Linzhiassamia medogensis, Qi & Kury & Zhang, 2024

Qi, Xiaoru, Kury, Adriano B. & Zhang, Chao, 2024, A new genus of Assamiidae (Opiliones, Grassatores) from Xizang, China, ZooKeys 1215, pp. 27-52 : 27-52

Linzhiassamia medogensis sp. nov.

Figs 1–6 , 7–12 , 13–19 , 20–25

Type material.

Holotype • male ( MHBU - Opi- 24 ZC 011501 ): China: Xizang, Nyingchi , Medog County, 29 ° 33 ' N, 95 ° 33 ' E, alt. 1116 m, 22 May 2019, H. Wang, L. Y. Wang leg. Paratypes: • one male ( MHBU - Opi- 24 ZC 011502 ) and two females ( MHBU - Opi- 24 ZC 011503 -04 ), same collecting data as holotype • one male ( MHBU - Opi- 24 ZC 011601 ): China: Xizang, Nyingchi , Medog County, 29 ° 33 ' N, 95 ° 33 ' E, alt. 1116 m, 23 May 2019, H. Wang leg.

Diagnosis.

Distal section of penis (pars distalis) markedly enlarged: ventral plate nearly triangle and frontal rim with median crevice (Figs 13 , 15 ), convex in dorsal view and concave in ventral view (Figs 14 , 16 ); The pars basalis and pars distalis of the penis are connected by joints (Figs 13–17 ). Glans partially sunken into a dorsally depressed portion of pars distalis of penis, its tip slightly extending the distal margin (Fig. 14 ) of the ventral plate. Opisthosomal region of scutum with abundant setiferous tubercles. Ocularium without spines, but with small, scattered tubercles. Pedipalpal femur ventrally with a row of six or seven setiferous tubercles.

Etymology.

The species name originates from the specimen collection site: Medog County, Nyingchi, Xizang.

Description.

Male (holotype and paratype). Habitus as in Figs 1 , 7 , 20–22 . Coloration (Figs 20–22 ): entire body dorsally rusty yellow with brown patches; median area of prosoma with dark brown reticulations before and behind the interocular mound; around the ocularium dark brown patches; both lateral ridges of the prosomal and opisthosomal scuta with dark brown stripes; opisthosomal areas I – IV with dark brown, and the central region being lighter than the surrounding areas; there are transverse paler interspaces between areas I – III; area V and free tergites each with a transverse dark band; venter concolorous with the dorsum; chelicerae, pedipalps and legs rusty yellow, reticulated with light to dark brown.

Dorsum (Figs 7 , 20 ). Dorsal scutum pyriform in shape, widest portion of body at scutal area II. Anterior margin of carapace with two spines at the lateral portion and a single median spine, the middle one is the smallest. Entire prosoma covered with small tubercles; anterior margin of prosoma with a row of small tubercles at the lateral portion. Ocularium oval, removed from the anterior border of scutum by 0.13 mm, and scattered with small tubercles. Opisthosomal region of scutum with five areas. Opisthosomal areas I – IV are adorned with abundant seta-tipped tubercles and a longitudinal row of similar tubercles on the lateral margins. Area V and all free tergites with a transverse row of seta-tipped tubercles.

Venter (Fig. 22 ). Surface of all coxae tuberculated. Coxa I with a row of four tubercles prolaterally, and two rows of tubercles on the surface. Coxa II with a row of marginal tubercles on the prolateral surface, and disto-dorsally with an enlarged tubercle. Coxa III with prolateral and retrolateral rows of tubercles. Coxa IV larger than others, prolaterally with many scattered tubercles, Genital operculum with many hair-tipped granules. Free sternites with a row of minute tubercles, each with setae on top. Spiracles concealed.

Chelicera (Figs 2–3 , 9 ). Basichelicerite elongate, dorsally with a slight bulla, without prominent armaments. Cheliceral hand unarmed, with sparse hairs only. Fingers relatively short, inner edges toothed as illustrated (Fig. 9 ): moveable finger with 11 teeth, the proximal one enlarged; fixed finger with six teeth, the proximal one diminished.

Pedipalpus (Figs 4–6 ). Coxa dorsally with one small tubercle. Trochanter ventrally with one long distal setiferous tubercle. Femur compressed laterally, widest at the middle of its length, ventrally with a row of 6 homogeneous setiferous tubercles; dorsally with a row of twelve low conical tubercles along the entire length; on the medial distal side with one setiferous tubercle. Patella with three ventromesal setiferous tubercles, and two ventroectal setiferous tubercles, dorsally with a row of six low conical tubercles along the entire length. Tibia ventromesally with two enlarged and three small setiferous tubercles; and ventroectally with one fairly enlarged and five setiferous tubercles. Tarsus with sparse hairs, ventromesally with two slightly enlarged and three small setiferous tubercle, and ventroectally with two slightly enlarged and five small setiferous tubercles. Tarsal claw slightly curved, shorter than tarsus.

