Eutimesius guaichia Villarreal

Villarreal, Osvaldo, Ahumada-C., Daniela & Navas-S., Gabriel R., 2024, Exploring the diversity of Eutimesius Roewer, 1913: new species and records from Colombia and Venezuela (Opiliones, Gonyleptoidea, Stygnidae), Zoosystematics and Evolution 100 (3), pp. 803-820 : 803-820

Eutimesius guaichia Villarreal & Ahumada-C. sp. nov.

Figs 11 , 12 , 14 J – L , 2

Type material.

Holotype. Venezuela • ♂, Yaracuy, road Cocorote - Aroa, sector Las Cumaraguas ; (10.3520 ° N, 68.8298 ° W); 1,200 m a. s. l.; 09 Mar. 2008; (Villarreal O., Escalona H., Jayaro Y., Viera E. leg.) ( MIZA 0105935 ) . Paratype. • 1 ♀, same as the holotype ( MIZA 0105935 ) .

Diagnosis.

It can be distinguished from other congeneric species by the pattern of dry white spots occupying the anterolateral zone of the carapace, the posterior zone of the eyes, and the lateroposterior corner of the DS (Figs 11 A, B , 12 A, B ) and by the shape and ornamentation of the leg IV of the males: femur with a subdistal dorsal group of conspicuous tubercles, patella inflated, dorsal face densely tuberculated with two large curve distal spines like horns, and tibia swollen, dorsally almost smooth, with the prolateral face densely tuberculated, with the retrolateral row with numerous contiguous large tubercles and the retrodorsal row with distal tubercles larger (Fig. 12 F, G ).

Etymology.

The species is named after Guaichía, another name given to María Lionza, a female deity belonging to Venezuelan spiritism, which originates from the state of Yaracuy, where the species inhabits. The myth of María Lionza has been interpreted as a symbol of the biological and cultural mestizaje, or intermixing, that characterizes Venezuela. It expresses the Indigenous, European, and African roots that comprise the cultural diversity of Venezuela. This is a noun in apposition.

Description.

Male. Measurements. DSL: 4.4; DSW: 3.7; AL: 1.8; AW: 3.0; IOD: 2.4; pedipalp: CoPp 0.7, TrPp 0.9, FePp 3.3, PaPp 1.3, TiPp 1.8, TaPp 1.7, ClPp 1.3, total 11.0; Leg IV: FeL 4.2, TiL 2.7. Dorsum (Figs 11 A, B , 12 A, B ). DS outline Epsilon type. Anterior margin of DS with two anterolateral tubercles on each side. Anteromedial process of the cheliceral sockets shorter than lateral processes. Eyes separated into two small smooth mounds, placed slightly posterior on the carapace. Interocular region with some anteromedial granules, with one central elevated eminence that terminates in one spine. Lateral margins smooth. Mesotergum divided into four well-delimited areas: I divided medially into two triangular halves, with three tubercles on each side; II entire, with 3–4 conspicuous tubercles; III with a lateral pair of tubercles; one pair of paramedian large spines with granulated base; IV with a row of 10 tubercles. Posterior margin and free tergites with a row of granules. Venter (Figs 11 B , 12 B ). Coxa I with three distal tubercles and some tubercles irregularly distributed; II with three clearly separate rows of tubercles / granules, six anterior, eight medial and larger, and four posterodistal; III with six intercoxal tubercles, one mesodistal wide tubercle, and three rows of granules; IV with eight intercoxal tubercles and densely tuberculated, the distal larger; the prolateral face anteriorly smooth; and posteriorly with seven conspicuous tubercles. Genital operculum with scattered granules. Stigmatic area with scattered granules in the anterior zone and with two rows of granules on the posterior zone. Free sternites with a row of small granules. Chelicerae (Fig. 11 A, B , 12 A – C ). Segment I smooth with well-defined bulla, with two or three small ectal tubercles and one mesodistal small tubercle. Segment II very swollen; fixed finger irregularly dentated; mobile finger with one medial large tooth and one subdistal tooth; the apical part finely serrated. Pedipalps (Figs 11 A , 12 D, E ). Coxa with a group of 6–7 ventral tubercles and one dorsal tubercle. Trochanter with two ventral tubercles and one dorsal tubercle. Femur with one ventroproximal tubercle and dorsally smooth. Patella smooth, distally swollen. Tibia dorsal smooth, ventrally with a group of small granules; mesal IIiIi; ectal IIiIiIi. Tarsus dorsally smooth, ventrally with two rows of minute granules, mesal IiiIiIi; ectal iIiiIii. Legs (Figs 11 A, B , 12 F, G ). Coxae I with two dorsal tubercles; II with one tubercle; III – IV connected by two-three intercoxal tubercles; IV with one dorsodistal large tubercle and scattered tubercles. Trochanter I with one dorsal granule, ventrally with four tubercles; II with one large dorsal, two retrolateral and ventrally tuberculated; III with one large prolateral distal, three dorsal, two retrodorsal, and ventrally tuberculated; IV with one prolateral large and some granules, two dorsal, the prodorsal very large, one retrolateral distal, and densely tuberculated ventrally. Femora I – II with longitudinal rows of minute granules; III with the proventral y retroventral rows of large tubercles; and with two dorsoapical tubercles, the retrolateral large; IV curved and distally swollen, all the rows with large tubercles; the ventral rows with very large tubercles, especially the distal ones; and some dorsodistal tubercles. Patella III dorsally smooth, only with one prodistal tubercle, and ventrally with some minute granules and two distal tubercles, the proventral larger; IV with a petiolate base and circular shape in dorsal view, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral faces densely tuberculated, with two very large distal spiniform tubercles, and ventrally with two large curved tubercles, the proventral larger. Tibia III cylindrical and smooth, with only a retroventral row of about seven granules; IV enlarged, all rows with large tubercles, especially in the distal portion, and on proventral, rostroventral, and retrolateral rows. Basitarsus I slightly swollen. Tarsal process and scopula present. Tarsal claws III and IV opposite and pectinated. Tarsal counts: 6 (3) / 16 (3) / 8 / 9. Penis (Fig. 14 J – L ). Heterostygninae general pattern. Malleus swollen. Lamina parva (LP) almost as wide as it is long; the distal half triangular, with a well-marked neck and a circular distal cleft. MS - A 1–2 located on malleus, one pair laterally and one pairs more ventrally; MS - B pair ventrally located on the truncus, supernumerary and asymmetric; two pairs of MS - C located medially on the LP, dorsally to the neck; MS - D 1 and MS - D 2 similar in size; MS - D 1 located slightly proximal to MS - E; and MS - D 2 basally located, near the base of glans; MS - E as one pair of short setae and one pair of large setae. Glans globose and wide, with a dorsally curved stylus with small triangular dorsal process. Color (Fig. 15 A, B ). DS background Brilliant orange yellow (67), carapace reticulated, lateral margins and spines of area III Dark orange yellow (72), abdominal scutum, and coxa I – IV dorsally Light greenish yellow (101), areas II and III with a medial zone lighter than lateral regions. Pale greenish yellow (104). Chelicerae reticulated dark olive (108) on background moderate greenish yellow (102). Legs reticulated dark grayish olive (111) on background moderate yellow green (120) to moderate greenish yellow (102).

