Stygnicranaus alessandroi, Orrico & Kury, 2009

Orrico, Victor G. D. & Kury, Adriano B., 2009, A cladistic analysis of the Stygnicranainae Roewer, 1913 (Arachnida, Opiliones, Cranaidae) - where do longipalp cranaids belong?, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 157 (3), pp. 470-494 : 474-480

STYGNICRANAUS ALESSANDROI SP. NOV. ( FIGS 2–5 )

Type locality: Colombia, Valle Del Cauca, Dagua. El Salto. World Wildlife Fund ( WWF) Ecoregion NT 0145 (North-western Andean montane forests) .

Diagnosis: Stygnicranaus alessandroi differs from S. concolor by the presence of white granulation on the scutum, the straight, upward, stout spines in the ocularium ( S. concolor has curved spines), and for having two small spines in the frontal border of the scute ( S. concolor has none). It differs from both S. abnormis and S. concolor in the absence of spines in area I, whereas S. concolor and S. abnormis both have two small spines. It differs from S. poncedeleoni in the presence of small spines instead of the pearly tubercles in coxa IV and by having two and not three teeth at each side of the anterolateral corners of the carapace. It also differs from all other members of Stygnicranainae by the numerous small dark spots on scutum.

Description: Male holotype: Dorsum. ( Figs 2–3 ). Dorsal scutum attenuate pyriform, with carapace only a little smaller than abdominal scutum. Posterior border of scutum straight. Cheliceral sockets shallow with a median tooth. Anterolateral corners of carapace with two teeth each side, one at pedipalpus, the other between it and leg I. Cheliceral sockets with a small pearly tubercle on each side. Posterior corners of scutum with a small tooth on each side. Ocularium elliptical, low, with a pair of stout, paramedian erect (lateral view), slightly divergent (frontal view) spines with blunt point. Surface of ocularium with seven pearly granules concentrated around the base of the spines. Carapace behind ocularium with a pair of rounded pearly setiferous granules. Median third of lateral area with a group of such granules. Posterior part of lateral area of scutum each side with an coalescent island of such tubercles. Grooves of scutum well marked, defining a mesotergum with three areas; original area IV completely fused with area III. A single shallow longitudinal medial groove dividing areas II and III in two halves each. All areas unarmed except for area III armed with a pair of very high acuminate spiniform processes. Scutal area II projecting anteriorly into area I dividing it into left and right halves. Areas I and II each with a transverse row of five to six setiferous tubercles. Area III with clusters of setiferous tubercles anterior to the large spines and reaching their basal part. In the place of area IV a pair of paramedian setiferous tubercles. Single ozopore opening laterally at tip of a dorsolateral low protuberance. Free tergites I– III smooth, except for a pair of paramedian granules each. Corners of tergites I– III each bearing an small acuminate tooth. Venter. Coxae I– III smooth, except for a transverse row of tubercles each. Intercoxal bridges weak. Coxae I– III subrectangular, transverse. Coxa IV the largest, equalling the other three taken together, shaped elongate pentagonal, divergent posteriorly. Coxa IV with one ventral subdistal small tubercle. Stigmatic area long, Y-shaped. Stigmata large, elongate elliptic, clearly apparent, not hidden by any bridges or tubercles, each occupying one third of the area. Maxillary lobes of coxae I– II clearly visible. Free sternites II and III with their corners each bearing an small acuminate process. Chelicera. Basichelicerite long, with bulla attenuate and a medial belt of granules and a mesal subdistal small acuminate tubercle. Hand not swollen, with two frontal rows of setiferous tubercles. Pedipalpus. Much elongate and smooth, with tibia and tarsus forming a subchela. Coxa large, conical, smooth. Trochanter cylindrical with typical sub-basal constriction, and apical dorsomesal tubercles and one ventral setiferous tubercle. Femur longer than dorsal scutum, thicker at distal third, with dorsoapical tubercles and a ventral row of setiferous tubercles. Patella longer than abdominal scutum, thicker at distal third. Tibia as long as patella, cylindrical with four ectal (IiIi) and four mesal (IiIi) spines. Tarsus fusiform, slightly shorter than tibia, with four ectal (IiIi) and six mesal (IiiiIi) spines and two ventral rows of setiferous tubercles. Tarsal claw almost as long as tarsus. Legs. All segments slender and unarmed. Relative length I < III < IV < II. Dorsobasal apophyses of coxae I– II close to the ozopore: coxa I anterior spiniform, posterior small, directed backwards; coxa II anterior spiniform, posterior as a lobe joining coxa III. Coxa IV hidden under dorsal scutum in dorsal view, with prolateral dorsoapical spiniform apophysis and one pearly median prolateral dorsal granule. Trochanters I–IV with basal ventral row of tubercles, interlocking with corresponding tubercles at respective coxae. Trochanter III with a few ventral setiferous tubercles. Trochanter IV with a row of small retrolateral apophyses and a small subdistal prolateral spiniform apophysis. All femora straight. Femora III –IV with a pair of small dorsoapical spurs. Femur IV with two rows of granules decreasing in size towards apex. Tarsi III –IV with unpectinated double claws and well-developed tarsal process (‘pseudonychium’). Colour. Body background dorsal Brilliant Orange Yellow with numerous Moderate Red small spots. All granules of scutum contrasting Pale Greenish Yellow surrounded by a circular islet of the same colour. In the clusters of lateral margins the islets are coalesced into a larger irregular spot. All appendages more or less the same colour as the scutum, but glossy, darker, and more saturated (background Strong Orange with Deep Orange reticule). Legs growing darker towards the apex. Free tergite III completely Pale Greenish Yellow. Genitalia. ( Figs 4–5 ). Ventral plate subrectangular with shallow lateromedial and anterior constrictions in dorsal view; setae of ventral plate divided in two groups, distal and medial, on each side. Distal group with four helicoidal setae, the innermost hooked and directed distally; the two apical ones directed laterodistally, and the remaining, transverse. Medial group with two substraight, subequal setae directed lateroposteriorly. Follis measuring about two-thirds of the ventral plate maximum length, extending from truncus tip to the base of the distal helicoidal setae with shallow folds in the basal portion. Stylus straight with capellum shovel-like, presenting lateral beaks.

