Sertaneja falcata, Saraiva & Hara & DaSilva, 2021

Saraiva, Nicolas Eugenio de Vasconcelos, Hara, Marcos Ryotaro & DaSilva, Marcio Bernardino, 2021, Harvestmen in the semiarid: a new genus and three new species of Pachylinae (Opiliones: Gonyleptidae) from Caatinga dry vegetation, with a cladistic analysis, Arthropod Systematics & amp; Phylogeny 79, pp. 485-507 : 485

3.3.5. Sertaneja falcata sp. nov.

Figs 9 , 10 , 11 , 12C-E , 13

Type locality.

BRAZIL, Rio Grande do Norte: Portalegre, Cachoeira do Pinga.

Type material.

Holotype. BRAZIL. Rio Grande do Norte: Portalegre, Cachoeira do Pinga, encosta da serra, elev. 431 m, 23-24.iv.2014, DaSilva M.B. and Saraiva N.E.V., ♂ (UFPB OP-481). Paratypes. same as for holotype, 3 ♂ (UFPB OP-482), 1 ♂ (UFPB OP-728) [dissected], 2 ♀ (UFPB OP-729) [female description], 1 ♂ (MZUSP 76647), 1 ♂ (MNRJ 60617).

Diagnosis.

Distinguished from other species by the presence of a pair of slightly enlarged paramedian tubercles on scute area III (Fig. 9A, C ), instead of spines; coxa IV bearing a short, conical, straight prodorsal apical apophysis and a long, curved, sickle-like retro-apical apophysis (Fig. 9D ); femur IV retro-lateral face with three central elongated apophysis (Fig. 10A, D ); and contains five pairs of MS C (Fig. 11 ). Most similar to S. bicuspidata sp. nov. by the slightly elongated trochanter IV; penis glans’ stylus with a rounded dorso-apical projection; similar MS A and MS B; and MS D pairs close MS C group.

Description.

Holotype MALE (UFPB OP-481; Figs 9 , 10 ): Measurements: DSL: 4.43; DSW: 4.87; LI: 8.91; LII: 19.48; LIII: 12.24; LIV: 16.53. Dorsum (Fig. 9A, C, G ): Prosoma with few tubercles. Front margin bearing a single small median tubercle. Ocularium twice as tall as the eye diameter, with a pair of divergent spines slightly projected anteriorly (Fig. 9C, G ). Two pairs of ozopores of similar size, anterior one placed laterally, and posterior one rounded and more dorsal; lateral channel developed and followed by oblong sensorial pegs that increase in size posteriorly. Scute area I with tubercles placed in a row along the longitudinal groove and scute groove II, with a pair of slightly enlarged paramedian tubercles (Fig. 9A ). Scute areas II-IV each with a transversal central row of enlarged tubercles increasing in size towards the middle, paramedian pair larger than the others. Scute areas III-IV with more conical tubercles compared to those on other areas. Lateral margin of DS with an external row of low, rounded tubercles slightly increasing in size posteriorly. Posterior margin of DS and free tergites I-III each with a row of conical tubercles. Anal operculum tuberculate. Venter: Coxa I tuberculate, median row of large ones, apical face with two prolateral and two retro-lateral tubercles. Coxae II-III with small tubercles, pro- and retro-apical tubercles reduced. Coxa IV tuberculate. Chelicerae: Segment I with ectodorsal row of three tubercles on posterior face of bulla. Fixed and movable fingers with five and three teeth, respectively. Pedipalps (Fig. 9E, F ): Trochanter inflated dorsally, ventral face with two setiferous tubercles, mesal largest. Femur with a basal setiferous tubercle, an external lateral row of 2-3 smaller setiferous tubercles on the middle 1/3 (Fig. 9E ), and a mesal apical seta. Tibial setation: mesal IiIi, lateral IiIii. Tarsal setation: mesal IIi, lateral IiIi/Iii. Legs (Figs 9D , 10 ): Coxae I-III each with one prodorsal and one retro-dorsal apophysis; coxa II retro-dorsal apophysis trifid and fused at the apex with coxa III prodorsal apophysis. Coxa IV large, covered by more acuminate tubercles than those of the rest of the body (Fig. 9A ); with an obliquely inserted, conical prodorsal apical apophysis that is slightly curved downwards (Fig. 9C, D ); and a sickle-shaped retro-apical apophysis, twice the size of proapical apophysis, curved out and downwards (Figs 9D , 10D ). Trochanter III with a reduced retro-apical projection. Trochanter IV long, with pro- and a retro-lateral central blunt apophyses, the prolateral one slightly acuminated (Fig. 10A ); apical portion with a long, conical retro-apical apophysis and a small proapical round tubercle (Fig. 10 ). Femur III slightly curved retrolaterally in dorsal view, with a slightly acuminated retro-apical dorsal tubercle; ventral surface with two rows of tubercles increasing in size subapically, prolateral row larger. Femur IV slightly curved inwards at the base, medio-dorsal row of tubercles twice the height of those covering the podomere, almost on the entire femur (except the sub-apical surface), basal and sub-apical tubercles more conspicuous (Fig. 10A, B, D ); a pair of long, curved dorso-apical paralateral spines, retro-lateral spine largest and strongly curved upwards (Fig. 10A, D ); retro-lateral face with three long, conical, central apophyses (Fig. 10A, D ); ventral surface with a prolateral row of large tubercles alternating with small ones on apical half, and a retro-lateral row with round tubercles (Fig. 10B, C ); ventro-apical portion with two paralateral large straight spiniform apophyses, proapical largest (Fig. 10C ). Patella IV tuberculate, ventral surface covered by enlarged, acuminated tubercles, with a large proapical spine (twice the size of the surrounding ones) (Fig. 10B ). Tibia IV with two ventral rows of tubercles increasing in size apically, pointing posteriorly (Fig. 10B, D ). Metatarsus I slightly swollen. Tarsal counts: 6, 9, 6, 6. Penis (UFPB OP-728; Fig. 11 ): VP apex and lateral margins slightly concave. MS A set showing asymmetry between right (4) and left (3) sides (Fig. 10A, B ); MS B almost undistinguishable from MS A but inserted more basally. Five pairs of conical, curved MS C, decreasing in size apically; two pairs of MS D close to MS C5, but slightly smaller and placed more dorsally; two pairs of small MS E, ventral to the MS C set (Fig. 10B ). Coloration: General coloration predominantly moderate yellow (87). DS scute areas, prosoma and margins, free tergites I-III moderate olive brown (95) granulation.

