Taito friedrichi Kury, 2024

Kury, Adriano Brilhante, 2024, A new species of Taito Kury and Barros, 2014 from Peru (Arachnida: Opiliones: Cosmetidae: Taitoinae), Journal of Natural History 58 (45 - 48), pp. 2237-2247 : 2239-2242

Taito friedrichi Kury sp. n.

( Figures 2–5 )

Etymology

The species is named after the German zoologist Stefan Friedrich, who collected the holotype, for his contribution to the knowledge of the Cosmetidae .

Type data

Male holotype ( MUSM ENT 0517785 ), Peru, Huánuco, Rio Yuyapichis, Área de Conservación Privada Panguana , (-9.617°, -74.933°, alt. 230 m), 20 September 2013 to 7 October 2013, S. Friedrich and F. Wachtel leg. Paratypes: 1 female ( MNRJ 518 ), Peru, Huánuco, Rio Yuyapichis, Área de Conservación Privada ( ACP) Panguana, 21 September 2012 to 8 October 2012, K. Schönitzer leg.; 1 female ( MNRJ 519 ), Peru, Huánuco, Rio Yuyapichis , ACP Panguana, 20 September 2013 to 7 October 2013, E.G. Burmeister leg .

Diagnosis

Similar to T. galaga , T. mayoruna , T. medinae , T. osmari , T. rorschachi and T. spaceinvaders in the strong armature on anal operculum; more specifically closest to T. galaga in this armature being shaped like a powerful median cone (in the other species it is either a cluster of apophyses or a rounded protuberance).

Similar to T. insperatus , T. galaga , T. mayoruna , T. medinae , T. osmari and T. rorschachi in the very large, subsquare lateral guards of the protoglyphs.

Similar to T. curupira and T. honda in the H-shaped equuleus (that is, with thin body and moderately elongate arms and feet; while all other species have equuleus easel-shaped or butterfly-shaped), although this H-shape is here further modified into a sui generis shape.

Similar to T. galaga , T. rorschachi and T. osmari in (1) the scutum outline type symmetrical beta-elongated (while the other species possess either a more classical beta-type or an asymmetrical beta-elongated type, widest at posterior part), and (2) basal-prolateral spur on Tr I and II, absent in Tr III (all other species have this armature on Tr I to III).

Similar to T. galaga and T. osmari in the paired lateral cones on sternites 7/8; more specifically closest to T. galaga in this armature being shaped into two very strong apophyses much longer than their segment (in T. osmari the apophyses are barely as long as their segment).

Similar to T. galaga and T. honda in the significant armature of scutal area III as a pair of robust acuminate short spines (all other species have a pair of small tubercles or granules).

Similar to T. galaga and T. rorschachi in the distal truncus growing steadily, without callus.

Differs from all other species of the genus by (1) the femur IV of male without any significant armature or bend, (2) the equuleus as a two-bodied (or two-runged) ladder with both arms and feet much elongated and divergent, and accessory middle bloats.

Description

Male holotype ( MUSM ENT 0517785 ).

Measurements. CL = 1.91, AL = 3.62, CW = 2.42, AW = 3.93; Fe I = 2.7, Ti I = 2.1, Fe II = 6.2, Ti II = 5.3, Fe III = 5.1, Ti III = 2.6, Fe IV = 7.0, Ti IV = 4.2.

Dorsum. ( Figure 2 (a,c)) Dorsal scutum much elongated (length/width ratio ca.1.4), laterals convex, scutum widest just before tubercles of area III, posterior constriction defining the posterior margin of scutum (‘free tergite zero’). Protoglyph guards large, polygonal. Area I with a pair of minute tubercles, area III with a pair of moderately high spines, slightly bent backwards. Posterior margin of the scutum slightly concave in dorsal view. Free tergites I and II with posterior margin substraight and transverse marginal row of small granules, free tergite III with posterior margin strongly convex and a transverse row of small granules. Dorsal anal operculum with a robust central spiniform apophysis.

Venter. ( Figures 2 (b), 3(a–b)) Sternal-intercoxal region clearly depressed. Coxae I–III subtriangular, roughly transverse to main body axis. Pedipalpal sockets: mesal margin of Cx I with ca. 12 flattened apophyses, some branched. On Cx II there are similar branched apophyses extending onto its anterior margin. Element 3 very large, and element 4 also well developed. Tubercular bridges between Cx II–III and III–IV well developed. Stigmatic area much elongated, Y-shaped, anterior border (= posterior border of genital operculum) with a pair of lateral lobes. The genital operculum is a semicircular flap hinged at its basal, straight edge, which bears a pair of lateral projections. Sternites 7/8 with a pair of stout latero-posterior spiniform apophyses slightly smaller than the apophysis of anal operculum. Cx IV with a row of acuminate granules on the distal margin.