Female: Unknown.

Type material: ♂ holotype, one juvenile. Paratype ( UNAL) Colombia, Valle Del Cauca, Dagua. El Salto. August 2006, Giupponi, A. col.

Etymology: The species name honours the collector of the type series, our colleague and friend Alessandro Ponce de Leão Giupponi.

STYGNICRANAUS PONCEDELEONI SP. NOV.

( FIGS 6–11 )

Type locality: Colombia, Valle Del Cauca, Dagua. El Salto. WWF Ecoregion NT0145 (North-western Andean montane forests).

Diagnosis: It is easily distinguished from all other species by the presence of pearly tubercles in coxa IV instead of spines.

Description: Male holotype: Dorsum ( Figs 6–7 ). Dorsal scutum attenuate pyriform, with carapace smaller than abdominal scutum. Posterior border of scutum straight. Cheliceral sockets very shallow with a median tooth. Anterolateral corners of carapace with three teeth on each side, two by the pedipalpus, ectal larger, the third at leg I. Frontal hump with one tubercle each side. Posterior corners of scutum with two teeth on each side. Ocularium elliptical, low, with a pair of stout, paramedian erect (lateral view), slightly divergent (frontal view) spines with blunt point. Surface of ocularium with 16 coarse scattered granules. Posterior part of lateral area of scutum each side with an island of such granules. Posterior border of dorsal scutum with two paramedian pearly setiferous tubercles. Carapace behind ocularium with a pair of rounded setiferous tubercles. Anterior half of lateral area with a group of such tubercles. Lateral border of scutum with a irregular row of small scarce tubercles. Grooves of scutum well marked, defining a mesotergum with three areas; original area IV completely fused with area III. A single shallow longitudinal medial groove dividing areas II and III in two halves each. All areas unarmed except for area III armed with a pair of very high acuminate spiniform processes. Scutal area II projecting anteriorly into area I, dividing it in left and right halves. Areas I and II each with a transverse row of six to eight setiferous tubercles. Area III with clusters of setiferous tubercles anterior to the large spines and reaching their basal part. Single V-shaped ozopore opening laterally at the tip of a dorsolateral low protuberance. Free tergites I– II smooth, except for a pair of paramedian pearly granules each, at the same level as the tubercles in the posterior border of the scutum. Free tergite III bearing a paramedian pair of acuminated spiniform tubercules, a lot larger than those in tergites I– II. Their corners each bearing an acuminate small process tooth. Venter. Coxae I– III smooth, except for a transverse row of tubercles in coxa I, two rows in II – III. Three irregular rows in coxa IV. Intercoxal bridges weak. Coxae I– III subrectangular, transverse. Coxa IV the largest, almost equalling the other three taken together, shaped lanceolate and pentagonal, divergent posteriorly. Stigmatic area long, Y-shaped. Stigmata large, elongate elliptic, clearly apparent, not hidden by any bridges or tubercles, each occupying one third of the area. Maxillary lobes of coxae II clearly visible. Chelicera. Basichelicerite long, with bulla attenuate, with a medial belt of granules and a mesal subdistal small acuminate tubercle. Hand not swollen, with a frontal medial hooked spine. Pedipalpus ( Figs 8–9 ). Very elongate and smooth, with tibia and tarsus forming a subchela. Coxa large, conical, with a ventral medial row of three setiferous tubercles. Trochanter cylindrical with