Homolophus albofasciatus ( Kulczyński, 1901 )

Snegovaya, Nataly Yu. & Cokendolpher, James C., 2021, Further studies on harvestman genus Homolophus (Opiliones: Phalangiidae), with descriptions of two new species, Zootaxa 4908 (3), pp. 301-353 : 311

Homolophus albofasciatus ( Kulczyński, 1901)

Figures 3–4

Phalangium Nordenskiöldi var. albofasciata Kulczyński, 1901: 320 , 351–352 [junior subjective synonym of Phalangium nordenskioeldi L. Koch, 1879a by Staręga (1964); synonymy disclaimed by Cokendolpher (1987: 91)].

Euphalangium nordenskiöldi var. albofasciatum — Roewer, 1911: 34–35; Roewer 1912: 111, 114; A. Müller 1918: 563–564, pl. 11, fig.14

Euphalangium albofasciatum — Roewer, 1923: 764–765; Roewer 1956: 260; Schenkel 1963: 484; Starćga 1964: 399–403, figs. 14–17; Gricenko 1979a: 38, fig. 36; Gricenko 1979b: 130–131, fig. 16; Gricenko 1980: 561

Homolophus albofasciatus — Cokendolpher 1987: 91; Li & Song 1993: 239

Diagnosis. Homolophus albofasciatus differs from all other species including the most closely related, Homolophus arcticus Banks, 1893 , by having the following characters: short and thick legs; comparatively short but thick penis, broadest at base and gradually narrowed to tip; glans widest (in lateral view) terminally near junction of stylus.

Type Locality. Mongolia, Urga (currently Ulan Bator), 47°55’N, 106°55’E .

Distribution. Mongolia (Central and South Khangai Amigas) and here newly recorded from China ( Fig. 4 ).

Specimens Examined. CHINA, Xîzàng (Tibet), Qinghai Province, Sur-Man Monastery and surroundings, 3353 m a.s.l., October 1900 (1 male, ZIN) ; za-Chu River (Mekong) (1 male, ZIN) ; Kozlov Mongolian-Tibetan expedition, Hurkhu mountains , 1– 7.11.1925, leg. Przhevalsky, field # N 469-926 (2 females, ZIN) .

Description. Medium-sized harvestmen; male body rectangular, with rounded corners; medium sclerotization of body cuticle, less slender, 1.65 times longer than wide; length 5.3 mm, width 3.2 mm; body dorsally finely granulated, light brown, with transverse rows of small denticles along borders and on lateral edges of tergites. Anterior border of cephalothorax with group of few, dispersed, black-tipped denticles, and similar, slightly smaller denticles scattered around on cephalothorax. Ocularium low, round, small, 1.7 times its length from anterior margin of cephalothorax, with 3–5 black-tipped denticles on each side. Legs short, angular in cross-section, I and III (especially Fe) thickened, with longitudinal rows of denticles. Leg lengths (mm): I 2.0 + 1.0 + 2.3 + 2.5 + 3.5 = 11.3, II 3.0 + 1.2 + 2.8 + 2.8 + 7.0 = 14.0, III 2.4 + 1.0 + 2.3 + 2.8 + 5.0 = 13.5, IV 3.2 + 1.3 + 2.5 + 4.3 + 7.5 = 18.8. Pedipalp segment lengths (mm): 1.1 + 0.8 + 0.8 + 1.3 = 4.0. Pedipalp slender, Fe ventrally with several larger denticles; Pa dorsally with several denticles; Ti and Ta with various kinds of setae and ventrally with strip (several denticles wide) of sensory microdenticles. Chelicerae enlarged sexually dimorphic) with some tabby marks, basal segment dorsally with several smaller denticles, distal segment anteriorly densely covered with microdenticles. Cheliceral basal segment ventrally smooth without bulge, length 1.6 mm, distal length 1.8 mm. Penis with wide base, tapers distally; truncus dorsoventrally flattened, bowed, recurved in lateral view; glans widest (in lateral view) terminally near junction of stylus; length (mm): truncus 5.3, glans 0.25, stylus 0.1.

Comments. Specimens over 100 years old. Colors likely faded. Although females were present in the samples studied, they were not described here because they were seen in a foreign museum prior to the beginning of work on this manuscript.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Homolophus albofasciatus (Kulczyński, 1901), male:A, body, dorsal; B, ocularium, dorsal; C, femur I, dorsal; D, right chelicera, mesal; E, right chelicera, ectal; F, right pedipalp, mesal; G, right pedipalp, ectal; H, penis, dorsal; I, penis, lateral; J, penis glans, dorsal; K, penis glans, lateral.

FIGURE 4. Distribution of some Homolophus species in the Palearctic: Central and Inner Asia. Data for pale colored symbols taken from literature; identifications not verified.