Acrographinotus, Holmgren, 1917

Acosta, Luis E., 2024, The two southernmost species of the Andean genus Acrographinotus Holmgren (Arachnida, Opiliones, Gonyleptidae) described from Bolivia and Argentina, Zootaxa 5481 (5), pp. 547-562 : 551

Identification key for males of Acrographinotus *

* Acrographinotus opacus not included (male unknown)

1. DS set with large, pustular tubercles that fill areas I–IV, in marked contrast with the whitish background in those areas. Coxa IV with a large, sigmoid apophysis, diagonally oriented; trochanter IV articulates fairly straight. FeIV and TiIV heavily armed, in the former the armature includes a large retrolateral apophysis on the middle ( cf. Roewer 1929: fig. 28)........ A. ornatus

- DS of uniform color, areas I–IV completely smooth or with scattered granules to small round tubercles. Coxa IV with a short prolateral apophysis, often truncate and quite transverse, if diagonal it is not sigmoid; trochanter IV articulates obliquely outwards (less accentuated in A. mitmaj ). FeIV without a large retrolateral apophysis on the middle; armature of TiIV moderate..... 2

2. VAP unarmed. Leg IV covered with acute tubercles or apophyses, what gives this appendage a spiny look ( cf. Roewer 1929: fig. 27; Acosta 2002a).................................................................................. 3

- VAP armed (a pair of horn-like apophyses and/or a shelf-like projection; Figs. 3B, D ; 5B ). Leg IV never spiny, it is covered with rows of rounded tubercles or truncate apophyses (see e.g., Figs. 3A–C , 5A–C )..................................... 5

3. Prolateral apophysis of coxa IV diagonal, it emerges close to the articulation with trochanter, so it hides its prolateral corner if seen from above. Femur IV covered with uniformly-sized acute grains and a single retro-subapical apophysis—no subapical hiatus exists. FT-III with a modest apophysis; armature on trochanter IV little developed. Penis: VPS with a membranous ‘crest’ ( cf. Acosta 2002a: figs. 1–12)..................................................................... A. mitmaj

- Prolateral apophysis of coxa IV transverse, truncate, or slightly diagonal, very short, it emerges separated from the articulation with trochanter, leaving a gap and the prolateral corner uncovered ( cf. Roewer 1929: fig. 27). FeIV with large distal apophyses that leave a subapical hiatus ( cf. Roewer 1957: Pl. 3, fig. 10). Single apophysis of FT-III robust; strong armature on trochanter IV. Penis: VPS without ‘crest’............................................................................ 4

4. Apophysis on the ocular mound high, it is always a single one. FeIV with moderate subapical hiatus, the large apical apophysis is conic, similar to the adjacent ones; strong proventral subapical apophysis, with foliaceous and truncate look ( cf. Roewer 1929: fig. 27).............................................................................. A. curvispina

- Apophysis on the ocular mound low or absent, its place may be taken by a notch that gives the ocular mound a paired appearance. FeIV with wide subapical hiatus, apical apophysis hooked and larger than the rest; no proventral subapical apophysis ( cf. Roewer 1957: Pl. 3, figs. 9–10)..................................................................... A. ortizi

5. VAP armature: a pair of independent, horn-like acute apophyses ( cf. Acosta 2001: figs. 2, 3). DS with scattered granules, they may be almost small round tubercles toward the median line................................................... 6

- VAP armature: a platform-like projection (‘shelf’) extends beneath the anus, normally flanked by the apophyses ( cf. Acosta 2001: fig. 25; this paper: Fig. 3B ), these are rarely lacking ( Fig. 5B ). DS sparsely covered with tiny granules to almost smooth... 7

6. Apophyses of VAP strong and diverging, pointing sideways. Apophysis on FT-III very large, it expands the tergite itself into a conical shape and has a row of short apophyses each side. FeIV arched in lateral view. Retroapical apophysis of trochanter IV rudimentary. Ocular mound acute ( cf. Soares & Bauab 1972: figs. 10–15).............................. A. ceratopygus

- Apophyses of VAP subparallel, directed backwards. Apophysis on FT-III large but not expanding the tergite itself, it has a row of round granules (not apophyses) each side. FeIV straight in lateral view. Retroapical apophysis of trochanter IV large. Ocular mound blunt ( cf. Acosta 2001: figs. 1–10)....................................................... A. erectispina

7. Robust. FeIV thick, with a retrodorsal row of large truncate tubercles and a dorsal row of blunt apophyses; TiIV thick and heavily armed with retroventral row of apophyses. Trochanter IV with bilobated (anvil-shaped) prodorsal apophysis, and an acute, large retroapical one ( cf. Acosta 2001: figs. 23–32)............................................. A. niawpaq

