Homolophus silhavyi Staręga & Snegovaya, 2008

Snegovaya, Nataly Yu. & Cokendolpher, James C., 2021, Further studies on harvestman genus Homolophus (Opiliones: Phalangiidae), with descriptions of two new species, Zootaxa 4908 (3), pp. 301-353 : 344-346

Homolophus silhavyi Staręga & Snegovaya, 2008

Figures 4 , 31

Homolophus silhavyi Staręga & Snegovaya, 2008: 80–81 , figs. 25–30

Diagnosis. The species differs from all species, including the most closely related, Homolophus almasyi ( Roewer, 1911) and H. asiaticus Gricenko, 1979a , by the following: legs relatively long; (Fe II less than 2.5 times longer than body length); both femur and tibia with only granules, without larger denticles; penis slender, truncus sharply narrowing from about mid-length to glans; with recess ventrally on each side of glans.

Type Locality. Kyrgyzstan, North slope of Alayskiy Ridge, Naukat scientific station, 40°17’09.1”N, 72°38’09.6”E .

Distribution. Kyrgyzstan and here newly recorded from Kazakhstan ( Fig. 4 ).

Specimens Examined. KAZAKHSTAN, Almaty Region, Semirech’e , 1932, leg. V . Shnitnikov , field # N417- 1932 (4 males, 2 females, ZIN) .

Description. Medium-sized harvestmen; male body rectangular, with rounded corners; medium sclerotization of body cuticle, less slender, 1.61 times longer than wide; length 4.5 mm, width 3.2 mm; body yellow with dark brown marking; with longitudinal, light-colored, dashed thin stripe running length of body. Ocularium low, slightly wider than long, not large, 1.1 times its length from anterior margin of cephalothorax, with 8–9 denticles on each side. Legs long, slender, cylindrical in cross-section, with rows of small denticles. Leg lengths (mm): I 7.0 + 1.3 + 5.3 + 4.5 + 12.0 = 30.1, II 11.0 + 2.0 + 11.0 + 9.5 + 16.6 = 50.1, III 6 + 1.4 + 4.5 + 7.0 + 11. = 29.9, IV 8.0 + 1.4 + 6.0 + 10.0 + 15.0 = 40.4. Fe of pedipalp ventrally with large denticles, dorsally with small denticles, Pa with small denticles, Ti ventrally with group of denticles and granules, dorsally with denticles. All segments with various kinds of setae. Ta ventrally with strip of sensory microdenticles. Pedipalp segment lengths (mm): 1.3 + 0.5 + 0.7 + 1.6 = 4.1. Chelicerae small, slender, with few faint tabby marks, both segments without denticles. Cheliceral basal segment length length 1.4 mm, ventrally with blunt rounded bulge, distal segment length 1.5 mm. Penis short; truncus dorsoventrally flattened, bowed, recurved in lateral view; length (mm): truncus 2.25, glans 0.4, stylus 0.1; glans with recess ventrally on each side.

Female differs from male in larger size and with fewer denticles on chelicerae and pedipalpal tarsus. Less slender, 1.91 times longer than wide: body length 6.1 mm, width 3.2 mm. Leg lengths (mm): I 6.0 + 1.7 + 4.8 + 6.0 + 10.0 = 28.5, II 6.0 + 1.4 + 9.6 + 5.6 + 10.2 = 55.4, III 5.6 + 1.6 + 4.3 + 6.4 + 9.8 = 27.7, IV 7.6 + 2.0 + 6.0 + 9.0 + 12.5 = 37.1. Pedipalp segment lengths (mm): 1.1 + 0.5 + 1.5 + 3.0 = 6.1. Cheliceral basal segment length 1.4 mm, distal segment length 1.5 mm.

Comments. Female described for first time here. Specimen almost 90 years old. Colors likely faded.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Distribution of some Homolophus species in the Palearctic: Central and Inner Asia. Data for pale colored symbols taken from literature; identifications not verified.

FIGURE 31. Homolophus silhavyi Staręga & Snegovaya, 2008: A, male body, dorsal; B, male ocularium, dorsal; C, female body, dorsal; D, male femur I, dorsal; E, male right pedipalp, ectal; F, male right pedipalp, mesal; G, male right chelicera, ectal; H, male right chelicera, mesal; I, female right pedipalp, ectal; J, female right pedipalp, mesal; K, female right chelicera, ectal; L, female right chelicera, mesal; M, penis, dorsal; N, penis, lateral; O, penis glans, dorsal; P, penis glans, lateral.