Charinus magua, Seiter & Schramm & Schwaha, 2018

Seiter, Michael, Schramm, Frederic D. & Schwaha, Thomas, 2018, Description of a new Charinus species (Amblypygi: Charinidae) from the Monseñor Nouel province, Dominican Republic, Zootaxa 4438 (2), pp. 349-361 : 350-358

Charinus magua sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:2264F1DC-62EA-45C9-B51C-917061EBF673

Type material: One adult male (Holotype, NHMW 29153 ) Subida a Casabíto, Monseñor Nouel province, Dominican Republic, N19°1.643' W70°22.762', 382 m a.s.l., leg. Seiter, Schramm, Nigl & Teruel, September 2016 ; one adult female + two protonymphae (Paratype, NHMW 29154 ), Subida a Casabíto, Monseñor Nouel province, Dominican Republic, N19°01.581' W70°28.828'; 795 m a.s.l., leg. Seiter, Schramm, Nigl & Teruel, September 2016 ; two subadult specimens (Paratype, NHMW 29155), same data as NHMW 29154 ; one adult female (Paratype, NHMW 29156 ) , same data as holotype .

Comparative diagnosis: Charinus magua sp. nov. is unique by the following combination of characters: Pedipalp femur ventrally with 2 spines (Fv; C. dominicanus and C. bahoruco bear 3), pedipalp patella dorsally with 3 spines (Pd; C. dominicanus bears 3 and C. bahoruco bears 3–4). Carapace with median eyes absent, lateral eyes reduced (in C. dominicanus and C. bahoruco median eyes also absent but lateral eyes well developed), frontal process large and prominent in females, less pronounced in the holotype male (in C. dominicanus not visible and in C. bahoruco it is only slightly visible in males from above). Cheliceral claw with 2–4 teeth. Tritosternum cylindrical and elongated (double in length compared to C. dominicanus and C. bahoruco ), trito-, tetra- and pentasternum with 2, 1 and 1 pair of setae, respectively. Leg I with 21–22 tibial and 37–38 tarsal articles (in C. dominicanus 21/33 and in C. bahoruco 21/37). First (proximal) tarsal segment of leg I about five times longer than the second (comparable in C. dominicanus and C. bahoruco ). Leg IV with trisegmented basitibia, tarsomer II of legs II–IV with a pale but complete translucent membranous ring (similar to C. dominicanus and C. bahoruco ). Distitibia of leg IV with 16 trichobothria (similar to C. dominicanus and C. bahoruco ) with bc closer to bf than to sbf (similar in C. bahoruco , bc closer to s bf than to bf in C. dominicanus ). Female gonopods cushion-like with lateral projections directed backwards, projections not sclerotized. See Table 1 for a comparison of major and most deviating characters among all known Caribbean and Central American Charinus species.

Etymology: The species is named after the historical Taíno chiefdom of Maguá which included the region that is now the Dominican province of Monseñor Nouel. The name Maguá is used as a noun in apposition.

Description of male holotype: Color in life ( Fig. 1 ): uniformly yellowish to brownish, pedipalps and legs slightly darker, chelicera and tips of pedipalps reddish, opisthosomal tergites greenish, whitish intersegmental membranes between sternites and tergites.

Pedipalps ( Fig. 2 ): all segments densely covered by minute granules and short setae except for the distal tarsus and claw. Trochanter ( Fig. 2C, E, D ) densely covered with large setae, a single large seta on the anterodorsal margin, a single well pronounced (long and thick) anteroventral spine covered with 12 large setae, one single spine on the inner surface of the trochanter facing the pedipalp femur. Femur ( Fig. 2C, D ) dorsally with three large primary spines (Fd-1> Fd-2> Fd-3), each spine with one seta located half-way to the tip; externally five large setiferous tubercles, the two most basal ones very close to each other, almost aligned with the primary spines; ventrally with two large primary spines (Fv-1> Fv-2) and two setiferous tubercles anteriorly of Fv-1 and posteriorly of Fv-2, respectively, aligned in one row; seven setae of various size on the apical margin. Patella ( Fig. 2 A, B ) dorsally with three large spines (Pd-1> Pd-2> Pd-3), each spine harboring at least one seta (up to three), one large prominent setiferous tubercle between Pd-1 and the distal margin, one small bifid setiferous tubercle after Pd-3; several smaller setae on the dorsal margin of the pedipalp patella; ventrally with two large primary spines (Pv-1> Pv-2) without subdivisions; three small setae aligned with the primary spines in between, with three large setiferous tubercles and several small setae on the ventral surface of the pedipalp patella. Tibia ( Fig. 2A, B ) dorsally with two long spines, Td-1 twice as long as Td-2 (Td-1> Td-2); nine setiferous tubercles and several small setae between the spines and on the dorsal margin of the pedipalp tibia; ventrally with one single large spine and one setiferous tubercle close to the base of Tv-1; several small setae on the ventral margin of the pedipalp tibia. Tarsus ( Fig. 2A, B ) dorsally with two long spines with Bd-1 more than twice as long as Bd-2 (Bd1> Bd-2); several small setae on the dorsal margin of the pedipalp tarsus; ventrally spineless with several small setae on the ventral margin of the pedipalp tarsus; cleaning organ well developed. Claw/ Posttarsus ( Fig. 2A, B ) moderately long, sharp and evenly curved inwards.

