Tryferos elegans, ROEWER, 1931

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 : 483-485

TRYFEROS ELEGANS ROEWER, 1931 ( Figs 20–27 )

Tryferos elegans Roewer, 1931: 147 , fig. 20; Kury, 2003: 103.

Type locality: Ecuador. Guayas. Isla de Puná (2 °50 ′ S, 80 °08 ′ W). WWF Ecoregion NT 0214 (Ecuadorian dry forests) .

Diagnosis: An unusual species with a very low, wide, and flattened ocularium and carapace much shorter than abdominal scutum The area IV bearing two divergent acuminate spines and a few sharp smaller tubercles and the nearly rounded, not elongated pedipalpal tarsus that does not form a subchela are unique amongst all related genera.

Description: Male syntype SMF: Dorsum ( Figs 20–21 ). In dorsal view, lateral margins of dorsal scutum convex in the middle and narrower at carapace and posterior quarter, with carapace much smaller than abdominal scutum. Posterior border of scutum straight. Cheliceral sockets very shallow with a median tooth. Anterolateral corners of carapace with three strong acuminate teeth on each side, at pedipalpus and leg I coxae level. Frontal hump very low and unarmed. Ocularium very low, wide, and flattened with a few scattered acuminated granules posteriorly and a pair of paramedian small acuminate tubercles. Carapace behind ocularium with a few scattered setiferous tubercles. Lateral areas of scutum with an irregular row of small setiferous tubercles clustered posterior to area II. Posterior margin of scutum with a transverse row of acuminate setiferous tubercles. Grooves of scutum well marked, defining a mesotergum with four areas. Area I very large, divided into left and right halves with a pair of acuminate, paramedian tubercles and many scattered granules. Area II projecting a little into area I with a transverse row of granules. Area III subelliptical with a pair of high, sharp, parallel spines and many irregularly arranged granules. A single shallow longitudinal medial groove divides areas II and III into two halves each. Area IV crescent-shaped, very small, and embedded into area III with two divergent acuminate spines and a few sharp smaller tubercles. Single ozopore opening laterally at the tip of a dorsolateral low protuberance. Free tergites I– III each with a transverse row of pointed tubercles of which the paramedian pair is larger on tergite II and III. Venter. Coxae I–IV densely granular, I and II each with a transverse row of setiferous tubercles, much stouter in coxa I. Intercoxal bridges weak, virtually absent. Coxae I– III subrectangular, transverse. Coxa IV the largest, equalling the other three taken together, shape lanceolate and pentagonal, divergent posteriorly. Stigmatic area long, Y-shaped. Stigmata small, elliptic, clearly apparent, not hidden by any bridges or tubercles, each occupying one-tenth of the area. Maxillary lobes of coxae I– II clearly visible. Free sternites each with a transverse row of granules growing larger laterally. Dorsal and ventral anal opercles each with a few scattered tubercles. Chelicera. Basichelicerite short, with well-marked bulla. Posterior and lateral margins of bulla with a rim of pointed tubercles. Hand weak, densely covered with small granules. Pedipalpus ( Figs 22–25). Very elongate and smooth, with tibia and tarsus not forming a subchela. Coxa very short, cylindrical. Trochanter short, cylindrical with typical sub-basal constriction, with two ventral setiferous tubercles. Femur slender, a little shorter than dorsal scutum, bent in the apex with dorsal and ventral longitudinal rows of short setiferous tubercles, ventral stouter. Patella elongate, only a little shorter than femur, thicker at the apex. Tibia elongate, shorter than patella, ventrally flattened, thinner at basal third, with five ectal (IiIv) and five mesal (IiiIi) spines. Dorsum of patella (distally) and of tibia (entirely) covered with coarse granulation. Tarsus ventrally flattened, much shorter than tibia, with four ectal (IiIi) and four mesal (IiIi) spines and scattered minute setiferous tubercles. Tarsal claw almost as long as tarsus. Legs. All segments slender and unarmed except for femurs I– III covered with a ventral row of setiferous tubercles and coxa, trochanter, and femur IV. Coxa IV with dorsoapical spiniform apophysis. Relative length I < III < IV < II (from Roewer’s data, 1931, legs III missing in SMF male). 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 almost completely hidden under dorsal scutum in dorsal view, with prolateral dorsoapical spiniform apophysis and dorsolateral acuminate tubercles. Trochanters I–IV with ventrobasal tubercles interlocking with respective coxae. Trochanter III with a few prolateral and retrolateral setiferous tubercles. Trochanter IV with 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 diverse rows of acuminate tubercles and large prolateral distal hooked spine. Tarsi III –IV with unpectinated double claws and clear tarsal process (‘pseudonychium’). Colour. Body background dorsal Strong Orange with numerous small Brilliant Orange Yellow spots. Larger stripes at lateral margin of scutum and area IV Yellowish White. All appendages more or less the same colour as the scutum. Genitalia ( Figs 26–27 ). Ventral plate subrectangular with marked lateromedial and anterior constrictions in dorsal view; all setae of ventral plate clustered in the anterior portion of the ventral plate. Two larger helicoidal setae and four smaller straight setae. Follis as long as the ventral plate maximum length, extending from truncus tip over the anterior border of ventral plate, with shallow folds in the basal portion. Stylus straight with capellum, oval, foliolate, presenting a small apical beak.

Female: Very similar to male in general proportions and body aspects, except for the metatarsus I not swollen, basal segments of leg IV entirely unarmed, and pedipalpus short instead of elongated as male’s (see Figs 24–25 ). Also, armature of legs much subdued.

Type material: One ♂, two ♀ syntypes ( BNHM not examined), One ♂, two ♀ syntypes ( SMF 9901458 – RII/1458 /43, examined) Ecuador. Isla de Puná .

Figures

Figures 20–21. Tryferos elegans Roewer, 1931, male syntype (SMF 9901458 – RII/1458/43) Ecuador. Guayas. Isla de Puná. Habitus. Fig. 20. Dorsal view. Fig. 21. Lateral view. Scale bars = 3 mm.

Figures 26–27. Tryferos elegans Roewer, 1931 – male syntype (SMF 9901458 – RII/1458/43) Ecuador. Guayas. Isla de Puná. Penis, distal portion. Fig. 26. Dorsal view. Fig. 27. Lateral view. Arrows indicate capellum. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

Figures 24–25. Tryferos elegans Roewer, 1931. Fig. 24. Male syntype (SMF 1458). Left pedipalpus, ectal view. Fig. 25. Female syntype (SMF 1458). Left pedipalpus, mesal view. Scale bars = 1 mm.