Sarax sp.

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 : 210-211

Sarax sp.

Diagnosis

This undescribed species may be separated from other species of Sarax in Southeast Asia and Oceania by the following combination of characters: juveniles with distinct dark bands on carapace and legs; median and lateral eyes well developed; lateral eyes near lateral margin of carapace; carapace lateral carina present; pentasternum with four setae; ventral sacs cover well developed; male gonopod with base of LoL2 sclerotized; cheliceral claw with three or four teeth; basal segment without tooth on retrolateral surface; pedipalp femur with four dorsal spines, three ventral spines, and spine between ventral spine 1 and proximal margin; pedipalp patella with four dorsal spines, long spine between dorsal spine I and distal margin, three ventral spines, setiferous tubercle between ventral spine I and distal margin; pedipalp tibia with two setae between ventral spine and distal margin; pedipalp tarsus with two short, subequal dorsal spines, cleaning brush with 29–31 setae; tibia of leg I with 23 articles, tarsus I with 41 articles; leg IV basitibia with four pseudo-articles; trichobothrium bt situated in medial third; distitibia trichobothrium bc situated closer to bf than to sbf; sc and sf series each with six setae, proximal two trichobothria displaced from row.

Material examined

PAPUA NEW GUINEA • 2 ♂♂ juv.; Sumuna , Dyaul Island; [02°54′53.93″ S, 150°52′43.55″ E]; 11 Mar. 1962; Noona Dan. Eksp. 1961–1962 leg.; new record; ZMUC 21617 .

Remarks

Although these immature specimens are not formally described and illustrated, a short list of diagnostic characters is provided for future research.

Key to the identification of the species of Sarax in Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia

1. Median eyes absent............................................................................................................................ 2

– Median eyes present .......................................................................................................................... 3

2. Lateral eyes reduced; tibia of leg I with more than 28 articles; leg I tarsus with more than 58 articles ...................................... S. omanensis ( Delle Cave, Gardner & Weygoldt, 2009) comb. nov.

– Lateral eyes absent; tibia of leg I with 21 articles; leg I tarsus with 35 articles.................................. ....................................... S. stygochthobius ( Weygoldt & Van Damme, 2004) comb. nov. ( Fig. 149 )

3. Pedipalp tarsus with one spine........................................................................................................... 4

– Pedipalp tarsus with two spines......................................................................................................... 5

4. Pedipalp femur with three dorsal spines; pedipalp patella with five dorsal spines; female gonopods finger-like.......................................................................... S. cochinensis ( Gravely, 1915) ( Fig. 141 )

– Pedipalp femur with four dorsal spines; pedipalp patella with four dorsal spines; female gonopods plunger-like........................................... S. dhofarensis (Weygoldt, Pohl & Polak, 2002) comb. nov.

5. Cheliceral claw with twelve teeth; leg IV basitibia with two pseudo-articles..................................... ............................................... S. socotranus (Weygoldt, Pohl & Polak, 2002) comb. nov. ( Fig. 148 )

– Cheliceral claw with fewer than ten teeth; leg IV basitibia with three or four pseudo-articles......... 6

6. Leg IV basitibia with three pseudo-articles ....................................................................................... 7

– Leg IV basitibia with four pseudo-articles ...................................................................................... 10

7. Cheliceral claw with four teeth; tibia of leg I with 23 articles; leg I tarsus with 39 articles.............................................................................. S. bispinosus ( Nair, 1934) ( Figs 137–140 )

– Cheliceral claw with more than four teeth; tibia of leg I with fewer than 23 articles; leg I tarsus with fewer than 39 articles......................................................................................................................... 8

8. Pedipalp patella with two ventral spines .......... S. abbatei ( Delle Cave, 1986) ( Fig. 136 ) comb. nov.

– Pedipalp patella with three ventral spines ......................................................................................... 9

9. Median and lateral eyes well developed.......................... S. bengalensis ( Gravely, 1911) comb. nov.

– Median and lateral eyes reduced................... S. pakistanus ( Weygoldt, 2005) comb. nov. ( Fig. 144 )

10. Pedipalp patella with four dorsal spines; ventral sac cover absent; female gonopod ‘absent’ (flat).................................................. S. seychellarum ( Kraepelin, 1898) ( Figs 145–147 ) comb. nov.

– Pedipalp patella with five dorsal spines; ventral sac cover present; female gonopods finger-like...11

11. Pedipalp femur with five dorsal spines and five ventral spines ........................................................... .............................................................. S. ioanniticus ( Kritscher, 1959) comb. nov. ( Figs 142–143 )

– Pedipalp femur with four dorsal spines and four ventral spines.......................................................... ................................................................................. S. israelensis ( Miranda et al., 2016) comb. nov.

