Stenophareus guerreroi Villarreal & DoNascimiento

Manzanilla, Osvaldo Villarreal, Donascimiento, Carlos & Rodríguez, Carlos J, 2007, Two new species of the enigmatic genus Stenophareus (Opiliones: Laniatores: Stygnidae) from the Venezuelan Guiana Shield, Zootaxa 1471, pp. 43-51 : 46-48

Stenophareus guerreroi Villarreal & DoNascimiento , sp. n.

Figs 8–14 , 18–20

Type material. Male holotype ( MHNLS IV- 245), Venezuela, Bolívar State, Chimantá-tepui; leg. Charles Brewer-Carías & Ricardo Guerrero.

Non type material. 1 juvenile ( MHNLS IV- 246), collected together with the holotype.

Etymology. This species is dedicated to Ricardo Guerrero for providing the specimens examined, for his significant collecting efforts and for his contributions to our knowledge of the tepuy fauna.

Diagnosis. Stenophareus guerreroi sp. n. is distinguished from S. aonda sp. n. by eyes and tegument pigmented, mesotergal area II smooth, proximal-most tarsal article of leg I swollen, and dorsal-most seta of basal row on apex penis situated clearly more proximally than all others. The new species can be separated from S. roraimus by the size and orientation of spines on mesotergal area III (reduced to two small upright tubercles in S. guerreroi sp. n. vs strongly developed and pointing backwards in S. roraimus ), dorsal tubercle on coxa IV absent, number of tarsomeres on legs I/II (7/26 vs 6/16) and wide black spots behind prosoma absent.

Description of the male (holotype). Dorsum ( Figs 8–9 ). Dorsal scute rectangular, widest at mesotergal area II, without granules in anterior portion. Mesotergal areas I, II and IV, and anal opercle smooth. Mesotergal area III with two small tubercles. Free tergites unarmed. Coxa I with one tubercle; coxa II with one prolaterodorsal and one retrolateral tubercle; coxa III with one prolateral tubercle in contact with prolateral tubercle of coxa II; coxa IV with one retrolateral tubercle fused to first opisthosomal sternite.

Venter. Coxa I with one anterior tubercle, four median and four distal granules; coxa II with 5–6 median and three distal granules; coxa III with 7–8 median granules, distally unarmed. Free sternites each with a row of minute granules. Genital opercle with a low protuberance carrying five granules (three anteriors and two posteriors) associated to bases of setae.

Chelicera ( Figs 9–10 ). Basichelicerite elongated and distally swollen, dorsal surface granulated. Hand globose and elongated, with a frontal granule. Fixed finger with five triangular median teeth. Movable finger with a large proximal tooth followed by six smaller teeth, the first of them low and wide, the next one small and triangular, the two following ones large and triangular, and the two distal ones low and wide.

Pedipalp ( Figs 11–12 ). Coxa with a widened dorsoproximal process and ventral tubercles (proximal one largest). Trochanter with a small dorsal granule and two ventral tubercles. Femur and patella elongated and unarmed. Tibia ectal with IiiIiIii (1>4>6>2>3>5>7>8); mesal with IIiIi (1>4>2>3=5). Tarsus ectal with a proximal granule and IiIiii (1>3>2=5>4>6); mesal with IiIiIi (3>1>5>2>4>6).

Legs ( Figs 13–14 ). Trochanter I with 3–4 ventral granules; trochanter II with three ventral granules; trochanter IV with a ventroproximal granule and two ventrodistal granules. Femora, patellae and tibiae I–IV unarmed. Proximal-most tarsal article of leg I swollen, others cylindrical. All tarsal articles long and without scopula. Claws subparallel and smooth. Tarsal process well-developed ( Fig. 13 ).

Tarsal formula (from leg I to IV): 7(3)/26(3)/6/7.

Penis ( Figs 18–20 ). Apex of truncus with three basal setae on each side, the dorsal seta clearly located below the level of the other two setae. Ventral plate with three distally aligned setae on each side, plus one small seta situated more ventrally and one seta intermediate to the basal group of setae; lateral margins slightly concave; distal margin with a wide U-shaped cleft. Glans without dorsal process.

Coloration. Dorsal scute uniformly light brown, lateral and posterior margins slightly darker. Free tergites and sternites dark brown. Chelicerae, pedipalps and legs I–II yellowish brown, with greenish brown reticulation; cheliceral fingers dark brown. Legs III–IV reddish brown.

Female. Unknown.

Figures

FIGURES 8 – 14. Stenophareus guerreroi sp. n., male holotype. 8. Dorsal scute: dorsal view. 9. Same: lateral view. 10. Cheliceral fingers: frontal view. 11. Right pedipalp: ectal view. 12. Same: mesal view. 13. Distal tarsal articles of right leg IV: prolateral view. 14. Right tarsus of leg I: prolateral view. Scale bars 1 millimeter.

FIGURES 15 – 20. Stenophareus aonda sp. n., male holotype (15 – 17); Stenophareus guerreroi sp. n., male holotype (18 – 20). 15, 18. Distal part of penis: lateral view. 16, 19. Same: dorsal view. 17, 20. Total penis: lateral view. Scale bars 500 micrometers.