Tegestria altmannae Zhang & Martens, 2023

Zhang, Chao, Zhao, Jing Jing & Martens, Jochen, 2023, On the genus Tegestria Roewer, 1936, new senior synonym of Gintingius Roewer, 1938 with the description of a new species (Opiliones: Epedanidae: Sarasinicinae), Zootaxa 5351 (2), pp. 276-286 : 277-282

Tegestria altmannae Zhang & Martens sp. nov.

Figs 1–28

Type material. Male Holotype (MHBU-Opi-15 ZC0618 m), MALAYSIA, Perak, Temenggor Lake 05°32'N, 101°21'E, 306 m a.s.l., evergreen forest, in leaf litter, 24 October 2015, Z.Z. Gao leg .. Paratype: one female (MHBU-Opi-15 ZC0618 f), same collecting data as holotype .

Diagnosis. The new species can be distinguished from the other species of the genus by the unique combination of the following characteristics: capsula interna of penis with two tongue-shaped conductors ( Fig. 24 ); scutal areas I–V smooth ( Figs 1 , 7, 8 ); basal segment of chelicerae dorsally with three seta-tipped tubercles almost in triangle ( Figs 7, 8 ), distal one the longest, the remainder two the shortest ones ( Figs 3 , 10 ).

Etymology. The species is named after our friend, Ms. Julia Altmann, staff member of the Senckenberg Research Institute ( Germany). This is a tribute to her management of the arachnological collection for 21 years (1 August 2002 to 31 July 2023).

Description of the male holotype. Habitus as in Figs 1 , 7 , 25–27 . Coloration in alcohol: entire body dorsally rusty yellow with black patches; median area of dorsal part of prosoma with black reticulations behind the ocularium; both lateral ridges of scuta with brown stripes ( Fig. 25 ); scutal areae I–IV each with a cross series of three brown flecks; all free tergites with a transverse band of brown markings ( Fig. 25 ). Venter concolorous with dorsum ( Fig. 27 ), all coxae yellow with brown reticulations distally; free sternites each with brown bands, these somewhat paler on the central portion; chelicerae and pedipalps reticulated; trochanters of walking legs pale yellow, femur, patella, tibia and metatarsus with black reticulations, tarsus lighter.

Dorsum ( Figs 7 , 25 ). Dorsal scutum nearly parallel-sided, slightly trapezoid, the widest portion at scutal area IV, and abdomen slightly rounded posteriorly. Dorsal part of prosoma with a row of eight sharp pointed tubercles along anterior margin; otherwise whole dorsum smooth. Ocularium oval and armed with a conspicuous median spiniform apophysis longer than the height of ocularium ( Fig. 1 ). The posterior area of ocularium raised and broadly rounded. The borders of scutal areae I–IV slightly bowed ( Fig. 1 ). Scutal areae I–V and the lateral margins without tubercles. Free tergites and anal operculum with scattered granules.

Venter ( Fig. 27 ). Coxae with tubercles on ventral surfaces, coxa I with seta-tipped tubercles. Coxae II–IV, genital operculum, and free sternites with scattered seta-tipped granules. Spiracles clearly visible.

Chelicerae ( Figs 2–4 ). Basal segment elongate and dorsally with three seta-tipped tubercles, distal one the longest, the remainder two the shortest ones; ectal row of three medium-sized seta-tipped tubercles; one distal tubercle and a basal protuberance on the mesal side; ventral side with four seta-tipped tubercles. Second segment of chelicerae considerably broader (compared to female, Figs 7–8 ), proximo-dorsally with some seta-tipped tubercles; only one seta-tipped tubercle on the ventral side. Fingers strong, inner edges toothed: moveable finger and fixed finger each with five teeth.

Pedipalps ( Figs 5–6 ). Coxa dorsally with five seta-tipped tubercles and ventrally with one distal tubercle. Trochanters dorsally with a large seta-tipped tubercle and two small ones, ventrally with a large and a small setiferous tubercle. Femora dorsally with a row of six seta-tipped tubercles, ventrally with a row of five setiferous tubercles of which the distal one positioned at a distance from the others; distally on mesal side with two setiferous tubercles. Patella ventro-mesally with two and ventro-ectally with one setiferous tubercles. Tibia ventro-mesally with three and ventro-ectally with four setiferous tubercles. Tarsus with three setiferous tubercles each ventro-ectally and ventro-mesally. Tarsal claw massive, curved, longer than the tarsus.

Legs. All segments unarmed, nearly smooth. Legs I–II slender, legs III–IV much stronger. Femora I–III not curved, almost straight, femur IV slightly curved. Distitarsi III and IV without scopula, two bare claws present. Tarsal formula (I–IV): 10(3)/16(3)/6/7. Leg II longest ( Table 1 ).

