Promitobates intermedius (Mello-Leitão, 1935) Mello-Leitao, 1935

Bragagnolo, Cibele & Pinto-Da-Rocha, Ricardo, 2012, Systematic review of Promitobates Roewer, 1913 and cladistic analysis of Mitobatinae Simon, 1879 (Arachnida: Opiliones: Gonyleptidae), Zootaxa 3308, pp. 1-48 : 21-23

Promitobates intermedius (Mello-Leitão, 1935) comb. n., sp. reval.

( Figs. 4 D, 7D, 9D, 11D, 13D, 17A–C)

Batomites intermedius Mello-Leitão, 1935a: 409 , fig. 31; 1935b: 109 (syst.) [ Brazil, São Paulo, Minas do Iporanga; 3 lectoptype, here designated, MNRJ 42323, examined].

Promitobates ornatus (part.) Mello-Leitão, 1922: 343; Roewer, 1931: 114, fig. 4; Mello-Leitão, 1932: 404, fig. 268; B. Soares, 1943: 56.

Diagnosis. This species is closely related to P. o r na tu s and P. nigripes by pattern of tubercles and coloration of dorsal scutum sulphurous yellow, highlighting of body dark-brown. It can be distinguished of P. nigripes by free tergite III unarmed and of P. o r n a t u s by areas III and IV of dorsal scutum totally fused and with one row of tubercles up to the posterior groove of area IV.

Male redescription. Measurements (n=5). Dorsal scutum; maximum width: 5.3–5.4 (5.4); total length: 4.4– 4.6 (4.6); prosoma length: 1.7–1.9 (1.8); Legs IV; length of external apophysis of coxa: 1–1.2 (1.1); femur IV length: 41.2–52.1 (48.1). Tarsal formula: 7–8 (8); 14–16 (14); 8–9 (8); 8.

Dorsum ( Figs. 5 A, 7E). Anterior margin of prosoma with one row of small granules and 2–4 tubercles on the corners. Prosoma with tubercles behind the ocularium and arranged in “U” or “V”. Ocularium with one pair of high spiniform divergent apophyses and small tubercles scattered. Area I with one pair of larger tubercles and one row up to the posterior groove. Area II with tubercles on the median region and transverse row of tubercles up the posterior groove. Areas III and IV totally fused, with tubercles on the median region, roughly in vertical rows. Area III with two high spiniform apophyses slightly directed posteriorly. Area IV with one pair of median tubercles and one row of tubercles up to the posterior margin of area IV. Posterior margin of dorsal scutum with one row of tubercles, enlarged closed to the corners and one pair of spiniform median apophyses. Free tergites with one small tubercle in the corners.

Chelicera. Segments I and II unarmed.

Pedipalp. Trochanter with one small ventral spine. Femur with one small ventral setae and one enlarged spine, with prolateral subapical spine. Tibia setation: mesal IiIi/iiIi; ectal IiIi. Tarsus setation: mesal IIi; ectal IiIi/IIi.

Venter. Coxa I with a median row of six tubercles and three apical tubercles; trochanter I with median tubercle. Coxa II with median row of eight small setiferous tubercles and three apical tubercles; trochanter II with two median tubercles. Coxa III with small setiferous tubercles, roughly distributed in rows and two rows of tubercles, the anterior one and the posterior posterior one with tubercles increasing in sized distally; trochanter III with median tubercle and small scattered tubercles. Coxa IV with small scattered tubercles and two tubercles on posterior margin; genital area, free sternites and anal operculum with scattered granules.

Legs ( Fig. 9 E). Coxa I with a posterior dorso basal apophysis; II with one anterior dorso basal apophysis and one posterior; III with one small anterior dorso basal apophysis; IV with few and high tubercles, with a small internal spiniform apophysis and one external apical bifid apophysis, the anterior branch longer than the posterior. Trochanters I–III with small scattered tubercles; IV with a dorsal subapical apophysis, an external basal apophysis, and a small internal apical spiniform apophysis. Femur IV straight with minute tubercles, more than 12 times longer than dorsal scutum.

