Cryptocellus guaviarensis, Botero-Trujillo, Ricardo & Flórez, Eduardo, 2017

Botero-Trujillo, Ricardo & Flórez, Eduardo, 2017, Two new ricinuleid species from Ecuador and Colombia belonging to the peckorum species-group of Cryptocellus Westwood (Arachnida, Ricinulei), Zootaxa 4286 (4), pp. 483-498 : 492-496

Cryptocellus guaviarensis sp. nov.

Figures 25–40 , 41 ; Table 1

Type material. Holotype: male from COLOMBIA: Guaviare: San José del Guaviare, “ Playa Güio ”, 185 m elev. (approx.), 02°34′16″ N 72°41′51.80″ W, 06.x.2013, sifted leaf-litter, E. Flórez (ICN-Ari-013).

Etymology. The specific epithet is a latinised gentilicium to denote the area where the species is known from (Guaviare department).

Diagnosis (male-based only). Cryptocellus guaviarensis sp. nov. most closely resembles C. chiruisla sp. nov., among members of the peckorum species-group, in having the following morphological features of male: a large and distinct, flat, triangle-like region with tubercles on the anterior section of cucullus ( Fig. 31 ), on top of which a median elevation is visible on dorsal and ventral aspects ( Figs. 25–26 ); the anterior and anterolateral margins of carapace smooth ( Fig. 25 ); the movable finger of the chelicera noticeably widened with respect to the fixed finger ( Fig. 31 ); leg I tibia with a pronounced ventral “notch” formed by well-developed, ventrally protruding pro- (large) and retrolateral (small) distal lobes, a sub-basal tubercle-like protrusion, and a distinct concavity in the middle ( Fig. 37 ); leg I metatarsus laterally-compressed, prolaterally sunken on basal two thirds, and with a welldeveloped, proventral distal “elbow-like” expansion ( Fig. 37 ); and leg III metatarsus with disto-ventral tuft of long setae ( Figs. 35–36 ).

Males of C. guaviarensis sp. nov. can be readily recognized by having the cheliceral movable finger apex sharp and unmodified ( Fig. 31 ); suture line of coxae II about two thirds the length of that of coxae III ( Fig. 26 ); leg I tibia sub-basal, tubercle-like protrusion part of the “notch”, placed along midline on basal third of segment, such that the “notch” is visible on prolateral, but not dorsal, view ( Fig. 37 ); median concavity of the “notch” of leg I tibia is long, approximately two thirds of the segment’s length ( Fig. 37 ); apex of the lamina cyathiformis is distinctly pointed ( Figs. 35–36 ); the tarsal process of the copulatory apparatus is distinctly S-shaped, with apex directed dorso-anteriorly; the retrolateral edge of the tarsal process ventral opening bears four spiniform projections ( Figs. 35, 38–40 ); and femur of legs, particularly that of leg IV, moderately bulky ( Fig. 33 , Table 1).

Remarks. Cryptocellus guaviarensis sp. nov. most closely resembles C. peckorum among previously described members of the species-group by having the tegument densely covered with conspicuous tubercles, and similar shape of the male copulatory apparatus and male leg III metatarsus. Unlike the male of the new species referred above, in males of C. peckorum there is no flat region on cucullus; the carapace is uniformly densely granular on its entire surface; the width of the cheliceral movable finger is similar to that of the fixed finger; leg I tibia bears similarly-developed pro- and retroventral distal lobes but lacks a sub-basal protrusion, making the ventral concavity less evident and the notch is absent; leg I metatarsus is not laterally-compressed and lacks the “elbow-like” expansion; and leg III metatarsal tuft is absent.

Description. Male (holotype):

Coloration: Figs. 25–37 . Body and appendages immaculately reddish orange, except for sternal region, pedipalps and metatarsi and tarsi of legs are yellowish orange. Carapacial translucent areas yellow inside.

Setation: Figs. 25–37 . Body and appendages covered with fine bristle-like, predominantly straight to eyelashlike, translucent setae, which are sparse in sternal region.

Carapace: Figs. 25 , 30 . Trapezoidal in shape, with lateral margins curved and not parallel (narrowing anteriorly); anterior margin straight in dorsal aspect, re-curved in frontal aspect; posterior margin gently re-curved; carapace as long as wide; laterally with moderate protrusion at margins at level between coxae II and III, where widest. Longitudinal translucent areas placed at the level between coxae I and II, glabrous with well-defined borders, elevated, clearly visible on either lateral or dorsal aspects. Carapace densely covered with conspicuous, rounded, iridescent tubercles throughout, except along the anterior margin and on lateral margins anterior to the translucent areas, where predominantly smooth. Carapace devoid of cuticular pits.

Cucullus: Figs. 25–26 , 31 . Trapezoidal, with lateral margins notably diverging anteriorly, noticeably wider than long; anterior margin straight on ventral and frontal views; cucullus with pronounced median elevation (visible on dorsal and ventral aspects), and anterior triangle-like flat section densely covered with tubercles similar to those of carapace; tubercles also in two patches on each side of the midline and on the lateral margins; front corners smooth. Cucullus devoid of cuticular pits and furrows.

Chelicerae: Fig. 31 . Movable finger almost twice longer than fixed finger and more robust; movable fingers apically sharp and unmodified, (both) armed with ten small and sharp teeth which progressively increase in size distally (some of them fused into a bicuspid); fixed fingers with row of five/six teeth, the distalmost greatly enlarged as compared to the others which small and sharp.