Penis ( Figs 16–24 ). Shaft slender, elongate. The distal fourth of the shaft broadened, slightly bent to dorsal side near the middle and lower part (lateral view, Fig. 18 ), and broadest in apical portion (pars distalis). Distal parts of ventral plate surrounding the glans medially discontinuously (ventral view, Fig. 19 ), forming a pseudocalyx (sensu Kury et al. 2019, fig. 8). In unexpanded state glans partially sunken into the dorsally and distally depressed portion of pars distalis of truncus, its tip slightly projecting the distal margin of the ventral plate ( Fig. 18 ). Capsula externa arc-shaped in cross-section (c.f., Zhang & Martens 2020: 56, fig. 137b) and expanded to both sides of its distal part (lateral view, Fig. 24 ), and medially with a spoon-shaped projection located under the tip of stylus (lateral view and dorsal view, Figs 20–21, 24 ). Capsula interna with two tongue-shaped conductors projecting from the capsula interna and a capsula connected to the base of stylus ( Fig. 24 ). Stylus long, tube-shaped. Spination symmetrical. One pair of macrosetae B, two pairs of macrosetae A, C, D, E and F ( Fig. 23 ; c.f., Kury & Villarreal 2015: 41, fig. 21).

Female ( Figs 8–15 , 28–30 ). Similar in appearance and coloration to male, but abdomen more rounded posteriorly ( Figs 8 , 28 ). Basal segment of the chelicerae with two seta-tipped ectal tubercles instead of three in male ( Fig. 10 ). Cheliceral hand without seta-tipped tubercle on the ventral side ( Figs 9–10 ). The inner edges of finger with reduced tooth ( Fig. 11 ). Coxa of pedipalpus dorsally with two seta-tipped tubercles and ventrally with one ( Fig. 13 ). Trochanter of pedipalpus dorsally with one enlarged and one small seta-tipped tubercles, ventrally with two seta-tipped tubercles ( Fig. 12 ). Tarsal formula (I–IV): 7(3)/12(3)/6/7.

Ovipositor ( Figs 14–15 ). Short. Apico-ventrally with four setae and apico-dorsal with six setae, respectively.

Measurements. Male holotype (female paratype): Body 2.38 (2.31) long, 1.32 (1.55) wide at the widest portion. Scutum 1.57 (1.64) long. Ocularium 0.32 (0.25) long, 0.54 (0.42) wide, removed from anterior border of scutum by 0.28 (0.23). Proximal segment of chelicerae 0.69 (0.48) long, 0.35 (0.28) wide; second segment of chelicerae 1.53 (1.09) long, 0.57 (0.38) wide; distal 0.72 (0.53) long, 0.20 (0.12) wide. Pedipalpal claw 0.61 (0.56) long. Penis 1.29 long. Ovipositor 0.45 long. Measurements of left pedipalpus and legs as in Tables 1 and 2 .

Habitat. The specimens were collected by leaf litter sieving in dark moist forest microhabitats under dense canopy at low altitude.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality.

Figures

FIGURES 1–5. Tegestria altmannae sp. nov., male holotype. 1 Body, lateral view; 2 Left chelicera, mesal view; 3 Same, ectal view; 4 Left cheliceral fingers, frontal view; 5 Left pedipalpus, mesal view. Scale bars: 1 mm (1, 5); 0.5 mm (2–4).

FIGURES 6–15. Tegestria altmannae sp. nov., male holotype (6, 7) and female paratype (8–15). 6 Left pedipalpus, ectal view; 7 Body, dorsal view; 8 Body, dorsal view; 9 Left chelicera, mesal view; 10 Same, ectal view; 11 Left cheliceral fingers, frontal view; 12 Left pedipalpus, mesal view; 13 Same, ectal view; 14 Ovipositor, ventral view; 15 Same, dorsal view. Scale bars: 1 mm (6–8, 12–13); 0.5 mm (9–10); 0.25 mm (11, 14–15).

FIGURES 16–24. Tegestria altmannae sp. nov., genitalia of male holotype. 16 Penis, dorsal view; 17 Pars distalis of penis, dorsal view; 18 Same, lateral view; 19 Same, ventral view; 20 Pars distalis of penis, dorsal view (everted); 21 Same, lateral view; 22 Same, ventral view; 23 Pars distalis, lateral view; 24 Pars distalis, lateral view (part, everted, arrow indicates the movement of capsula externa and capsula interna). Scale bars: 0.5 mm (16); 0.25 mm (17–23).

FIGURES 25–30. Photographs of Tegestria altmannae sp. nov., male holotype and female paratype. 25 Male body and parts of appendages, dorsal view; 26 Same, lateral view; 27 Same, ventral view; 28 Female body and parts of appendages, dorsal view; 29 Same, lateral view; 30 Same, ventral view. Scale bars: 1 mm (26–27, 29); 0.5 mm (25, 28, 30).