Protus, Simon, 1879

Medrano, Miguel, Kury, Adriano Brilhante & Mendes, Amanda Cruz, 2022, Morphology-based cladistics splinters the century-old dichotomy of the pied harvestmen (Arachnida: Gonyleptoidea: Cosmetidae), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 195, pp. 585-672 : 627

KEY TO THE SPECIES OF PROTUS

1. Coxa IV with basal thickening ( Figs 5I , 31A ) and with a lateral yellow stripe ( Fig. 31B )........................... 2 1’. Coxa IV convex and without basal thickening ( Fig. 35A, C ) and with or without yellow spots but without lateral stripe ( Figs 35F , 39C, D ) ................................................................................................... 3

2. Area II of mesotergum with two paramedian rounded buttons ( Fig. 33A, B )............................. P. distinctus 2’. Area II of mesotergum unarmed ( Fig. 31B, C ) ............................................................................ P. bolivari

3. Coxa IV with scattered yellow tubercles in the lateral region ( Fig. 39C, D ).................... P. quadripunctatus

3’. Coxa IV without scattered yellow tubercles or with a single small spot ( Figs 35F , 40B ) ....................... 4

4. DS yellow markings restricted to solid strips in lateral margins ( Fig. 40A ) ............................... P. speciosus

4’. DS yellow markings only as paramedian dots in area I, III and IV ( Fig. 35A ), or as a reticulate pattern ( Fig. 37 ), but without lateral solid strips................................................................................................... 5

5. DS scutum with reticulate pattern and anterior margin coloured ( Fig. 37 ); coxa with a single lateral yellow spot ( Fig. 37B ); stylus of the penis with a small wattle ( Fig. 38A–C )............................................ P. marllusi 5’. DS scutum only with paramedian dots in areas I, III and IV ( Fig. 35A ); coxa without any yellow marks ( Fig. 35C, F ); stylus of the penis with a large wattle ( Figs 35G, H , 36A–C ) ............................. P. insolens

Figures

Figure 5. Examples of some characters defined by us and used in the present phylogenetic analysis.

Figure 31. Protus bolivari, male (USNMENT 01538074). A, dorsal view. B, lateral view. C, frontal view. D, panoramic dorsal view. E, ventral view. Scale bars: 1 mm (A–C, E), 2 mm (D).

Figure 33. Protus distinctus, male (CAS AK 105).A, dorsal view. B, lateral view. C, panoramic dorsal view.Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figure 35. Protus insolens, male holotype (MNHN ES 03021). A, dorsal view. B, panoramic dorsal view. C, ventral view. D, frontal view. E, posterior view. F, lateral view. G, penis, dorsal view. H, same, lateral view. Scale bars: 1 mm. Abbreviation: MS = macrosetae.

Figure 36. SEM images of some structures of Protus insolens, male (MPEG 867). A–C, lenis: A, dorsal view; B, lateral view; C, ventral view. D. Left basichelicerite, dorsal view. E, left cheliceral hand, dorsal view. F, left pedipalpal tarsus, ventral view. G, left pedipalpus, mesal view. H, left claw IV, ventral view. I, left claw III, ventro-lateral view. Scale bars: 100 μm (A–C, F, H, I), 200 μm (D, E), 500 μm (G).

Figure 37. Protus marllusi. A–B, Male holotype (MNRJ 7602): A, dorsal view; B, lateral view. C–E, variation of spots of dorsal scutum, female paratypes, dorsal view: C. MNRJ 4842. D. MNRJ 7602. E. MNRJ 2173. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figure 38. SEM images of some structures of Protus marllusi, holotype (MNRJ 7602). A–C, penis: A, dorsal view; B, lateral view; C, ventral view. D, left cheliceral hand, dorsal view. E, left basichelicerite, dorsal view. F, left pedipalpal tarsus, ventral view. G, left pedipalpus, ventral view. H, same, mesal view. Scale bars: 100 μm (A–C, E, F), 200 μm (D), 500 μm (G, H).

Figure 39. Protus quadripunctatus, male syntype (SMF RII 1489/7a). A, dorsal view. B, ventral view. C, lateral view. D, detail of coxa IV in dorsal view. E, original label. Scale bars: 1 mm. Photos courtesy Abel Pérez.

Figure 40. Protus speciosus, male (ICN-Ao-381).A, dorsal view. B, lateral view. C, panoramic dorsal view. Scale bars: 1 mm.