Ceratomontia starengai, Porto & Pérez-González, 2023

Porto, Willians & Pérez-González, Abel, 2023, The newest and the oldest species in the same vial: Description of a new species of Ceratomontia Roewer, 1915 and redescription of Ceratomontia capensis Roewer, 1915 (Opiliones: Laniatores: Triaenonychidae), Zootaxa 5357 (1), pp. 131-138 : 135-136

Ceratomontia starengai sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:D5A75CB3-727E-4696-846F-0DE5F4334F45

( Figs. 5–6 )

Ceratomontia capensis Roewer 1915: 139 ; Lawrence 1931: 375; Kauri 1961: 79; Staręga 1992: 284. [in part]

Type data. J holotype ( SMF 9801182 -RI/1182-53) SOUTH AFRICA, Eastern Cape, Port Elizabeth .

Etymology. Patronymic in honor of the Polish arachnologist, Wojciech Krzysztof Staręga (1939-2015), who discovered the species here described.

Diagnosis: It differs from C. karooensis , C. minor , C. namaqua , C. pusila , C. rumpiana , C. ruricola , C. sanguinea , C. setosa , and C. tabulae by possessing a long, forward pointing interocular apophysis. Furthermore, it shares similarities with C. annae , C. fluvialis , and C. minor in having a robust apophysis in the dorsal region of the pedipalp’s trochanter, distinguishing it from all other known species of Ceratomontia . Additionally, there are notable differences in the penis, setting C. starengai sp. nov. apart from the South American species as well as C. minor and C. tabulae . These differences include a long, non-tubular capsula interna that is laterally flattened and completely covers the capsula externa.

Remark: the holotype was formerly part of the syntypes of Ceratomontia capensis Roewer, 1915 (SMF 9801182- RI/1182-53) and was erroneously considered as a juvenile.

Description of the male holotype: Measurements. Total body length 2.07; carapace length 0.82; scutum length 0.91; carapace maximum width 1.39; mesotergal scute maximum width 1.52.

Dorsum ( Fig. 5 A ─B): outline Eta (η) shape ( Kury & Medrano 2016), with four tubercles on the anterior margin. Ocularium high pointed forward. Dorsal scutum with a clear delimitation of areas. Areas I─IV bearing 1─2 rows of small setiferous tubercles. Posterior margin and free tergites with a row of small tubercles.

Venter ( Fig. 5 C ): Coxae I with two tubercles, coxae II with three tubercles, coxae IV with 1─2 tubercles.

Pedipalps ( Fig. 5 D ): Trochanter with one dorsal tubercle. Femur bearing a row of four dorsal and ventral tubercles with subdistal setae, the ventral-proximal tubercle is forked and the largest, with two small mesal-distal tubercles with subdistal setae, and a ventral row of granules. Patella with a small ventral-mesal tubercle, tibia with one mesal-ventral tubercle with subdistal setae, and two rows of small tubercles with subdistal setae. Legs: I with five ventral tubercles and inflated tarsus.

Genitalia ( Fig. 6 ): Ventral plate with a large cleft dividing the plate into two lamellae, bearing one pair of dorsal macrosetae and three pairs of ventral macrosetae, the dorsal pair being the longest. Capsula externa with a conical shape on the dorsal/ventral view, without apical process, including a long, non-tubular capsula interna that is laterally flattened. The capsula interna is simple, tubular, without process, and totally covered by the capsula externa. Dorsolateral plate (part of the truncus projecting to the glans) visible, with the lateral process.

Appendages measurements (holotype J): Pedipalp. Trochanter 0.31, femur 0.99, patella 0.48, tibia 0.81, tarsus 0.76. Leg I: trochanter (tr) 0.19, femur (fe) 0.87, patella (pa) 0.39, tibia (ti) 0.54, metatarsus (mt) 0.68, tarsus (ta) 0.54. II: tr 0.18, fe 1.08, pa 0.46, ti 0.87, mt 0.97, ta 0.93. III: tr 0.21, fe 0.75, pa 0.30, ti 0.57, mt 0.77, ta 0.51. IV: tr 0.24, fe 1.02, pa 0.49, ti 0.86, mt 1.11, ta 0.48.

Records. SOUTHAFRICA,EasternCape,OlifantskopinSuurbergeMts;AlexandriaForest;Boesmansriviermond; East London (Staręga 1992).

Figures

FIGURE 5. Ceratomontia starengai sp. nov. Roewer 1915, holotype J (SMF 9801182-RI/1182-53), habitus: dorsal (A), lateral (B), ventral (C), pedipalp (D). Scale bars (A─C) 1 mm, (D) 500 µm.

FIGURE 6. Ceratomontia starengai sp. nov. Roewer 1915, holotype J (SMF 9801182-RI/1182-53) genitalia: ventral view (A); lateral view (B); dorsal view (C). Abbreviations: ce, capsula externa; ci, capsula interna; dp, dorsal plate; vp, ventral plate. Scale bar: 100 µm.