Homolophus chemerisi 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 : 327-329

Homolophus chemerisi Staręga & Snegovaya, 2008

Figures 14 , 17–18

Homolophus chemerisi Staręga & Snegovaya, 2008: 81–82 , figs. 31–37

Diagnosis. This species differs from all others, including the most closely related, H. arcticus Banks, 1893 and H. tibetanus ( Roewer, 1911) , by the following: metatarsi I with characteristic black structures looking like blunt angular denticles, but at higher magnification are thickly packed “brushes” of short thickened setae (see Fig. 1E and insert). With short and thickened legs and with short alae on penis truncus.

Type Locality. Tajikistan, Gissar Mt. Range , Gissar valley, vicinity of Khochiler village (Kishlak), plane tree grove, ca. 38°32’N, 69°21’E

Distribution. Tajikistan and here newly recorded from Uzbekistan ( Fig. 14 ).

Specimens Examined. UZBEKISTAN, Samarkand Vilayat , neighborhood of Samarkand, March 1896, leg. A. Barschevskiy, field # N45-96 (3 males, 4 females, ZIN) .

Description. Medium-sized harvestmen; male body rectangular, with rounded corners; medium sclerotization of body cuticle, less slender, 1.67 times longer than wide; length 6.0 mm, width 3.6 mm; entire dorsum yellowishtan with some areas variegated with white, whitish-yellow and brown [primarily on cephalothorax; darkest areas just above muscle attachment sites (compare to Fig. 1A )]; tones; covered with middle-sized black-tipped denticles. Ocularium low, round, not large, 1.5 times its length from anterior margin of cephalothorax, with 6–7 smaller denticles on each side. Legs rather short, angular in cross-section, I and II pair thickened (sexually dimorphic), I and III Fe spindle-shaped, all segments with rows of small dark denticles, Mt I with modified (thickly packed) “brushes” of short thickened setae. Leg lengths (mm): I 3.8 + 1.6 + 3.3 + 4.5 + 6.5 = 19.7, II 7.0 + 2.0 + 6.0 + 5.3 + 13.0 = 33.3, III 4.0 + 2.0 + 3.5 + 4.7 + 7.2 = 21.4, IV 6.0 + 1.8 + 4.8 + 6.5 + 10.0 = 29.1. Pedipalps short, slightly enlarged; Fe ventrally densely covered with large and middle-sized black-tipped denticles dorsally with middle-sized denticles and setae; Pa with black-tipped denticles and setae; Ti ventrally densely covered with small black-tipped denticles, other parts denticles and setae; Ta with setae and ventrally on basal ¾ with strip of sensory microdenticles. Pedipalp segment lengths (mm): 1.7 + 1.0 + 1.6 + 2.1 = 6.4. Chelicerae medium to slender-sized, tabby marks not evident, basal segment dorsally with some denticles, distal segment dorso-subapically with some denticles. Cheliceral basal segment ventrally smooth without bulge, length 2.0 mm, distal segment length 2.3 mm. Penis medium-sized, length (mm): truncus 3.5, glans 0.4, stylus 0.13; truncus narrowing gradually towards apex, truncus dorsoventrally flattened, only slightly bowed, recurved in lateral view.Apical portion with small alae directed dorsally. Glans in profile boat-shaped, with lateral incisions, ventrally oval.

Female differs from male in larger size and more elongated body shape, slenderer, 3.75 times longer than wide. Body with longitudinal, light-colored, indistinct dashed stripe running length of body; line only faintly indicated or absent on male. Female body length 7.5 mm, width 2.0 mm. Pedipalp segment lengths (mm): 1.3 + 0.7 + 1.0 + 1.8 = 4.8. Cheliceral basal segment length 1.8 mm, distal segment length 2.1 mm. Leg lengths (mm): I 5.0 + 1.4 + 3.0 + 3.5 + 5.2 = 18.1, II 6.6 + 1.6 + 5.5 + 4.2 + 9.2 = 27.1, III 3.2 + 1.2 + 2.8 + 4.0 + 6.2 = 17.4, IV 4.6 + 1.6 + 4.0 + 5.8 + 7.6 = 23.6.

Comments. Specimens over 100 years old. Colors likely faded.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Homolophus anatomy, males: A, kozlovi sp. nov., body, dorsal showing muscle attachment sites in black (color photograph Fig. 23); B, gobiensis outline of body showing denticles (compare Fig. 21A); C, betpakdalensis denticles (compare Fig. 12A); D, pallens denticles (compare Fig 30C); E, chemerisi leg I metatarsus with characteristic thickly packed “brushes” of short setae at higher magnification (see insert); F, albofasciatus denticles (compare Fig. 3A); G, nordenskioeldi (from Murmansk) penis, dorsal; muscle presence more evident in magnified sections. Scale lines: A–D, F = 1 mm; E = 0.5 mm, insert greatly magnified, G = 0.25 mm.

FIGURE 14. Distribution of some Homolophus species in the Palearctic: Central and Inner Asia. Data for pale colored symbols taken from literature; identifications not verified.

FIGURE 17. Homolophus chemerisi Staręga & Snegovaya, 2008: A, male body, dorsal; B, male ocularium, dorsal; C, female body, dorsal; D, female ocularium, dorsal; E, male right chelicera, ectal; F, male right chelicera, mesal; G, male right pedipalp, ectal; H, male right pedipalp, mesal; L, female right pedipalp, mesal; K, female right pedipalp, ectal; I, female right chelicera, ectal; J, female right chelicera, mesal.

FIGURE 18. Homolophus chemerisi Staręga & Snegovaya, 2008, male: A, femur I, dorsal; B, penis, lateral; C, penis glans, lateral; D, penis, dorsal; E, penis glans, lateral.