Filopalpus joschmidti, Martens, 2022

Martens, Jochen, 2022, From the Ethiopian Bale Mountains hotspot-Filopalpinae subfam. nov., a new taxon of Laniatorean harvestmen based on external and genital morphology (Arachnida, Opiliones, Assamiidae), Zootaxa 5159 (2), pp. 221-244 : 225-229

Filopalpus joschmidti sp. nov.

( Figs 1–24 )

Type material: Holotype (CJM 9003), ♂, ETHIOPIA, Oromia, Bale Mts., Washia Forest, upper Salgen Valley , above Sebsebe , 3630 m, leg. 06.02.2019; 07°01’47”N, 39°11’2”E . Paratypes (CJM 9002), 1 ♂, 2 ♀, same locality and data as holotype .

Diagnosis. Total body length 3.0– 3.1 mm, dorsal side of body covered with a dense layer of polygonal tubercles, touching each other, male pedipalp four times longer than body length. Pedipalp Fe nearly twice as long as body, Pt slightly shorter. Penis parallel-sided truncus except last fifth, marked concavity on dorso-distal part of truncus, the ventral plate, i.e. distal part of penis slightly enlarged, glans tube surpassing distal rim of penis; strong armament of free tergites.

Remarks: Filopalpus joschmidti sp. nov. is the species bearing the longest male pedipalp of all congeners presently known; it slightly surpasses length of leg II and the length of the body by 5.1 times.

Etymology: It honors Joachim Schmidt, renowned entomologist working on ground beetles with focus on Himalayan fauna, especially their taxonomy, systematics, evolutionary and biogeographic affinities. Name in genitive case.

Description: MALE. Body, dorsal side ( Figs 1–3 , 10 ): Scutum densely covered with marked polygonal blackish tubercles, touching each other on Abd scutum but slightly separated from each other on prosoma, indicated by light patches between groups of tubercles, distal rim of prosoma equipped with a row of 11 (HT, 8 PA) pointed apophyses of various sizes, large ones on left and right third of distal rim; a single pair of para-median tubercles on the scutal areas I–IV, on area V a row of long pointed tubercles; free tergites visible from above, each covered by a narrow row of slender, drawn-out pointed tubercles, longest in central third of tergites ( Figs 1–3 , 10 ).

Colour pattern ( Figs 1–3, 5 ): Most tubercles brownish to blackish, small light yellow parts on prosoma, blackish on rim of Abd scutum and free tergites.

Tuber oculorum ( Figs 3, 5 , 10 ): Small, front part less than half of its length apart from distal rim of prosomal scutum, equipped with a number of long pointed tubercles, longest on anterior and posterior rim of Tu oc, pointing upwards, few small tubercles around eye, longest reaching and slightly surpassing distal rim.

Body, ventral side ( Fig. 9 ): Cx irregularly covered all over with large pointed tubercles of various forms (not markedly polygonal), most of them with minute seta on top. Op gen light yellowish in front, the five distal sternites dark brownish each, with a row of tubercles, longest and massive on lateral sides, the large sternite and Op anale light with low tubercles densely packed.

Legs: All articles light brownish to blackish. Tr smooth except for few minute tubercles, the other articles irregularly covered with low tubercles, all pointed with minute seta (except articles of Ta).

Pedipalp ( Figs 1–2 , 10 , 21–23 ): Extremely long, thin and filiform, all articles slenderer than those of legs I–IV, Fe and Pt of nearly equal length (Pt slightly shorter), four times longer than body, Fe and Pt slightly broadened close to distal end ( Fig. 22 ), Ti extremely short, parallel-sided, Ta shortest article, similar to Ti but fusiform ( Figs 22–23 ). All palpal articles devoid of any strong and elevated Tu, few fine light setae on all articles, coarse surface on Ti and Ta. One light pseudo-articulation each on Fe distally and on Pt basally.

Chelicera ( Figs 16–17 ): Basal article slender, dorsally strongly concave at mid portion, indistinctly on ventral side, few strong tubercles dorso- and ventro-distally with minute seta on top, 2 nd article moderately inflated, fusiform, single strong setae frontally and distally close to insertion 3 rd article, a strong elongated cone-shaped apophysis near mid-half on pro-lateral side close to frontal side of 2 nd article.

Penis morphology ( Figs 11–15 ): Truncus penis slender (la and do/ve views) from the small slightly enlarged base continuously enlarged towards distal end, but more markedly in distal forth, markedly broadened and rounded shortly before and along the movable glans (do/ve view), disto-frontal rim of truncus slightly invaginated. Equipment of penis with minute setae inconspicuous and slightly asymmetrical ( Figs 13–15 ): two on or close to distal rim of truncus, three or five on lateral sides, all in the enlarged glans section of truncus.

