Gylippus (Paragylippus) hakkaricus, Erdek, 2019

Erdek, Melek, 2019, Description of the new solifuge Gylippus (Paragylippus) hakkaricus sp. n. (Gylippidae, Solifugae), Zootaxa 4695 (6), pp. 559-567 : 560-565

Gylippus (Paragylippus) hakkaricus sp. n.

( Figures 1–7 , Table 1 )

Type material. Holotype ♂ ( HAKZM /Solfg-Gylp: 03-01); Turkey, Hakkari Prov., Berçelan Plateau Road , 9 km S of downtown Hakkari, N 37°36’39.90”, E 43°44’ 39.80”, 2299 m, pitfall trap 23.05.2019 – 10.07.2019, leg. M. Erdek.

Paratypes: 4♂, 1♀ ( HAKZM / Solfg-Gylp : 03-02) with same data of holotype.

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the name of Hakkari Province in Turkey, from where the type materials were collected.

Diagnosis. The new species can be recognized from other known species of Gylippus (Paragylippus) by the presence of relatively ‶S″ shaped flagellum, one dorsally situated retrolateral manus spiniform seta, one flagellar complex spiniform seta, and 4–6 dorsomedial spiniform setae on the dorsal fixed finger in males and equally oval or rounded bulges on genital segment in females.

Gylippus (P.) hakkaricus sp. n. is differentiated with several prominent features, though having some affinities with morphologically similar species. Gylippus (P.) hakkaricus sp. n. is similar in morphology to Gylippus (P.) monoceros and Gylippus (P.) quaestiunculoides . These species are distinguished by the following combination char- acters: shape of flagellum, retrolateral manus spiniform seta and flagellar complex spiniform seta and the number of retrolateral manus setae in males and shape of genital sternites in females. According to Birula’s drawings (1913: Pl.VII, fig.3) indicate that G. (P.) monoceros male has six retrolateral manus setae, Roewer’s drawings (1933: figs. 229B1–B2) have 2 more long and thin setae on anterior side of these six setae and G. (P.) quaestiunculoides male has also six retrolateral manus setae one of them positioned forwardly and also dorsolaterally has four long thick setae ( Birula 1913: Pl.VIII,fig.4), Roewer’s drawings (1933: figs. 229C1–C2) indicated that there are two long and thin setae near flagellar complex spiniform seta. This number is four in new species with long and dense setae antero-retrolaterally. According to drawings ( Birula 1913: Pl.VII, fig.3; Roewer 1933: figs. 229B1–B2) flagellum in G. (P.) monoceros is “S” shaped as in the new species but it has more vertical position than in G. (P.) monoceros . The Flagellum in G. (P.) quaestiunculoides , is completely different, pointing upwards and flagellar tip cuneate ( Birula 1913: Pl.VIII, figs.4–6; Roewer 1933: figs. 229C1–C2). The flagellar complex spiniform seta in G. (P.) monoceros and G. (P.) quaestiunculoides ( Birula 1913: Pl.VIII, figs.4–6; Roewer 1933: figs. 229C1–C2) is sickle-shaped and downwardly curved as in the new species, but the distally end of new species is spicule-like. Retrolateral manus spiniform seta/chelicera length ratio in the new species is longer than G. (P.) monoceros ( Birula 1913: Pl.VII figs. 1,3; Roewer 1933: figs. 229B1–B2) and G. (P.) quaestiunculoides ( Birula 1913: Pl.VIII, figs.4–6; Roewer 1933: figs. 229C1–C2). The swollen part of pedipalp metatarsus in G. (P.) monoceros ( Birula 1913: Pl. VII, fig. 3; Roewer, 1933: figs. 229B1) is more pointed than G. (P.) quaestiunculoides ( Birula 1913: Pl.VII, fig. 5; Roewer 1933: figs. 229C1) and the new species. The femoral spiniform setae on pedipalp are four in Gylippus (P.) hakkaricus sp. n., Gylippus (P.) monoceros and Gylippus (P.) quaestiunculoides , but in Gylippus (P.) quaestiunculoides , proximally two of four femoral spiniform setae are longer and thinner than the other spiniform setae ( Birula 1913: Pl.VII, fig.5; Roewer 1933: figs. 229C1). The indentations on genital lobes are different in all these three species (cf. Fig. 4D ; Birula 1913: Pl. VII, fig. 4; Pl. VIII, fig.3; Roewer 1933: fig. 230B). The genital lobes in G. (P.) quaestiunculoides and new species have prolateral bulges. Body length compared in all these three species, the new species (♂: 31.44mm, ♀: 34.15 mm) is longer than G. (P.) monoceros (♂: 20 mm, ♀: 18 mm in Roewer 1933) and G. (P.) quaestiunculoides (♂: 21 mm, ♀: 25 mm in Roewer 1933).