Female. Measurements. DSL: 4.3; DSW: 3.8; AL: 2.1; AW: 3.1; IOD: 1.8; pedipalp: CoPp 0.7, TrPp 0.5, FePp 2.9, PaPp 1.4, TiPp 1.7, TaPp 1.8, ClPp 1.2, total 10.2; Leg IV: FeL 4.7, TiL 3.0. Description (Fig. 11 C, D ). Similar to male, except by the shape of DS, Eta (Fig. 11 C ), chelicerae not swollen. The mesotergal areas slightly larger in comparison to males. Basitarsus I not swollen. Legs III and IV without developed secondary sexual characteristics, only rows of granules or small tubercles. The female displays the same color pattern as the males, yet the hues are lighter in tone.

Distribution.

Venezuela, Yaracuy. Only known for the type locality (Fig. 2 ).

Figures

Figure 2. Map showing the distribution of Eutimesius.

Figure 11. Eutimesius guaichia sp. nov., A, B. Male habitus, dorsal and lateral views (MIZA 0105935); C, D. Female habitus, dorsal and lateral views (MIZA 0105935). Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figure 12. Eutimesius guaichia sp. nov., male (MIZA 0105935): A. Habitus, dorsal view; B. Ditto, lateral view; C. Right chelicera, frontal view; D. Right pedipalp, tibia, and tarsus, ectal view; E. Ditto, mesal view; F. Right leg IV, dorsal view; G. Ditto, ventral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figure 14. Eutimesius spp., penis, distal portion in dorsal, ventral, and lateral view: A – C. E. aroa sp. nov., (MIZA 0105934); D – F. E. canoabo sp. nov., (MIZA 0105945); G – I. E. ephippiatus, (ICN-Ao - 1492); J – L. E. guaichia sp. nov., (MIZA 0105935); M – O. E. simoni, (ICN-Ao - 328). A – I. Unscaled.

Figure 15. Eutimesius cf. simoni: A. From Puerto Montúfar, Sucumbíos, Ecuador; B – D. From Iquitos, Maynas, Peru; E. From Leticia, Amazonas, Colombia; F. From Parque Nacional Yasuní Tipu Tini, Napo, Ecuador. Photographs by: Mark Silverstein (A), Jiri Hodecek (B), Martin Cejka (C), Phill Kahler (D), Traveler Dan (E), and Cinthya Villegas (F).