Homolophus kozlovi, Snegovaya & Cokendolpher, 2021

Snegovaya, Nataly Yu. & Cokendolpher, James C., 2021, Further studies on harvestman genus Homolophus (Opiliones: Phalangiidae), with descriptions of two new species, Zootaxa 4908 (3), pp. 301-353 : 333

Homolophus kozlovi sp. nov.

Figures 14 , 23–24

Diagnosis and Comparisons. With diamond shaped glans (in anterior view) of penis. New species most similar to Homolophus almasyi ( Roewer, 1911) and H. asiaticus Gricenko, 1979a , but differs by having significantly smaller body size (4.3 mm long) and length of legs (femur II about twice as long as body).

Type Locality. Kyrgyzstan, headwaters of Chu-Pod River , Gor-ly Pass, 31°58’25.6”N, 96°59’18.6”E, 3962 m a.s.l.

Type Material. August 1900 (male holotype and male Paratype, ZIN) .

Distribution. Only known from the type locality, in Kyrgyzstan ( Fig. 14 ).

Etymology. The new species is named in honor of Pyotr Kuz’mich Kozlov ( Fig. 24 ), a famous Russian traveler, geographer, ethnographer, archeologist, and explorer of Mongolia and Tibet (Xîzàng). He took part in six expeditions mounted by the Imperial Russian Geographical Society. Three of these he organized and led. Specimens collected by him and others on expeditions were studied for this publication. For further details about his life see Andreev & Yusupova (2015).

Description. Medium-sized harvestmen, male body rectangular, with rounded corners; medium sclerotization of body cuticle, less slender, 1.43 times longer than wide; length 4.3 mm, width 3.0 mm; with transverse rows of tiny to small denticles along borders of tergites, sand color with light and dark spots and splotches (almost all dark areas are where muscles are attached on other side of exoskeleton- see Fig. 1A ); indistinct central longitudinal light colored stripe extends length of body. Ocularium low, round, small, 1.2 times its length from anterior margin of cephalothorax; with 8–9 denticles on each side, posterior part of ocularium with double rows of these denticles. Preocular area and lateral sides near ocularium with few black-tipped denticles. Legs long, cylindrical in cross-section, segments either with very small, poorly visible denticles, or only setae except for Fe with longitudinal rows of small denticles. Fe not thickened. Leg lengths (mm): I 4.8 + 1.5 + 4.5 + 5.6 + 11.0 = 27.4, II 9.0 + 2.0 + 8.0 + 4.8 + 26.0 = 49.8, III 5.3 + 1.4 + 4.5 + 6.5 + 12.1 = 29.8, IV 7.0 + 1.5 + 5.8 + 6.0 + 21 = 41.3. Pedipalp segment lengths (mm): 1.4 + 0.6 + 1.0 + 1.5 = 4.5. Pedipalps medium-sized to slender, Fe dorsally and ventrally without large denticles, remaining segments with various kinds of setae; Ta ventrally with row of sensory microdenticles. Chelicerae not enlarged, with faint tabby marks, no denticles, only with various kinds of setae. Cheliceral basal segment length 1.5 mm ventrally with slight rounded bulge, distal segment length 1.7 mm. Penis wide at base, truncus dorsoventrally flattened, bowed, recurved in lateral view, tapers to glans; glans narrow at base, expanding distally, diamond shaped in anterior view; medium length (mm): truncus 3.0, glans 0.4, stylus 0.1.

Female unknown.

Comments. Specimen over 100 years old. Colors likely faded.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Homolophus anatomy, males: A, kozlovi sp. nov., body, dorsal showing muscle attachment sites in black (color photograph Fig. 23); B, gobiensis outline of body showing denticles (compare Fig. 21A); C, betpakdalensis denticles (compare Fig. 12A); D, pallens denticles (compare Fig 30C); E, chemerisi leg I metatarsus with characteristic thickly packed “brushes” of short setae at higher magnification (see insert); F, albofasciatus denticles (compare Fig. 3A); G, nordenskioeldi (from Murmansk) penis, dorsal; muscle presence more evident in magnified sections. Scale lines: A–D, F = 1 mm; E = 0.5 mm, insert greatly magnified, G = 0.25 mm.

FIGURE 14. Distribution of some Homolophus species in the Palearctic: Central and Inner Asia. Data for pale colored symbols taken from literature; identifications not verified.

FIGURE 23. Homolophus kozlovi sp. nov., male: A, body, dorsal; B, ocularium, dorsal; C, femur I, dorsal; D, right pedipalp, ectal; E, right pedipalp, mesal; F, right chelicera, ectal; G, right chelicera, mesal; H, penis, dorsal; I, penis, lateral; J, penis glans, dorsal; K, penis glans, lateral.

FIGURE 24. Famous scientists: (left) Pyotr Kuz’mich Kozlov (1863–1935), a Russian traveler, geographer, ethnographer, archeologist, and explorer of Mongolia and Xîzàng (Tibet), for which Homolophus kozlovi sp. nov. is named; (right) Dmitry A. Milko, an entomologist, researcher, and zoologist from Kyrgyzstan for which Homolophus milkoi sp. nov. is named.