FEMALE (UFPB OP-729; Figs 6B , 12D ) Measurements: DSL: 4.13; DSW: 4.32; LI: 8.83; LII: 16.57; LIII: 10.93; LIV: 14.40. Dorsum: Less armed compared to male. DS narrower. Lateral margin of DS with an external row of tubercles, posterior tubercles slightly larger than in male. Pedipalps: Pedipalp tibial setation: lateral IiIi. Legs: Coxa IV narrower and shorter than in male, with a small prolateral apophysis, and a conical, straight retro-apical apophysis of same size. Trochanter IV narrower and shorter than in male, the prolateral basal apophysis as a large, blunt tubercle, and a small retro-lateral apophysis. Femur III lacking a proventral row of enlarged tubercles, reduced retro-dorsal apical tubercle. Femur IV unarmed, covered by small conical tubercles that slightly increase in size apically, with a pair of small dorso-apical spines of similar size. Patella-tibia IV unarmed. Tarsal counts: 6, 9-10, 6, 6.

Variation.

Males (n = 6): Measurements: DSL 4.43-4.66; DSW 4.84-5.06; LI 8.91-10.21; LII 17.52-19.48; LIII 12.24-13.08; LIV 16.19-17.51. Dorsum: Front margin with or without tubercles. Ocularium with parallel or diverging spines, inclination of these ranging from near-horizontal to vertical. Pedipalps: Femur external lateral row with 2-3 sub-apical tubercles. Legs: Femur IV dorso-apical spines with similar size to retro-lateral largest and strongly curved upwards; retro-lateral central conical apophyses sometimes with an additional apophysis of half the height of the remaining apophyses in the middle; apical half of proventral row bearing small tubercles alternated with large ones. Tarsal counts: 6, 10-12, 6, 4-6. Females (n = 2): Measurements: DSL 4.13-4.27; DSW 4.32-4.46; LI 8.83-8.84; LII 16.16-16.57; LIII 10.93-11.62; LIV 10.09. Pedipalps: Pedipalp tibial setation: mesal IiIi, lateral IiIi. Tarsal setation: mesal IIi, lateral IiIi/IiIii. Legs: Tarsal counts: 6, 9-10, 6, 6.

Etymology.

‘Falcata’ is a Latin adjective (adj. nom. fem.) that means sickle-shaped and refers to the diagnostic retro-apical apophysis of male coxa IV of the species.

Distribution (Fig. 13 ).

Known only from type locality. Caatinga dry forest of tableland slopes of interior Rio Grande do Norte.

Figures

Figure 6. Sertaneja crassitibialis sp. nov. (A, C - G) Male holotype (UFPB OP- 487), A: habitus, dorsal view; C: same, right lateral view; D: right coxa and trochanter IV in dorsal view; E: right pedipalp in lateral view; F: same, mesal view; G: ocularium frontal view. (B) Female paratype (UFPB OP- 727) habitus, dorsal view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figure 9. Sertaneja falcata sp. nov. (A, C - G) Male holotype (UFPB OP- 481), A: habitus, dorsal view; C: same, right lateral view; D: right coxa and trochanter IV in dorsal view; E: right pedipalp in lateral view; F: same, mesal view; G: ocularium frontal view. (B) Female paratype (UFPB OP- 729) habitus, dorsal view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figure 10. Sertaneja falcata sp. nov. Male holotype (UFPB OP- 481) right trochanter-tibia IV. A: dorsal view; B: prolateral view; C: ventral view; D: retro-lateral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figure 11. Sertaneja falcata sp. nov. (UFPB OP- 728), apical portion of penis. A: dorsal view; B: right lateral view.

Figure 12. Photographs of live Sertaneja gen. nov. A: Female of S. crassitibialis sp. nov. (courtesy of Leonardo Sousa Carvalho); B: Male of S. bicuspidata sp. nov.; C, E: Male of S. falcata sp. nov.; D: Female of S. falcata sp. nov.

Figure 13. Geographic distribution of Sertaneja gen. nov. and biomes. A: northeastern Brazil detail; B: distribution compared to Pachylinae groups.