Rhampsinitus telifrons ( Pocock, 1902 )

Starêga, Wojciech, 2009, Some southern African species of the genus Rhampsinitus Simon (Opiliones: Phalangiidae), Zootaxa 1981, pp. 43-56 : 51-52

Rhampsinitus telifrons ( Pocock, 1902)

Figs 12–16

Phalangium (Rhampsinitus) telifrons Pocock, 1902: 395 , fig. 79B (type locality: Jansenville). Phalangium rhinoceros Strand, 1909: 594 (type locality: Simonstown). Roewer 1912: 164. Rhampsinitus telifrons: Roewer 1911: 92 ; Roewer 1912: 160; Roewer 1923: 790; Lawrence 1931: 497; Kauri 1961: 170;

Staręga 1984: 67.

Rhampsinitus littoralis Lawrence, 1931: 480 –482, fig. 69 (type locality not selected). Kauri 1961: 163.

Material examined. Republic of South Africa: Cape Peninsula, Muizenberg, dunes to the north, collected by R. Legg. 21 April–5 May 1989: 3 Ψ ( MRAC 170.826); 5–19 May 1989: 6 ɗ, 7 Ψ ( MRAC 170.832); 19 May–2 June 1989: 1 ɗ, 7 Ψ ( MRAC 170.838); 2–16 June 1989: 1 ɗ, 1 Ψ ( MRAC 170.843); 16–30 June 1989: 1 ɗ ( MRAC 170.846); 30 June–14 July 1989: 3 ɗ, 1 Ψ ( MRAC 170.854: 1 Ψ, RCWS II/0045: 2 ɗ, 1 Ψ); 28 July–11 August 1989: 1 ɗ ( MRAC 170.863); 11–29 August 1989: 4 juveniles ( MRAC 170.869); 29 September–13 October 1989: 17 juveniles ( MRAC 170.873); 10–25 October 1989: 29 juveniles ( MRAC 170.881); 15 November–1 December 1989: 41 juveniles ( MRAC 170.889); 1–15 December 1989: 19 juveniles ( MRAC 173.900).

Diagnosis. The species is easily recognizable by three characteristic teeth in the middle of frontal margin, by small male chelicerae, short legs and a coloration that is cryptic in the dune environment where these animals live.

Description. MALE: body convex, 5.3–6.2 mm long, carapace 2.4–2.7 mm wide. Frontal margin with three long conical teeth: the middle tooth the longest, directed obliquely up- and forwards, both lateral teeth shorter, directed quite exactly upwards. Eye mound as long as wide as high; distance from frontal margin equal to its length. Eye rings with 5–6 sharp teeth. Similar teeth also on lateral margins of carapace (between all coxae and on both sides of repugnatory gland). Rest of carapace smooth, each of the two „thoracal” tergites with a single continuous transversal row of teeth. Abdominal tergites with irregular transversal rows of teeth, the biggest ones lying within the saddle. Venter smooth, several small denticles scattered over entire surface of coxa I and situated subapically on II and III.

Chelicerae ( Fig. 12 ) generally small, basichelicerite 1.2 mm (1.8 mm in male MRAC 170.846), second segment 2.0 mm (2.7 mm) long. Basichelicerite with about 10 denticles of different length dorso-apically, with a longitudinal row of denticles on retrolateral surface (the 2nd and 3rd denticle from the basis much longer than the others) and with several small blunt (and few larger and pointed) denticles ventro-basally; no bristles. Second segment with a group of pointed granules subapically and numerous bristles on frontal surface. Ventral surface with 3–4 bristles only. Pedipalps ( Fig. 13 ) short and weak; trochanter 0.50 mm, femur 1.33 mm, patella 0.47 mm, tibia 0.67 mm and tarsus 1.63 mm long (in male MRAC 170.846). Trochanter dorsally and ventrally with several small denticles. Femur ventrally with a row of larger denticles, dorsally in basal ¾ with numerous small denticles, a group of about five of them also on apex. Patella dorsally with pro- and retrolateral rows of denticles. Tibia and tarsus unarmed, only with bristles. Legs short, first pair only slightly stronger than the others. All femora with longitudinal rows of sharp denticles. Similar denticles, but smaller, also on patellae and tibiae. Other segments only with bristles. Femur length: I: 2.9–3.5 mm, II: 6.1–6.9 mm, III: 2.8–3.7 mm, IV: 4.6–5.2 mm. BLI 1.143–1.226. No false articulation on metatarsi, legs presumably too short for that.

Penis ( Figs 14–16 ): shaft with broad basis and unclearly marked subapical „spoon”. Glans ( Fig. 16 ) banana-shaped, flattened on the sides. Stylus long. Shaft 2.66 mm long, basis 0.37 mm wide, glans 0.42 mm and stylus 0.15 mm long (male MRAC 170.846).

Body coloration variable, from yellow to dark brown, always with light and dark variegation. Saddle poorly visible, broad on frontal body margin, clearly constricted behind eye mound and with nearly parallel (though undulating) margins on abdominal tergites. Venter yellow, coxae with broad brown rings subapically.

Basichelicerite nearly uniformly blackish brown, some yellowish patches on retrolateral surface. Second segment in upper ¾ yellowish, with numerous brown dots, lower third yellow, fingers blackish. Trochanter, femur and basal part of patella brown, with yellowish patches, apical part of patella, whole tibia and tarsus yellow, the last two segments with brown basal rings. Penis yellowish, with two brown longitudinal paraxial zones (muscle fibers?) in basal part of shaft. Penis sheath dark brown, not yellow as usual in Rhampsinitus .

FEMALE: very similar to male in armament and coloration, body more convex, oviform. Body 6.0– 6.9 mm long, carapax 2.7–2.9 mm wide. Femur length: I: 3.1–3.5 mm, II: 7.8 mm, III: 3.1–3.5 mm, IV: 4.5 mm. BLI 1.143–1.216.

Remarks. At the first glance this species resembles members of the European Oligolophinae : three long teeth on the frontal margin are of the same type as in some species of Lacinius Thorell [e.g. L. horridus (Panzer) and L. erinaceus Starçga ] or Odiellus Roewer [e.g. O. spinosus (Bosc) , O. troguloides (Lucas) and O. lendli (Sörensen) ], legs short. Rhampsinitus telifrons is thus an „abnormal” Rhampsinitus : most males of this species have small, weak chelicerae, resembling those of females ( Fig. 12 ). Only one male (MRAC 170.846) has slightly enlarged, more „typical” chelicerae; the difference is, however, not striking.

Distribution. This species appears to be abundant in certain habitats, in this case on dunes. Known from many localities in the vicinity of Cape Town ( Pocock 1902, Strand 1909, Lawrence 1931, Kauri 1961, Starçga 1984). It has a cryptic coloration, similar to the European Paroligolophus agrestis (Meade) , which also lives on dunes.

Figures

FIGURES 12 – 16. Rhampsinitus telifrons (Pocock), male (MRAC 170.832 from Muizenberg, Cape Peninsula). 12, right chelicera, mesal view; 13, right pedipalpus, mesal view; 14, penis, dorsal view; 15, penis, lateral view; 16, apical part of penis, lateral view.