Homolophus charitonovi ( Gricenko, 1972 ) Snegovaya & Cokendolpher, 2021

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 : 324-326

Homolophus charitonovi ( Gricenko, 1972) , new combination

Figures 11 , 15–16

Globipes charitonovi Gricenko, 1972: 1572 , figs. 1–2

Egaenus charitonovi — Staręga 1978: 221; Gricenko 1979a: 38, figs. 32–33

Diagnosis. The species differs from all other congeners, including the most closely related, H. chemerisi ( Staręga & Snegovaya, 2008) and H. gobiensis Tsurusaki, Tchemeris & Logunov, 2000 , by the following: body thickly sclerotized; legs short and thick with noticeably denticulate segments; pedipalps and chelicera enlarged. Penis glans elliptical in shape (dorsal view) and flattened (not depressed dorsally).

Type Locality. Kazakhstan, Dzhambul region , Mayzharylgan ridge, by mountain, ca. 44°29’19”N, 73°30’17”E .

Distribution. Kazakhstan and here newly recorded from Uzbekistan ( Fig. 11 ).

Specimens Examined. KAZAKHSTAN, Almaty (previously Alma-Ata environs), Glubokaya schel’ ( Deep gap), 29.07.1936, leg. V. Shaydurov (1 male, ZIN) ; Almaty Reserve , pre-1939 [note Ivan Filipʹev entomologist died in 1938 at Almaty], leg. I. Filip’ev (1 male, 2 females, ZIN) ; South Kazakhstan region, Karatau Mt. Range , (2 males, 5 females, RCNS) . UZBEKISTAN, Samarkand region, meadows near Zeravshan Range , 7.07.1908, leg. E.N. Pavlovsky, field Ñ 264-08 (1 male, 1 female, ZIN) ; Gorny Chimgan, Chimgan Mts. ( Tashkent Region ), end of June 1908, leg. Zarudny, field Ñ347-09 (1 male, ZIN) ; Chimganka River , 17.07.1924, leg. O. Martinova (1 male, 1 female, ZIN) .

Description. Large harvestmen; male body rectangular, with rounded corners; body cuticle heavily sclerotized, slender, 1.95 times longer than wide; length 8.2 mm, width 4.2 mm; body dorsally finely granulated. Cephalothorax dark brown, abdomen brown to light brown with extensive light-colored spots where transverse rows of denticles are found on tergites, legs, pedipalps and chelicerae light brown. Across dorsal surface, there are pointed denticles and microdenticles. Faint and indistinct central light-colored stripe going through ocularium and entire length of body. Ocularium low, round, not large, 1.8 times its length from anterior margin of cephalothorax, with 6–7 small black-tipped denticles on each side. In front of ocularium with group of several small denticles. Legs short, angular in cross-section, legs I and III pairs (sexually dimorphic) significantly thickened (especially Fe). Leg lengths (mm): I 4.5 + 2.0 + 4.0 + 4.6 + 7.6 = 22.7, II 7.6 + 2.0 + 6.0 + 5.5 + 16.0 = 37.1, III 4.5 + 1.8 + 3.8 + 5.0 + 8.6 = 23.7, IV 6.0 + 2.0 + 5.0 + 7.8 + 10.6 = 24.4. Pedipalp segment lengths (mm): 2.7 + 1.2 + 1.5 + 2.7 = 8.1. Pedipalps thickened (sexually dimorphic), all segments densely covered with small black-tipped denticles; Ta ventrally with strip of dark sensory microdenticles as well as some larger denticles. Chelicerae enlarged (sexually dimorphic) with some faint tabby marks, basal segment dorsally with several black-tipped denticles, distal segment dorsally with few denticles which grade to microdenticles on basal half of segment. Cheliceral basal segment ventrally smooth without bulge, length 2.5 mm, distal segment length 3.3 mm. Penis long, thin dorsoventrally flattened, bowed, recurved in lateral view, wide at base gradually getting more slender along length of truncus, truncus recurved in lateral view, glans oblong and relatively slender with recess ventrally on each side; length (mm): truncus 4.1, glans 0.55, stylus 0.15.

Female differs from male in larger size and more rounded body shape, less slender, 1.75 times longer than wide, and reduction in denticles with only few on dorsal side of cheliceral basal segment and ventrally on pedipalp femora. Female body length 9.8 mm, width 5.6 mm. Leg lengths (mm): I 4.5 + 1.8 + 3.6 + 4.0 + 8.0 = 21.9, II 7.2 + 2.0 + 6.6 + 5.6 + 15.0 = 36.4, III 4.0 + 2.0 + 4.0 + 5.0 + 9.6 = 24.6, IV 6.6 + 2.0 + 5.6 + 7.4 + 12.0 = 33.6. Pedipalp segment lengths (mm): 1.7 + 0.8 + 1.2 + 2.3 = 6.0. Cheliceral basal segment length 2.5 mm, distal segment length 2.7 mm. Body with longitudinal, light-colored, dashed stripe running length of body; line only faintly shown on male. Female body dorsally finely granulated and also with extensive light-colored spotting where denticles and microdenticles occur over body; light-colored longitudinal stripe interrupted but more distinct than on male.

Comments. Specimens over 90 years old. Colors likely faded. This species is listed here in a new combination with Homolophus . The reason for the transfer from Egaenus to Homolophus is because of the quadrangular shape of the body, the legs are longer than in Egaenus, Fe of 1st and 3rd legs not so thick and by structure of the penis being closer to that of the genus Homolophus .

Figures

FIGURE 11. Distribution of some Homolophus species in the Palearctic: Central and East Asia. Data for pale colored symbols (red without black dot) taken from literature; identifications not verified.

FIGURE 15. Homolophus charitonovi (Gricenko, 1972): A, male body, dorsal; B, male ocularium, dorsal; C, female body, dorsal; D, female ocularium, dorsal; E, male right pedipalp, mesal; F, male right pedipalp, ectal; 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.

FIGURE 16. Homolophus charitonovi (Gricenko, 1972), male: A, femur I, dorsal; B, penis, lateral; C, penis glans, lateral; D, penis, dorsal; E, penis glans, dorsal.