Eusarcus nigrimaculatus Mello-Leitão

Hara, Marcos Ryotaro & Pinto-Da-Rocha, Ricardo, 2010, Systematic review and cladistic analysis of the genus Eusarcus Perty 1833 (Arachnida, Opiliones, Gonyleptidae) 2698, Zootaxa 2698, pp. 1-136 : 85-91

Eusarcus nigrimaculatus Mello-Leitão

( Figs. 26, 27, 43E,F, 49A)

Eusarcus nigrimaculatus Mello-Leitão 1924: 181 ; 1926: 371 [wr cit as sp. n.] (rdesc, diag); Roewer 1929: 197 (key), 198 (rdesc); 1931: 102 (cit); Mello-Leitão 1932: 155 (key), 156 (rdesc), fig. 79; 1940: 7 (key); 1945: 154 (= Eusarcus minensis Mello-Leitão 1932 ; cat), 157 (key), fig. 16; B. Soares 1945c: 376 (cat); Soares & Soares 1954a: 496 (dist, syst); Soares & Soares 1954b: 261 (cat); B. Soares 1972: 58 (dist); Kury 2003a: 169 (cat); (ma holotype MNRJ, lost).

Orguesia armata Roewer 1913: 177 , fig. 75; 1923: 467 (rdesc), fig. 586; Mello-Leitão 1932: 242 (rdesc), fig. 130; Soares & Soares 1949: 199 (cat); (ma holotype; “Berge von Orgues [Serra dos Órgãos, Rio de Janeiro], Brasilien; SMF 902”; examined). Syn. n.

Eusarcus organensis Kury 2003a: 169 (cat; nom nov for Orguesia armata Roewer 1913 to avoid secondary homonymy with E. armatus Perty 1833 ).

Eusarcus furcatus Roewer 1929: 197 (key), 200, fig. 7; Mello-Leitão 1932: 155 (key), 160 (rdesc); 1940: 6 (key); 1945: 154 (cat), 157 (key), fig. 13; Soares & Soares 1945a: 224 (dist; dubious identification); 1948: 3 (dist), 11 (syst); 1954b: 260 (cat); Acosta 1996b: 216 (cat); Kury 2003a: 169 (cat); (ma holotype; “ Brasilien: Matto Grosso, SMF RII/955.(37)”; examined). Syn. n.

Pareusarcus corniculatus Roewer 1929: 237 , fig. 24; Mello-Leitão 1932: 190 (rdesc); Soares & Soares 1954b: 289 (cat); Acosta 1996b: 222 (cat); Kury 2003a: 187 (cat); (ma holotype; "Porto Allegre, [Rio Grande do Sul], Brasilien; SMF 992/49"; examined). Syn. n.

Eusarcus minensis Mello-Leitão 1932: 155 (key), 158, fig. 82; 1940: 7 (key); B. Soares 1945c: 375 (cat); (ma holotype; “Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais; MNRJ 1436”; examined). Synonymy with E. nigrimaculatus established by Mello- Leitão (1945).

Pareusarcus centromelos Mello-Leitão 1935a: 13 ; 1935b: 101 (cit); (fe holotype; “Bico do Papagaio, [Rio de Janeiro], [Rio de Janeiro], R. Arlé leg.; MNRJ 41832”; examined). Syn. n.

Papageia centromelos: Roewer 1943: 28 (nom nov for Pareusarcus Mello-Leitão 1935a ).

Eusarcus centromelos: B. Soares 1944d: 174 (= Enantiocentron geniculatus Mello-Leitão 1936 ; syst); 1944e: 196 (cit); Mello-Leitão 1945: 154 (cat), 156 (cit); B. Soares 1945c: 375 (cat); Soares & Soares 1948: 11 (syst); Soares & Soares 1954b: 259 (cat); Kury 2003a: 169 (cat).

Enantiocentron geniculatus Mello-Leitão 1936: 22 , fig. 18; (fe holotype; “Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, R. Arlé leg.; MNRJ 42690”; examined). Synonymy with E. centromelos established by B. Soares (1944d).

Eusarcus geniculatus: B. Soares 1943a: 207 (syst); 1944d: 174 (syst).

Eusarcus armatus : [misid] Roewer 1927: 335 (cit [pars]); 1929: 197 (cit [pars]).

