Iranothyas alhajarica, Pesic, Vladimir, Gerecke, Reinhard & Smit, Harry, 2009

Pesic, Vladimir, Gerecke, Reinhard & Smit, Harry, 2009, A redefinition of Iranothyas Bader, 1984 with the description of a new species from Oman, Zootaxa 2290, pp. 59-64 : 62-64

Iranothyas alhajarica spec. nov.

( Fig. 2A–E )

Type series. Holotype 3, Zoological Museum of the University of Amsterdam, Oman, Al Hajar mountains, spring Al Khremh, crossing road to United Arab Emirates border, 24 47.421 N 55 56.503 E, 15.xi.2008, leg. Smit, slide-mounted. Paratypes: 1 3, 2 Ƥ, 11 deutonymphs, same date as holotype. 1 Ƥ, 1 deutonymph slidemounted, 1 Ƥ, 10 in Koenike's fluid.

Diagnosis. Both sexes: Acetabula circular in shape, Ac-2 located halfway between Ac-1 and Ac-3; Ac-3 diameter 30–40. Sexual dimorphism in shape of IV-L (males: stouter, terminal segment subrectangular in shape, claws robust; females: more slender, terminal segment distally widened, claws more slender and less curved).

Description. Both sexes: Papillae covering membranous integument flat in anterior part of idiosoma, elevated and directed posteriorly in posterior part. Sclerotized parts with fine round pores (dorsal plates) or larger pores surrounded by a ring of fine dots (coxae, appendages). Frontal shield with a rounded posteromedial extension; Dc-2 not fused to frontal shield; Dc-3 fused medially to a small roundish platelet, Dc-5 fused to a large transverse dorsocaudal plate, Dc-2, Dc-4 and Dl-2-4 rather large, roundish. Coxae with numerous long setae, a little stronger and particularly densely arranged near tips of Cx-I-IV, finer and scattered along medial margin of Cx-I and suture line Cx-I/II. Genital flaps with longish pores, anteriorly narrow, posteriorly enlarged and including Ac-3; a line of densely-arranged long and fine setae extending from the anterior edge to the area lateral to Ac-3, stronger and larger setae arranged in a group on a mediocaudal extension, anteromedially to Ac-3. Ac-1 and Ac-2 small and circular, in the membranous area flanking the gonopore. Excretory pore surrounded by a sclerite ring; except for a pair of small sclerite platelets lying posterior to excretory pore, ventrocaudal idiosoma membranous. Gnathosoma elevated, with welldeveloped rostrum. Chelicera slender, with relatively short claw (basal segment/claw ratio 2.2). Palp stout, all segments strongly thickened, P-4 shortened and extremely narrowed from the base to the tip; P-1 bearing one dorsal seta; P-2, 4–5 stronger setae, dorsally and medially and 1–3 finer setae laterally; P-3, 2 dorsodistal setae, one longer, medially, one shorter laterally; P-4, 3 fine distal setae, in lateral, dorsal and medial position.

Male: Idiosoma L/W 720/550; frontal shield L/W 290/280; W fused Dc-5 205; genital flap L 200, gonopore area with a pair of tongue-shaped extensions facing each other and densely covered by heavy denticulation ( Fig. 2D ); in the area between these extensions, tip of ejaculatory complex located between a pair of very finely denticulated membranous humps; anterior to this area a pair of weekly sclerotized, crossed pointed extensions; pregenital sclerite knob-shaped, postgenital sclerite rod-shaped; posteromedial extensions of genital flaps strongly protruding, with densely-arranged strong setae; diameter Ac-1-3, 18-15-30; gnathosoma ventral L 190; chelicera basal segment L/H 205/52, claw L 95; palp ( Fig. 2B ): L/H P-1, 24/65; P- 2, 90/75; P-3, 40/67; P-4, 102/52; P-5, 38/12; IV-L very stout, terminal segments subrectangular in shape, with very robust claws; L/H (in brackets, ratio) IV-L-3, 108/70 (1.5), IV-L-4, 145/61 (2.4); IV-L-5, 114/54 (2.1); IV-L-6, 67/45 (1.5).

Female: Idiosoma L/W 850/600; frontal shield L/W 350/350; W fused Dc-5, 280; genital flap L 170; diameter Ac- 1-3 20-18 -38; gnathosoma ventral L 270; chelicera basal segment L/H 250/62, claw L 115; palp ( Fig. 2C ): L/H P-1, 25/65; P-2, 112/95; P-3, 42/67; P-4, 120/50; P-5, 42/15; IV-L much more slender than in males in setation and shape of segments and claws similar to those of male I. marismortui ( Gerecke 1999, Fig.

3F), L/H (in brackets, ratio) IV-L-3, 100/58 (1.7), IV-L-4, 166/54 (3.1); IV-L-5, 139/41 (3.4); IV-L-6, 90/41 (2.2).

Deutonymph: As described for adults, but dorsalia very small and Dc-5 unfused. Idiosoma L/W 580/500; frontal shield L/W 130/161, posterior margin irregularly convex, without a medial extension; provisory genital organ with two pairs of round Ac (diameter Ac-1, 9, Ac-2, 7) and three paired setae, L/W 40/71; gnathosoma ventral L 212; chelicera basal segment L/H 220/29, claw L 50; L/H P-1, 12/35; P-2, 51/41; P-3, 25/32; P-4, 63/25; P-5, 17/8; L/H IV-L-3, 58/29, IV-L-4, 99/29; IV-L-5, 9/22; IV-L-6, 58/22; proportions of IV-L segments as in females.

Etymology. Named after the Al-Hajar mountain range in northern Oman, where the new species was collected.

Discussion. Both sexes of Iranothyas alhajarica differ from the two other species in the shape of the frontal shield (with undulating outline, having a posteromedial extension), and from I. circularis in the position of Ac-2 (in agreement with I. marismortui , halfway between Ac-1 and Ac-3, not approached to Ac- 3). Males of I. marismortui differ from I. alhajarica in a series of further characters that cannot be discussed for I. circularis , this species being known in the female sex only: (1) Dc-2 fused to frontal shield; (2) posteroventral area bearing two pairs of small platelets; (3) IV-L with weakly developed sexual dimorphism and segments consequently much more slender (L/H ratio IV-L-3, 2.0; IV-L-4, 3.1; IV-L-5, 3.8; IV-L-6, 1.8), claws less strongly curved and finer.

Distribution. Oman, only known from the type locality.

Figures

FIGURE 2 A – E: Iranothyas alhajarica sp. nov.: A = female frontal shield; B = male palp; C = female palp (P- 1 lacking); D = male genital field; E = male IV-L. Scale bars = 100 µm (Figs. A, C – E), 50 µm (Figs. B).