Nerudiella malleco, Porto & Derkarabetian & Giribet & Pérez-González, 2024

Porto, Willians, Derkarabetian, Shahan, Giribet, Gonzalo & Pérez-González, Abel, 2024, Systematic revision of the South American “ Nuncia ” (Opiliones, Laniatores, Triaenonychidae), ZooKeys 1207, pp. 1-149 : 1-149

Nerudiella malleco sp. nov.

Figs 116 , 117 , 118 , 119 , 120 , 121

Material examined.

Holotype. ♂ Chile. Malleco: Fundo Maria Esther, 15 km W from Victoria , E. Maury coll., 14. I. 1989 ( MNHNCL) . Paratypes. Chile. Malleco: Fundo Maria Esther , 15 km W from Victoria , E. Maury coll., 14. I. 1989, 2 ♂ ( MACN) , 08. I. 1987 4 ♂ 1 ♀ 6 imm. ( MACN) , Monumento Natural Contulmo , E. M coll., 13. I. 1989, 2 ♂ 3 ♀ ( MACN) , 15 km W Victoria , N. Platnick, O. Francke coll., 26. I. 1985, 2 ♂ 3 ♀ 7 imm. ( AMNH) ; Malalcahuello , E. Maury coll., 08. I. 1987, 1 ♀ ( MACN) ; 17 km E from Curacautín , N. Platnick, R. Schuh coll., 22. XI. 1981, 1 ♂ 1 ♀ ( AMNH), 1 imm. ( AMNH) , Monumento Natural Contulmo , E. Maury coll., 19. I. 1991, 1 ♂ 4 ♀ ( MACN) . Same data, 1 imm. ( AMNH) .

Etymology.

The specific epithet refers to the type locality of the species, the Malleco province, located in the Araucanía region of Chile. Noun in apposition.

Diagnosis.

This species can be differentiated from other species within the genus by the distinct morphology of the male genitalia. Specifically, the male genitalia feature a robust and V-shaped process on the capsula externa when observed from a dorsal view.

Distribution.

Chile: Bío-Bío and Araucanía Regions (Fig. 4 F ).

Description of male holotype.

Measurements: Total length 4.1. Carapace length 1.1, Dorsal scutum length 2.3, Carapace max. width 1.21, Dorsal scutum max. width 1.6. Appendage measurements. Pedipalps. Trochanter length 0.26, femora length 0.98, patella length 0.47, tibia length 0.73, tarsus length 0.71. Leg I: trochanter (tr) 0.21, femora (fe) 0.82, patella (pa) 0.45, tibia (ti) 0.61, metatarsus (mt) 0.67, tarsus (ta) 0.61. II: tr 0.22, fe 1.05, pa 0.53, ti 0.73, mt 0.87, ta 1.03. III: tr 0.22, fe 0.74, pa 0.33, ti 0.55, mt 0.83, ta 0.67. IV: tr 0.25, fe 1.08, pa 0.61, ti 0.83, mt 1.12, ta 0.76.

Dorsum (Fig. 116 , 117 ). Eta (η) hourglass-shaped dorsal scutum. Ocularium low and rounded. The dorsal scutum microgranulate. Mesotergal areas on the dorsal scutum do not have a clear separation but are covered in small setiferous tubercles. Additionally, the free tergites of the species bear a row of small setiferous tubercles.

Chelicerae (Fig. 118 A, B ). Segment I with an acute tubercle on the dorso-distal surface. Segment II bearing scattered setae in ectal and ventral views, with one triangular tubercle being more prominent than the others in front view.

Pedipalps (Fig. 118 C, D ). Trochanter with a small dorsal and ventral tubercle. Femora with three dorsoproximal setiferous spines, four small ventral-distal tubercles, and two ventral-proximal spines. Tibia with three ventral-ectal and two ventral-mesal spines. Tarsus with three mesal and ectal spines, accompanied by subdistal setae.

Legs (Fig. 119 ). Coxa I with nine or ten setiferous tubercles, II with 18–20 setiferous tubercles, IV with seven or eight small tubercles connected to the opisthosoma. Spiracles not obstructed by bridges. Smooth surface occupying 1 / 3 of leg II, ¾ of III and <1 / 3 of IV. Smooth area of leg II with two small tubercles with subdistal setae on each side. Sternum arrow-shaped. Legs covered with small tubercles, astragalus longer than calcaneus on all legs. Tarsal count: 3–6 – 4 – 4.

Penis (Figs 120 , 121 ). Pars distalis with a ventral plate bearing a fine cleft dividing the plate into two lamellae. Each lamella has three pointed macrosetae on the ventral surface and one small macroseta on the dorsal surface; capsula externa covering dorsal surface, apical area of capsula externa with a V-shaped notch and a pair of lateral processes; there is a dorsolateral plate connected to the pars basalis; dorsolateral plate present. Capsula interna short, with two slits in ventral view, without visible stylus.

Female. Females similar to males, with shorter pedipalpal femora.

Female measurements. Total length 4.07, carapace length 1.16, dorsal scutum length 2.71, carapace max. width 1.41, mesotergum max. width 1.96. Appendage measurements: Pedipalps. Trochanter length 0.26, length of the femora 0.95, length of the patella 0.47, length of the tibia 0.73, length of the tarsus 0.74. Leg I: trochanter (tr) 0.28, femora (fe) 0.98, patella (pa) 0.55, tibia (ti) 0.77, metatarsus (mt) 0.85, tarsus (ta) 0.77. II: tr 0.31, fe 1.27, pa 0.68, ti 1.06, mt 1.17, ta 1.34. III: tr 0.30, fe 0.90, pa 0.41, ti 0.61, mt 0.72, ta 0.76. IV: tr 0.37, fe 1.28, pa 0.70, ti 0.99, mt 1.22, ta 0.92.

Figures

Figure 3. Phylogenetics relationships of Triaenonychidae, with clade names as discussed in the main text. Phylogeny is derived from the IQ-TREE analysis. Nodes without circles have < 95 % bootstrap support to AH-aLR and UFBoot.

Figure 4. Maps showing the distribution of the species used in this work. South America (Chile and western Argentina inset). Chile in green, Argentina / South America in grey. Terrestrial ecoregions (following Olson et al. 2001) highlighted in yellow (Chilean Matorral) and orange (Valdivian temperate forests).

Figure 116. Nerudiella malleco sp. nov. habitus, male A dorsal view C lateral view E ventral view. Female B dorsal view D lateral view F ventral view. Scale bars: 1 mm. Species of Clade C, see Fig. 3.

Figure 117. Nerudiella malleco sp. nov. male, SEM images of habitus A dorsal view B lateral view C, D ventral view. Scale bars: 500 µm (A, B, C); 200 µm (D).

Figure 118. Nerudiella malleco sp. nov. chelicerae: mesal A ectal B pedipalps: mesal C ectal D. Scale bars: 200 µm.

Figure 119. Nerudiella malleco sp. nov. legs I A II B III C IV D. Scale bars: 200 µm (A, C); 500 µm (B, D).

Figure 120. Nerudiella malleco sp. nov. penis: ventral A, B apical C lateral D, E dorsal F, G. Scale bars: 200 µm (A, D, F); 50 µm (B, C, E, G).

Figure 121. Nerudiella malleco sp. nov. penis: ventral A apical B lateral C dorsal D. Colors: ventral plate (yellow), capsula externa (blue), capsula interna (red). Scale bars: 50 µm (A – C); 200 µm (D).