Eusarcus oxyacanthus : [misid] B. Soares 1945c: 376 (cat [pars]).

Material examined: BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Ouro Preto, C. de M. Gomes leg., without date, ma holotype of Eusarcus minensis (MNRJ 1436) . Rio de Janeiro: Petrópolis, R. Arlé leg., without date, fe holotype of Enantiocentron geniculatus ( MNRJ 42690 ) ; Rio de Janeiro ( Bico do Papagaio ), R. Arlé leg., without date, 1 fe holotype of Pareusarcus centromelos ( MNRJ 41832 ) ; Teresópolis (Serra dos Órgãos), without name of collector and date, ma holotype of Orguesia armata ( SMF 902 ) . Mato Grosso: Without locality, name of collector and date, ma holotype of Eusarcus furcatus ( SMF RII 956 /37) . Rio Grande do Sul: Porto Alegre , without name of collector and date, ma holotype of Pareusarcus corniculatus ( SMF RII 922 /49) . Rio de Janeiro: Bresslau leg., 1 fe ( SMF 1441 ) ; idem ( SMF 1442 ) ; Angra dos Reis, P. Wygodzinsky leg., ii.1949, 1 fe ( MZSP 1726 ) ; Barra Mansa ( Mata da Cicuta ), Eq. Biota leg., 11–18.vi.2001, 1 ma ( IBSP 4659 ) ; idem ( IBSP 4677 ) ; Nova Iguaçu ( Tinguá ), without name of collector and date, 1 ma (originally in MNRJ 6797 ) ; idem, Lamartine leg., viii.1954, 1 ma ( MNRJ 16142 ) ; idem, E. Izecksohn & J. Jim leg., 21.vii.1965, 3 ma & 6 fe & 1 im ( MNRJ 16137 ) ; idem, E. Izecksohn leg., 3.xii.1965, 1 ma ( MNRJ 4901 ) ; idem, 15.xii.1965 ( MNRJ 16140 ) ; Parati ( Pedra Branca ), H. Berla leg., without date, 3 ma & 2 fe ( MNRJ 5231 ) ; idem, H.N. Cunha leg., xi.1967, 1 ma & 1 fe ( MNRJ 11359 ) ; Petrópolis , C.F. de Mello-Leitão leg., without date, 1 fe ( MNRJ 1437 ) ; idem, Bresslau leg., 1 fe ( SMF) ; Piraí ( Pinheiral ), E.de M. Mello leg., without date, 1 fe ( MNRJ 1439 a) ; idem, 1 fe ( MNRJ 1439 b) ; idem, A. Kury & R. Baptista leg. 20.xi.1988, 5 ma & 11 fe ( MNRJ 6368 ) ; Rio de Janeiro, without name of collector and date, 1 ma & 3 fe ( MNRJ 243 ) ; idem, Wygodzinsky leg., 10.iv.1944, 1 ma ( MZSP 1759 ) ; idem ( Corcovado ), P. Wygodzinsky leg., 20.viii.1947, 1 ma ( MZSP 1174 ) ; idem ( Floresta da Tijuca ), E. de Moraes Mello leg., without date, 1 fe ( MNRJ 1434 ) ; idem, E. Izecksohn leg., 19.v.1978, 1 fe ( MNRJ) ; idem, A. Giupponi leg., 30.i.2000, 1 ma ( MNRJ 4694 ) ; idem, R.L.C. Baptista & L.E. Goes e Silva leg., 15.vi.2001, 1 ma & 1 fe ( MNRJ 4795 ) ; idem, A. Giupponi leg., 19.xi.1999, 1 fe ( MNRJ 4874 ) ; idem, R. Baptista leg., 1.vii.1985, 1 ma ( MNRJ 6123 ) ; idem, A. Giupponi & Pedroso leg., 15.x.1999, 1 ma ( MNRJ 8949 ) ; idem ( Gávea ), P. Wygodzinsky leg., 13.ix.1944, 1 ma ( MZSP 1740 ) ; idem, iv.1944, 1 ma ( MZSP 1759 ) ; idem ( Grajaú ), H. Lopes leg., without date, 1 ma & 1 fe ( MNRJ 16130 ) ; idem, O. Schubart leg., without date, 1 fe ( HEMS 1013 ) ; idem ( Horto ), A.B. Kury leg., 18.xi.1988, 1 ma & 1 fe ( MHNC 6649 ) ; idem, C.A. Caetano leg., i.1989, 2 ma & 1 fe ( MNRJ 11404 ) ; idem ( Itaguaí ), J.P. Mattos leg., 24.vi.1948, 1 ma & 6 fe ( HEMS 88 ) ; idem ( Jacarepaguá ), without name of collector and date, 3 ma & 1 fe ( MNRJ 451 ) ; idem, R. Arlé leg., without date, 1 ma & 1 fe ( MNRJ 58239 ) ; idem, C.J. Becker leg., 30.x.1975, 1 fe ( MCNZ 65 ) ; idem ( Marambaia ), B.N. Costa leg., vii.1991, 1 ma ( MNRJ 11402 ) ; idem ( Parque da Lage ), I. & M. Kury leg., 13.ix.1997, 1 ma ( MNRJ 5500 ) ; idem (Parque Estadual Pedra Branca, Floresta do Engenho de Dentro ), A. Kury, A. Giupponi, A. Bustamante, P. Ramalho & R. Carvalho Jr. leg., 6.v.1999, 1 ma & 1 im ( MNRJ 5755 ) ; idem (Parque Estadual Pedra Branca, Pau da Fome ), A.B. Kury, A. Giupponi, A. Nogueira, S. Romponi, A. Tourinho leg., 7.i.2000, 6 ma & 6 fe ( MNRJ 4662 ) ; idem ( Pedra da Gávea ), J. Becker leg., 25.ix.1955, 1 ma & 1 im ( HEMS 1005 ) ; idem, 4.xi.1962, 1 fe ( HEMS 427 ) ; idem, P. Wygodzinsky leg., 13.ix.1944, 1 ma ( MZSP 1740 ) ; idem, 4.iv.1943, 3 fe ( MZSP 1742 ) ; idem, without name of collector, i.2001, 1 ma ( MNRJ 16180 ) ; idem ( Pico da Tijuca ), without name of collector, 14.x.1954, 1 ma ( HEMS 1004 ) ; idem, J. Becker leg., 4.iii.1956, 1 ma ( HEMS 1006 ) ; Queimados (Km 37 rodovia Presidente Dutra , rio Guandu ), O. Fraga leg., 25.x.1960, 1 ma ( HEMS 230 ) ; idem ( Tijuca ), E. Izecksohn leg., 1954, 2 fe ( MNRJ 16176 ) ; idem, vii.1954, 1 fe & 5 im ( MNRJ 16164 ) ; idem, 3.vii.1954, 4 fe & 3 im ( MNRJ 16141 ) ; idem, 29.viii.1954, 1 fe ( MNRJ 16151 ) ; Teresópolis , M. Chaves leg., 6.xi.1983, 2 ma & 3 fe ( MNRJ 6146 ) . Without locality and date, 3 ma & 3 fe ( HEMS 998 ) ; idem, 1 fe ( MNRJ 11405 ) .

