Salfacarus ranobensis Vázquez & Klompen, 2010

Ma. Magdalena Vázquez G. & Hans Klompen, 2010, The genus Salfacarus (Acari: Opilioacarida) in Madagascar, Zootaxa 2482, pp. 1-21 : 15-19

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.893912
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6211048
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/215A879B-FFFB-A244-7683-CFC4FB61FCB6
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Salfacarus ranobensis Vázquez & Klompen
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Salfacarus ranobensis Vázquez & Klompen View in CoL n. sp.

( Figs. 27–36 View FIGURES 26 – 27 View FIGURES 28 – 31 View FIGURES 32 – 34 View FIGURES 35 – 36 )

Diagnosis. Ovipositor without long terminal setae, small setae or glands, or large spinose structures, but with a pair of large trachea-like structures near its base ( Fig. 27 View FIGURES 26 – 27 ). Female with ribbed, tapering setae in the genital region. The latter characteristic has not been observed in any other Salfacarus species in Madagascar (it was reported for S. lawrencei from South Africa).

Description. Based on observations on 9 protonymphs, 15 deutonymphs, 13 tritonymphs, 2 females, 5 males. Larva unknown.

Gnathosoma. Chelicera ( Fig. 28 View FIGURES 28 – 31 ). Basal segment without setae in PN and some DNs. One seta added in some DNs and all TNs and adults, fixed digit with 3 setae in all known instars. Axial seta on fixed digit lightly barbed, other cheliceral setae smooth. Dorsal (id) and antiaxial (i α) lyrifissure well developed in most nymphs and adults, not observed in PN. Fixed digit with 1, rarely 2, teeth, movable digit with 1–2 teeth and a well developed terminal hook. Movable digit with 1–2 ventral denticles in PN and DN, 2–3 in TN, and 3, rarely 4, in adult. Internal surface of movable digit with a small sensillum (arrow).

Subcapitulum ( Fig. 29 View FIGURES 28 – 31 ). All 4 pairs of paralabial setae present: pl1 small, conical; With’s organ (pl2) membranous; rutella (pl3) with 1 distinct row of 5 teeth, inserted dorso-laterally; pl4 very small, inserted dorsal on subcapitulum (not observed in PN). In addition, adults with 4 circumbuccal (cb), and 5–8 median and subcapitular (vm (in part), lvm, ldm, vp, lvp) setae. Males may have fewer median and subcapitular (5–6) than females, but sampling inadequate. PN, DN and TN similar but number of median and subcapitular setae smaller, 2, 3, and 3–5, respectively. Lateral lips with distinct canals in all instars.

Palp. Adult ( Figs. 30–31 View FIGURES 28 – 31 ). Trochanter with 5 ribbed, tapering (= r-type) setae; femur with 9 (female) or 6 (male) papilliform (= p-type) and 12 r-type setae; genu with 7 (females) or 3–4 (males) p-type and 27–35 rtype setae. Tibia and tarsus partially fused. Tibia with approximately 5 smooth (= s-type) and 55 r-type setae. Palp tarsus with lyrifissures i π and i α. Setation including 3 s, 5 d (leaf-like), and approximately 17 ch, 9 sm, and 9 v, setae. Sexual differentiation in tibia and tarsus indistinct. Pretarsus in shape of a pair of well developed sessile claws. Immatures ( Figs. 32–34 View FIGURES 32 – 34 ). Trochanter: PN, 0 setae; DN, 0–1 (2 in one specimen); TN, 2–4. Femur: PN, 3–4 r and 2 p setae; DN, 3–4 r plus 2–4 p; TN, 4–9 r plus 6 p. Genu: PN, 5–6 r plus 1 p; DN, 7–8 r plus 1–2 p; TN, 12–20 r plus 2– 4 p. Tibia: PN, 15–16; DN, 23–26; TN 24 setae. Tarsus of PN, DN and TN with, respectively, 2, 3, and 4 d setae. Number of tarsal ch, sm, and v setae not scored for immatures.

Idiosoma. Anterior dorsal shield of adults with 94–174 (N= 4) papilliform setae, and two pairs of eyes. Lyrifissures absent. Rostrum rounded. PN, DN and TN with, respectively, 22–27, 45–56, and 90–108 anterior dorsal shield setae. Remaining idiosoma with lyrifissures arranged in more or less transverse rows. Setation in PN limited to 1 dorsal and 2 ventral seta on preanal segment; subsequent instars all with more than 200 papilliform setae. Setae predominantly mid-dorsal and mid-ventral. Anal valves each with 14–23 papilliform setae in adults; PN, DN and TN with, respectively, 2, 5, and 11–17 setae on each valve.