Carapace ( Fig. 3F, I ): cordiform, 1.23 times wider than long, with minute granules on the surface and scattered with few setulae all over; frontal process less developed (however large and prominent in the female paratypes; in males of C. dominicanus the frontal process is not visible and in males of C. bahoruco only slightly visible from above ( Fig. 3D, E, G, H )), frontal margin wide and convex with eight thick but short setae facing forward; median eyes absent, lateral eyes less developed and unpigmented (compare to the more developed lateral eyes in C. dominicanus and C. bahoruco ( Fig. 3D, E )) with a single seta on their posterior margin.

Sternum ( Fig. 3C ): sternites all moderately sclerotized and very densely granulose; tritosternum long, twice as long as wide, (compare to the short tritosterna in C. dominicanus and C. bahoruco ( Fig. 3A, B )) apically narrow with a pair of thick (macrosetae) apical and a pair of thick basal setae, an additional pair of thin setae located in between the two pairs of thick setae; tetrasternum and pentasternum wider than long with large median pairs of macrosetae.

Chelicera ( Fig. 4F ): basal segment with four internal teeth, the most distal tooth bicuspid (less separated than in C. dominicanus and C. bahoruco ( Fig. 4D, E )), the proximal cusp shorter, basal segment with a single vestigial external tooth; claw with 2–4 flat crenulations.

Legs ( Fig. 4C , 5E, F ): all slender and long, femora densely covered with minute tubercles and setae of various size, arolium present on all walking legs; leg I flagellum with 21–22 tibial and 37–38 tarsal articles; first tarsal segment about five times longer than second ( Fig. 5F ), tarsomer II of legs II–IV with a pale but complete translucent membranous ring ( Fig. 5E ) (similar to C. dominicanus and C. bahoruco ( Fig. 5A, C )); leg IV with trisegmented basitibia, trichobothrium bt in the middle of the distal pseudo-article of basitibia of leg IV; 16 trichobothria on the distitibia of leg IV with bc closer to bf than to sbf ( Fig. 5C ) (similar trichobothriotaxy in C. bahoruco , in C. dominicanus bc closer to s bf than to bf ( Fig. 5A, B )).

Male reproductive organ: large genital operculum, posterior margin rounded with several setae on its margin; spermatophore organ wider than long, soft with sclerotization (semicircle form) at the border of fistula and lobus lateralis primus; from dorsal view lobus dorsalis and lobus lateralis primus narrow, the latter one being broader, lobus dorsalis secundus small; from ventral view lobus dorsalis primus and lobus dorsalis secundus prominent, larger than lobus dorsalis, processus internus tapered, lamina medialis small but present.

Description of female paratypes ( Fig. 6 ): very similar to holotype male; frontal process visible from above; genital operculum small and narrow with several small setae on its posterior margin; female gonopods cushion-like with lateral projections directed backwards, projections not sclerotized; gonopod with a flat thin apex, posteriorly forming an apical sharp edge, atrium of the gonopod large.

Measurements (in mm): male holotype (NHMW 29153): Carapace length/width (1.99/2.45), pedipalp femur length (0.98), pedipalp patella length (1.32), pedipalp tibia length (0.72), pedipalp tarsus and claw length (0.87); female paratype (NHMW 29154): Carapace length/width (1.69/2.13), pedipalp femur length (0.90), pedipalp patella length (0.95), pedipalp tibia length (0.63), pedipalp tarsus and claw length (0.65).

