Indohya julianneae Harvey & Burger, 2023

Harvey, Mark S., Burger, Mieke A. A., Abrams, Kym M., Finston, Terrie L., Huey, Joel A. & Perina, Giulia, 2023, The systematics of the pseudoscorpion genus Indohya (Pseudoscorpiones: Hyidae) in Australia, Zootaxa 5342 (1), pp. 1-119 : 104-107

Indohya julianneae Harvey & Burger , n. sp.

( Figs. 6B , 58 , 59 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:9A3157D3-9286-4154-A205-ED7497EE6501

Material examined. Holotype female. AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: Irvine Island , bore 11DDH098, 16°05′10.75″S, 123°32′12.95″E, 28 September–2 December 2011, troglofauna trap, J. Alexander ( WAM T127193 ).

Paratypes. AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: 1 Ô, Koolan Island, 16°07′54″S, 123°45′31″E, January–February 2007, J. Clark ( WAM T142931 ); 1 tritonymph, Irvine Island , bore 10DDH033, 16°04′40.21″S, 123°32′44.20″E, 2 December 2011, troglofauna trap, depth 30 m, J. Alexander, A. Brown ( WAM T152602 ) .

Diagnosis. Indohya julianneae is an epigean species with two pairs of eyes and 14 setae on the carapace ( Fig. 59A ), thus resembling I. boltoni , I. cardo and I. karenae . It differs from I. karenae by the less robust chelal hand [hand (without pedicel) 1.54 (Ô), 1.54 (♀) longer than broad, vs. 1.39 (♀) in I. karenae ], from I. cardo by the less prominent chelal teeth in the basal half of the fixed chelal finger, and from I. boltoni by its smaller size [e.g. chela (with pedicel) less than 0.8 mm, vs. greater than 1.0 mm in I. boltoni ].

It also differs from all other Indohya species for which sequence data are available by a synapomorphy in COI mtDNA: at base 436 there is a substitution to G. The single sequenced specimen differs from all other sequenced specimens of Indohya by 13.8–29.9% (Table 2).

Description (adult). Colour ( Fig. 58 ): carapace and pedipalps deep yellow-brown, tergites light brown.

Setae and cuticle: setae long, mostly straight and acicular; most cuticular surfaces smooth and glossy.

Chelicera: surface smooth; hand with 6 setae (Ô, ♀), movable finger with 1 sub-medial seta, all setae acuminate; galea present, long, slender and slightly curved; fixed finger with 10 (Ô), 11 (♀) small teeth, each approximately same size; movable finger with 6 (Ô, ♀) teeth, each approximately same size; with 2 dorsal and 1 ventral lyrifissures; lamina exterior absent; rallum with 7 (Ô, ♀) blades, all blades with anterior spinules, basal blade shorter than others.

Pedipalp ( Fig. 59B ): long and slender; trochanter smooth, 2.28 (Ô) ×, 2.42 (♀) ×; femur broadest medially, basal half lightly granulate, without dorsal tactile seta, with 3 stout retrolateral setae near base, 4.41 (Ô) ×, 4.33 (♀) ×; patella broadened distally, smooth, pedicel not strongly pronounced but basal portion slimmer than distal portion, with several small lyrifissures situated basally on dorsal surface, 3.05 (Ô) ×, 2.80 (♀) ×; chela ( Fig. 59C ): hand slender, with prolateral face lightly granulate, chela (with pedicel) 4.09 (Ô), 3.78 (♀) ×, chela (without pedicel) 3.83 (Ô), 3.59 (♀) ×, hand (without pedicel) 1.54 (Ô), 1.54 (♀) × longer than broad, movable finger 1.43 (Ô), 1.29 (♀) × longer than hand (without pedicel). Fixed finger with 8 trichobothria, eb, esb and isb in straight row at base of finger, ib situated dorsally at the end of the chelal hand, isb at the basal end of the fixed finger, ib situated on dorsum of chelal hand, it closer to et than to est, et slightly distal to it; movable finger with 4 trichobothria, sb closer to b than to st, st situated much closer to t than to sb; ratio sb–st/sb–b = 1.42 (Ô), 1.74 (♀); t acuminate; both fingers straight in lateral view; fixed finger smooth, movable finger with several prolateral and retrolateral granulations basally. Chelal teeth ( Fig. 59D ) juxtadentate, fixed finger with 39 (Ô), 40 (♀) teeth, teeth 1–3, 25, 27, 30–39 pointed, 37 and 38 rounded, remainder truncate (Ô), teeth 1–3, 29, 31–32, 34–40 acute, 4–28 truncate with basal teeth slightly rounded, 30, 33 rounded (♀); movable finger with 10 (Ô, ♀), low, barely discernible teeth. Venom apparatus present only in movable chelal finger, venom duct long, terminating in nodus ramosus between sb and st.