Diagnosis: E. nigrimaculatus resembles E. incus , E. pusillus , E. acrophthalmus , E. alpinus , E. didactylus and E. geometricus because of the cylindrical prolateral median process on the male trochanter IV and because of the generally large body size, and can be distinguished by: The ocularium with 2 large tubercles; rectangular projection present on the retrolateral margin of the prolateral apical apophysis of coxa IV and the shape of the cylindrical prolateral median process of the male trochanter IV: Distally bifurcated, blunt; basally with a small, blunt, slightly conical apophysis. Penis without ventral process of glans (unusual within the genus), similar to E. geometricus: Stylus curved ventrad, without medio-ventral trichomes and angular medioventral projection; ventral plate not much developed.

Redescription: Male (MZSP 1759): Dorsum ( Fig. 26A,B): Measurements: SL 5.60; SMW 5.00; femur I 2.30; II 4.80; III 3.60; IV 4.20. Median paracheliceral projection of similar-size as PAM. Ocularium far from anterior scutal margin; with 2 large tubercles, 18 small ones. Carapace with 30 scattered tubercles. Scutal area I with 27–33 scattered tubercles on each side; II with 63; III with 53 and a median spine of medium size, oblique, surpassing groove V but not posterior margin of dorsal scutum; IV with 36 tubercles. Posterior margin of dorsal scutum and free tergites I–III with a row of 17, 12, 12, 9 tubercles, respectively. Anal operculum with 28 tubercles.

