Sarax timorensis, Miranda & Reboleira, 2019

Miranda, Gustavo Silva de, Giupponi, Alessandro P. L., Prendini, Lorenzo & Scharff, Nikolaj, 2021, Systematic revision of the pantropical whip spider family Charinidae Quintero, 1986 (Arachnida, Amblypygi), European Journal of Taxonomy 772, pp. 1-409 : 205

Sarax timorensis Miranda & Reboleira, 2019

Fig. 103 ; Table 8

Sarax timorensis Miranda & Reboleira, 2019: 4–8 , figs 1–4.

Diagnosis

Based in part on Miranda & Reboleira (2019), this species may be separated from other species of Sarax in Southeast Asia and Oceania by the following combination of characters: large size (total length 12.82 mm); eight anterior setae; only two pairs of lateral eyes; cheliceral claw with six teeth; male gonopod with base of fistula, dorsal lobe and lateral lobe II sclerotized; pedipalp tarsus with two dorsal spines; leg basitibia with four pseudo-articles; leg IV distitibia sc and sf series each with six trichobothria.

The presence of only two pairs of lateral eyes is a unique character state among Amblypygi , otherwise known only in a few extinct species, e.g., Kronocharon longicalcaris Wunderlich, 2015 and Paracharonopsis cambayensis Engel & Grimaldi, 2014 . Sarax timorensis differs from these species by its much larger size and the number of spines on the pedipalp. The female is unknown.

Etymology

Adjective referring to the island of Timor, on which the species is found.

Type material (examined)

Holotype TIMOR-LESTE • ♂; Lautém District, Puropoko Cave ; 08°32′37.7952″ S, 127°03′58.374″ E; 6–12 Sep. 2016; A.S.P.S. Reboleira leg.; ZMUC.

Distribution

Known only from the type locality.

Natural history

The cave in which the type material was collected is on the border of Ira Lalaro Lake, a large closed karst depression in the eastern part of Timor Island. The temperature in the cave is constant at about 32°C and a stream runs through it. A large bat colony contributes extensive guano deposits, resulting in high densities of cockroaches throughout the cave.

Remarks

See Miranda & Reboleira (2019) for description.

Figures

Fig. 103. Map plotting known distributions of species of Sarax Simon, 1892 in Southeast Asia and Oceania, with insets for Singapore (A), eastern Borneo (B), and western West Papua (C).