Meghalaya, Clouse, 2012

Clouse, Ronald M., 2012, The lineages of Stylocellidae (Arachnida: Opiliones: Cyphophthalmi), Zootaxa 3595 (1), pp. 1-34 : 20-22

Fangensinae subfam. nov.

Comments: Fangensinae subfam. nov. consists of the four species originally described under the genus Fangensis , and it has been recovered as monophyletic only when molecular markers are analyzed separately or are few ( Clouse & Giribet 2007; Schwendinger & Giribet 2005), combined molecular analyses are done with low transversion and indel costs ( Clouse et al. 2009; Clouse & Giribet 2010), or not all of the species have been included ( Giribet et al. 2012). Even when Fangensinae is monophyletic, Giribetia insulana , new comb., has always been recovered as sister to the other species, and under analyses that simultaneously combine several markers, use transformation costs that cause the least variance of tree lengths among the partitions, and include all four species, G. insulana falls outside the subfamily, often as sister to the remainder of the family ( Clouse et al. 2009; Clouse & Giribet 2007; Clouse & Giribet 2010; Schwendinger & Giribet 2005). Whether paraphyly of Fangensinae relative to the rest of the family is a result that strengthens with further species discoveries and more characters, or becomes understood as an analytic artifact, the fact remains that morphologically its members form the most easily recognized and cohesive group of the three subfamilies recognized here.

Description: Eyes absent or poorly developed; anal gland pores and anal plate modifications present; distinct second ventral cheliceral process, first process reduced to a broad angle; chelicerae claw-like; second cheliceral article almost completely granulated, granulations contrasting sharply with laterodistal smooth patch that forms low ridge against granulations; Rambla’s organ clearly defined, lacking granulations, not at the same level as the surrounding tarsus; ozophores tapered, pointing perpendicular to long body axis ( Fig. 4 , A–B); posterior prosoma clearly bulging ( Fig. 4 , A–B), constituting the widest part of the body; coxae IV large, positioning spiracles well behind gonostome, with lateral edges parallel to long body axis ( Fig. 5 , A–B); ventral prosomal complex large, with fourth coxae meeting for a length longer than the gonostome, distinct sternum present, and second coxae broadly meeting; sternal opisthosomal sulci between sternites 3 and 4, 4 and 5, and 5 and 6 parallel; posterior gonostome edge straight ( Fig. 5 , A–B).

Included genera: Fangensis Rambla, 1994 (Type genus) and Giribetia gen. nov.

Distribution: Caves in northern and western central Thailand and islands of the western coast of southern Thailand.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Dorsal prosomal views of Stylocellidae genera: A, Fangensis spelaeus Schwendinger & Giribet, 2005; B, Giribetia insulana (Schwendinger & Giribet, 2005); C, Stylocellus lornei, sp. nov.; D, Meghalaya annandalei Giribet, Sharma & Bastawade, 2007; E, Miopsalis silhavyi (Rambla, 1991); F, Leptopsalis cf. beccarii (“ Sumatra sp. 4 d ” in previous analyses, MCZ DNA 101478, collected by P. Schwendinger). All images were scaled to the same ozophore width and aligned along the ozophore ends.

FIGURE 5. Ventral opisthosomal views of Stylocellidae genera: A, Fangensis spelaeus Schwendinger & Giribet, 2005; B, Giribetia insulana (Schwendinger & Giribet, 2005); C, Stylocellus lornei, sp. nov.; D, Meghalaya annandalei Giribet, Sharma & Bastawade, 2007; E, Miopsalis silhavyi (Rambla, 1991); F, Leptopsalis cf. beccarii (“ Sumatra sp. 4 d ” in previous analyses, MCZ DNA 101478, collected by P. Schwendinger). All images were scaled to the same total body length and aligned along the posterior edge.