Deltaspidium Roewer, 1927

Benedetti, Alípio R. & Pinto-Da-Rocha, Ricardo, 2019, Description of two new species of Progonyleptoidellus (Opiliones: Gonyleptidae), with a cladistic analysis of the genus, an overview of relationships in the K 92 group, and taxonomic notes on Deltaspidium, Zootaxa 4691 (5), pp. 461-490 : 485

Deltaspidium Roewer, 1927

Deltaspidium Roewer, 1927: 348 (desc); 1930: 416 (diag); Mello-Leitão, 1932: 288 (diag); 1935c: 104 (cit); Soares & Soares, 1949: 164 (diag); 1986: 91 (diag, syst); Kury, 2003: 123 (cat); Bragagnolo & Pinto-da-Rocha, 2003: 5 (cit), 6 (cit); Kury & Alonso-Zarazaga, 2011: 54 (cat).

Adhynastes Roewer, 1930: 438 (desc); Mello-Leitão, 1930: 214 (cit); 1932: 273 (diag); 1935: 103 (cit); Soares & Soares, 1949: 158 (diag); 1985: 194 (cit); Kury, 2003: 121 (cat).. Syn. nov.

Geraecormobius (part): Soares & Soares, 1954 (desc); Bragagnolo & Pinto-da-Rocha, 2003: 5 (cit).

Progonyleptoidellus (part): Kury, 2003 (cat, syst); Pinto-da-Rocha & Bragagnolo, 2010: 510 (cit), 511 (syst), 512 (mat), 513 (cit).

Type species. Deltaspidium bresslaui Roewer, 1927 , by monotypy (junior synonym of Gonyleptes asper Perty, 1833 ). Type species of Adhynastes : Adhynastes tenuis Roewer, 1930 , by monotypy.

Included species. Deltaspidium asperum ( Perty, 1833) ; Deltaspidium tenue comb. nov. ( Roewer, 1930) and Deltaspidium orguense comb. nov. ( Soares & Soares, 1954).

Etymology. From the Greek noun “delta” (a letter of alphabet) and “hispidium”, small shield, in reference to the triangular shape of dorsal scutum. Gender neutrum.

Distribution. Deltapisdium spp. were recorded in Serra dos Órgãos mountain range, and Tijuca, both in central Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. The type-species of the genus has no Brazilian locality explicitly assigned. However, the collectors of the type material, J.B. Spix and C.F von Martius collected in Rio de Janeiro State.

Diagnosis. Deltaspidium can be distinguished from the other genera of Progonyleptoidellinae by the following combination of characters: dorsal scutum outline ( Fig. 8 ) gamma triangular (γT); mesotergum divided into three scutal areas; posterior margin of DS convex or sub straight; scutal areas I–II unarmed; area III armed with two paramedian spines directed posteriorly (greater and closer to each other in some females); coxa IV with large proapical apophysis with curved apex in males, reduced and straight females; femur IV without DBA, similar in both sexes; tarsus IV with more than 16 tarsomeres; penis with deep cleft on VP, lateral lobes placed sub basally; VP trapezoid, without globous base in lateral view; MS A + B placed in line; MS B smaller than MS A; MS C straight; flabellum with one apical long projection; stylus sub sigmoid, parallel to ventral process shaft.

Taxonomical note. In addition to the evidence of the present phylogenetic analysis, a comparison among the three species revealed several similarities including robust pedipalps, outline of dorsal scutum gamma triangular (γT), huge spines in area III, usually fused at base, proapical apophysis of coxa IV of males directed proximally to trochanter IV and mottled coloration. These features and the hypothesis of species relationships led us to propose a new delimitation of the genus Deltaspidium .

Figures

FIGURE 8. Photographs of living specimens of Deltaspidium orguense comb. nov. (Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Parque Nacional da Serra dos Órgãos); A, male; B, female. Photos by Arthur Anker.