Figures

Fig. 149. Sarax stygochthobius(Weygoldt &Van Damme, 2004) comb.nov.(HLMD EA–172–HT), general morphology, ♂. A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Sternum, ventral view. C. Frontal process. D. Pedipalp, dorsal view. F. Pedipalp, ventral view. Scale bars: A–B, D–E = 1 mm; C = 0.1 mm.

Fig. 141. Sarax cochinensis (Gravely, 1915) (AMCC [LP 13118]), general morphology, ♀. A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Sternum, ventral view. C. Frontal process. D. Pedipalp tarsus, frontal view. E. Pedipalp, dorsal view. F. Pedipalp, ventral view. Scale bars: A–B, E–F = 1 mm; C = 0.1 mm; D = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 148. Sarax socotranus (Weygoldt, Pohl & Polak, 2002) comb. nov. (HLMD EA-45-HT), general morphology, ♂. A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Sternum, ventral view. C. Frontal process. D. Pedipalp, dorsal view. F. Pedipalp, ventral view. Scale bars: A–B, D–E = 1 mm; C = 0.1 mm.

Fig. 137. Sarax bispinosus (Nair, 1934) (AMCC [LP 12298]), general morphology, ♂. A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Sternum, ventral view. C. Frontal process. D. Pedipalp tarsus, frontal view. E. Pedipalp, dorsal view. F. Pedipalp, ventral view. Scale bars: A–B, E–F = 1 mm; C = 0.1 mm; D = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 138. Sarax bispinosus (Nair, 1934) (AMNH), female gonopod and genital operculum. A. Fingerlike gonopod, dorsal view. B. Gonopods, posterior view. C. Posterior margin of genital operculum, ventral view. D. Glandular opening on margin of genital operculum. E. Dextral gonopod.

Fig. 139. Sarax bispinosus (Nair, 1934) (AMNH), male gonopod. A. Ventral view. B. Posterior view. C. Dorsal view. D. Sinistral side of gonopod. E. Lamina medialis. F. Margin of lamina medialis. G. Internal surface of fistula with spiny projections.

Fig. 140. Sarax bispinosus (Nair, 1934) (AMNH), antenniform leg I, ♂. A. Apex of distal article of tarsus. B. Tarsal organ near tarsal claw, lateral view. C. Distal article of tarsus showing rod sensilla. D. Tarsal organ near tarsal claw, frontal view.

Fig. 136. Sarax abbatei (Delle Cave, 1986) comb. nov. (MZUF 1896–167), general morphology, ♀. A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Sternum, ventral view. C. Frontal process. D. Pedipalp tarsus, frontal view. E. Pedipalp, dorsal view. F. Pedipalp, ventral view. Scale bars: A, E–F = 1 mm; B–D = 0.1 mm.

Fig. 144. Sarax pakistanus (Weygoldt, 2005) comb. nov. (MHNG), general morphology,♂. A. Carapace, dorsal view. B. Sternum, ventral view. C. Frontal process. D. Pedipalp tarsus, frontal view. E. Pedipalp, dorsal view. F. Pedipalp, ventral view. Scale bars: A–B, E–F = 1 mm; C = 0.1 mm; D = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 145. Sarax seychellarum (Kraepelin, 1898) comb. nov. (AMCC [LP 9075]), general morphology, ♀. A. Carapace, dorsal view. B. Sternum, ventral view. C. Frontal process. D. Pedipalp tarsus, frontal view. E. Pedipalp, dorsal view. F. Pedipalp, ventral view. Scale bars: A–B, E–F = 1 mm; C = 0.1 mm; D = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 146. Sarax seychellarum (Kraepelin, 1898) comb. nov. (AMCC [LP 9075]), female gonopod and genital operculum. A. Gonopod, dorsal view. B. Posterior margin of genital operculum, ventral view. C. Gonopods, posterior view. D. Sinistral side of gonopod. E. Glandular opening on margin of genital operculum.

Fig. 147. Sarax seychellarum (Kraepelin, 1898) comb. nov. (AMCC [LP 9075]), antenniform leg I, ♂. A. Apex of distal article of tarsus showing modified claw, rod sensilla and tarsal organ. B. Close-up of claw and tarsal organ. C. Apex of tarsus showing rod sensilla and olfactory setae, lateral view. D. Rod sensilla and olfactory setae.

Fig. 142. Sarax ioanniticus (Weygoldt, 2005) comb. nov. (NHMW 19137), general morphology, ♀. A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Sternum, ventral view. C. Frontal process. D. Pedipalp tarsus, frontal view. E. Pedipalp, dorsal view. F. Pedipalp, ventral view. Scale bars: A–B, E–F = 1 mm; C = 0.1 mm; D = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 143. Sarax ioanniticus (Weygoldt, 2005) comb. nov. (SMNS), ♀♀, at different developmental stages carrying egg sacs.