Neopantopsalis quasimodo, Taylor, Christopher K. & Hunt, Glenn S., 2009

Taylor, Christopher K. & Hunt, Glenn S., 2009, New genus of Megalopsalidinae (Arachnida: Opiliones: Monoscutidae) from north-eastern Australia, Zootaxa 2130, pp. 41-59 : 47-49

Neopantopsalis quasimodo n. sp.

( Figs. 1 A, 3–12)

Material examined. Male holotype. Mt. Finnigan, 850–1100 m, 37 km S. of Cooktown, N. Queensland, 15°49’S 145°17’E, 19–22 April 1982, rainforest; Monteith, Yeates & Cook (QM S2481, QM S39684 , this specimen has two accession numbers; measured).

Paratypes. 1 male, as above (QM S2488); 1 male, Mt. Finnigan summit, 1100m, via Helenville, N. Queensland, 28 November 1985, G. Monteith & D. Cook, pyrethrum knockdown/ RF (QM S2491); 1 male, Mt. Finnigan, ~ 950–1050 m (QM S2833); 6 males (including 1 juvenile male), Mt. Finnigan summit, via Helensville, 28–30 November 1985, Monteith, Cook & Roberts (QM S3415; 5 males measured); 2 males, ditto, 1050 m, 3–5 December 1990, Monteith, Thompson, Cook, Sheridan & Roberts (QM S35968 ); 1 male, ditto, Monteith, Sheridan, Roberts & Thompson, pyrethrum (QM S74269; measured), 1 minor male, ditto, 850–950 m, Monteith, Thompson, Cook, Sheridan & Roberts (QM S74300 ), 5 males (including 2 minor males), ditto, 1050 m (QM S74301 ; minor males measured).

Other material examined. 5 males, Mt. Boolbun Sth. (Camp), 850 m, NE Queensland, 15°57’S 145°08’E, 5 November 1995 – 11 January 1996, Monteith, Cook & Roberts, intercept trap (QM S41346 ; 1 measured); 2 males, Mt. Hartley, SW slope, 750 m, 8 November 1995 – 16 January 1996, Monteith, Cook & Roberts, intercept trap (QM S41376 ; measured).

Diagnosis. Neopantopsalis quasimodo is distinguished from N. psile and N. pentheter by the presence of armature on the dorsal prosomal plate and ocularium. It is distinguished from N. camelus and N. thaumatopoios by having larger, fewer denticles on the dorsal prosomal plate and lacking pseudoarticulations in femur II.

Description. MAJOR MALE (N = 10). Prosoma length 2.76 (2.43–3.20), width 2.82 (2.45–3.20). Dorsal prosomal plate uniformly orange-brown, with bases of denticles silver. Anterior propeltidial area unarmed. Median propeltidial area denticulate, with pair of large denticles at apex of lateral mounds and further denticles anterior and lateral to mounds. Posterior propeltidial area mostly unarmed except for few small denticles lateral to lateral humps. Ocularium with row of few large denticles on each side. Lateral shelves mottled purple-brown, ozopore lobes white. Metapeltidium sclerotised medially to form distinctly round sclerotised area with dorsal prosomal plate. Dorsum of opisthosoma purple-brown, with large white spots, tan transverse stripes at segmental boundaries. Anal operculum white. Venter of opisthosoma tan, with some purple-brown areas laterally.

Chelicerae. Segment I 10.74 (8.50–12.19), segment II 12.20 (9.69–13.74). Very long and slender; purplebrown, with both segments white distally. Both segments evenly denticulate; segment I with larger denticles dorsally than ventrally. Cheliceral fingers sinuous ( Fig. 5 ).

Pedipalps. Femur 1.56 (1.33–1.77), patella 0.63 (0.55–0.70), tibia 0.92 (0.81–1.00), tarsus 1.99 (1.76–2.17). Unarmed; white with purple-brown bands. No apophyses or hypersetose areas. No plumose setae ( Fig. 11 ). Tarsal claw with many ventral teeth.

Legs. Femora 7.02 (6.15–7.73), 11.86 (10.54–13.08), 5.96 (5.31–6.22), 7.95 (7.12–8.72); patellae 1.25 (1.17–1.35), 1.37 (1.23–1.45), 1.28 (1.18–1.39), 1.37 (1.23–1.48); tibiae 6.27 (5.63–6.74), 12.58 (10.92–13.83), 5.82 (5.06–6.22), 7.99 (6.93–8.80). All segments light tan, with purple-brown bands except tan telotarsi. Coxae I–III with long spines on dorsal distal margins. Trochanter I with three long spines on dorsal prolateral margin, other trochanters unarmed. Femur I with proventral longitudinal row of long thin spines, longest at proximal and distal ends, dwindling to small denticles medially, turning along proventral margin at distal end ( Fig. 6 ). Dorsal longitudinal row of stouter large denticles, dwindling distally. Small scattered denticles on remainder of femur I. Patella I and tibia I with continuations of both longitudinal rows. Proventral spines long on patella I, turning along distal proventral margin; dwindling distally on tibia, ending ~1/3 of length from proximal end. Dorsal spines short on patella I, reduced to very few at proximal end of tibia. Remaining legs with small scattered denticles on femora, remaining segments unarmed except for distally-directed spines on dorsodistal edges of patellae. Tibia II with eight to eleven pseudosegments; tibia IV with three pseudosegments; femur II without pseudosegments.

Penis ( Figs. 7–10 , 12 ). Bristle groups on left side of junction between shaft and glans absent or reduced; anterior right group also greatly reduced. Glans at low angle to shaft; long and dorsoventrally flattened; rectangular in profile. Pores on glans shallowly recessed, not raised on papillae ( Figs. 12 ). Stylus directed dorsad from glans.

MINOR MALE (N = 3). Prosoma length 1.37 (1.14–1.60), width 2.13 (2.03–2.18). Considerably smaller than major male, with lateral mounds not as raised and no postocularial hump. Armature on dorsal prosomal plate not as prominent. Chelicerae. Segment I 4.23 (2.88–5.82), segment II 5.36 (3.96–6.89). Pedipalps. Femur 1.29 (1.22–1.34), patella 0.55 (0.52–0.58), tibia 0.77 (0.72–0.81), tarsus 1.66 (1.61–1.75). Legs. Femora 5.90 (5.69–6.14), 10.19 (9.96–10.38), 5.23 (4.95–5.50), 7.03 (6.69–7.31); patellae 1.16 (1.14–1.21), 1.25 (1.21–1.28), 1.15 (1.06–1.23), 1.20 (1.16–1.28); tibiae 5.78 (5.44–6.15), 10.87 (10.46–11.46), 5.36 (4.97–5.75), 6.07 (6.70–7.35). Spine row on leg I not as developed.

Variation. Some specimens differ from the holotype in that the mesopeltidium is not sclerotised. This probably indicates a younger age for these specimens, with less cuticular hardening. Cuticular hardening over time after the last moult can result in significant differences in appearance of individuals of Eupnoi at different ages ( Shultz 2008) Some individual variation occurs in the amount of denticulation present on the dorsal prosomal plate. In particular, two specimens of QM S3415 show more denticles on the lateral humps, as well as denticles on the posterior hump.

The most significant variation from a taxonomic point of view is that relating to the length of the left bristle groups on the penis. In some specimens (including the holotype) the left bristle groups are entirely absent ( Fig. 9 ), while in others small but distinct bristle groups are still present ( Fig. 10 ). However, no external characters can be identified distinguishing specimens differing in this way. Genitalic polymorphism has been described only occasionally in arachnids, but cannot be ruled out a priori (Jocqué 2002). Until the Neopantopsalis quasimodo species complex can be properly analysed (see comments below), I provisionally recognise only one species at the type locality.

Etymology. The name of this species was given by G. Hunt, and doubtlessly refers to the hunchbacked character from Victor Hugo’s novel Notre-Dame de Paris.

Comments. Specimens comparable to N. quasimodo from many localities in north-eastern Queensland are held in the collection at QM. However, a wide range of variation can be seen within and between localities in size, development of the bristle groups on the penis and extent of the proventral spine row on leg I, and it seems likely that a complex of closely related species is involved rather than a single taxon. Unfortunately, establishing species boundaries within the group has proven difficult, and will require no small amount of study. Matters are complicated further by the uncertain nature of N. continentalis , as described below. Until such a study can be conducted, I recommend that specimens similar to N. quasimodo be referred to as the ‘ N. quasimodo complex’.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Dorsal view of Megalopsalidinae exemplars, showing division of propeltidium into three areas. A. Neopantopsalis quasimodo n. sp. (QM S 2481). B. Megalopsalis sp. (WAM T 72936). C. Megalopsalis? inconstans (QM S 74252). Scale bars = 1 mm.

FIGURES 3 – 10. Neopantopsalis quasimodo n. sp., male. 3. Lateral view of body showing chelicerae and pedipalps (QM S 2481, holotype). 4. Lateral view of body with appendages removed (QM S 2481, holotype). 5. Cheliceral fingers, frontal view (QM S 74301). 6. Femur to tibia of right leg I, dorsal view (QM S 2481, holotype). 7. Total penis, right lateral view (QM S 2488). 8. Glans, right lateral view (QM S 2488). 9. Glans of same male, ventral view (QM S 2488). 10. Glans of different male, ventral view (QM S 74301). Scale bars for Figs. 3 – 6 = 1 mm; Fig. 7 = 0.5 mm; Figs. 8 – 10 = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 11 – 12. Neopantopsalis quasimodo n. sp., male. 11. Pedipalp, patella / tibia junction, prolateral view (QM S 74269). 12. Close-up of glans to show sensory pore morphology (QM S 74300).