Opilio bezengii Snegovaya, 2025

Snegovaya, Nataly Y. & Makarova, Olga L., 2025, New data on harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones) of Caucasian glaciers, with descriptions of three new species, Zootaxa 5653 (1), pp. 123-132 : 130

Opilio bezengii Snegovaya sp. nov.

( Fig. 4 )

Material. Holotype: 1♂ ( ZMMU), Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria, Chereksky District, Bezengi Glacier foreland, 65 years old site [Line VI], 2101 m a.s.l., 43.11070° N, E 43.13953° E, small-leaved (Betula-Salix) forest with Vaccinium vitis-idaea and forbs, in barber pitfall traps, 20− 30.07.2022, leg. A.B. Babenko ; Paratypes: 2♀♀ ( RCNS), same with Holotype.

Description. The body is oval, sandy in color with dark brown spots. The body has transverse rows of small denticles ( Fig. 4A ). Body length 4.4 mm long, 3.0 mm width. In front of the eye mound there is a group of 5–6 black-tipped denticles. The eye mound is low, on each side it has 5 black-tipped denticles ( Fig. 4B ). All leg Fe with transverse, rather large denticles. Lengths of leg segments: I: 3.3+1.0+2.5+3.8+3.7 = 14.3; II: 3.0+1.0+2.5+3.5+5.8 = 15.8; III: 3.25+1.0+2.75+3.5+6.2 = 16.7; IV: 4.5+1.2+4.0+5.0+8.0 = 22.7. Chelicerae are covered with bristles ( Figs. 4F–G ). Cheliceral basal segment length 1.5, distal segment 1.5. The pedipalp is not thickened, Fe dorsally with several denticles, Ti and Ta ventrally with microdenticles ( Figs. 4D–E ). Pedipalps lengths: 1.25+0.5+0.75+1.65 = 4.15 mm. The penis from the base slightly narrows towards the glans, the wings are narrow but long, the glans is banana-shaped (2.4 mm long, glans 0.3 mm, stylus 0.1 mm) ( Figs. 4I–K ).

The female differs from the male in larger body size, as well as less armed chelicerae and pedipalps ( Figs. 4L, M–P ). Female body length 6.4, wide 3.2. Pedipalp lengths 1.2+0.5+0.7+1.5 =3.9. Cheliceral basal segment length 1.4, distal segment 1.75. Lengths of leg segments: I: 3.8+1.2+1.5+3.5+6.8 = 16.8; II: 6.5+1.5+2.5+2.4+5.2 =18.1; III: 3.8+1.5+3.0+4.0+6.4 = 18.7; IV: 5+1.2+4.4+3.2+12.4 =26.2.

Diagnosis. A new species most closely related to O. lederi Roewer, 1911 , but differs from it in the structure of the penis shaft—in O. lederi the shaft is wider and the wings are also wider ( Figs. 4 I–K ; Snegovaya, 2010: Figs. 4 –6); O. lederi has larger body sizes; Fe 1 in O. lederi is thickened; the chelicerae in O. lederi are large and powerful.

Etymology. The species is named after the glacier (Bezengi) where this harvestman was caught.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality in Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria ( Russia).

Figures

FIGURE 4. Opilio bezengii sp. nov. A. male body, habitus dorsal; B. male eye tubercle, dorsal; C. male femur I, dorsal; D, E. male left pedipalp (D—lateral, E—mesal); F, G. male left chelicera (F—lateral, G—mesal); H, I. penis (H—dorsal, I—lateral); J, K. close-up of penis glans (J—dorsal, K—lateral), L. female body, habitus dorsal; M, N. female right pedipalp (M—lateral, N—mesal); O, P. female right chelicera (O—lateral, P—mesal). Scale: A, L 1.0 mm; C–I, M–P 0.5 mm; J–K 0.1 mm.