Indohya aphana 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 : 41-43

Indohya aphana Harvey & Burger , n. sp.

( Figs. 1–3 , 13 , 14 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:B5315882-3987-403D-8205-483A222E8413

Indohya species B : Harvey & Volschenk 2008: 402–403, figs, 58, 59.

Material examined. Holotype tritonymph. AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: Mesa K, 11 km SW. of Pannawonica , 21°42′34″S, 116°16′17″E, 27 June 2014 – 3 September 2014, litter trap, S. Lange ( WAM T134268 ).

Other material. AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: 1 tritonymph, Mesa K, c. 11 km SSW. of Pannawonica (borehole MEK1696; T1–12 ), 21°43′09″S, 116°15′48″E, 10 July–3 August 2006, subterranean litter trap, L. Mould, M. Greenham ( WAM T78189 ); 1 deutonymph, Mesa K, 12 km SW. of Pannawonica , 21°43′22″S, 116°14′57″E, 24 October–30 November 2011, troglofauna trap, 25 m, P. Brooshooft, M. Delaney ( WAM T120142 ; specimen consumed during DNA extraction); 1 tritonymph, Mesa K, 11 km SW. of Pannawonica, 21°43′22″S, 116°15′26″E, 18 September–13 November 2013, subterranean litter trap, S. Lange ( WAM T131857 ); 1 protonymph, Mesa K, 11 km SW. of Pannawonica, 21°42′37″S, 116°16′10″E, 27 June 2014 – 3 September 2014, litter trap, S. Lange ( WAM T134269 ; specimen consumed during DNA extraction); 1 protonymph, Mesa K, ca. 11.3 km SW. of Pannawonica, 21°43′08″S, 116°15′24″E, 28 May–15 July 2018, troglofauna trap, J. King, M. Greenham ( WAM T146286 ); 1 nymph, Bungaroo, 20.6 km S. of Pannawonica, 21°49′28″S, 116°17′45″E, 15 April 2011, J. Alexander, S. Werner ( WAM T114967 ; specimen consumed during DNA extraction) .

Diagnosis. Indohya aphana is a blind troglobite that differs from all other Indohya species for which sequence data are available by a synapomorphy in COI mtDNA: at base 220 there is a substitution to G. The four sequenced specimens differ from all other sequenced specimens of Indohya by 16.5–27.5% (Table 2).

Description (tritonymph). Colour ( Fig. 13 ): pale yellow-brown, pedipalps slightly darker.

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

Pedipalp: trochanter 2.38 ×, femur 4.88 ×, patella 3.03 ×, chela (with pedicel) 3.96 ×, chela (without pedicel) 3.75 ×, hand (without pedicel) 1.63 × longer than broad, movable finger 1.29 × longer than hand (without pedicel). Fixed finger with 7 trichobothria ( Fig. 14B ), 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 52 low, juxtadentate teeth, most rounded except for teeth 1–3 and 44–52 which are acute, movable chelal finger with ca. 16 low, juxtadentate teeth.

Cephalothorax: carapace ( Fig. 13A ) 1.00 × 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 4: 4: 4: 4.

Legs: femur + patella IV 4.09 × longer than broad; metatarsi and tarsi not fused.

Abdomen: tergal chaetotaxy 4: 4: 4: 6: 6: 6: 6: 6: 6: 4: 4 (including 2 tactile setae): 2; sternal chaetotaxy 1: (2) 6 (2): (2) 5 (2): 7: 8: 7: 7: 7: 6: 4 (including 2 tactile setae): 2.

Dimensions (mm): holotype ( WAM T134268 ). Body length 1.30. Pedipalp : trochanter 0.250 / 0.105 , femur 0.635 / 0.130, patella 0.455 / 0.150, chela (with pedicel) 1.010 / 0.255, chela (without pedicel) 0.955, hand (without pedicel) length 0.415, movable finger length 0.535. Carapace 0.460 / 0.460 . Leg IV: femur + patella 0.450 / 0.110.

Description (protonymph). Colour: very pale, yellow-white.

Chelicera: hand with 4 setae, movable finger without seta.

Pedipalp: trochanter 2.38 ×, femur 4.27 ×, patella 2.59 ×, chela (with pedicel) 3.93 ×, chela (without pedicel) 3.70 ×, hand (without pedicel) 1.67 × longer than broad, movable finger 1.29 × longer than hand (without pedicel). Fixed finger with 3 trichobothria ( Fig. 14C ), eb, ist and et present; movable finger with 1 trichobothrium, t present; fixed chelal finger with 23 low, juxtadentate teeth, basal teeth slightly enlarged; movable chelal finger without teeth.

Cephalothorax: 1.28 × longer than broad; with 12 setae arranged 4: 0: 4: 2: 2; without furrows; eyes absent. Coxal chaetotaxy 1: 1: 1: 1.

Legs: metatarsi and tarsi not fused.

Abdomen: tergal chaetotaxy 4: 4: 4: 4: 4: 4: 4: 4: 4: 4: 4: 2; sternal chaetotaxy 2: (0) 2 (0): (1) 2 (1): 4: 4: 4: 4: 2: 4: 4 (including 2 tactile setae): 2.

Dimensions (mm): WAM T146286 . Body length 2.14. Pedipalp: trochanter 0.155 / 0.065 , femur 0.320 / 0.075, patella 0.220 / 0.085, chela (with pedicel) 0.530 / 0.135, chela (without pedicel) 0.500, hand (without pedicel) length 0.225, movable finger length 0.290. Carapace 0.300 / 0.235.

Distribution and remarks. This blind, troglobitic species is currently represented only by nymphal specimens but based on available sequence data is different from other species and appears as a distinct genetic lineage ( Fig. 3 ). One of the tritonymphs of this species (WAM T78189) was described by Harvey and Volschenk (2007) as Indohya species B . The species was also previously known by WAM identification codes Indohya ‘PSE152’ and Indohya ‘PSE153’. The majority of the specimens of I. aphana have been collected from Mesa K, but one was taken from Bungaroo, ca. 13 km SSE. of Mesa K. This specimen is barely distinguishable from the Mesa K specimens using COI data ( Figure 3 ; Table S4).

Conservation assessment. Although Mesa K is an active iron ore mine site, specimens of I. aphana have been collected in habitats adjacent to the mine, as well as at Bungaroo, 13 km away. This extended distribution suggests that I. aphana may occur in adjacent sites in the Bungaroo Valley, and is unlikely to be threatened despite the presence of mining at Mesa K.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the use of molecular sequence data to establish that this nymphal specimen represents a distinct species (aphanes, Greek, unseen, invisible, secret, obscure) ( 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 13. Indohya aphana Harvey & Burger, n. sp., holotype tritonymph (WAM T134268): A, dorsal; B, ventral; C, cephalothorax, dorsal. Scale lines = 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 14. Indohya aphana Harvey & Burger, n. sp., holotype tritonymph (WAM T134268), unless stated otherwise: A, carapace, dorsal; B, left chela, retrolateral; C, right chela, retrolateral, protonymph (WAM T146286). Scale lines = 0.2 mm.