Indohya scanloni 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 : 92-95

Indohya scanloni Harvey & Burger , n. sp.

( Figs. 1–3 , 5 , 50 , 51 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:2833D53F-B4C6-45DB-9B4A-279256E7A331

Material examined. Holotype male. AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: Upper Weeli Wolli, ca. 70 km NW. of Newman , 22°55′02.41″S, 119°12′20.33″E, 10 May 2011, stygofauna net, 3–6 m depth, J.S. Cocking, M.D. Scanlon ( WAM T140479 ).

Paratype: AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: 1 ♀, collected with holotype ( WAM T151338 ) .

Diagnosis. Indohya scanloni belongs to a group of Indohya species that have 12 setae on the carapace and no eyes. It differs from I. anastomosa , I. aquila and I. humphreysi by the presence of 4 setae on tergite I (only 2 setae in I. anastomosa , I. aquila and I. humphreysi ). It differs from I. arnoldstrongi , I. cockingi and I. finitima by having numerous pointed teeth on the fixed chelal finger, and from I. cribbi and I. lynbeazleyae by the partially granulate pedipalpal femur and smooth patella (femur and patella granulate in I. cribbi and I. lynbeazleyae ). It differs from I. damocles and I. sagmata by its less narrow pedipalpal segments [e.g. chela (with pedicel) less than 4.5 × longer than broad; femur less than 6.0 × longer than broad, vs. chela (with pedicel) at least 5.0 × longer than broad; femur at least 6.5 × longer than broad], and from I. jessicae by its smaller size [e.g. chela (with pedicel) 1.395 (Ô), 1.505 (♀), vs. 1.81 (♀) mm in I. jessicae ].

It also differs from all other Indohya species for which sequence data are available by a synapomorphy in COI mtDNA: at base 488 there is a substitution to C. The single sequenced specimen differs from all other sequenced specimens of Indohya by 15.6–26.4% (Table 2).

Description (adult). Colour ( Fig. 50 ): 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 5 (Ô), 5 or 6 setae (♀), movable finger with 1 sub-medial seta, all setae acuminate; galea present, long, slender and slightly curved; fixed finger with 15 (Ô), 14 (♀) small teeth, each approximately same size; movable finger with 7 (Ô, ♀) small 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. 51B ): long and slender; trochanter smooth, 2.30 (Ô) ×, 2.44 (♀) ×; femur slightly broadened distally, basal third lightly granulate, without dorsal tactile seta, with 3 stout retrolateral setae near base, 5.94 (Ô) ×, 5.61 (♀) ×; patella slightly broadened distally, smooth, pedicel not strongly pronounced but basal portion slimmer than distal portion, with several small lyrifissures situated basally on dorsal surface, 3.58 (Ô) ×, 3.81 (♀) ×; chela ( Fig. 51C ): hand slender, with dorsal, prolateral and retrolateral faces lightly granulate, chela (with pedicel) 4.10 (Ô) ×, 3.91 (♀) ×, chela (without pedicel) 3.81 (Ô) ×, 3.61 (♀) ×, hand (without pedicel) 1.57 (Ô) ×, 1.55 (♀) × longer than broad, movable finger 1.33 (Ô) ×, 1.24 (♀) × 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 = 1.50 (Ô), 1.28 (♀), t acuminate. Both fingers straight in lateral view. Fixed finger smooth, movable finger with several prolateral and retrolateral granulations basally. Chelal teeth ( Fig. 51D ) juxtadentate, fixed finger with 69 (Ô), 77 (♀) teeth, teeth 1–9, 35–43, 45–60, 62–69 acute, remainder rounded (Ô), teeth 1–10, 36, 38–48, 50, 52–54, 56–77 acute (♀), movable finger with ca. 22 (Ô), 30 (♀) low but discernible teeth. Venom apparatus present only in movable chelal finger, venom duct long, terminating in nodus ramosus between sb and st.

Cephalothorax: carapace ( Fig. 51A ) sub-rectangular; smooth; anterior margin slightly convex; epistome absent; lateral margins slightly convex; 1.19 (Ô) ×, 1.24 (♀) × longer than broad; with 12 setae arranged 4: 0: 4: 2: 2; without furrows; eyes absent. Manducatory process distally triangular, with 2 distal setae; pedipalpal coxa with 6 (Ô), 7 (♀) additional setae. Coxa I with anterior margin not modified; chaetotaxy of coxae I–IV: Ô, 4: 4: 6: 4; ♀, 4: 4: 4: 5.