- Slender. FeIV and TiIV slim; FeIV with similar dorsal and retrodorsal rows, but with tubercles or apophyses much smaller. Prodorsal and retroapical apophyses of trochanter IV less developed............................................. 8

8. Medium-sized (DS length 5.9–7.2 mm; mean 6.4; Fig. 2 ), long-legged and with fairly robust habitus. FeIV substraight and long (FeIV/DS RatiO in α males: 0.94–1.15; Fig. 2 ), with a defined subapical naRROwing ( Figs. 3A–C ). ApOphYsis On FT-III sigmOid in lateRal view ( Fig. 3D ), RaRelY hORizOntal OR cuRved ( Figs. 3H, J ). ApOphYses On VAP laRge, in α-males theY fuse tO bOth sides of the shelf-like process, most frequently exceeding it in size ( Figs. 3B, D ). Penis: curvature of beak-like process of VPS marked ( Fig. 4C )............................................................................. A. tariquiae sp. nov.

- Small-sized (DS length 5.7–6.2 mm; Fig. 2 ), with shorter legs and habitus comparatively weaker. FeIV slightly arched ( Figs. 5A–B ), shorter than DS (FeIV/DS ratio: 0.84–0.89; Fig. 2 ), with no discernible subapical narrowing. Apophysis on FT-III curved or horizontal in lateral view, not clearly sigmoid ( Fig. 5D ). VAP with a small shelf-like projection, apophyses not recognizable except for a pair of small subapical tubercles ( Figs. 5B, D ). Penis: curvature of beak-like process of VPS mild ( Fig. 6C )................................................................................. A. calilegua sp. nov.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Comparative morphometrics of Acrographinotus tariquiae sp. nov. and A. calilegua sp. nov., displayed as box-plots with data points (internal lines, dashed: mean, solid: median). Left: DS length (in mm) for males and females; the single outlying female from El Duraznillo (star), tentatively assigned to A. calilegua but not used in calculations, is shown for reference. Right: FeIV/DS ratio, males. In box-plots of male A. tariquiae, small aRROws fROm the left identifY the twO examined β-males.

FIGURE 3. Acrographinotus tariquiae sp. nov. A–F: HOlOtYpe ♂ (CBF). A. DORsal scutum, fRee teRgites (alsO shOwing dORsal anal operculum and VAP apophyses), coxae IV, right trochanter and femur IV, dorsal view. B. Venter, with coxae IV, genital and stigmatic segments, free sternites, VAP with apophyses (also showing apophysis of FT-III), right trochanter and femur IV. C. Right coxa, trochanter, femur, patella and tibia IV, prolateral view. D. Detail of free tergites, dorsal and ventral anal operculum, lateral view. E. Right femur and patella IV, retrolateral view. F. Ocular mound, posterior view. G–J: Armature variations on FT-III and VAP in tOpOtYpical ♂ paRatYpes. G–H: Smallest α-male (CBF), I–J: β-male (CDA 000.914). G, I: ventRal view; H, J: lateral view. Scale lines: 2 mm (A–E, G–J), 1 mm (F).

FIGURE 4. Acrographinotus tariquiae sp. nov., distal end Of penis, HOlOtYpe ♂ (CBF). A: dORsal view; B: lateRal view; C: detail of stylus and ventral process. Scale lines: 0.1 mm (A, B), 0.05 mm (C).

FIGURE 5. Acrographinotus calilegua sp. nov., HOlOtYpe ♂ (CDA 000.912). A. DORsal scutum, fRee teRgites (alsO shOwing VAP process from above), coxae IV, right trochanter and femur IV, dorsal view. B. Venter, with coxae IV, genital and stigmatic segments, free sternites, ventral anal plate, right trochanter and femur IV. C. Right coxa, trochanter, femur, patella and tibia IV, prolateral view. D. Detail of free tergites, dorsal and ventral anal operculum, lateral view. E. Right femur and patella IV, retrolateral view. F. Ocular mound, posterior view. Scale lines: 2 mm (A–E), 1 mm (F).

FIGURE 6. Acrographinotus calilegua sp. nov., distal end Of penis. A–B. PaRatYpe ♂ (MACN-AR 45699): A: dORsal view; B: lateRal view (membRanOus cRest is bent); C. HOlOtYpe ♂ (CDA 000.912), detail Of stYlus and ventRal pROcess. Scale lines: 0.1 mm (A, B), 0.05 mm (C).