Venter: Coxa I with 27–29 tubercles, median and distal ones largest; II with 44–50, distal ones largest; III– IV irregularly tuberculate.

Chelicera: Segment I smooth.

Pedipalpus: Trochanter dorsally inflated, with 1–2 tubercles. Femur dorsally with 2–3 aligned tubercles, apically with 3–5 small scattered ones; ventrally with 1 large basal tubercle, 2 small scattered ones. Tibial setation: Prolateral IIi, retrolateral IIi/IiIi. Tarsal setation: Prolateral IIi, retrolateral IiIi.

Legs ( Figs. 26C–H, 27B–E): Coxa II with 3–5 tubercles on retrolateral margin; IV densely tuberculate, with 1 oblique prolateral apical apophysis, this conical, long, curved posteriad and slightly ventrad, with 1 rectangular projection on retrolateral margin. Trochanters I–IV with scattered tubercles; IV prolaterally with 1 cylindrical and flattened median process, this distally bifurcated, blunt; basally with a small, blunt, slightly conical apophysis; retrolaterally with 1 large pointed subasal tubercle. Femur I with small PDS, RDS; II–III with reduced PDS, large RDS; III sinuous, ventrally with a prolateral row of tubercles slightly increasing in size distally, with 1 prolateral apical spine; IV sinuous, medium PDS, large RDS; ventrally with 2 rows of tubercles, prolateral ones increasing in size distally, 2 apical spines. Tibia III ventrally with 2 rows of tubercles increasing in size subapically, becoming high, pointed; IV with large tubercles, ventrally with 2 rows of tubercles increasing in size distally, prolateral ones enlarged, 2 apical spines, 1 small retrolateral apical spine. Tarsal segmentation: 6, 8, 6, 6.

Penis ( Fig. 43E,F): Stylus smooth, becoming thin at apex, curved ventrad; without medio-ventral trichomes and angular medio-ventral projection. Ventral process of glans absent. Ventral plate covering only about half of glans; with 2 pairs of straight distal setae; 1 pair of short, straight median setae; 4 pairs of straight basal setae, basalmost pair far from others and placed on trunk of penis.

Coloration: Brown; dark brown on prosoma, from prolateral apical apophysis of coxa IV to metatarsus IV. Light brown on pedipalps, metatarsi I–III and tarsi I–IV.

Female (lectotype of E. nigrimaculatus ; MNRJ 1439): Dorsum: Measurements: SL 5.25; SMW 4.50; femur I 1.90; II 3.95; III 3.15; IV 3.90. Median paracheliceral projection larger than PAM. Chelicera: Segment I with 3–4 tubercles. Pedipalpus: Tarsal setation: Prolateral IIi, retrolateral Iiii/IiIi. Legs: Coxa IV densely tuberculate, with 1 oblique prolateral apical apophysis, this conical, short, pointed, curved backwards. Trochanters I–IV with scattered tubercles; I–II with 1 large ventro-basal tubercle; III with large retrolateral tubercles; IV retrolaterally with 1 large median tubercle, 1 conical blunt apical apophysis. Femur I ventrally with 2 rows of enlarged tubercles; III ventrally with two irregular rows of slightly enlarged tubercles, prolateral ones increasing in size distally, 1 small, blunt prolateral apical spine; IV ventrally with two irregular rows of tubercles, prolateral ones enlarged, increasing in size distally, small PVS, RVS, prolateral one larger. Tibiae I, III ventrally with 2 rows of slightly enlarged tubercles; IV with rows of similar-sized tubercles, without spines. Tarsal segmentation: 6, 8, 6, 6. Coloration: Brown; dark brown on proximal segments of legs. Light brown on metatarsi and tarsi.

Variation in males (n=6): Measurements: SL 5.30–5.60; SMW 4.70–5.00; femur I 2.30–2.50; II 4.60– 4.90; III 3.50–3.80; IV 4.20–4.40. Pedipalpus: Tibial setation: Prolateral and retrolateral IiIi/IIi. Femur I with reduced or small PDS, RDS; II–III with reduced or small PDS; IV with small or medium PDS. Tarsal segmentation: 6, 8–9, 6, 6.

