Abaddon despoliator Derkarabetian, 2021

Derkarabetian, Shahan, Baker, Caitlin M., Hedin, Marshal, Prieto, Carlos E. & Giribet, Gonzalo, 2021, Phylogenomic re-evaluation of Triaenonychoidea (Opiliones: Laniatores), and systematics of Triaenonychidae, including new families, genera and species, Invertebrate Systematics 167 (1), pp. 277-288 : 142-143

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.1071/is20047
publication LSID	urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:81683834-98AB-43AA-B25A-C28C6A404F41
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4531723
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/96821AF1-87FD-4522-91E7-D3D9AC314C4F
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:96821AF1-87FD-4522-91E7-D3D9AC314C4F
treatment provided by	Donat
scientific name	Abaddon despoliator Derkarabetian
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Abaddon despoliator Derkarabetian , sp. nov.

( Fig. 6 View Fig , 7 A, S View Fig 4 View Fig )

ZooBank LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:96821AF1-87FD-4522-91E7-D3D9AC314C4F

Type material: Holotype male , one female paratype, and one male paratype from Australia: Western Australia: Glenbourne Farm, south of Gracetown, 33.9139 S, 115.01587 E, elevation ~ 40 m, collected by Julianne M. Waldock and S. Hill on 21 October 2001, dry pitfall traps (deposited in MCZ and WAM; genetic voucher MCZ:IZ:134472 ). View Materials GoogleMaps Two male paratypes from Australia: Western Australia: Crowea forest along Crowea Road , 34.5399 S, 116.041 E, elevation ~ 230 m, collected by Gonzalo Giribet, Stephanie W. Aktipis, and Michele K. Nishiguchi on 10 July 2004 (deposited in MCZ; genetic voucher MCZ: IZ:132893 ). GoogleMaps

Diagnosis

As per genus.

Description

Male holotype (MCZ:IZ:134472_3) (average of all males in parentheses, n = 4). Scutum length 1.5 (1.6), width at widest point 1.2 (1.3), width at narrowest point 0.83 (0.85). Integument colour light brown and tan, with patterning of dark brown pigment ( Fig. 6 A, S View Fig 4 A View Fig ). Anterior margin of carapace with a large medial spine directed anteriorly, with four anteriorly directed spines on either side (three large and one small). Pedipalps smooth, except a single small spinebearing tubercle basally on the ventral surface of the femur, with little or no brown pigmentation ( Fig. 6 E View Fig ). Coxae IV with a pigmented area dorsally with dorsally directed tubercles ( Fig. 6 A View Fig ). Genital operculum of males with tubercles at the anterior margin. Legs tuberculate, tan in colour, with brown pigmentation particularly on the femurs. Leg I femur with a series of elongate spine-bearing tubercles on the dorsal and ventral surface ( Fig. 6 C View Fig ). Leg II length 4.6. Penis: glans without ventral or dorsal plates, with large lateral wing-like lamellae ( Fig. 7 A View Fig ); each side of the sensillar region with two inferior setae placed ventrolaterally and one superior seta dorsally; with very reduced dorsolateral plates; stylus arising directly from the sensillar region, elongate, cylindrical, and thin.

Female paratype (MCZ:IZ:134472_1). Scute length 1.7, width at widest point 1.45. width at narrowest point 0.95. Only one female is known. Compared to all males it is slightly larger with less pigmentation ( Fig. 6 B, S View Fig 3 C View Fig ). Pigmented scutal tubercles generally more ordered, and typically with more spines on the posterior segments. Pigmented area on coxae IV bearing a more obvious elongate tubercle directed dorsally. Tubercles at anterior margin of genital operculum smaller.

Distribution

Known only from south-western Western Australia.

Comments

Differences can be seen between the males from each locality, suggesting a potential for multiple species, as seen in other short-range endemics in the same region (e.g. Rix et al. 2015; Sato et al. 2018; Schwentner and Giribet 2018). Given the paucity of samples available we refrain from assessing this. However, we note some obvious morphological differences here: relative to males from Glenbourne Farm locality (MCZ: IZ:134472), males from the Crowea Road locality (MCZ: IZ:132893) are slightly larger, have heavier pigmentation on the body and legs, and have slightly longer legs ( Fig. S4 A, D View Fig ).

Etymology

The specific epithet is a Latin noun used in apposition meaning ‘despoiler’, and as with the genus name, is in reference to the fictional character ‘ Abaddon the Despoiler’ from the Warhammer 40,000 science fiction universe.