Cephalothorax: carapace ( Fig. 59A ) sub-rectangular; smooth; anterior margin slightly convex; epistome absent; lateral margins slightly convex; 1.21 (Ô), 1.19 (♀) × longer than broad; with 14 setae arranged 4: 2: 4: 2: 2; without furrows; with two pairs of large, corneate eyes, situated near anterior margin of carapace. Manducatory process distally triangular, with 2 distal setae, pedipalpal coxa with 6 (Ô, ♀) additional setae. Coxa I with anterior margin not modified; chaetotaxy of coxae I–IV: Ô, 4: 4: 4: 6; ♀, 4: 4: 5: 6.

Legs: femora I and II much longer than patellae I and II, respectively; femora I and II with basal swelling; femora I and II each with 2 primary slit sensilla, 1 sub-basally directed longitudinally and 1 sub-distally directed transversely; junction between anterior femora and patellae perpendicular; junction between posterior femora and patellae slightly oblique; femora III and IV much smaller than patellae III and IV, respectively; femur + patella IV 2.53 (Ô), 2.96 (♀) × longer than broad; metatarsi shorter than tarsi; subterminal tarsal seta acuminate; claws smooth, arolium slightly shorter than claws; arolium not divided.

Abdomen: tergites not divided; tergal chaetotaxy Ô, 4: 6: 6: 6: 7: 8: 8: 8: 8: 8 (including 4 tactile setae): 4 (including 2 tactile setae): 2; ♀, 4: 6: 6: 6: 6: 8: 6: 8: 8: 8: 8: 6 (including 2 tactile setae): 2; arranged in single rows; sternal chaetotaxy Ô, 16: (1) 20 [2 + 2] (1): (2) 6 (2): 10: 10: 10: 10: 8: 8 (including 2 tactile setae): 6 (including 2 tactile setae): 2; ♀, 7: (2) 7 (2): (2) 6 (2): 9: 10: 10: 10: 11: 10 (including 2 tactile setae): 6 (including 2 tactile setae): 2; posterior tergites and sternites with several tactile setae; medial sternites without suture line; pleural membrane uniformly granulate, without setae; stigmatic helix present.

Genitalia: male: lateral genital sacs large and ovoid; median genital sac short and ovoid; ejaculatory duct atrium large and rounded; dorsal apodeme wing-like; without a pair of large dorsal genital sacs; with 2 pairs of setae within genital atrium. Female: with large gonosac that is covered with scattered pores.

Dimensions (mm): male paratype ( WAM T143931 ). Body length (excluding chelicerae) 2.67. Pedipalp: trochanter 0.205 / 0.090 , femur 0.485 / 0.110, patella 0.335 / 0.110, chela (with pedicel) 0.715 / 0.110, chela (without pedicel) length 0.670, chelal hand (without pedicel) length 0.270, movable finger length 0.385. Carapace 0.375 / 0.310, anterior eye diameter 0.035, posterior eye diameter 0.03. Leg IV: femur + patella 0.380 / 0.150, tibia 0.290 / 0.065, metatarsus 0.125 / 0.050, tarsus 0.235 / 0.035.

Female holotype ( WAM T127913 ). Body length (excluding chelicerae) 1.26. Pedipalp: trochanter 0.230 / 0.095 , femur 0.520 / 0.120, patella 0.350 / 0.125, chela (with pedicel) 0.775 / 0.205, chela (without pedicel) 0.735, hand (without pedicel) 0.315, movable finger length 0.405. Carapace 0.410 / 0.345, anterior eye 0.035, posterior eye 0.030. Leg IV: femur + patella 0.400 / 0.135, tibia 0.280 / 0.075, metatarsus 0.145 / 0.050, tarsus 0.245 / 0.040.