Variation in females (n=6): Measurements: SL 5.25–5.55; SMW 4.50–4.80; femur I 1.90–2.00; II 3.95– 4.20; III 3.10–3.40; IV 3.90–4.10. Pedipalpus: Tibial setation: Retrolateral IiIi/iiIi/IIi. Tarsal setation: Retrolateral Iiii/IiIi. Tarsal segmentation: 6, 7–9, 6, 6.

Taxonomical notes: The type material of E. nigrimaculatus is probably lost. In the original description Mello-Leitão mentioned that the male holotype was deposited in his private collection, and that at least one paratype was deposited in the W.S. Bristowe collection (depository unknown, maybe in the British Museum of Natural History ), all of them having been collected in Minas Gerais, Diamantina, by W.S. Bristowe. In the redescriptions that followed there were only references to males. However, in the redescription of 1932 Mello-Leitão mentioned and illustrated this species using a female. Since no reference was made to a female until that moment, we can deduce that the female specimen was added after the original description. Therefore, the female cannot be considered as belonging to the type material .

B. Soares (1945c), in his catalogue of Opiliones deposited in the collection of the MNRJ, stated that there were three vials labeled as E. nigrimaculatus , two of them with two specimens each with the same number (# 1439), and one (# 58329) with five specimens from Rio de Janeiro collected by R. Arlé. He also stated that one of the # 1439 vials has a label indicating that the material was also collected in Rio de Janeiro by R. Arlé, the other having no label. Although no material in the collection from MNRJ could be recognized with certainty as type material of E. nigrimaculatus, Soares & Soares (1954b) stated that the specimens of vial # 1439 should be the type material. They also stated that the same material (# 1439) should be the type material of E. minensis . The assumption that vial #1439 could contain the type material of E. nigrimaculatus also seems to have passed unnoticed by Kury (2003a). When we examined vial # 1439, there were only two females instead of four specimens, differing from the statement of B. Soares (1945c). To worsen the confusion, it has been registered in the MNRJ records that E. de Moraes Mello collected the material instead of R. Arlé.

Considering the problems above and that these specimens are the oldest ones of E. nigrimaculatus , we assumed that this is the material used by Mello-Leitão (1932) for his redescription of E. nigrimaculatus , although we do not consider them as type material.

It was not possible to verify the synonymy of E. minensis with E. nigrimaculatus because the male holotype of the latter has been lost. The first redescription of E. nigrimaculatus is not very informative, but we could deduce that it differs from E. minensis in apophyses of trochanter IV and armature of legs II and IV. Removing E. minensis from the synonymy of E. nigrimaculatus would leave us with a species that cannot be identified at this moment, and therefore we decided to maintain the status quo.

In turn, E. minensis is similar to E. furcatus , and the observed differences in the respective holotypes (such as the size of the anterior lobe of the bifurcated apex of the apohysis of trochanter IV, and the size of the small apophysis placed at the base of its apophysis) fit perfectly into the range of intraspecific variation. Thus, we decided to synonymize E. furcatus under E. nigrimaculatus .

The holotype of O. armata is a specimen that perfectly corresponds to E. nigrimaculatus , and the different number of scutal areas on the dorsal scutum given in Roewer´s description is a mistake. Thus, E. nigrimaculatus can be considered as a senior synonym of O. armata , which received the replacement name E. organensis by Kury (2003a) to avoid secondary homonymy with the type species of Eusarcus Perty 1833 .

The holotype of P. corniculatus Roewer 1929 is similar to specimens of E. nigrimaculatus , except for an atypical variation in area IV ( Fig. 27A). All the other characteristics, including those of the genitalia, are the same.

Type localities: Brazil. Of E. nigrimaculatus : Minas Gerais, Diamantina. Of E. minensis : Minas Gerais, Ouro Preto. Of E. furcatus : Mato Grosso. Of P. corniculatus : Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre. Of O. armata : Rio de Janeiro, Teresópolis, Serra dos Órgãos. Of P. centromelos : Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Bico do Papagaio. Of E. geniculatus : Rio de Janeiro, Petrópolis. In Mello-Leitão 1932, the type locality of E. minensis is given as Caxambu, but we consider the locality given on the label as the type locality. The type localities of E. furcatus and P. corniculatus are considered as incorrect because they are very far from the other localities. Besides, it is known that some locality data provided by Roewer are not trustworthy ( Pinto-da-Rocha 2002).

Geographical distribution ( Fig. 49A): Brazil. Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro .