Antsirananaella faulstichi, Lorenz & Loria & Harvey & Harms, 2022

Lorenz, Michelle, Loria, Stephanie F., Harvey, Mark S. & Harms, Danilo, 2022, The Hercules pseudoscorpions from Madagascar: A systematic study of Feaellidae (Pseudoscorpiones: Feaelloidea) highlights regional endemism and diversity in one of the " hottest " biodiversity hotspots, Arthropod Systematics & amp; Phylogeny 80, pp. 649-691 : 649

Antsirananaella faulstichi sp. nov.

Type material examined.

MADAGASCAR: Antsiranana Prov. [Diana Region]: Holotype ♂ (CAS 9071843 [BLF3012]), allotype ♀ (ZMH-A0016680), paratypes: 7 ♂, 1 ♀ (CAS 9071843 [BLF3012]), 3 ♂ (ZMH-A0016681 - ZMH-A0016683), Reserve special d’Ankarana, 12°51′49″S 49°13′33″E, December 2003, B.L. Fisher.

Additional material examined.

MADAGASCAR: Antsiranana Prov. [Diana Region]: 8 ♂, 4 ♀, 7 nymphs (CAS 9072436 [ BLF11400 ]), Reserve Analamerana, 12°44′48″S 49°29′41″E, 5 December 2004, B.L. Fisher; 1 ♂ (CAS 9008191 [BLF2972]), Reserve Speciale de l’Ankarana, 12°54′32″S 49°06′35″E, 10-16 February 2001, Fisher, Griswold et al.; 1 ♀ (CAS 9071838 [BLF2858]), Reserve Speciale de l'Ankarana ; 12°54′32″S 49°06′35″E, 10-16 February 2001, Fisher, Griswold et al .; Antsiranana Prov. [Sava Region]: 1 nymph (CAS 9072439 [BLF9656]), Foret de Binara , 13°15′48″S 49°36′12″E, 3 December 2003, B.L. Fisher .

Diagnosis.

Smallest body sizes of all species of Antsirananaella gen. nov. (e.g., body length 1.80/2.17 ♂/♀ versus 1.94-2.17/ 2.21-2.47 ♂/♀; carapace length 0.55/0.65 ♂/♀ versus 0.58-0.69/ 0.70-0.77 ♂/♀). Unique cheotaxy: sb not on the same sagittal level as est but slightly more distal (on the same sagittal level in A. marlae sp. nov. and A. leniae sp. nov.); it between eb and et closer to eb than to et (equidistant in A. leniae sp. nov.); et in the distal third between dt and eb on the fixed finger (midway in between them in A. lorenzorum sp. nov. and A. leniae sp. nov.).

Etymology.

This species is named after my former Latin teacher, Gerhard Faulstich, who might be one of the wisest men ML has ever known.

Description.

The following description is based on holotype and allotype. - Carapace (Fig. 8A ): 1.36-1.55 (♂), 1.43-1.50 (♀) times longer than broad. - Pedipalps (Fig. 8C ): Trichobothrial pattern: sb on the movable finger distinctly distal to est on the fixed finger; it between eb and et on the fixed finger closer to eb than to et; et situated in the distal third between dt and eb on the fixed finger. Chelal fixed finger with 12 teeth in the OR, 16 in the MR and 15 in the IR; movable finger with 13 teeth in the OR, 13 in the MR and 16 in the IR. - Dimensions (mm): Holotype ♂: Body length 1.98; abdomen length 1.35, width (without pleura) 1.16, 1.25 (with pleura); carapace length 0.62, width 0.42; Pedipalp: trochanter 0.25; femur length 0.57, width 0.35; patella 0.46; chela (without pedicel) 0.57; hand length 0.13, width 0.15; movable finger 0.44; Leg I: trochanter 0.11, femur 0.20, patella 0.16, tibia 0.18, tarsus 0.27; Leg IV: trochanter 0.18, femur 0.12, patella 0.33, tibia 0.29, tarsus 0.32. Allotype ♀: Body length 2.28; abdomen length 1.53, width (without pleura) 1.34, 1.45 (with pleura); carapace length 0.73, width 0.51; Pedipalp: trochanter 0.32; femur length 0.71, width 0.38; patella 0.56; chela 0.65; hand length 0.14, width 0.18; movable finger 0.50; Leg I: trochanter 0.13; femur 0.25; patella 0.22; tibia 0.20; tarsus 0.33; Leg IV: trochanter 0.23; femur 0.14; patella 0.36; tibia 0.36; tarsus 0.36.

Variation.

Body length 1.95-2.02 (♂), 2.14-2.28 (♀); abdomen length 1.29-1.37 (♂), 1.46-1.53 (♀), width (without pleura) 1.12-1.23 (♂), 1.24-1.34 (♀), 1.20-1.30 (♂), 1.33-1.45 (♀) (with pleura); 1.09-1.22 (♂), 1.14-1.18 (♀) times longer than broad; carapace length 0.58-0.66 (♂), 0.69-0.73 (♀), width 0.42-0.45 (♂), 0.46-0.51 (♀), 1.36-1.51 (♂), 1.43-1.50 (♀) times longer than broad. Pedipalp: trochanter 0.24-0.31 (♂), 0.26-0.32 (♀); femur length 0.57-0.67 (♂), 0.65-0.71 (♀), width 0.31-0.36 (♂), 0.36-0.38 (♀); 1.62-2.00 (♂), 1.81-1.87 (♀) times longer than broad; tibia 0.46-0.51 (♂), 0.52-0.56 (♀); chela (without pedicel) 0.55-0.58 (♂), 0.62-0.65 (♀); movable finger 0.44-0.47 (♂), 0.49-0.50 (♀); hand length (without pedicel) 0.10-0.13 (♂), 0.10-0.14 (♀), width 0.12-0.16 (♂), 0.16-0.18 (♀); 0.63-1.00 (♂), 0.63-0.78 (♀) times longer than broad.

GenBank Code.

Genetic data is unavailable for this species.

Habitat.

Tropical dry forest at 290 m altitude.

Distribution.

Known from the type locality (BLF3012) and four additional locations (BLF11400, BLF2858, BLF2972 and BLF9656) in the Diana and Sava Regions (formerly Antsiranana Province).

Figures

Figure 8. Drawings of Antsirananaella faulstichi sp. nov.. A carapace, dorsal; B leg IV; C left chela from dorsal with trichobothrial pattern; D right pedipalp from dorsal. Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A - C); 0.4 mm (D).