Austropurcellia monteithi Jay, Popkin-Hall, Coblens & Boyer

Jay, Katya R., Popkin-Hall, Zachary R., Coblens, Michelle J., Oberski, Jill T., Sharma, Prashant P. & Boyer, Sarah L., 2016, New species of Austropurcellia, cryptic short-range endemic mite harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones, Cyphophthalmi) from Australia's Wet Tropics biodiversity hotspot, ZooKeys 586, pp. 37-93 : 52-57

Taxon classification Animalia Opiliones Pettalidae

Austropurcellia monteithi Jay, Popkin-Hall, Coblens & Boyer sp. n. Figs 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29

Material examined.

Holotype. Male (QM 102442 [ex MCZ IZ 68951]), Kahlpahlim Rock (Lambs Head) Trail trailhead, Dinden National Park, 17.037°S, 145.613°E, coll. S. L. Boyer, M. J. Coblens, K. R. Jay and P. P. Sharma 30.v.2014.

Paratypes. 1 male, 1 female, same collecting data as holotype, QM 102443 (ex MCZ IZ 69023). 1 male, 1 female, same collecting data as holotype, MCZ IZ 69024, Macalester SEM stubs M28.9, M28.10, M30.3.

Additional material.

1 male, Mt. Edith Summit, 17.093°S, 145.622°E, coll. G. B. Monteith 8.iv.2014, MCZ IZ 69025.

1 male, Davies Creek Road, 17.050°S, 145.600°E, coll. G. B. Monteith and G. Thompson 17.xii.1989, QM berlesate 836, S 25699, Macalester SEM stubs M21.5, M21.6.

1 male, Chujeba Peak Summit, 16.936°S, 145.657°E, coll. G. B. Monteith and G. Thompson 14-16.xii.1989, QM S 41074, Macalester SEM stubs M21.1, M21.2.

4 males, 1 female, 1 juvenile, Mount Williams Summit, 16.917°S, 145.667°E, coll. G. B. Monteith 28.xi.1997, QM berlesate 962, S 35866, Macalester SEM stubs M19.9, M19.10.

1 male, 3 females, 1 juvenile, Mount Williams, 16.917°S, 145.667°E, coll. G. B. Monteith 28.xi.1997, QM berlesate 961, S 35868, Macalester SEM stubs M20.5, M20.6.

1 male, 1 female, 2 juveniles, Mount Williams, 16.917°S, 145.667°E, coll. G. B. Monteith and H. Janetzki 3.xii.1993, QM berlesate 867, S 49641, Macalester SEM stubs M20.7, M20.8.

Diagnosis.

Distinguished from congeners by an unusually wide scopula emerging from anterior margin or anterior quarter of male anal plate and covering entire width of anal plate. Closely resembles Austropurcellia megatanka sp. n., due to full scopula covering most of anal plate, but distinguished from Austropurcellia megatanka by differences in scopula shape and ubiquity of ornamentation on opisthosomal sternites.

Description.

Pettalid with tergite VIII bilobed (Fig. 25). Length of male holotype (Fig. 24) 2.0 mm, width at widest point in posterior third of prosoma 1.2 mm, width at ozophores 0.8 mm. Most of body surface covered in microstructure of tubercles and granules (Fig. 25). Transverse sulci present and granulated (Figs 25A, 26A). Medial sulcus present, oriented parallel to posterior-anterior axis, containing elongated granules oriented parallel to medial sulcus (Fig. 25A).

Ozophores tall and conical, of type III sensu Juberthie (1970) (Figs 25A, 27B). Coxae of legs I and II mobile, coxae of remaining legs fixed. Male coxae II–IV meeting in the midline (Fig. 25B). Male gonostome small, subtriangular, wider than long (Fig. 25B). Spiracles circular and C-shaped with slightly recurved edges (Fig. 27A), as found in "open circle" type of Giribet and Boyer (2002). Anal region of "pettalid type" ( Giribet and Boyer 2002). Anal plate convex and sparsely granulated near anterior margin, with granulation density increasing laterally (Fig. 26B). Very wide scopula emerging from anterior quarter of anal plate or from anterior margin and continuing past posterior margin of anal plate (Fig. 26B). Two anal pores visible, one at suture between anal plate and tergite IX and one between lobes of tergite VIII (Fig. 26B).

Chelicerae (Fig. 28A) short and relatively robust. Proximal article of chelicerae with dorsal crest, without ventral process. Median article with apodeme. Chela with two types of dentition typical in pettalids (Fig. 28A). Measurements from male paratype of cheliceral articles from proximal to distal (in mm): 0.61, 0.83. Palp (Fig. 28B) with prominent ventral process on trochanter. Measurements from male paratype of palp articles from proximal to distal (in mm): 0.23, 0.28, 0.20, 0.23, 0.27.

Legs with all claws smooth, without ventral dentition or lateral pegs (Fig. 29). All tarsi smooth (Fig. 29). Distinct solea present on ventral surface of tarsus I (Fig. 29A). Metatarsi I and II heavily ornamented on proximal half, with distal half smooth (Fig. 29A, B). Remaining metatarsi with full ornamentation (Fig. 29 C–F). Male tarsus IV fully divided into two tarsomeres (Fig. 29D, E). Adenostyle with relatively robust claw, wide base, and small pore at apex on lateral (external) side (Fig. 29D). Long seta rising from medial (internal) face of adenostyle from below pore to above apex (Fig. 29D, E); very short seta rising from adenostyle base below pore on lateral (external) face (Fig. 29D) (example with adenostyle features labeled, Fig. 5).

Measurements from male paratype of leg articles from proximal to distal (in mm): leg I 0.15, 0.50, 0.27, 0.38, 0.19, 0.43; leg II 0.17, 0.39, 0.19, 0.31, 0.12, 0.34; leg III [trochanter damaged], [femur damaged] 0.20, 0.25, 0.11, 0.27; leg IV [trochanter damaged], 0.41, 0.23, 0.33, 0.13, 0.37. Width measurements from male paratype of leg articles from proximal to distal (in mm): leg I [trochanter damaged], 0.18, 0.18, 0.17, 0.15, 0.22; leg II [trochanter damaged], 0.15, 0.16, 0.17, 0.13, 0.14; leg III [trochanter damaged], 0.18, 0.17, 0.18, 0.12, 0.13; leg IV [trochanter damaged], 0.20, 0.17, 0.19, 0.17, 0.16.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is a tribute to the legendary Queensland field biologist Geoff Monteith for his invaluable knowledge of Wet Tropics entomology, which guided much of our fieldwork. The authors also wish to recognize his outsize generosity and hospitality to visiting researchers. In addition, he collected many of the specimens used in this study, including the holotype for Austropurcellia monteithi sp. n.