Sternitogenital region ( Figs. 35–36 View FIGURES 35 – 36 ). Sternal verrucae in adults with 1 long, tapering, and 2–3 shorter setae each. Remaining sternal area with 2 pairs of long tapering and 4–9 pairs of papilliform setae, and 3 pairs of lyrifissures (two pairs very large, the third smaller; all different in shape and size from “standard” opisthosomal lyrifissures). PN, DN and TN with, respectively, 0, 1, and 2–3 shorter setae on sternal verrucae, and 0, 1–4, and 6–8 pairs of papilliform setae in remaining sternal area. Pregenital capsules of adults with 1 long tapering and 3–6 papilliform setae each (0, 2–3, and 3–4 in, respectively, PN, DN and TN). Pregenital and genital areas in male with, respectively, 3–6 papilliform and 11–13 ribbed tapering setae. Pregenital area in female with 3–9 ribbed, tapering setae. Condition of genital area less clear. This area appears to have 12 (6– 24) smooth, tapering setae, a unique condition for Salfacarus , but the area is distorted in the few available specimens, and the zone with smooth setae may in fact be further posterior. In that case the genital area might be without setae (as in all other Salfacarus ). Still, the presence of smooth tapering setae (in the genital area or in the postgenital ventral area) is highly unusual. Numbers for PN, DN, and TN, respectively, 0 and 0, 0 and 1–3, and 0–2 and 5–8. Ovipositor ( Fig. 27 View FIGURES 26 – 27 ). Without long terminal setae, or very small structures on the ovipositor (setae, gland ducts), but with a pair of large trachea–like structures near base.

Legs. Tarsus I without distinct acrotarsus but with a basitarsus in all instars. Broad sensillum with “crownlike” tip ( Fig. 1S View FIGURE 1 in Vázquez and Klompen (2002)) in main sensillar field. Pretarsi with well developed sessile claws; without setae. Tarsi II each with a thick but not bifurcate dorsal seta and a smooth sensillum resembling a solenidion. Acrotarsus of legs IV present in DN, of legs II–III delayed until TN. Trochanters of legs III–IV divided in most DNs and all TNs. Pretarsi II–IV each with two pairs of setae and a pair of claws.

Collection information. Multiple numbers refer to multiple slides representing a single, dissected. individual. Holotype female ( OSAL 092010 –11 View Materials ), MADAGASCAR: Toliara, Ranobe , 30 m, 23°02’03”S 43°36’43”E, coll. Frontier Project, 25–28 Apr 2003, ex spiny forest/thicket, litter, mold, rotten wood (EH11, MGF064 View Materials ) GoogleMaps . Paratypes: same data as holotype: M ( OSAL 092008 –09) GoogleMaps ; same locality and collector, 5–9 Feb 2003, (EH11, MGF056 View Materials ): TN ( OSAL007262–63 View Materials ), TN ( OSAL007265–7266 View Materials ), F ( OSAL007267–69 View Materials ), M ( OSAL007276–77 View Materials ) GoogleMaps ; same locality and collector, 17–21 Feb 2003 (EH11, MGF061 View Materials ): TN ( OSAL007264 View Materials ) GoogleMaps ; same locality and collector, 25 Apr 2003: PN ( OSAL007287 View Materials ), PN ( OSAL007288 View Materials ), PN ( OSAL007289 View Materials ), PN ( OSAL007290 View Materials ), PN ( OSAL007291 View Materials ), PN ( OSAL007292 View Materials ), PN ( OSAL007293 View Materials ), PN ( OSAL007296 View Materials ), PN ( OSAL007297 View Materials ), DN ( OSAL007294 View Materials ), DN ( OSAL007298 View Materials ), DN ( OSAL007299 View Materials ), DN ( OSAL007300 View Materials ), DN ( OSAL007301–02 View Materials ), DN ( OSAL007304–05 View Materials ), DN ( OSAL007306 View Materials ), DN ( OSAL007307 View Materials ), DN ( OSAL007308 View Materials ), DN ( OSAL007309 View Materials ), DN ( OSAL007310 View Materials ), DN ( OSAL007311 View Materials ), DN ( OSAL007312 View Materials ), DN ( OSAL007313 View Materials ), DN ( OSAL007014 View Materials ), TN ( OSAL007303 View Materials ), TN ( OSAL007314–15 View Materials ), TN ( OSAL007295 View Materials ), TN ( OSAL007316–17 View Materials ), TN ( OSAL007318–19 View Materials ), TN ( OSAL007254–55 View Materials ), TN ( OSAL007256 View Materials ), TN ( OSAL007257 View Materials ), TN ( OSAL007258–59 View Materials ), TN ( OSAL007260–61 View Materials ), M ( OSAL007270–71 View Materials ), M ( OSAL007272–73 View Materials ), M ( OSAL007274–75 View Materials ) GoogleMaps .