Abaddon Derkarabetian & Baker, 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 : 141-142

Genus Abaddon Derkarabetian & Baker , gen. nov.

( Fig. 6 , 7 A, S 4 )

ZooBank LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:3575B6CE-740A-45AB-8892-31195A50F4A0

Type species: Abaddon despoliator Derkarabetian , sp. nov., by monotypy.

Diagnosis

This genus is very distinctive and can be easily distinguished from Lomanella , and all triaenonychids known from Western Australia, based on its highly tuberculate – spiny body ( Fig. 6 , S 4 ). Compared to Lomanella , it has a penis with large lateral wing-like laminae, an elongate and tubular stylus rising directly from the sensillar region (sensillenträger of Martens 1986), without dorsal or ventral plates.

Description

Eye mound recessed from the anterior margin of the carapace, tuberculate and heavily pigmented ( Fig. 6 A, B ). Anterior margin of carapace with large anteriorly directed spines, the medial spine being the largest ( Fig. 6 A, B ). Dorsal scutum outline in dorsal view outline Eta H of Kury and Medrano (2016), with a slight widening at the midline. Body densely covered in brown pigmented tubercles except along lateral margins, with lateral projections above coxae II associated with ozopores ( Fig. 6 A, B ). Each scutal segment with a row of large spines, generally increasing in number posteriorly. Coxae II with an elongate dorsal tubercle associated with ozopore; coxae IV with a small pigmented area dorsally ( Fig. 6 A, B ). Ventral surface of body tuberculate; leg I coxae with a series of elongate tubercles along prolateral margin; sternum long and narrow ( Fig. S4 B ). Genital operculum subtriangular and tuberculate. Pedipalps without heavy spination, one spine-bearing tubercle ventrally on the femur, tarsus with an elongate claw and elongate spines terminally ( Fig. 6 E ). Leg I femur with a series of elongate dorsal and ventral tubercles bearing setae ( Fig. 6 C, D ). Leg coxae tuberculate, legs with rows of longitudinal tubercles. Tarsal formula 2,2,3,3. Penis without dorsal or lateral plates; with large lateral wing-like laminae; stylus elongate, thin, and tubular, arising directly from the sensillar region ( Fig. 7 A ).

Etymology

The genus name is in reference to the fictional character ‘ Abaddon the Despoiler’ from the Warhammer 40 000 tabletop miniature game and science fiction universe developed by Games Workshop, which is a favourite hobby of the first author. The character is typically portrayed adorned with spikes and various sharp things. The name should be treated as masculine.

Figures

Fig. 6. General morphology of Abaddon despoliator, gen. nov., sp. nov. (A, B) Dorsal habitus: (A) male holotype (MCZ:IZ:134472_3), (B) female paratype (MCZ:IZ:134472_1).(C, D) Retrolateal view of leg I: (C) male holotype, (D) female paratype (MCZ:IZ:134472_1). (E) Retrolateral view of pedialp of male holotype.All scale bars: 1 mm; (A)–(D) at same scale. Note: (C) and (D) drawn without colour.

Fig. 7. Morphology of male genitalia. (A) Abaddon despoliator, gen. nov., sp. nov., ventral and ventrolateral views of male paratype (MCZ:IZ:132893_3). (B) Turonychus fadriquei, gen. nov., sp. nov., ventral and lateral views of male holotype.

Fig. 4. Phylogenomic relationships of Triaenonychidae, with clade names as discussed in the main text. Phylogeny is derived from the IQ-TREE analysis. All nodes have 95% or higher bootstrap support, unless indicated otherwise. Coloured bars indicate geographic distribution of sampled taxa.