Distribution. Berçelan Plateau, Hakkari Province, Turkey ( Fig. 1 ).

Description. Male (holotype)

Coloration ( Figs. 2A, C ; 3 A–F). General background yellowish to reddish brown. Mesopeltidium, metapeltidium and abdominal tergites laterally greyish to dark brown, dorsomedially and ventrally blackish brown. Abdomen surface with dense yellowish setae. Propeltidium pale brown with dark pale brown spots occurring different pigment densities. Legs generally brownish yellow; distal and dorsal portion of femur and tibia purplish dark brown, metatarsus, tarsus and claws yellow. Cheliceral fingers, retrolateral manus spiniform seta, flagellar complex spiniform seta and retrolateral manus setae, palp femoral setae, some setae on propeltidium reddish-brown and tip of the cheliceral fingers reddish-dark brown. Anterior edge of propeltidium blackish. Ocular tubercle black. Malleoli entirely pale yellow.

Propeltidium ( Fig. 3A ). Entire surface background dull and dark yellow covered with dark purplish brown pigmentation in different densities. Anteriorly and anterolaterally denser than posteromedially and posterolaterally dense with perpendicular short hairs and several long curved hairs. Anterior edge of propeltidium smooth and carrying a pair of long setae on its midanterior edge.

Chelicerae ( Figs. 3A, 3 C–F). Movable finger distally curved inward, fixed finger flattened and with tooth like protrude ventral side of fingertip. Dentition: Fixed finger with 1 shrunken distal tooth (FD), 1 shrunken medial tooth (FM), 1 submedial tooth ( FSM), 1 proximal tooth (FP), 1 retrofondal medial tooth (RFM), 1 retrofondal submedial tooth (RFSM), 1 retrofondal proximal tooth (RFP), 4 retrofondal subproximal teeth (RFSM), 1 profondal proximal tooth (PFP), 1 profondal medial tooth (PFM). Movable finger with 1 medial tooth (MM), 1 submedial tooth (MSM), 1 proximal tooth (MP). The submedial tooth on movable finger quite small and very close to proximal tooth. “S” shaped strap-like flagellum ( Figs. 3A , C–F; 5B, D; 6A, B) membranous, narrowing on cheliceral fingertip and rises upward expanding from lateral sides, tapering distally with a depression in the median section. The distance between cheliceral fingertip and flagellum is 0.23 mm. Dorsal surface of flagellum with small and few epicuticular protrusions. Retrolateral manus spiniform seta (0.72 mm) located dorsolaterally on the fixed finger and slightly distal end curved upwards. Flagellar complex spiniform seta (0.26 mm) sickle-shaped, distally end sharply thin like a spicule and bent down. Laterally on chelicera, 4 distinct retrolateral manus setae with also some shorter and thinner setae around them. Entire cheliceral surface covered with numerous filiform and bifurcate setae. These setae are thicker and denser on retrodorsal and retrolateral surfaces. Stridulatory plates with a few stridulatory ridges on anterior edges and located proximally on the inner side of the chelicera. Four prodorsal distal setae dorsal to the stridulatory plate. Prolateral surface of the chelicera with several long, plumose setae and 8 proventral subdistal setae behind the plumose setae ( Fig. 3D ; Figs.5 C–D).

Abdomen: Entire surface covered with numerous, long bifurcated setae. Abdominal sternites without ctenidia.

Pedipalps ( Fig. 3B ): Metatarsus swollen. Metatarsus length/width = 3.38mm / 1.72mm. Pedipalps covered with numerous short setae and sparse long setae. Mesal surface of femur with four orange-reddish robust thick spiniform setae shorter than diameter of femur and one long, thin, distinctive seta proximally basal the spiniform setae.

Legs: Leg I without spiniform setae, with tarsal claws well-developed. Metatarsi II and III with two spiniform setae dorsally and five pairs of thin setae ventrally. Legs surface covered with numerous, dense, thin setae.

Some morphological details of males (chelicera and pedipalp) pointed out on a paratype male in Figs. 5–6 .