typical sub-basal constriction, with apical dorsomesal tubercles and a ventral pair of setiferous tubercles, mesal larger than ectal. Femur longer than dorsal scutum, thicker at distal third, with dorsoapical tubercles and a ventral row of setiferous tubercles. Patella longer than abdominal scutum, thicker at distal third. Tibia as long as patella, cylindrical with four ectal (IiIi) and four mesal (IiIi) spines. Tarsus fusiform, slightly shorter than tibia, with 11 ectal (iiIiiiiiIii) and ten mesal (iiIiiiiIii) spines. Tarsal claw almost as long as tarsus. Legs. All segments slender and unarmed. Relative length I < III < IV < II. Dorsobasal apophyses of coxae I– II close to the ozopore: coxa I anterior spiniform, posterior small, directed backwards; coxa II anterior spiniform, posterior as a lobe joining coxa III. Coxa IV hidden under dorsal scutum in dorsal view, with prolateral dorsoapical spiniform apophysis and dorsal granules. Trochanters I–IV with ventrobasal tubercles interlocking with respective coxae. Trochanter II – III with a few prolateral and retrolateral setiferous tubercles. Trochanter IV with a row of small retrolateral apophyses and small subdistal prolateral and retrolateral spiniform apophyses. All femora straight. Femora III –IV with a pair of small dorsoapical spurs, retrolateral larger than prolateral. Femur IV with two rows of granules decreasing in size towards apex. Tarsi III –IV with unpectinated double claws and welldeveloped tarsal process (‘pseudonychium’). Colour. Body and appendage background colour Deep Reddish Orange with strong mottling and spotting in Strong Reddish Orange, especially at scutal grooves. Chelicera by contrast has conspicuous darker reticulation. All granules are Pale Greenish Yellow as well as the inverted Y (from behind the ocularium to lateral of area II) formed by the spots of scutum. Genitalia ( Figs 10–11 ). Ventral plate subrectangular with shallow lateromedial and marked anterior constrictions in dorsal view; setae of ventral plate divided into two groups, distal and medial, on each side. Distal group with four helicoidal setae, the innermost hooked and directed distally; two apical oblique, directed laterodistally, and the remaining one somewhat transverse. Medial group with two substraight, subequal setae directed lateroposteriorly. Follis measuring about two-thirds of the ventral plate maximum length, extending from truncus tip to the base of the distal helicoidal setae with shallow folds in the basal portion. Stylus straight with capellum shovel-like.

Female: Very similar to male, except for the slightly larger size and the absence of the frontal medial hooked spine in the cheliceral hand.

Type material: ♂ holotype ( UNAL) , one ♂, one ♀ paratypes ( MNRJ 17906 ) Colombia, Valle Del Cauca, Dagua. El Salto. August 2006, Giupponi, A. col.

Etymology: The species name also honours the collector of the type series, our colleague and friend Alessandro Ponce de Leão Giupponi.

STYGNICRANAUS ABNORMIS ROEWER, 1913

( FIGS 12–13 )

Stygnicranaus abnormis Roewer, 1913: 423 , fig. 167; 1923: 570, fig. 716; Kury, 2003: 102.

Type locality: Colombia, Maracaibo ( Venezuela or Colombia? See discussion below). WWF Ecoregion NT0145 (North-western Andean montane forests).

Diagnosis: It is very similar to S. poncedeleoni , but does not present pearly rounded granules in femora IV. Also, it is the only species in the genus with a dorsomedial basal small curved spine in the basis of the bulla.

Description: Male: Unknown.

