Graecophalangium antalicum

Tchemeris, Aleksey N., 2021, - A-new-harvestman-species-of-the-genus-Graecophalangium-Roewer, - 1923 (Arachnida: - Opiliones: - Phalangiidae) - from-Turkey-, Zootaxa 5081 (1), pp. 141-150 : 142-149

Graecophalangium antalicum sp. ­nov.

Figs 1–19

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:BD56DA7D-2005-495E-A1F9-8379F12B826F

Types. Holotype male ( ISEA O.001.0289) from Turkey, Antalya Province, 17 km SSE of Elmali, Bey Mt. R., 4-5 km E of Avlan Lake, 1350-1600 m asl, N 36 o 34’ E 30 o 00’, 24.IV.2009, leg. R. Yu Dudko et al . Paratypes: 1 male, 1 female ( ISEA O.001.0290) — idem .

Etymology. ­ The species epithet originates from the name of the Turkish province Antalia, where the type series was collected.

Diagnosis. This species is most similar to three of its congeners ( G. atticum Roewer, 1923 , G. drenskii Mitov, 1995 and G. militare (C.L. Koch, 1839)) , which are distinguished from other species by the following characters: 1) Body large and evenly armed with denticles. 2) Ocularium developed and distinctly covered with denticles on eye rings. 3) Powerful and swollen leg pair I armed with rows of strong denticles on dorsal and ventral surface. 4) Chelicerae robust, with the distal segment bearing at least three strong hook-shaped apophyses. 5) Corpus of penis noticeably thickened, and with expanded base comprising at least 1/4 of the length.

Graecophalangium antalicum differs from the other three species in the structure of palps, ultimate segment of chelicerae and shape of penis. The main diagnostic characters are as follows: 1) male palps are 13.12-14.4 mm long, three times the length of the carapace (Figs 3, 12), thin and strongly elongate in comparison with the other species of the genus; 2) chelicerae with four clearly visible apophyses. The second segment of the chelicera with three apophyses directed forward, one of them horn-like located on a fixed finger, the fourth apophysis is situated on the third segment (moveable finger of the chela) (Figs. 7–11), the frontal lobe is strongly prominent; 3) penis with wide and very long base forming about 1/3 of its length, glans dolabriform with short stylus (Figs 15–17). Morphological differences between the new species and the three other Graecophalangium species are shown in Table 1.

Description. MALE. Measurements. Body: length 6.87; abdomen maximal width 4.22. Carapace length: 2.51; width in maximal 4.68. ‘Clypeus’ (space between the eye tubercle and the front margin of carapace) length: 1.32. Eye tubercle width: 0.8. Chelicera: first segment 3.00 long; second segment 2.71 long; chela maximal length 1.81. Length of palp segments (with trochanter): 1.77 + 3.96 + 1.71 + 2.32 + 4.64 = 14.4. Length of leg segments: I: 5.02 + 2.09 + 3.73 + 4.25 + 7.73 = 22.82; II: 6.22 + 1.80 + 4.78 + 4.83 + 14.61 = 32.24; III: 3.57 + 1.78 + 3.11 + 3.22 + 9.22 = 20.90; IV: 5.72 + 2.00 + 3.82 + 6.42 + 10.42 = 28.38. Penis 4.12 long, base with 0.50, glans 0.51 long, stylus 0.10 long.

Body of a medium size with papillose integument (Figs 1, 4–5). Carapace with relatively high black-tipped denticles (Figs 1–2, 4–5), which are grouped as follows: high number of denticles are located behind the ocularium, on sides, angles and anterior and posterior edges of the scent glands, and 5–6 denticles are visible on the sides of the ocularium. Glands distinct. Ocularium (Figs 1, 4–5) bears dorsally two longitudinal rows of 8 to 10 tubercles. Supra-cheliceral lamella with one acute tubercle (Figs 1, 4). Meta- and mesopeltidium and all abdominal tergites with transverse rows of black-tipped denticles.

Chelicerae large and robust (Figs 4, 7–11), both segments slightly swollen. First segment without ventral spine, but dorsally with numerous black-tipped denticles. Second segment distally elongate, with small dorsal apophysis, laterally lacking tubercles and denticles, and provided with 1 or 2 tubercles on the top of ectal side. Chelicerae with four clearly visible apophyses. The second segment of the chelicera with three apophyses directed forward, one of them horn-like are located on the fixed finger, the fourth apophysis is situated on the third segment (moveable finger of chela) (Figs 7–11). The apophyses located on the second segment have unique shapes. When viewed from above, the apophysis on the mesal side is mace-like shape slightly curved towards the ectal side. In front view it is hook-like (Figs 7, 9–11). The frontal apophysis is strong and wide irregular triangular shaped. Apophyses located on the fingers of the claws look similar to weakly pointed spines slightly curved downwards.

FIGURES­1–3. Graecophalangium antalicum sp.­nov., (1) body, dorsal view of male holotype; (2) body, dorsal view of female paratype; (3) right palp, dorsal view of male holotype. Scale bar 1.0 mm.