Legs. Slender and elongated. Trochanters I – IV with small, hair-tipped granules on the ventral surface. All femora with hair-tipped granules, femora III and IV curved. Tarsi III – IV with a pseudonychium and two bare claws (Fig. 11 ). Tarsal formula (I – IV): 5 (2) / 11–14 (3) / 6 / 7. Distitarsus I two-jointed and II three-jointed. The remaining leg segments with hair-tipped granules.

Penis (Figs 13–17 ). Truncus (pars basalis) slender, sides nearly parallel, then slightly enlarged (Fig. 13 ) and curved (Figs 14 , 16 ) towards distal end. Distal portion of penis (pars distalis) markedly enlarged: ventral plate nearly triangle and frontal rim with median crevice (Figs 13–15 ), convex in dorsal view and concave in ventral view (Figs 14 , 16 ); pars basalis and pars distalis of the penis connected by joints. Glans partially sunken into a dorsally depressed portion of pars distalis of penis, its tip slightly extending the distal margin (Fig. 14 ) of the ventral plate. Glans composed of two-thirds of prickly funnel and capsula externa near the base and one-third of stylus and capsula interna (Figs 14 , 16 ). Capsula externa and capsula interna cylindrical, and the inner side of capsula interna with dense cover of fur-like microtrichia (Fig. 16 ). Stylus with irregular shape, constricted apically, the inverted stylus with capsula interna sunken into the spiny funnel, and all parts mentioned above surrounded totally by the capsula externa (Fig. 16 ). Ventral plate with 18 large setae (Figs 13–15 ): four dorsal, eight lateral and six ventral.

Female (Figs 8 , 10 , 12 , 18–19 ). In general appearance similar to the male; abdomen more rounded posteriorly (Figs 20 , 23 ). Granulation and spination of body similar to the male (Figs 8 , 23 ). Chelicerae not enlarged but of normal shape, with a slight difference in inner edges of the cheliceral finger (Fig. 10 ). Pseudonychium of legs IV in females reduced compared to that of male (Figs 11 , 12 ). Femora of pedipalpi dorsally with a row of six setiferous tubercles. Tarsal formula (I – IV): 5 (2) / 11–12 (3) / 6 / 7.

Ovipositor (Figs 18 , 19 ). Ventral side with four, dorsal side with six setae.

Measurements.

Male holotype (female paratype): Body 3.53 (3.53) long, 2.29 (2.00) wide at the widest portion. Scutum 1.85 (1.64) long. Interocular mound 0.63 (0.57) long, 0.34 (0.34) wide, 0.24 (0.20) high, 0.13 (0.12) far from the anterior border of the scutum. Pedipalpal claw 0.39 (0.45) long. Penis 1.02 long. Measurements of left pedipalpus and legs as in Tables 1 , 2 .

Habitat.

The specimens were collected under stones and on the leaves of the shrubbery.

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality, the Medog County, Nyingchi City, Xizang Autonomous Region, China.

Variation.

Specimens examined included three males and two females, the number of tarsal segments on the second legs was not constant, which varied from eleven to fourteen segments. On the fourth leg, the number of tarsal segments varies from seven to eight. The number of tarsal segments on the second leg and third leg is constant, with five segments on the second and six segments on the third. Another variation is the number of setiferous tubercles on the pedipalpus trochanter. For example, the male holotype ( MHBU - Opi- 24 ZC 011501 ) has only one setiferous tubercle on the pedipalpus trochanter (Figs 5 , 6 ), while the male paratype ( MHBU - Opi- 24 ZC 011601 ) has two setiferous tubercles (Fig. 1 ).

Figures

Figures 1–6. Linzhiassamia medogensis sp. nov., male (2–6 holotype), male (1 paratype) 1 male body, lateral view 2 left chelicera of male, ental view 3 left chelicera of male, ectal view 4 left pedipalp of male, dorsal view 5 left pedipalp of male, ental view 6 left pedipalp of male, ectal view. Scale bars: 1 mm (1); 0.5 mm (2–6).

Figures 7–12. Linzhiassamia medogensis sp. nov., male (9, 11 holotype), male (7 paratype), female (8, 10, 12 paratype) 7 male body, dorsal view 8 female body, dorsal view 9 left cheliceral fingers of male, frontal view 10 left cheliceral fingers of female, frontal view 11 right tarsal claw IV of male, lateral view 12 right tarsal claw IV of female, lateral view. Scale bars: 1 mm (7, 8); 0.5 mm (11–12); 0.25 mm (9–10).

Figures 13–19. Linzhiassamia medogensis sp. nov., genitalia of male holotype (13–17) and female paratype (18–19) 13 penis, ventral view 14 distal part of penis, lateral view 15 same, dorsal view 16 distal part of penis (expanded), lateral view 17 same, dorsal view 18 ovipositor, dorsal view 19 same, ventral view. Pb, pars basalis, Pd pars distalis. Scale bars: 0.25 mm.

Figures 20–25. Photographs of male (20–22 holotype) and female (23–25 paratype) of Linzhiassamia medogensis sp. nov. 20, 23 body and parts of appendages, dorsal view 21, 24 body and parts of appendages, lateral view 22, 25 body and parts of appendages, ventral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.