Chanbria brookharti Hansen & Garcia, 2024

Garcia, Erika L., Hansen, Quincy G. & Castillo, Jaír R., 2024, A phylogenomic approach to a taxonomic revision: a combination, new synonymies, and a description of two new species within the camel spider genus Chanbria Muma, 1951 (Solifugae: Eremobatidae), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202 (4), pp. 1-25 : 19

Chanbria brookharti Hansen & Garcia sp. nov.

( Figs 6M, N , 8 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:5671F240-4BF6-4AA0-A56E-B05581A32440

Type material: Male holotype ( DMNS ZA.36968 ) from Dalquest DesertResearchStation , BrewsterCounty, TX, USA.Examined.Type material at the DMNS with accession number DMNS 2009-110 .

Etymology

The specific epithet is a patronym in honour of John (Jack) Odell Brookhart, who has dedicated>50 years of research to this arachnid order, profoundly contributing vast amounts of knowledge to the group. This dedication is also an expression of deep gratitude and appreciation of Jack’s mentorship, training, advice, and unconditional friendship that he has given selflessly to any aspiring solifugologist who crossed his path. Jack is as rare a person as is this solifuge species is to science.

Diagnosis

Chanbria brookharti can be distinguished from other Chanbria species by the large protuberant structure on the FF tips of the male chelicerae. This structure is folded dorsodistally, laterally round, and FF is on a diagonal slope with respect to the manus, unlike the folded FF tip of C. plicatus male chelicerae.

Measurements

Male holotype: CL: 5.135; CH: 1.722; FFH: 0.426; tip of MF to MD: 1.561; tip of MF to MP: 1.986; PL: 17.291; LI: 13.245; LIV: 18.371; PPW: 3.602; PPL: 2.261; TL: 18.259.

Description: male

Coloration: Overall coloration very light tan, nearly translucent in some places, possibly owing to degradation in ethanol of the single known specimen. Propeltidium uniform in colour. Tibiae darken distally, femurs darken proximally, and palpal metatarsi darken distally. Palpal tarsi dark. Cheliceral manus uniform in colour. FF and MF darken distally into a red-orange. Protuberant structure on dorsal FF red-orange.

Chelicera: FF morphology unique among eremobatids. The most prominent feature is the modified tip, displaying a proportionally large, dorsodistally oriented, mesally folded protuberant structure. When viewed retrolaterally, this protuberance is anteriorly rounded and posteriorly tapered, with a pinhole near the distal margin. When viewed dorsally, the dorsal margin of FF extends straight near the manus before undulating in a sigmoidal ectally then mesally. Modified tip of FF folds to form distal parabolic cup-like structure. Ventral dentition on FF highly reduced. Dentition on MF is highly reduced and triangular, whereas in the other Chanbria they are strongly or subtly recurved. MP tooth is largest, recurved, and similar in stature to other Chanbria species. The proximal MM tooth is the second largest. There are MST present before the MM. The cheliceral manus is more ovular than in other Chanbria , lacking the dorsal hump observed in other species.

Pedipalp: Male. Approximately 10 pairs of enlarged moveable spines present on ventral surface of the palpal fibulae.

Females unknown.

Distribution

Distribution: Chihuahuan Desert. This species is known from only a single locality at Dalquest Research Station in Brewster County, TX, USA.

Discussion

Based on the male cheliceral morphology, this specimen is best placed in Chanbria . The specimen was collected serendipitously via a long-term pitfall trap from 2 August to 27 September 2007. We were unable to extract viable DNA for UCEs from this specimen, probably owing to its long-term exposure to solar radiation and changing environmental conditions. Several attempts, during different seasons, have been made to capture more representatives of this species, without success. This species is elusive and was found in a canyon near Alamo Springs and might be endemic to this canyon. Owing to the remote location where this specimen was found with respect to the other previously described Chanbria species, we believe the unique features and geographical location of this specimen merits new species status.

Figures

Figure 6. Ectal and mesal views of male Chanbria species chelicerae coloured by the revised species designations. A–H illustrate the morphological variation found in Chanbria regalis. A, B, ectal view (A) and mesal view (B) of male DMNS ZA.16460 from Salton Sea,

Figure 8. Chanbria brookharti. A, lateral habitus view of male holotype. B, dorsal view of right male chelicera. C, ventral view of pedipalp.D, canyon habitat of male holotype in Alamo Springs at Dalquest Research Site (photograph credit: Paula E. Cushing). Scale bars:1 mm.