Austropurcellia nuda Popkin-Hall, Jay & Boyer

Jay, Katya R., Popkin-Hall, Zachary R., Coblens, Michelle J., Oberski, Jill T., Sharma, Prashant P. & Boyer, Sarah L., 2016, New species of Austropurcellia, cryptic short-range endemic mite harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones, Cyphophthalmi) from Australia's Wet Tropics biodiversity hotspot, ZooKeys 586, pp. 37-93 : 57-60

Taxon classification Animalia Opiliones Pettalidae

Austropurcellia nuda Popkin-Hall, Jay & Boyer sp. n. Figs 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35

Material examined.

Holotype. Male (QM 102444 [ex QM 38118]), Black Mountain Summit, 16.644°S, 145.49°E, coll. K. Aland and G. B. Monteith 30.iv.2015, QM 38118.

Paratypes. 10 males, 19 females, 24 juveniles, same collecting data as holotype, QM 38118, Macalester SEM stubs M30.4, M30.8, M30.9.

Additional material.

2 males, 2 females, Black Mountain 17 km ESE Julatten, 16.650°S, 145.483°E, coll. G. B. Monteith, D. Yeates, and D. Cook 29.iv.1982, S 2302, QM berlesate 413, Macalester SEM stubs M20.1, M20.2.

Diagnosis.

Distinguished from congeners by lack of scopula on the male anal plate, a trait shared only with Austropurcellia absens . Anal plate is flat and entirely ungranulated; Austropurcellia absens anal plate is convex, bilobed, and mostly granulated.

Description.

Pettalid with tergite VIII bilobed (Fig. 31). Length of male holotype (Fig. 30) 2.1 mm, width at widest point in posterior third of prosoma 1.2 mm, width at ozophores 0.8 mm. Most of body surface covered in microstructure of tubercles and granules (Fig. 31). Transverse sulci present and distinct by lack of granulation (Figs 31A, 32B). Dorsal longitudinal sulcus containing elongated granules oriented flanking dorsal longitudinal sulcus (Figs 31A, 32B). Sternites ubiquitously granulated (Fig. 31B).

Ozophores relatively conical, of type III sensu Juberthie (1970) (Figs 31A, 33B). Coxae of legs I and II mobile, coxae of remaining legs fixed. Male coxae II–IV meeting in the midline (Fig. 31B). Male gonostome small, subtriangular, and wider than long (Fig. 31B). Spiracles circular and C-shaped with slightly recurved edges (Fig. 33A), as found in "open circle" type of Giribet and Boyer (2002). Anal region of "pettalid type" ( Giribet and Boyer 2002). Male tergite VIII bilobed, with lobes ornamented dorsally and ventrally (Fig. 32). Anal plate relatively flat and ungranulated over entire surface with narrow, smooth area running vertically through center from just above the center down to the posterior margin (Fig. 32B). Scopula absent (Fig. 32B). Two anal pores visible (Fig. 32B).

Chelicerae (Fig. 34A) short and relatively robust. Proximal article of chelicerae with dorsal crest, without ventral process. Median article with prominent apodeme. Chela with two types of dentition typical in pettalids (Fig. 34A). Measurements of cheliceral articles of male paratype from proximal to distal (in mm): 0.61, 0.84, 0.28. Palp (Fig. 34B) with prominent ventral process on trochanter. Measurements of palpal articles of male paratype from proximal to distal (in mm): 0.20, 0.29, 0.18, 0.24, 0.27.

Legs with all claws smooth, without ventral dentition or lateral pegs (Fig. 35). All tarsi smooth (Fig. 35). Distinct solea present on ventral surface of tarsus I (Fig. 35A). Metatarsi I and II heavily ornamented on proximal half, with distal half smooth (Fig. 35A, B). Remaining metatarsi with full ornamentation (Fig. 35C-F). Male tarsus IV fully divided into two tarsomeres (Fig. 35D, E). Adenostyle with robust claw, wide base, and small pore at apex on lateral (external) side (Fig. 35D). Long seta rising from medial (internal) face of adenostyle from below pore to above apex (Fig. 35D, E); very short seta rising from adenostyle base below pore on lateral (external) face (Fig. 35D) (example with adenostyle features labeled, Fig. 5).

Measurements from male paratype of leg articles from proximal to distal (in mm): leg I 0.18, 0.52, 0.20, 0.39, 0.14, 0.41; leg II 0.15, 0.41, 0.19, 0.33, 0.14, 0.37; leg III [trochanter damaged], 0.37, 0.20, 0.29, 0.23, 0.32; leg IV 0.19, 0.44, 0.19, 0.35, 0.16, 0.39. Width measurements from male paratype of leg articles from proximal to distal (in mm): leg I 0.20, 0.16, 0.17, 0.16, 0.14, 0.20; leg II 0.18, 0.15, 0.15, 0.15, 0.12, 0.13; leg III [trochanter damaged], 0.17, 0.16, 0.19, 0.13, 0.14; leg IV 0.18, 0.19, 0.18, 0.18, 0.15, 0.17.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is derived from the first declension form of nūdus, from Latin, meaning “bare” or “naked”, a reference to diagnostic absence of the scopula or ornamentation of the anal plate in this species.