Sternal region: Fig. 26 . Coxae I not meeting tritosternum; coxae II meeting along their posterior three-quarters, III–IV meeting entirely; II–IV progressively decreasing in length; coxae II with anterior and posterior margins subparallel, not perpendicular to the median axis but inclined anteriorly; suture lines of coxae II and IV each about two thirds the length of that of coxae III (coxae III are larger). Cuticle with tubercles, similar to those of carapace, along coxal margins and without cuticular pits.

Opisthosoma: Figs. 27–28 , 29, 32 . Oblong truncate, longer than wide, widest at level of tergite XII. Median plates of tergites XI–XIII with paired anterolateral depressions; lateral margins converging posteriorly on XI, approximately parallel on XII, converging anteriorly on XIII; median plate of tergites XI and XII wider than long, that of XIII slightly longer than wide, that of X slit-like trapezoidal. Central region of tergite XI median plate with pronounced, elevated rounded bulge; tergite XIII median plate with rear corners in 90° angle (not protruding laterally). Dorsal and ventral surfaces with tubercles similar to those of carapace and without cuticular pits. Sternites XI–XIII with paired anterolateral depressions similar to those of tergites and containing densely packed tubercles. Basal segment of pygidium with deep notch on dorsal posterior border; ventral border without notch.

Pedipalps: Fig. 34 . Without cuticular pits; with few tubercles restricted to trochanters I and II. Femur dorsally convex, widened in basal half. Tibia longer than femur, with dorsal surface straight, slightly widened ventrally in basal third and without tubercles. Movable claw about twice the length of fixed claw and more robust; both claws armed with minute teeth.

Legs: Figs. 33 , 35–37 . Without cuticular pits; leg segments with tubercles similar to those of carapace. Leg II longest; legs progressively increasing in width (i.e., at femur) in the order II <III <I <IV. Tibia of leg I with pronounced ventral “notch” formed by well-developed, ventrally protruding pro- (large) and retrolateral (small) distal lobes, a tubercle-like protrusion along midline on basal third of segment, and a deep concavity in the middle; leg I metatarsus laterally-compressed, prolaterally sunken on basal two thirds, and with a well-developed, proventral distal “elbow-like” expansion. Legs I and II, femur ventrally with flat, basal apophyses, absent on legs III and IV; apophyses are projected proximally and fully (leg I) or partially (leg II) cover the articular membranes between femur and trochanter. Leg III metatarsus moderately inflated, deeply excavated, with disto-ventral tuft of long setae and metatarsal process as in Figs. 35–36 ; lamina cyathiformis higher than long, with apex distinctly pointed. Leg length formula: 2341.

Copulatory apparatus: Figs. 35–36, 38–40 . Tarsal process S-shaped; apex directed dorso-anteriorly, long and straight. Tarsal process with a longitudinal opening on ventral subdistal area; pro- and retrolateral edges of the opening are hyaline; retrolateral edge more developed than the prolateral, with four spiniform projections; prolateral edge smooth. Accessory piece short (i.e., compared to the tarsal process), moderately curved, narrowing apically and single-tipped (non-bifid); accessory piece lying along a shallow longitudinal groove on retrolateral aspect of the tarsal process.

Measurements: See Table 1.

Female. Unknown.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality in Colombia ( Fig. 41 ). The area in Playa Güio consists predominantly of secondary forest, with trees of up to 30 m tall; inside of it, some parts are used for agriculture. This is a floodable area with geomorphology of low plateaus; the shrub stratum represents an important component of the vegetation in the area, where rocks of volcanic origin are found.

Figures

FIGURE 41. Map of Northwestern South America, plotting the known distribution of Cryptocellus chiruisla sp. nov. and Cryptocellus guaviarensis sp. nov.

FIGURES 25 – 28. Cryptocellus guaviarensis sp. nov. Male holotype (ICN-Ari- 013). 25. Carapace, dorsal aspect. 26. Prosoma, ventral aspect (sternal region). 27 – 28. Opisthosoma, dorsal and ventral aspects. Scale bars: 500 µm.

FIGURES 29 – 34. Cryptocellus guaviarensis sp. nov. Male holotype (ICN-Ari- 013). 29. Opisthosoma, lateral aspect. 30. Carapace, detail of translucent area. 31. Cucullus and chelicerae, frontal aspect. 32. Opisthosoma, pygidium, posterior view. 33. Right leg IV, retrolateral aspect. 34. Left pedipalp tibia, prolateral aspect. Scale bars: 500 µm (Figs. 29, 33); 300 µm (Figs. 31, 32); 200 µm (Figs. 30, 34).

FIGURES 35 – 40. Cryptocellus guaviarensis sp. nov. Male holotype (ICN-Ari- 013). 35 – 36. Left leg III, prolateral and retrolateral aspects. 37. Left leg I, prolateral aspect (metatarsal “ elbow-like ” expansion indicated by arrow). 38 – 40. Copulatory apparatus in prolateral, frontal and retrolateral aspects; note the longitudinal opening of the tarsal process and the four spiniform projections on the retrolateral edge. Annotations: ac, accessory piece; M-tf, metatarsal tuft; tP, tarsal process; T-vn, tibial ventral “ notch ”. Scale bars: 300 µm (Figs. 35 – 37); 200 µm (Figs. 38 – 40).