Gonyleptes fragilis Mello-Leitao , 1923

Pinto-da-Rocha, Ricardo, Benedetti, Alipio Rezende, de Vasconcelos, Eduardo Gomes & Hara, Marcos Ryotaro, 2012, New systematic assignments in Gonyleptoidea (Arachnida, Opiliones, Laniatores), ZooKeys 198, pp. 25-68 : 37

Gonyleptes fragilis Mello-Leitao, 1923 Fig. 11

Gonyleptes fragilis Mello-Leitão, 1923: 127; Kury 2003: 127; (female holotype, Brazil, São Paulo, Santo André, Alto da Serra, MZSP 56, examined).

Mendesius guttatus Roewer, 1952: 57; (female holotype, Brazil, SMF RII 10311/72, examined).

Gonyleptes banana Kury, 2003: 127 (replacement name for Mendesius guttatus Roewer, 1952, preoccupied by Gonyleptes guttatus Roewer, 1917). Syn. n.

Diagnosis.

Gonyleptes fragilis resembles Gonyleptes horridus and Gonyleptes curvicornis because of the overall similarities of the features of the dorsal scutum. Gonyleptes fragilis can be distinguished from the other two species by the ocularium with a pair of spines (tubercles in Gonyleptes horridus and Gonyleptes curvicornis ) and the pale yellowish spots around the tubercles on abdominal scutum.

Description.

Penis (Fig. 11 A–C): ventral plate inflated in the middle region, with a deep U-cleft on anterior margin (its distal tips convergent), 3 distal pairs of long, curved setae, 1 median pair of short setae, 4 basal pairs of spatulate setae. Glans sac slightly projected distally, with similar projection to a dorsal process. Stylus sigmoid, smooth. Ventral process robust, apex flabelliform with several small projections on distal margin.

Taxonomical note.

Soares and Soares (1988) proposed the new combination Gonyleptes guttatus (Roewer, 1952) for Melloleitaniella guttatus , making it a homonym of Gonyleptes guttatus Roewer, 1917 [= Melloleitaniella guttata (Roewer, 1917)]. Kury (2003) renamed the species as Gonyleptes banana , based on the Roewer’s citation about the peculiar collection site of the type specimen, a banana shipment for export. The female holotype of Mendesius guttatus matches exactly the female holotype of Gonyleptes fragilis . Both males and females of Gonyleptes fragilis present a brown general coloration with some pale yellowish spots around the tubercles of the mesotergum, a diagnostic characteristic for this species. In addition, the occurrence area of Gonyleptes fragilis includes the Vale do Ribeira and southern coast of São Paulo ( Kury 2003), an important area known for producing banana for exportation in the 1940's and 1950's.