Chelicerae. Weak. Proximal to ectal rim of basichelicerite bulla with row of small setiferous tubercles. Dorso-meso-apical rim of bulla with 2 unequal spiniform apophyses.

Pedipalps. Trochanter club-shaped with peduncle, with strong conical ventral apophysis. Femur dorsally convex in the proximal 2/3, with a dorsal row of 5 flattened tubercles which decrease proximally until they become mere granulations. Ventral edge armed with row of ca. 12 flattened setiferous tubercles. Patella unarmed, with a mesal flap. Tibia entirely unarmed, with ectal margin convex and a pair of paramedian apical lobes. Tarsus triangular, with a pair of ventro-lateral lobes and 6 ectal setiferous tubercles.

Legs. ( Figure 4 (a–f)) Coxa IV surpassing the dorsal scutum in dorsal view, with strong transversal groin wart, and with strong unbranched dorso-apical apophysis. Femur IV only gently curved subdistally with a retroventral and a proventral row of small acuminate tubercles. Patella IV barely curved and densely covered with coarse acuminate tubercles, larger on the retrolateral surface. Tibia IV with distal retrolateral row of setiferous tubercles and one much larger spiniform apophysis. Tarsal counts: 6(3)-6(3)/13(3)-?/7-?/8-8.

Colour (in alcohol). Body and appendages background brown, mottled in darker shades. Articular membranes are light grey. Equuleus with a duplicated body, forming a rectangle; arms and feet much elongated and divergent, so that the whole figure somewhat resembles an old TV set of the 1960s ( Figures 2 (a) and 3(c,d)). Posterior margin of scutum with strongly dissociated transverse white blot. Tibiae II and IV, metatarsi I to IV with many light rings.

Genitalia. ( Figure 5 (a–c)) Truncus of penis straight, slender, but growing steadily, without callus. Ventral plate subrectangular, concave at laterals and at the apex. Basal macroseta A1 much reduced, inserted latero-basally on ventral plate. Distal macrosetae C1–C2 the largest, moderately flattened, and curved to the apex. Lateral macrosetae D1–D2 much reduced, closer to C1–C2 than to A1. Microsetae type T4, restricted to the laterals of the ventral surface of ventral plate. Dorsal apophysis of glans conical, smooth. Wattle long, starting almost from the base of the stylus, with moderate serration.

Female (MNRJ 518 and 519). Similar to male in colour, and in body and appendage proportions, except for the dorsal scutum, which is much shorter. Sternites 7/8 and anal operculum entirely unarmed. Leg IV without any apophyses or spines. The most notable difference is the lack of the paired spines on scutal area III, in a form of dimorphism very unusual in Cosmetidae . Tarsal counts range: 6(3)/11–13(3)/7/8.

Variation in the equuleus. ( Figure 3 (c–d)) Both main longitudinal axes are always dissociated in the posterior half. The first half and the mid-portion vary from entire to dissociated. Body doubled as two rungs of a ladder; the anterior rung is always entire, while the posterior varies from entire to mildly dissociated.

Figures

Figure 2. Taito friedrichi sp. n., male holotype (MUSM ENT 0517785) from Huánuco, Rio Yuyapichis: (a) habitus, dorsal view; (b) same, ventral view; (c) same, dextrolateral view. Scale bars = 1 mm. The greyshaded trapezoidal region on the stigmatic area represents a concave (excavated) region. The coloured areas on the legs and free tergites represent the soft, elastic tissue between the joints (arthrodial membrane).

Figure 3. Taito friedrichi sp. n., from Huánuco, Rio Yuyapichis: (a) male holotype (MUSM ENT 0517785) habitus, posterior view. (b) Same, exploded schematic view of the (respectively, from top to bottom) anal operculum; sternites 7/8 and sternite 6. View changes gradually from posterior-dorsal to posterior-ventral. (c) Female paratype (MNRJ 518), dorsal scutum, showing pattern of white blots. (d) Female paratype (MNRJ 519), same. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Figure 4. Taito friedrichi sp. n., male holotype (MUSM ENT 0517785) from Huánuco, Rio Yuyapichis: (a) left Fe IV, ventral view; (b) same, detail of distal portion, retrolateral view; (c) left Ti IV, prolateral view; (d) left Ta I, retrolateral view; (e) left Ta II, retrolateral view; (f) left Ta IV, retrolateral view. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Figure 5. Taito friedrichi sp. n., male holotype (MUSM ENT 0517785) from Huánuco, Rio Yuyapichis: (a) distal portion of penis, dorsal view; (b) same, dextrolateral view; (c) same, ventral view. Scale bar = 0.1 mm. Colour codes for the macrosetae are: A (blue), C (pink), D (orange). The green area indicates the extent of the microsetae.