Paravima propespelunca Gonzalez-Sponga , 1987

Garcia, Andres F. & Villarreal, Osvaldo, 2023, Looks are deceiving: a cladistic analysis, three new species, and a new diagnosis of Paravima Caporiacco, 1951 (Opiliones: Agoristenidae), Arthropod Systematics & amp; Phylogeny 81, pp. 409-437 : 409

Paravima propespelunca Gonzalez-Sponga, 1987

Figs 11 , 12 , 18

Paravima propespelunca González-Sponga, 1987: 486, figs 624-629; Kury, 2003: 31.

Paravima acanthoconus Villarreal-Manzanilla & DoNascimento, 2005: 102, figs 1-5. syn. nov.

Diagnosis.

Paired tubercles on the mesotergal area III small and conical (in P. lokura sp. nov. large), the remaining Paravima lack ornamentation or have mammilliform, domed tubercles or spines).

Description.

See González-Sponga (1987). Here we offer a complementary description (based on MAGS 103, González-Sponga 1987: figs 624-629, and Villarreal-Manzanilla & DoNascimiento 2005: fig. 4): Margins of DS variegated. Anterior and lateral margins of DS smooth, posterior margin with some granules (Fig. 11A, B, D ). Mesotergum ill delimited, divided into four areas: area I divided into two halves; areas II-IV undivided; area II with a pair of low tubercles centrally located; area III with a pair of paramedian conical tubercles (higher than ocularium) darker than the rest of the mesotergum (Fig. 11A-C ). Anterior margin of coxa I with a high proximal conical tubercle (Fig. 11E ). Fe IV four times DS length. Malleus of penis with one pair of branched MS-B; three pairs of branched MS-A; two pairs of medium-sized MS-D; one pair of MS-E2 large and branched. Stylus elongated and sinuous, surpassing the lamina parva (fig. 4).

Distribution.

Known from Parque Nacional El Ávila and Birongo, Miranda state, in the Venezuelan biogeographic province ( Morrone et al. 2022) (Fig. 18 ).

Material examined.

Type material: Paravima propespelunca : Holotype ♂, VENEZUELA, Miranda, Acevedo, 4 km NW Birongo, near Cueva Alfredo Jahn | [10.48523° -66.24280°] | 210 m | 7.vii.1980, A.R. Delgado de Gonzalez , J.A. González Delgado, and M.A. González-Sponga leg. (MCNC 969) .- Paratypes 1 ♀, same data as preceding, 22.x.1983 (MCNC 970) ; 2 ♂ 6 ♀ 1 imm., same data as preceding, 9.iii.1985 (MAGS, not examined).- Paravima acanthoconus : Holotype ♂, VENEZUELA, Miranda, Parque Nacional El Ávila, [Guatire], Quebrada del Norte [ Río del norte; | [10.51°, -66.52°] | [600 m] | 25.vi.2002, Villarreal O., Hernández L. leg. (MHNLS-IV-001) .- Paratypes 1 ♀, same data as for preceding, 20.vi.2002, Villarreal O. leg. (MHNLS-IV-0002) ; 1 ♂ 2 ♀, same data as holotype (MHNLS-IV-0003, not examined) . - Other material: VENEZUELA: 3 ♂♂ 6 ♀♀ 1 imm., Miranda, Dtto. [Distrito] Brión, Birongo , Quebrada Cambural, 7.viii.1980, 22.x.1983 and 9.iii.1985, RDG [Rosa Delgado de González], JAGD [ José Antonio González Delgado], and MAGS [Manuel Ángel González Sponga] leg. (MAGS 103 (MIZA 0105926); material partially destroyed, very damaged; two males without genitals) ; 1 ♂ 2 imm., Salmerón, Distrito Zamora, [10.4666°, -66.3833°], [329 m.], 31.viii.1986 and 12.iii.1987, A.R. Delgado de Gonzalez , Hernán Biord, and MAGS [Manuel Ángel González Sponga] leg. (MAGS 921 (MIZA 0105927)) ; 1 ♂, Zamora, Hacienda Santa Rosa, 8 km N from Guatire, [10.52741°, -66.52856°], 1125 m, 5.vii.1980, M. von D. [Miguel von Dangel], ARDG [ Angela Rosa Delgado de Gonzalez ], JAGD [ José Antonio González Delgado], and MAGS [Manuel Ángel González Sponga] leg. (MAGS 109 (MIZA 0105922)) .

Remarks.

We suspect that MAGS 103 corresponds to one of the male paratypes cited in type data as MAGS, without number. The synonym of P. acanthoconus with P. propespelunca is based in: (1) The drawing in the original description ( González-Sponga, 1987: fig. 625) presents tubercles on area III with a slightly mammilliform shape which do not fully correspond to what is observed in the studied material (Fig. 11B-D ). However, some unnoticed variations of the shape of these tubercles between different specimens were found (Fig. 12 ); (2) The schematic drawing of the genital morphology (figs 628, 629) shows a supposed reduction in the number of MS-A, absence of MS-D1-2, and a short and erected style, barely exceeding the height of the LP. Nevertheless, after examination of the male genitalia of P. propespelunca , we noted that this matches perfectly with that of P. acanthoconus ; (3) Villarreal-Manzanilla & DoNascimiento (2005: fig. 3b) show that the pedipalpal femur of P. acanthoconus bears four spiniform tubercles (against five in P. propespelunca , very similar in its external morphology), but, after revision of new material, we noted that this is a variable character even in the same population or when comparing right and left pedipalp of the same individual, so, it is not a reliable character to differentiate species.

Figures

Figure 11. Paravima propespelunca Gonzalez-Sponga, 1987 (MAGS 103) male. Habitus: A Dorsal view; B lateral view; C anterior view; D posterior view; E ventral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figure 12. Paravima propespelunca, variation of the paramedian tubercles of area III, in lateral view. A - D, F: From Quebrada Cambural, Birongo (MAGS 103); E from 8 Km N of Guatire (MAGS 109). Males: A, B, E; Females: C, D, F. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Figure 18. Map showing the geographic distribution of Paravima in Northern South America. The background colored shapes refer to the biogeographic provinces of Morrone et al. (2022).