Legs: femora I and II much longer than patellae I and II, respectively; femora I and II with basal swelling; femora I and II with primary slit sensillum 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 3.91 (Ô) × longer than broad; femur + patella IV 4.03 (♀) × 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: 4: 6: 6: 6: 6: 6: 6: 6: 4 (including 2 tactile setae): 4 (including 2 tactile setae): 2; ♀, 4: 4: 6: 6: 6: 6: 6: 6: 6: 4: 4 (including 2 tactile setae): 2; arranged in single rows; sternal chaetotaxy Ô, 22: (2) 16 [2 + 2] (2): (2) 6 (2): 9: 8: 7: 9: 8: 6 (including 2 tactile setae): 7 (including 4 tactile setae): 2; ♀, 12: (2) 6 (3): (2) 8 (2): 10: 9: 9: 10: 9: 7: 4 (including 2 tactile setae): 2; setae of anterior genital operculum (sternite II) of ♀ minute; posterior tergites and sternites with several tactile setae; medial sternites without suture line; pleural membrane uniformly granulate; without setae; stigmatic helix present.

Genitalia: 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 holotype ( WAM T140479 ). Body length (excluding chelicerae) 2.08. Pedipalp : trochanter 0.345 / 0.150 , femur 0.950 / 0.160, patella 0.680 / 0.190, chela (with pedicel) 1.395 / 0.340, chela (without pedicel) length 1.295, chelal hand (without pedicel) length 0.535, movable finger length 0.710. Carapace 0.645 / 0.540 . Leg IV: femur + patella 0.625 / 0.160, tibia 0.470 / 0.085, metatarsus 0.215 / 0.060, tarsus 0.400 / 0.045.

Female paratype ( WAM T151338 ). Body length (excluding chelicerae) 2.32. Pedipalp : trochanter 0.390 / 0.160 , femur 1.010 / 0.180, patella 0.800 / 0.210, chela (with pedicel) 1.505 / 0.385, chela (without pedicel) 1.390, hand (without pedicel) 0.595, movable finger length 0.735. Carapace 0.720 / 0.580 . Leg IV: femur + patella 0.665 / 0.165, tibia 0.495 / 0.085, metatarsus 0.225 / 0.070, tarsus 0.420 / 0.045.

Distribution and remarks. Indohya scanloni is a blind, troglobitic species that has only been collected from a borehole situated in Weeli Wolli Creek in the south-eastern Pilbara region of Western Australia ( Fig. 5 ). The molecular data recovered a strong phylogenetic relationship with I. cockingi , I. incomperta , I. sagmata and I. silenda , which all occur in subterranean ecosystems in the same general region of the Pilbara ( Fig. 5 ). The species was previously known by WAM identification code Indohya ‘PSE186’.

Conservation assessment. Indohya scanloni has been collected from a single borehole in a subterranean deposit, but it is unknown whether it is more widely distributed in the local area. However, the creek is extensive and it is therefore likely that the distribution of I. scanloni may extend further into the local area. The species 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 Michael Scanlon, one of the collectors of the type specimens.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Maximum likelihood phylogeny of Hyidae and other neobisioids, based on alignment of concatenated COI, 18S and 28S. Ultrafast bootstrap values are presented for nodes greater than 80%.

FIGURE 2. Maximum likelihood phylogeny of Australian Indohya, using COI, 18S and 28S concatenated dataset. Bootstrap values are presented for all nodes. The genes amplified for each specimen are depicted with black squares in the gene matrix.

FIGURE 3. Maximum likelihood phylogeny of Australian Indohya, using COI. Bootstrap values are presented for all nodes.

FIGURE 5. Maps of north-western Australia depicting recorded distributions of the subterranean species of Indohya from the Pilbara and Cape Range region.

FIGURE 50. Indohya scanloni Harvey & Burger, n. sp.: A–C, holotype male (WAM T140479): A, dorsal; B, ventral; C, cephalothorax, dorsal; D–F, paratype female (WAM T151338): D, dorsal; E, ventral; F, cephalothorax, dorsal. Scale lines = 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 51. Indohya scanloni Harvey & Burger, n. sp., holotype male (WAM T140479):A, carapace, dorsal; B, right pedipalp, dorsal; B, left chela, retrolateral; C, fixed chelal finger teeth, retrolateral; D, left fixed finger, chelal teeth, retrolateral. Scale lines = 0.5 mm (Figs. B, C), 0.2 mm (Figs. A, D).