Description: FEMALE. Characters of external morphology generally like in male including coloration and equipment of body with tubercles, leg length and leg armament, but apophyses on rear end of opisthosoma and on free tergites shorter ( Figs 4 , 7–8 ).

Chelicera ( Figs 18–19 ): Generally as in male with similar armament, ve concavity of 1 st article even less than in male, no cone-shaped apophysis on 2 nd article.

Pedipalp ( Figs 7–8 , 20 ): Very different from male, extremely short (total length slightly less than body length, Ti and Ta of about equal length, Pt slightly larger). Tr ventrally enlarged, one ve apophysis with strong seta on top; Fe smooth, nearly parallel-sided, slightly enlarged distally, with few scattered setae on dorsal side, ventrally one tubercle each on near base and amidst the article; Pt slightly curved to ventral side and enlarged distally, few scattered minute setae; Ti as long as Pt, equipped with five elevated tubercle of different sizes ventrally, the central one with a large immovable setae on top; Ta with three low seta-topped apophyses ventrally and few small additional setae interspersed, those also on do side; claw strong, slightly shorter than Ta.

Measurements (male, female in parentheses):

Body length: Including pointed tubercles on frontal and posterior rim of scutum; male holotype, in parentheses without apophysis, but including free tergites: 3.0 (2.7), paratype male 3.1 (2.8); paratype females twice 3.1 (2.8).

Leg II: Tr 0.3 (0.3), Fe 2.2 (1.8), Pt 0.5 (0.5), Ti 1.6 (1.4), Mt 1.5 (1.4), Ta 1.4 (1.2); total: 7.5 (6.6).

Pedipalp: Tr 0.3 (0.2), Fe 5.4 (0.75), Pt 5.2 (0.45), Ti 0.9 (0.4), Ta 0.6 (0.4), claw 0.3 (0.3); total: 12.7 (2.5). Male pedipalp 5.08 times longer than female pedipalp.

Number of tarsomeres on legs I–IV (right and left leg): I 4/4 (4/4), II 7/7 (6/7), III 5/5 (5/5), IV 6/6 (5/6).

Penis length: 1.2.

Variation: Size and number of apophyses on scutal area V and on free tergites may differ between individuals ( Figs 1–2 ).

Relationships: F. joschmidti sp. nov. is most similar to F. kakaensis sp. nov., especially in its male pedipalpal proportions, also the lack of elevated Tu on all pedipalp articles. F. kakaensis sp. nov. is smaller, has a different genital morphology (cavity on penis dorso-distal) and all minute apophyses on ventral and dorsal side of body are distally rounded, stump. The collecting localities of both filopaplid species are elevationally separated by about slightly more than 1000 m.

Distribution and habitat: Up to present F. joschmidti sp. n. is only known from the northern face of the Bale Mts between Adaba and Dinsho at 3630 m. The specimens have been found under stones on a brook side shadowed by single Hagenia abyssinica trees and Erica arborea shrubs within a canyon on a steep south-exposed mountain slope. The mountainous area beyond this canyon is widely deforested. Remains of the Sebsebe Washia Forest, which is famous in Ethiopia, existed in 2019 only within the lower parts of the main valley up to an altitude of about 3200 m, much lower than the localities of the present Filopalpus species.

Figures

FIGURES 1–6. Filopalpus joschmidti sp. nov. Body dorsal view. 1–3, 5. Male; 4, 6 female. 1–2. Left pedipalp stretched out and surpassing length of leg II; 1. and 2–3. represent different males (note different equipment of apophyses of rear end of opisthosoma). 4. Female with short pedipalp; 5–6. Distal part of prosoma; note cover of hedgehog-like tubercles with seta on top.A and b in Figs 1 and 2 indicate the pedipalp (a) and leg II (b). Photographs by Jean Severin (1) and Joachim Schmidt (2–6).

FIGURES 7–10. Filopalpus joschmidti sp. nov. 7–8. Female paratype; 9–10. Male holotype. Body dorsal view (8), lateral view (7, 10) and ventral view (9). Scale: 1 mm.

FIGURES 11–24. Filopalpus joschmidti sp. nov. Male holotype (11–17; 21–23) and female paratype (18–20; 24). 11–12. Penis dorsal and lateral views. 13–15. Glans dorsal, ventral and lateral views. 16–19. Chelicera pro-lateral and retro-lateral views. 20. Pedipalpus retro-lateral view. 21. Pedipalpal femur-patella joint, retro-lateral view male. 22. Pedipalp retro-lateral view. 23. Pedipalpal tibia and tarsus. 24. Ovipositor distal part. Scales: 11–12: 0.3 mm, 13–19: 0.1 mm, 20: 0.5 mm, 21: 0.13 mm, 22: 0.25 mm, 23: 0.5 mm, 24: 0.05 mm.