Charinus fagei Weygoldt, 1972

Miranda, Gustavo Silva de, Giupponi, Alessandro P. L., Prendini, Lorenzo & Scharff, Nikolaj, 2021, Systematic revision of the pantropical whip spider family Charinidae Quintero, 1986 (Arachnida, Amblypygi), European Journal of Taxonomy 772, pp. 1-409 : 148-149

Charinus fagei Weygoldt, 1972

Figs 83 , 89 ; Table 6

Charinus fagei Weygoldt, 1972b: 123–128 , fig. 22e.

Charinus seychellarum Kraepelin, 1898 – Fage 1939: 154–155, fig. 1a–d (misidentification, in part, see Charinus africanus ).

Charinus fagei – Delle Cave 1986: 157, fig. II. — Weygoldt 1994: 244; 2000b: 346. — Harvey 2003: 5.

Diagnosis

This species may be separated from C. madagascariensis and other African species of Charinus by means of the following combination of characters: median and lateral eyes well developed; cheliceral claw with nine teeth; pedipalp tarsus with two dorsal spines. The count of nine teeth on the cheliceral claw is greater than in any other known African species of Charinus

Etymology

Although unspecified, the species name is evidently a patronym honoring Dr Louis Fage.

Type material

Syntypes GUINEA • 1 ♀, 4 ♂♂; Grotte Segea Santa ; [09°56′44.11″ N, 09°41′47.92″ W]; Millot leg.; MNHN .

Only 2 ♂♂ of the five syntypes listed by Weygoldt (1972) were found and examined at the MNHN. The opisthosoma of one was damaged.

Redescription

CARAPACE. Six short anterior setae ( Fig. 89A ); frontal process triangular. Small granules densely scattered between ocular triads and among sulci. Median eyes well developed, median ocular tubercle shallow, with pair of setae ( Fig. 89A ); lateral eyes well developed, seta posterior to lateral ocular triad; lateral ocular triad well separated from carapace margin.

STERNUM. Tritosternum projected anteriorly, with typical setation, short, only reaching base of pedipalp coxae; other sternal platelets narrow, with pair of setae anteriorly on plaque and some smaller setae posteriorly; pentasternum with four setae anteriorly and without seta in membranous region.

OPISTHOSOMA. Ventral sacs and ventral sac cover absent.

GENITALIA. Male gonopod with border of fistula and lateral lobe slightly sclerotized; lateral lobe 2 fimbriate.

CHELICERAE. Small, flat tooth on retrolateral surface of basal segment, opposite to bifid tooth; retrolateral surface of claw with discontinous row of setae, basally to medially; claw with nine teeth; row of seven or eight setae on prolateral surface of basal segment; bifid tooth on basal segment with dorsal cusp larger than ventral cusp.

PEDIPALPS. Coxal dorsal carina with two setae encircled by round carina and three setae on margin. Femur with four dorsal spines, last spine very small, and four ventral spines ( Fig. 89B–C ); small spine between dorsal spines 2 and 3, and two or three spines distal to spine 4; two small spines between ventral spines 2 and 3, spine between spines 3 and 4, and two spines distal to spine 4; small spine proximal to ventral spine 1 ( Fig. 89C ); two prominent setae and two small setiferous tubercles between dorsal spine 1 and proximal margin. Patella with three dorsal spines and two prominent setiferous tubercles proximally ( Fig. 89B ); prominent setiferous tubercle distal to spine I, one-third length of spine I; four ventral spines, distal two spines small, slightly larger than setiferous tubercle; three or four small setiferous tubercles between spine I and distal margin. Tibia with ventral spine distally and two setae between spine and distal margin. Tarsus with two dorsal spines, distal spine half length of tarsus and proximal spine onethird length of distal spine; cleaning organ with 22–23 setae in ventral row.

LEGS. Tibia of leg I with 23 articles; first tarsal article almost half length of second article. Leg IV basitibia with four pseudo-articles, trichobothrium bt situated in proximal third of pseudo-article; distitibia trichobothrium bc situated closer to sbf than to bf, sc and sf series each with five trichobothria.

Measurements

See Table 6 .

Distribution

Known only from the type locality.

Natural history

Found inside caves.

Figures

Fig. 83. Map plotting known distributions of species of Charinus Simon, 1892 in western Africa.

Fig. 89. Charinus fagei Weygoldt, 1972 (MNHN), general morphology, ♂. A. Carapace, dorsal view. B. Pedipalp, dorsal view. C. Pedipalp, ventral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.