Mahajanganella fridakahloae, Lorenz & Loria & Harvey & Harms, 2022

Lorenz, Michelle, Loria, Stephanie F., Harvey, Mark S. & Harms, Danilo, 2022, The Hercules pseudoscorpions from Madagascar: A systematic study of Feaellidae (Pseudoscorpiones: Feaelloidea) highlights regional endemism and diversity in one of the " hottest " biodiversity hotspots, Arthropod Systematics & amp; Phylogeny 80, pp. 649-691 : 649

Mahajanganella fridakahloae sp. nov.

Type material examined.

MADAGASCAR: Province de Toliara [Menabe Region]: Holotype ♂ (CAS 9071518 [BLF4605]), allotype ♀ (ZMH-A0016707), paratypes: 9 ♂, 6 ♀ (CAS 9071518 [BLF4605]), 4 ♂, 4 ♀ (ZMH-A0016708 - ZMH-A0016715), Foret de Kirindy, 20°02′42″S 44°39′44″E, 28 November-2 December 2001, B.L. Fisher, Griswold et al.

Additional material examined.

MADAGASCAR: Province de Toliara [Menabe Region]: 2 ♂, 1 ♀, 4 nymphs (CAS 9071535 [BLF4432]), Parc National de Tsingi de Bemaraha , 19°42′34″S 44°43′5″E, 16-20 November 2001, Fisher, Griswold et al .; 17 ♂, 7 ♀, 16 nymphs (CAS 9071781 [BLF4726]), Toliara Province [Menabe Region]: Parc National de Kirindy Mite , 20°47′43″S 44°08′49″E, 6-10 December 2001, Fisher, Griswold et al .

Diagnosis.

Very similar to the type species but remarkably more granulated cuticle on the carapace, especially above the posterior pair of eyes; anterior lobes on the carapace are not pointed but rounded at the tip.

Etymology.

This species is named after the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo de Rivera († 1954) whose unmistakable character were her striking eyebrows, which she included in many of her self-portraits. The species is reminiscent of her because of the strongly granulated cuticle above the second pair of eyes, which resemble ‘eyebrows’.

Description.

The following description is based on holotype and allotype. - Carapace (Fig. 15A ): Cuticle strongly covered with granulate especially above the second eye pair which makes it look like an additional lateral pair of mounds behind the anterior margin; anterior lobes on carapace not pointed but rounded at the tips; 1.26-1.42 (♂), 1.18-1.34 (♀) times longer than broad. - Pedipalps (Fig. 15C, D ): See trichobothrial pattern in genus description. Chelal fixed finger with 9-12 teeth in the OR, 14-15 in the MR and 8-12 in the IR; movable finger with 6-9 teeth in the OR, 9-11 in the MR and 9-10 in the IR; fixed finger with 6 equally sized and one larger terminal tooth, movable finger with 7 equally sized terminal teeth. - Dimensions (mm): Holotype ♂: Body length 1.71; abdomen length 1.15, width (with pleura) 1.01, width (without pleura) 0.90; carapace length 0.49, width 0.39. Pedipalp: trochanter 0.24; femur length 0.50, width 0.27; patella 0.34; chela (without pedicel) 0.41; hand length 0.08, width 0.12; movable finger 0.34. Leg I: trochanter 0.09; femur 0.14; patella 0.13; tibia 0.12; tarsus 0.21. Leg IV: trochanter 0.14; femur 0.10; patella 0.24; tibia 0.25; tarsus 0.23. Allotype ♀: Body length 2.22; abdomen length 1.58, width (with pleura) 1.35, width (without pleura) 1.14; carapace length 0.60, width 0.45. Pedipalp: trochanter 0.26; femur length 0.54, width 0.35; patella 0.44; chela (without pedicel) 0.49; hand length 0.10, width 0.14; movable finger 0.37. Leg I: trochanter 0.10; femur 0.17; patella 0.19; tibia 0.14; tarsus 0.22. Leg IV: trochanter 0.18; femur 0.13; patella 0.29; tibia 0.30; tarsus 0.31.

Variation.

Body length 1.71-1.86 (♂), 1.92-2.26 (♀); abdomen length 1.15-1.27 (♂), 1.50-1.67 (♀); width (with pleura) 1.01-1.08 (♂), 1.20-1.41 (♀); width (without pleura) 0.90-0.99 (♂), 1.03-1.17 (♀); 1.22-1.35 (♂), 1.23-1.43 (♀) times longer than broad; carapace length 0.50-0.55 (♂), 0.52-0.61 (♀); width 0.38-0.41 (♂), 0.42-0.47 (♀); 1.26-1.42 (♂), 1.18-1.34 (♀) times longer than broad. Pedipalp: trochanter 0.19-0.24 (♂), 0.20-0.27 (♀); femur length 0.44-0.51 (♂), 0.53-0.60 (♀); width 0.26-0.30 (♂), 0.32-0.36 (♀); 1.57-1.85 (♂), 1.54-1.75 (♀) times longer than broad; patella 0.34-0.40 (♂), 0.44-0.47 (♀); chela (without pedicel) 0.39-0.45 (♂), 0.44-0.49 (♀); hand length 0.07-0.11 (♂), 0.90-0.12 (♀); width 0.12-0.13 (♂), 0.13-0.16 (♀); 0.54-0.92 (♂), 0.56-0.80 (♀) times longer than broad; movable finger 0.32-0.34 (♂), 0.37-0.40 (♀); femur 1.16-1.47 (♂), 1.20-1.36 (♀) times longer than patella; femur 1.04-1.22 (♂), 1.13-1.34 (♀) times longer than chela.

Habitat.

Specimens were found in tropical dry forest in sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood) at an elevation of 100-150 m.

GenBank Code.

OP589969. The species differs from all congeners by more than 6.5% in the H3 dataset.

Distribution.

Known from the type locality (BLF4605) and two additional localities (BLF4432 and BLF4726) in the Menabe Region (formerly Toliara Province) of western Madagascar.

Figures

Figure 15. Drawings of Mahajanganella fridakahloae sp. nov.: A carapace from dorsal; B leg IV; C left chela from dorsal with trichobothrial pattern; D right pedipalp from dorsal. Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A - C); 0.4 mm (D).