Female holotype: Dorsum ( Figs 12–13 ). Dorsal scutum attenuate pyriform, with carapace smaller than abdominal scutum. Posterior border of scutum straight. Cheliceral sockets very shallow with a median tooth. Anterolateral corners of carapace with three to four small teeth on each side, all at pedipalpus level. Posterior corners of scutum with a setiferous tubercle on each side. Ocularium low, with a pair of stout, paramedian erect (lateral view), slightly divergent (frontal view) spines with blunt point. Surface of ocularium with 14 (seven + seven) coarse scattered granules. Carapace behind ocularium with a few small tubercles. Posterior part of lateral area of scutum with an island of such tubercles on each side. Grooves of scutum well marked, defining a mesotergum with three areas; original area IV completely fused with area III. A single shallow longitudinal medial groove dividing areas II and III into two halves each. All areas armed with a pair of spines except for area II, which is unarmed. Scutal area II projecting anteriorly into area I dividing it partially into left and right halves. Areas I and II each with islands of small white setiferous tubercles. Area III with clusters of setiferous tubercles anterior to the large spines and reaching their basal part. In the place of area IV, a pair of paramedian setiferous tubercles. Single ozopore opening laterally at the tip of a dorsolateral low protuberance. Free tergites I– II smooth, except for a pair of paramedian granules each. Free tergite III with a pair of paramedian strong spines Their corners each bear an acuminate small tooth. Venter. Coxae I– III smooth, except for a transverse row of small tubercles in coxae I and II. Intercoxal bridges weak. Coxae I– III subrectangular, transverse. Coxa IV the largest, almost equalling the other three taken together, shape lanceolate and pentagonal, divergent posteriorly. Stigmatic area long, Y-shaped. Stigmata large, elongate elliptic, oblique, clearly apparent, not hidden by any bridges or tubercles, each occupying one-quarter of the area. Maxillary lobes of coxae II clearly visible. Chelicera. Basichelicerite long, with bulla well marked, and a mesal subdistal small acuminate setiferous tubercle. Median tubercle at posterior rim of bulla. Hand not swollen, with one frontal row of granules. Pedipalpus. Very elongate and smooth, with tibia and tarsus forming a subchela. Coxa large, conical, with a row of ventromedial tubercles. Trochanter cylindrical with typical sub-basal constriction, and apical dorsomesal tubercles and one ventral row of setiferous tubercles. Femur as long as dorsal scutum, slightly thicker at distal third, smooth. Patella longer than abdominal scutum, thicker at distal third. Tibia as long as patella, cylindrical with three ectal (IIi) and three mesal (IIi) spines, dorsally covered with coarse tubercles. Tarsus fusiform, slightly shorter than tibia, with seven ectal (iIiiiIi) and 11 mesal (iiIiiiiiIii) spines and two ventral rows of setiferous tubercles. Tarsal claw almost as long as tarsus. Legs. All segments slender and unarmed. Relative length I < III < IV < II. Dorsobasal apophyses of coxae I– II close to the ozopore: coxa I anterior spiniform, posterior small, directed backwards; coxa II anterior spiniform, posterior apophysis absent. Coxa IV hidden under dorsal scutum in dorsal view, with two prolateral dorsoapical spiniform apophyses and ventral granules. Trochanters I–IV with ventrobasal tubercles connecting with respective coxae and scattered small setiferous tubercles all over the ventral surface. Trochanter III with a few prolateral and retrolateral setiferous tubercles and distally with anterior and posterior spiniform processes. Trochanter IV with row of retrolateral tubercles, increasing distally and two posterior dorsal subequal spurs. All femora straight (even though the holotype specimen presents curved femora, it is surely a result of the small vial used). Femora III –IV with a pair of small dorsoapical spurs. Femora IV also bear a small basal dorsoretrolateral row of five spines. Tarsi III –IV with unpectinated double claws and well-developed tarsal process (‘pseudonychium’). For tarsal counts see Table 1. Colour. Somewhat faded because of conservation in alcohol. Body and appendages background Deep Orange with lighter reticulations. Granules and spots of the scutum Pale Yellow.

Type material (examined): ♀ holotype (and not ♂ as in Roewer, 1913, 1923) – ( SMF 9800868 – RI/868-43) – Colombia [or Venezuela?] Maracaibo.

Figures

Figures 2–3. Stygnicranaus alessandroi sp. nov., male holotype (UNAL) from Colombia. Habitus. Fig. 2. Dorsal view. Fig. 3. Lateral view, spots omitted. Scale bars = 3 mm.

Figures 4–5. Stygnicranaus alessandroi sp. nov., male holotype (UNAL) from Colombia. Penis, distal portion. Fig. 4. Dorsal view. Fig. 5. Lateral view. Arrows indicate capellum. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

Figures 6–7. Stygnicranaus poncedeleoni sp. nov., male holotype (UNAL) from Colombia. Habitus. Fig. 6. Dorsal view. Fig. 7. Lateral view. Scale bars = 3 mm.

Figures 8–9. Stygnicranaus poncedeleoni sp. nov., male holotype (UNAL) from Colombia. Left pedipalpus. Fig. 8. Mesal view. Fig. 9. Ectal view. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Figures 10–11. Stygnicranaus poncedeleoni sp. nov., male holotype (UNAL) from Colombia. Penis, distal portion. Fig. 10. Dorsal view. Fig. 11. Lateral view. Arrows indicates capellum. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

Figures 12–13. Stygnicranaus abnormis Roewer, 1913, female holotype (SMF 9800868) from Colombia. Habitus. Fig. 12. Dorsal view. Fig. 13. Lateral view. Scale bars = 3 mm.