FIGURES­4–7. Graecophalangium antalicum sp.­nov., male holotype, (4) frontal part of body, dorsal view; (5) carapace, dorsolateral view; (6) right leg I, ectal view; (7) chelicerae and first segments of right palp, frontal view. 4, 6–7, scale bar 1.0 mm; 5, scale bar 0.5 mm.

FIGURES­8–14. Graecophalangium antalicum sp.­nov., male holotype, (8) ­ left chelicera, mesal view; (9) chelicerae, frontal view; (10) left chelicera, ectal view; (11) left chelicera, dorsofrontal view; (12) right palp, ectal view; (13–14) natural view of penis: (13) dorsal view; (14) lateral view. Scale bar 1.0 mm.

FIGURES­15–18. Graecophalangium antalicum sp.­nov., (15–17) male holotype: (15) glans, lateral view; (16) penis, dorsal view; (17) penis, lateral view; (18) seminal receptacle of ovipositor, female paratype. 15, 18, scale bar 0.125 mm; 16,17, scale bar 0.5 mm.

TABLE­1.­ Main diagnostic characters of four related Graecophalangium species.

FIGURE­19. Distribution species of Graecophalangium , (1) global distribution; (2) distribution in East Mediterranean region.

Palps relatively thin and long, considerably longer than in congeners (Figs 3, 12). Coxae with two maxillary lobes (Fig. 7). Trochanter on the dorsal surface with 5–8 pointed tubercles, ventral surface covered with numerous tubercles. Femur extended to the top, dorsal surface provided with three rows of pointed denticles, middle with elongate and blacktipped denticles, ventral side is densely covered with small tubercles.

Patellae with small ectal apophysis in distal part, ectal and dorsal surface with tiny tubercles. Tibiae and tarsi covered with hairs and lacking tubercles or denticles. Tarsal claw smooth. Legs of medium length, cylindrical in cross section (Fig 1). Femora and patellae II–IV with 6 rows of black-tipped denticles, femur II covered with smaller denticles, patella II with a few rows of denticles. Tibia II–IV pentagonal in cross section, with curved black-tipped denticles or black spicules on sides. The first pair of legs is swollen (Figs 1, 6), especially femora, patellae and tibiae. Dorsal surface of femur I with 3 rows of black-tipped denticles, which longer in 1 and 2 rows, ventral surface densely covered with small tubercles. Patella I with 2 rows of black-tipped denticles, median row with elongate denticles, sides and ventral surface with small scattered denticles. Tibia I pentagonal in cross section, with curved black-tipped denticles or black spicules on sides, ectal side covered with setae only, ventral side densely covered with black-tipped denticles. Dorsal surface of metatarsus I provided with rows of tiny curved black-tipped denticles, ventral surface densely covered with black microdenticles. The same microdenticles present on ventral surface of the first segment.

Penis sclerotized (Figs 13–17) with extended base. Shaft thick, narrowing gradually from the broadened base and subapically shaped as a faintly expressed “spoon”. Base comprising one-third of the penis length. Ventral surface of shaft with longitudinal swelling. Glans dolabriform, expanded downwards (see lateral view, Fig 15), distally with two spicules on each side. Glans with short stylus.

Coloration. Body white to light ochre, with round and elongated grey-ochre spots, dorsally ochre-light brown, with well-marked brown-grayish saddle-pattern and round elongated brown-gray brownish spots and patterns on its sides. Cheliceral basal segment light ochre, with brownish spots and patterns; second segment light ochre with yellow-orangeochre to light brown and brown zebra-like pattern. Palps light ochre, with brownish longitude spots. Legs light ochre, with small, oval, light brown and brown spots, especially numerous on leg femora, patellae and tibiae. Penis dark ochre, corpus from “spoon” to base black.

FEMALE. Measurements. Body: length 6.28; abdomen maximal width 5.28. Carapace length: 2.23; width in maximal 3.98. ‘Clypeus’ length: 1.10. Eye tubercle width: 0.75. Chelicera: basal segment 1.92 long; distal segment 1.38 long; chela maximal long 0.82.

Length of palp segments: 0.98 + 1.82 + 1.14 + 2.60 = 6.54. Length of leg segments: I: 3.01 + 1.45 + 2.52 + 2.78 + 4.78 = 14.54; II: 4.82 + 1.56 + 4.12 + 3.60 + 12.27 = 26.37; III: 2.72 + 1.41 + 2.42 + 3.70 + 6.23 = 16.48. IV: 4.06 + 1.80 + 3.52 + 5.62 + 7.92 = 22.92.

Female differs from male in having a more rounded body (Fig. 2). Chelicerae of the typical structure, smaller. Palps not so long, patellae and tibiae with pronounced apophyses. Coloration as in male. Seminal receptacle (Fig. 18) with two portions situated within metamers 3–5 of ovipositor.

Distribution. ­ Turkey: the type locality only (Fig. 19).