Gonyleptes curvicornis (Roewer, 1913) Roewer, 1913

Pinto-da-Rocha, Ricardo, Benedetti, Alipio Rezende, de Vasconcelos, Eduardo Gomes & Hara, Marcos Ryotaro, 2012, New systematic assignments in Gonyleptoidea (Arachnida, Opiliones, Laniatores), ZooKeys 198, pp. 25-68 : 34-36

Gonyleptes curvicornis (Roewer, 1913) revalidated, comb. n. Figs 6 E–H 8

Weyhia curvicornis Roewer, 1913: 193, fig. 80 (♂); Kury 2003: 128; (holotype male, Brazil, São Paulo, SMF 979, examined).

Gonyleptes lacrimosus Mello-Leitão, 1932: 294, fig. 148 (♂); (male holotype, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro (Floresta da Tijuca), MNRJ 11789, not examined).

Mendesius albipunctatus Roewer, 1943: 41, pl. 5, fig. 45 (♀); (female holotype, Brazil, Mendes, SMF 5389/47).

Material examined.

BRAZIL. São Paulo: Locality not specified further, male holotype (SMF 979); São Paulo ( Chácara Dr. J. L. Lane), male (MZSP 0871). Rio de Janeiro: Rio de Janeiro ( Grajaú), 1 male (MZSP 1117).

Diagnosis.

Gonyleptes curvicornis resembles Gonyleptes horridus (see diagnosis above) but can be distinguished by the relatively shorter prolateral apical apophysis of coxa IV, lacking the abrupt backwards curvature (Fig. 6E). The retrolateral apical apophysis of coxa IV is reduced and not bifid as in Gonyleptes horridus . The male femur IV has a different pattern of armature (Fig. 6 F–G) compared to Gonyleptes horridus . Carapace with a pair of tubercles on the posterior area (posterior to ocularium). Females of Gonyleptes curvicornis do not present dimorphic sulfur yellow spines on the free tergites.

Description.

Penis (Fig. 8 A–B; MZSP 1117): ventral plate sub hexagonal, with a deep U-cleft on distal margin (its distal tips convergent), 3 distal, 1 median, 4 basal pairs of setae (distal ones curved, median ones shortest). Stylus sigmoid, with ventral subapical trichomes. Ventral process robust, apex flabelliform with several projections of varying sizes on distal margin.

Taxonomical note.

Roewer’s (1913; 1923) redescriptions of Gonyleptes horridus and Weyhia curvicornis are the same. Following Gonyleptes horridus sensu Roewer, Soares and Soares (1988) considered Weyhia curvicornis as its junior synonym. However, as seen above, such redescription of Gonyleptes horridus was mistaken and, therefore, Weyhia curvicornis can no longer be considered as a junior synonym. Weyhia was synonymized with Geraeocormobius by Soares and Soares (1949). The Gonyleptinae genera definition is still unsatisfactory, but the placement of Weyhia curvicornis in Gonyleptes is more reasonable than its placement in Geraeocormobius , due to morphological similarities shared with Gonyleptes horridus , such as white tubercles on frontal hump on anterior margin of dorsal scutum, ocularium (Fig. 6H) and lateral borders of abdominal scutum convex and abdominal scutum itself convex.