Mahajanganella schwarzeneggeri, Lorenz & Loria & Harvey & Harms, 2022

Lorenz, Michelle, Loria, Stephanie F., Harvey, Mark S. & Harms, Danilo, 2022, The Hercules pseudoscorpions from Madagascar: A systematic study of Feaellidae (Pseudoscorpiones: Feaelloidea) highlights regional endemism and diversity in one of the " hottest " biodiversity hotspots, Arthropod Systematics & amp; Phylogeny 80, pp. 649-691 : 649

Mahajanganella schwarzeneggeri sp. nov.

Type material examined.

MADAGASCAR: Mahajanga Province [Boeny Region]: Holotype ♂ (CAS 9071739 [BLF6812]), allotype ♀ (ZMH-A0016716), paratypes: 1 ♂ (ZMH-A0016717), 1 ♀ (CAS 9071739 [BLF6812]), Parc National de Baie de Baly; 16°00′36″S 45°15′54″E, 26-30 November 2002, B.L. Fisher, Griswold et al.

Diagnosis.

Very similar to Mahajanganella heraclis sp. nov. but smaller female body size (body length 2.03 versus 2.15 in M. heraclis sp. nov.), and most slender carapace (1.47 (♂)/1.41 (♀) × longer than broad versus 1.35 (♂)/1.29 (♀) in M. heraclis ); most slender femora of Mahajanganella gen. nov. (1.57/1.74 ♂/♀ × longer than broad versus 1.64/1.62 ♂/♀ in M. heraclis sp. nov.).

Etymology.

This species is a patronym honoring Arnold Schwarzenegger, a famous former bodybuilder from Austria, known as an actor in the movie “Terminator”, former governor of California and now supporting conservation programs.

Description.

The following description is based on holotype and allotype. - Carapace (Fig. 16A ): 1.47 (♂), 1.38-1.43 (♀) times longer than broad. - Pedipalps (Fig. 16C, D ): see trichobothrial pattern in genus description. Chelal fixed finger with 8 teeth in the OR, 13-17 in the MR and 9-12 in the IR; movable finger with 8-9 teeth in the OR, 11-13 in the MR and 9-12 in the IR; terminal teeth build a group of 6 equally sized and 1 larger tooth on the fixed finger and 8 equally sized teeth on the movable finger. - Dimensions (mm): Holotype ♂: Body length 1.93; abdomen length 1.34; width (with pleura) 1.17; (without pleura) 1.07; carapace length 0.56; width 0.38. Pedipalp: trochanter 0.23; femur length 0.56; width 0.32; patella 0.44; chela (without pedicel) 0.47; hand length 0.09; width 0.13; movable finger 0.36. Leg I: trochanter 0.09; femur 0.21; patella 0.14; tibia 0.15; tarsus 0.26. Leg IV: trochanter 0.15; femur 0.13; patella 0.29; tibia 0.24; tarsus 0.31. Allotype ♀: Body length 2.04; abdomen length 1.44; width (with pleura) 1.30; (without pleura) 1.18; carapace length 0.60; width 0.42. Pedipalp: trochanter 0.27; femur length 0.56; width 0.34; patella 0.48; chela (without pedicel) 0.51; hand length 0.10; width 0.15; movable finger 0.39. Leg I: trochanter 0.09; femur 0.21; patella 0.20; tibia 0.13; tarsus 0.28. Leg IV: trochanter 0.16; femur 0.13; patella 0.34; tibia 0.31; tarsus 0.33.

Variation.

Body length 1.85-1.93 (♂), 2.02-2.04 (♀); abdomen length 1.25-1.34 (♂), 1.43-1.44 (♀); width (with pleura) 1.14-1.17 (♂), 1.29-1.30 (♀); width (without pleura) 1.03-1.07 (♂), 1.17-1.18 (♀); 1.21-1.25 (♂), 1.22 (♀) times longer than broad; carapace length 0.56 (♂), 0.58-0.60 (♀); width 0.38 (♂), 0.42 (♀); 1.47 (♂), 1.38-1.43 (♂) times longer than broad. Pedipalp: trochanter 0.23 (♂), 0.25-0.27 (♀); femur length 0.52-0.56 (♂), 0.56-0.58 (♀); width 0.29-0.32 (♂), 0.33-0.34 (♀); 1.75-1.79 (♂), 1.65-1.76 (♀) times longer than broad; patella 0.42-0.44 (♂), 0.48 (♀); chela (without pedicel) 0.44-0.47 (♂), 0.51 (♀); hand length 0.09-0.10 (♂), 0.09-0.10 (♀); width 0.13-0.14 (♂), 0.15 (♀); 0.67-0.69 (♂), 0.67-0.71 (♀) times longer than broad; movable finger 0.36 (♂), 0.39-0.40 (♀); femur 1.24-1.27 (♂), 1.17-1.21 (♀) times longer than patella; femur 1.18-1.19 (♂), 1.10-1.14 (♀) times longer than chela.

GenBank Code.

Genetic data is unavailable for this species.

Habitat.

Specimens were found in sifted litter in tropical dry forest at an elevation of 10 m very close to the coastline.

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality (BLF6812) in the Boeny Region (formerly Mahajanga Province) of western Madagascar.

Figures

Figure 16. Drawings of Mahajanganella schwarzeneggeri sp. nov.: A carapace from dorsal; B leg IV; C left chela from dorsal with trichobothrial pattern; D right pedipalp from dorsal. Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A - C); 0.4 mm (D).