Penis ( Fig. 17 D–F). Ventral plate convex, apex straight and corner of anterior margin rounded and directed ventrally; three pairs of distal setae, median smallest; three pairs of basal setae, arranged in “V” and one pair of ventral basal setae. Stylus unarmed, apex straight and swollen. Ventral process almost parallel to the stylus, truncus short, apex spoon-shaped, with serrate margins directed ventrally.

Coloration. Dorsal scutum dark-brown, tubercles of dorsal scutum, apophyses of posterior margin and ocularium sulphurous yellow.

Female redescription ( Figs. 11 E, 13E). Measurements (n=3). Dorsal scutum; maximum width: 5.1–5.2; total length: 4.1–4.2; prosoma length: 1.7–1.8. Femur IV length IV: 14. Tarsal formula: 6; 14; 8; 9. Body slightly more convex than male. Posterior margin of dorsal scutum with a pair of high median apophyses. Free tergite II with median spiniform tubercle or unarmed; III with one median spiniform tubercle. Coxa IV with reduced external apical apophysis, single-branched; internal apophysis absent; trochanter IV with small apical internal spiniform apophysis; femur IV shorter than male.

Geographical distribution. Coastal Atlantic Rainforest of São Paulo State ( Fig. 3 C).

Note. On the original description, the locality are described as “Minas do Iporanga”, without further details. This site is located in municipality of Iporanga (State of São Paulo). However, this species only occurs to the Center-Northern coastal region of state of São Paulo.

Other material examined. BRAZIL. São Paulo. Santo André (Estação Biológica de Paranapiacaba), F. Lane & B.A.S. Soares leg, 18.III.1943, 2 Ƥ ( MZSP 426); idem, 14.VI.1943, 2 Ƥ ( MZSP 1652); Itanhaém (Cidade Santa Júlia), L.R. Fontes leg., 28.XII.1978, 1 3 ( MZSP 27419); idem, 1 3 ( MZSP 14410); Peruíbe (Estação Ecológica Juréia-Itatins), A.D. Brescovit et al. leg. 10.XII.1998, 3 3 (IB 1436); idem, R. Bertani & A. Marques leg., XI.1995, 1 3 (IB 751); São Vicente (Horto Florestal), G. Machado leg., 27.X.1996, 3 3 and 5 Ƥ ( MZSP 16764); Ribeirão Pires, P.C. Prado leg, III.1935 1 Ƥ (IB 104).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Geographical distribution of Promitobates spp ..

FIGURE 4. Dorsal view of males of Promitobates. A. P. bellus, (IBSP 3306); B. P. difficilis (MNRJ 11395, syntype); C. P. hatschbachi (MHNCI 0 164, holotype; D. P. intermedius (MZSP 14410). Scale bar, 1 mm.

FIGURE 5. Dorsal view of males of Promitobates. A. P. n i gr i p e s, (MZSP 27425); B. P. o r n a t u s (MZSP 27417); C and D. P. viridigranulatus (MZSP 27401), intraspecific variation. Scale bar, 1 mm.

FIGURE 9. Dorsal view of male coxa, trochanter and femur IV of Promitobates; A. P. bellus (IBSP 3306); B. P. difficilis (MNRJ 11395, syntype); C. P. hatschbachi (MHNCI 0 164, holotype); D. P. intermedius (MZSP 14410); E. P. n i g r i p e s (MZSP 27425); F. P. o r n a t u s (MZSP 27417). Scale bar, 1 mm.

FIGURE 11. Dorsal view of females of Promitobates. A. P. bellus (MZSP- 19509); B. P. dificillis (MNRJ- 11395, syntype); C. P. hatschbachi (MZSP 18811); D. P. intermedius (MZSP- 16764); E. P. n i g r i p e s (MZSP - 31029); F. P. ornatus (MZSP 27440). Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 17. Distal part of penis of Promitobates. A – C. P. intermedius (MZSP- 27419); A. dorsal view; B. lateral view; C. ventral view. D – F. P. n i g r i p e s (MZSP- 27425); D. dorsal view; E. lateral view; F. ventral view. G – I. P. o r n a t u s (MZSP- 14401); G. dorsal view; H. lateral view; I. ventral view. Scale bar = 0,05 mm.