Description (tritonymph). Colour: pale, yellow-white.

Chelicera: hand with 6 setae, movable finger with 1 sub-medial seta.

Pedipalp: trochanter 2.2 ×, femur 4.33 ×, patella 2.94 ×, chela (with pedicel) 3.75 ×, chela (without pedicel) 3.50 ×, hand (without pedicel) 1.75 × longer than broad, movable finger 1.16 × longer than hand (without pedicel). Fixed finger with 7 trichobothria ( Fig. 59E ), eb, esb, est, et, ib, ist and it present; movable finger with 3 trichobothria; b, st and t present, st much closer to t than to b. Fixed chelal finger with most distal tooth pointed, teeth 2–15 quadrate, 16–18 rounded, remainder pointed and slightly retrorse, movable chelal finger with no perceptible teeth.

Cephalothorax: carapace 1.19 × longer than broad; with 14 setae, arranged 4: 2: 4: 2: 2, including posterior margin with 2 setae; smooth; without furrows; eyes absent. Coxal chaetotaxy 4: 4: 4: 4.

Legs: femur + patella IV 2.75 × longer than broad; metatarsi and tarsi not fused.

Abdomen: tergal chaetotaxy 4: 5: 6: 6: 6: 6: 6: 6: 6: 6: 4 (including 2 tactile setae): 2; sternal chaetotaxy 0: (2) 5 (2): (2) 5 (2): 8: 8: 8: 8: 9: 7: 4 (including 2 tactile setae): 2.

Dimensions (mm): WAM T152602 . Body length 1.11. Pedipalp : trochanter 0.165 / 0.075 , femur 0.365 / 0.085, patella 0.265 / 0.090, chela (with pedicel) 0.525 / 0.140, chela (without pedicel) 0.490, hand (without pedicel) length 0.245, movable finger length 0.285. Carapace 0.315 / 0.265 . Leg IV: femur + patella 0.275 / 0.100.

Distribution and remarks. Indohya julianneae has been collected from Irvine Island and Koolan Island in the western Kimberley region of Western Australia, with the sites only 24 km apart ( Fig. 6A ). The sites are situated within the Northern Kimberley bioregion. The two specimens from Irvine Island were collected from subterranean ecosystems, but both specimens have two pairs of eyes ( Figs. 59A ) and are clearly not troglobitic. These specimens were among samples that contained specimens of I. finitima and I. sachsei , with the sequence data suggesting that all three species are derived from a common ancestor and form a monophyletic group. They represent a transition from a fully-eyed species with ocular setae present ( I. julianneae ) to a blind species with ocular setae present ( I. sachsei ) to a blind species with ocular setae absent ( I. finitima ). The species was previously known by WAM identification code Indohya ‘PSE185’.

Conservation assessment. The collecting site on Koolan Island has since been developed as a mine site, and all surface habitat has been lost. However, there are unmined regions elsewhere on the island that may still harbour populations of I. julianneae . The occurrence of this species on Irvine and Koolan Islands suggests that it does not meet the status of threatened using the criteria developed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (2012).

Etymology. This species is named for our friend and colleague Julianne Waldock.

Figures

FIGURE 6. Maps of north-western Australia depicting recorded distributions of the three epigean species of Indohya from the Kimberley:A, epigean species; B, troglobitic species.

FIGURE 58. Indohya julianneae Harvey & Burger, n. sp., paratype male (WAM T142931): A, dorsal; B, ventral; C, cephalothorax, dorsal. Scale lines = 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 59. Indohya julianneae Harvey & Burger, n. sp., holotype female (WAM T127193), unless stated otherwise: A, carapace, dorsal, paratype male (WAM T142931); B, right pedipalp, dorsal; C, left chela, retrolateral; D, left fixed finger, chelal teeth, retrolateral; E, right chela, retrolateral, paratype tritonymph (WAM T152602). Scale lines = 0.2 mm (Figs. A–C, E), 0.1 mm (Fig. D).