Laftrachia robin, Porto & Derkarabetian & Giribet & Pérez-González, 2024

Porto, Willians, Derkarabetian, Shahan, Giribet, Gonzalo & Pérez-González, Abel, 2024, Systematic revision of the South American “ Nuncia ” (Opiliones, Laniatores, Triaenonychidae), ZooKeys 1207, pp. 1-149 : 1-149

Laftrachia robin sp. nov.

Figs 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 61

Material examined.

Holotype. ♂ Chile. Arauco: San Alfonso, Quebrada Caramávida, Arauco Reserve , 37.70942 ° S, 73.17107 ° W, 750 m, M. Ramírez, A. Ojanguren, A. Pérez-González, G. Azevedo, W. Porto coll., 15. I. 2018 ( MNHNCL) . Paratypes. Chile. Arauco: San Alfonso, Quebrada Caramávida, Arauco Reserve , 37.70942 ° S, 73.17107 ° W, 750 m, M. Ramírez, A. Ojanguren, A. Pérez-González, G. Azevedo, W. Porto coll., 15. I. 2018, 1 ♂ 6 ♀ ( MACN) .

Etymology.

The species name, a noun in apposition, is a reference to the DC comics character “ Robin ” (https://www.dccomics.com/characters/robin). The black pigmentation in the eye region of the species is similar to the mask used by the character in his appearances.

Description of male.

Measurements: Total length 1.65, carapace length 0.66, dorsal scutum length 1.28, max. carapace width 0.87, max. dorsal scutum width 1.14. Appendage measurements: Pedipalps. Trochanter length 0.18, femora length 0.88, patella length 0.30, tibia length 0.51, tarsus length 0.50. Leg I: trochanter (tr) 0.16, femora (fe) 0.56, patella (pa) 0.29, tibia (ti) 0.42, metatarsus (mt) 0.37, tarsus (ta) 0.46. II: tr 0.17, fe 0.75, pa 0.32, ti 0.53, mt 0.82, ta 0.57. III: tr 0.18, fe 0.51, pa 0.21, ti 0.27, mt 0.44, ta 0.50. IV: tr 0.22, fe 0.69, pa 0.39, ti 0.57, mt 0.67, ta 0.73.

Dorsum (Fig. 56 , 57 ). Eta (η) hourglass-shaped dorsal scutum. Ocularium low, lacking a medial spine. Carapace covering ~ ½ of the dorsal scutum, displaying furrows on the posterior area and distinct lateral edges. Free tergites with a smooth surface.

Chelicerae (Fig. 58 A, B ). Segment I characterized by the presence of five ventral tubercles and three dorsal tubercles, all adorned with subdistal setae. Segment II with a total of 11 ectal tubercles, five mesal tubercles, and approximately seven frontal tubercles.

Pedipalps (Fig. 58 C, D ). Trochanter with a dorsal tubercle. Femora with a row of four ventral tubercles, a row of dorsal tubercles adorned with subdistal setae, and a long distal ectal apophysis. Patella with a pair of small ventral tubercles with setae. Tibia with two ventral rows of tubercles, with three small tubercles and two setiferous tubercles on the mesal side, and a row of six small setiferous tubercles on the ectal side. Tarsus equipped with three tubercles featuring ectal and mesal subdistal setae.

Legs (Fig. 59 ). Coxa I with four small proximal tubercles, one medial tubercle with subdistal setae, and three distal tubercles (two small and one with subdistal seta). Coxa II with scattered small tubercles with setae. Coxae III and IV smooth, while the cerotegument covers the distal portion of leg III and almost the entire leg IV. Bridge is present. Spiracles visible. Sternum arrow-shaped. Trochanter of leg I and femora of legs I and II covered in small tubercles with setae. Tibia of leg IV covered with small tubercles with setae. Metatarsus-tarsus of all legs densely setose. Tarsus occupies almost the entire length of metatarsus. Tarsal count: 3–4 – 3 – 4.

Penis (Figs 60 , 61 ). Pars distalis with an arcuate ventral plate without a cleft, characterized by three ventral and one dorsal macrosetae each side. Capsula externa shorter than capsula interna and with a dorsal cleft that divides it into two dorsal halves. Additionally, there are lateral folds present on each side, and a dorsolateral plate surrounds the capsula externa. Capsula interna trifid, with two lateral processes running parallel to stylus. Stylus membranous and shaped like an inflatable bag.

Female. Similar to male, but with certain differences: pedipalps are shorter, lacks ectal-distal apophysis present on pedipalp femora of male.

Female measurements. Total length 1.75, carapace length 0.71, dorsal scutum length 1.46, carapace max. width 0.84, mesotergum max. width 1.23. Appendage measurements: Pedipalps. Trochanter length 0.17, femora length 0.63, patella length 0.34, tibia length 0.46, tarsus length 0.45. Leg I: trochanter (tr) 0.12, femora (fe) 0.57, patella (pa) 0.31, tibia (ti) 0.38, metatarsus (mt) 0.48, tarsus (ta) 0.44. II: tr 0.17, fe 0.80, pa 0.35, ti 0.51, mt 0.77, ta 0.80. III: tr 0.18, fe 0.47, pa 0.25, ti 0.32, mt 0.44, ta 0.50. IV: tr 0.22, fe 0.72, pa 0.38, ti 0.53, mt 0.66, ta 0.60.

Figures

Figure 3. Phylogenetics relationships of Triaenonychidae, with clade names as discussed in the main text. Phylogeny is derived from the IQ-TREE analysis. Nodes without circles have < 95 % bootstrap support to AH-aLR and UFBoot.

Figure 56. Laftrachia robin sp. nov. habitus, male A dorsal view C lateral view E ventral view. Female B dorsal view D lateral view F ventral view. Scale bars: 500 µm. Species of Clade C, see Fig. 3.

Figure 57. Laftrachia robin sp. nov. male, SEM images of habitus A dorsal view B lateral view C, D ventral view. Scale bars: 500 µm.

Figure 58. Laftrachia robin sp. nov. chelicerae: mesal A ectal B Pedipalps: mesal C ectal D. Scale bars: 500 µm.

Figure 59. Laftrachia robin sp. nov. legs I A II B III C IV D. Scale bars: 200 µm.

Figure 60. Laftrachia robin sp. nov. penis: ventral A, B apical C lateral D, E dorsal F, G. Scale bars: 100 µm (A, D, E, F); 20 µm (B, C); 50 µm (G).

Figure 61. Laftrachia robin sp. nov. penis: ventral A apical B lateral C dorsal D. Colors: ventral plate (yellow), capsula externa (blue), capsula interna (red). Scale bars: 20 µm (A, B); 100 µm (C, D).