D, right fixed finger, chelal teeth, retrolateral; E, right movable finger, chelal teeth, retrolateral; F, left chela, retrolateral, tritonymph (WAM T111712). Scale lines = 0.5 mm (Figs. B, C, F), 0.2 mm (Fig. A). 0.1 mm (Figs. D, E).