The cerotegument ultrastructure of known Dominican Charinus ( Fig. 7 ): In Charinus species from the Dominican Republic the carapace is covered by regular spherical globules which commonly range from ~2–3 µm in diameter. With a diameter of ~2–2.5 µm Charinus magua sp. nov. has the smallest globules. In Charinus bahoruco these structures have a diameter of ~2.5–2.9 µm and in Charinus dominicanus of ~3–3.2 µm. The globule surface of C. bahoruco and C. dominicanus resemble each other and correspond to the same granular type whereas the globule surface of C. magua sp. nov. shows a particle network with nanopores.

Natural habitat and distribution ( Fig. 1E–F , 8 ): The two known localities in the Monseñor Nouel province are situated between 382 and 795 m above sea level and represent the highest altitude record for Charinus from Hispaniola. All specimens were found underneath various-sized stones, partially buried in the soil and in part densely covered with wet and dry leaf litter. Both locations harbor a small waterway. At the same location Phrynus longipes Pocock, 1894 and another undescribed phrynid whip spider species were also found.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Live specimens of Charinus magua sp. nov. and the locus typicus in the Monseñor Nouel province. A adult female, B, C adult males and D adult female with protonymphae on its opisthosoma. E, F the specimens were found close to a small waterway, underneath stones partially buried in the soil which to some extent were densely covered with wet and dry leaf litter.

FIGURE 2. Left pedipalp of the adult male holotype specimen of Charinus magua sp. nov. A, B Pedipalp patella, tibia, tarsus and claw, dorsal and ventral view, respectively. C, D Pedipalp trochanter and femur, dorsal and ventral view, respectively. E Pedipalp trochanter, antero-ventral view. Abbreviations: Bd—basitarsus dorsal, Bv—basitarsus ventral, Fd—femur dorsal, Fv—femur ventral, Pd—patella dorsal, Pv—patella ventral, Td—tibia, Tv—tibia ventral. Scale bars: 0.25 mm.

FIGURE 3. Ventral, dorsal and frontal view of the prosoma of adult male specimens of Charinus dominicanus (A, D, G), Charinus bahoruco (B, E, H) and the adult male holotype of Charinus magua sp. nov. (C, F, I). A–C Ventral prosoma. Note the differences in the size of the tritosterna. D–F Carapace. Note the difference in the development of the lateral eyes. G–I Frontal view of the prosoma including the frontal process. Scale bars: 1.0 mm; except A, D, G 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 4. Distitibia of leg IV and chelicera of Charinus dominicanus (A, D), Charinus bahoruco (B, E) and the holotype of Charinus magua sp. nov. (C, F). A–C Number and arrangement of the trichobothria on the distitibia of leg IV. All species have 3 proximal and 13 distal trichobothria (total of 16). D–F Chelicera. In C. magua sp. nov. the claw bears 2–4 flat crenulations and the basal segment harbors 4 internal teeth; the most distal tooth bicuspid and less separated than in C. dominicanus and C. bahoruco. Abbreviations: bc = basocaudal, bf = basofrontal, sbf = sub-basofrontal, sf = series of frontal trichobothria, sc = series of caudal trichobothria. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 5. Tarsus of leg IV and parts of the tibia and tarsus of leg I in adult male specimens of Charinus dominicanus (A, B), Charinus bahoruco (C, D) and the holotype male of Charinus magua sp. nov. (E, F). A, C, E Part of last segments of tarsus IV. Note the membranous ring in the second segment of the tarsus (arrows in the figures). B, D, F Part of tibia and tarsus I. Scale bars: A, C, E 0.2 mm; B, D, F 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 6. Adult female paratype specimen of Charinus magua sp. nov. A–D Left pedipalp. A, B Pedipalp patella, tibia, tarsus and claw, dorsal and ventral view, respectively. C, D Pedipalp trochanter and femur, dorsal and ventral view, respectively. E Front part of carapace, dorsal view. Note the frontal process and the single seta behind the lateral eyes. F Ventral view of the prosoma. Scale bars: A–E 0.25 mm; F 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 7. Scanning electron microscopy of the carapace of Dominican Charinus species. Charinus dominicanus (A), Charinus bahoruco (B) and Charinus magua sp. nov. (C). Scale bars: 400 nm.

FIGURE 8. Map of the island Hispaniola showing the known localities of the three Charinus species. (A) General overview of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. (B) Details of the records of Charinus dominicanus (triangle) and Charinus bahoruco (rectangle). Previously known records (Armas & Pérez 2001; Teruel 2016) are labeled in grey. (C) Details of the Charinus magua sp. nov. locality (star) in the Monseñor Nouel province.