Female (Paratype) ( Fig. 4 ). General body coloration slightly lighter than in males (compare with Fig. 2 ). General background yellowish to reddish brown. Mesopeltidium, metapeltidium and abdominal tergites laterally greyish brown, dorsomedially and ventrally dark to yellowish brown. Abdomen surface with dense yellowish setae. Propeltidium reddish brown with dark purplish brown spots occurring different pigment densities. Legs generally brownish yellow; distal and dorsal portion of femur and tibia purplish dark brown, metatarsus, tarsus and claws light yellowish brown. Unlike males, pedipalps not swollen and no modified setae are present on femur, only covered with some sparse long and dense short thin hairs, with reddish-brown pigmentation ( Fig. 4E ). Chelicerae with thin and less abundant setae. Dorsal surface of each chelicera with two slightly brownish lines. Cheliceral finger tips short and blunt. Dentition: Fixed finger with 1 distal tooth (FD), 1 medial tooth, 1 submedial tooth, 1 proximal tooth, 1 retrofondal medial tooth, 2 retrofondal submedial teeth, 1 retrofondal proximal tooth, 1 retrofondal proximal tooth, 4 retrofondal subproximal teeth, 1 profondal medial tooth, 1 profondal proximal tooth. Movable finger with 1 medial tooth, 1 submedial tooth, 1 proximal tooth. The tips of distal and medial teeth on the fixed finger flattened and the tips of other teeth rounded. Malleoli entirely pale yellow. Genital sternites sclerotized; covered with long and dense bifurcate setae and forming two distinct, protuberant lobes with abundant setae on both sides of genital opening. The lower and upper sides of these lobes are oval with one depression and prolaterally with two depressions ( Fig. 4D ).

Ecology. Hakkari province is located in Eastern part of Turkey and has borders with Iran and Iraq. It is also situated in Iran-Turan phytogeografic region and Zagros field in Saharo-Arabian subregion in Palearctic region. The specimens were found in humid clay foothills near a stream consisting of snow waters. The habitat vegetation is dominated by Astragalus sp, Gundelia sp., Eryngium sp. ( Fig. 7 ). Adults most likely occur in late May to early July.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Known distribution of Gylippus (Paragylippus) hakkaricus sp. n. in Turkey.

FIGURE 2. Gylippus (Paragylippus) hakkaricus sp. n. (A, C) male holotype, (B, D) female paratype: (A, B) habitus in dorsal view; (C, D) habitus in ventral view. Scale bars: 5 mm.

FIGURE 3. Gylippus (Paragylippus) hakkaricus sp. n. male holotype: (A) chelicerae and propeltidium in dorsal view; (B) dextral pedipalp in dorsal view (C) sinistral chelicera in retrolateral view; (D) sinistral chelicera in prolateral view; (E) sinistral flagellum in dorsal view; (F) sinistral flagellum in prolateral view. Scale bars: 2 mm (A–D) and 0.2 mm (E–F). (Abbreviations: fcs—flagellar complex spiniform seta, flg—flagellum, rlms—retrolateral manus spiniform seta, sp—stridulatory plate).

FIGURE 4. Gylippus (Paragylippus) hakkaricus sp. n. female paratype: (A) chelicerae and propeltidium in dorsal view; (B) dextral chelicera in retrolateral view; (C) sinistral chelicera in prolateral view; (D) genital sternite, ventral view; (E) dextral pedipalp in dorsal view. Scale bars: 2 mm. (Arrow indicates the seta in female homologous to retrolateral manus spiniform seta in male).

FIGURE 5. SEM images of Gylippus (Paragylippus) hakkaricus sp. n. (A) dextral chelicera in retrolateral view, postero-median region; (B) dextral chelicera in retrolateral view, anterior part with flagellum; (C) sinistral chelicera in prolateral view, postero-median region; (D) sinistral chelicera in prolateral view, anterior part with flagellum and flagellar complex spiniform seta (Abbreviations: fcs—flagellar complex spiniform seta, flg—flagellum, pdp—prodorsal distal setae, pm—promedial setae, pvsd—proventral subdistal setae, sp—stridulatory plate)

FIGURE 6. SEM images of Gylippus (Paragylippus) hakkaricus sp. n. male paratype: (A) dextral flagellum in retrolateral view; (B) sinistral flagellum in prolateral view; (C) sinistral pedipalp, tarsus and metatarsus in dorso-prolateral view; (D) sinistral pedipalp, modified setae on femur in dorso-prolateral view.

FIGURE 7. The habitat of Gylippus (Paragylippus) hakkaricus sp. n. in Berçelan Plateau (Hakkari, Turkey).