Traegaardhia gracilis Zacharda, 2010

Zacharda, Miloslav, Fong, Daniel, Hobbs Iii, Horton H., Piva, Erminio, Slay, Michael E. & Taylor, Steven J., 2010, 2474, Zootaxa 2474, pp. 1-64 : 31-34

Traegaardhia gracilis Zacharda , n. sp. ( Figs 21–24)

Material examined

HOLOTYPE: adult female, Italy, Venetia, the Lessinian Mts, Valdagno (Vicenza), the Boia valley , excavated in endogean environment near the stream, about 480 m a.s.l., coll. D. Bianco, E. Piva, 28.4.2008, deposited in the Museum of Biological Diversity , Ohio State University, Type No. OSAL007374; paratype (deposited with holotype): adult female, Italy, Venetia, the Euganei Hills , Arquà Petrarca (Padua), in a valley north of the Ventolone Mt. , about 180 m a.s.l., coll. E. Piva, 14.6.2009, OSAL007375

Diagnosis

Cheliceral fixed digit with distinct prebasal laterodorsal fissure located at level of insertion of proximal cheliceral seta; proximal cheliceral seta inserted slightly distad of articulation of cheliceral digits; tip of proximal cheliceral seta does not reach insertion of distal seta. Masticatory surface of cheliceral movable digit finely serrated. Palpal tarsus about same length as femorogenu, with ten pubescent setae. Solenidion on palpal tarsus spiniform, erect. Coxae I, II, III, IV with 3-1-6-3 or 3-1-6/5-3 finely pubescent setae, respectively. Rhagidial organ I comprised of four oblique separate and strikingly slender rhagidial solenidia (ω) that are shorter than diameter of tarsus at site of their insertion (see in dorsal aspect); stellate famulus (ε) subtending second proximal rhagidial solenidion antiaxially; rhagidial organ II comprised of three rhagidial solenidia lying in tandem in separate depressions (some of them may be confluent-check both tarsi II); small spiniform famulus (ε) subtending proximal rhagidial solenidion.

Affinities

Traegaardhia gracilis n. sp. is very similar to T. cavernarum n. sp. from which it can be distinguished by the erect spiniform solenidion on palpal tarsus and the erect spiniform proximal solenidion on tibia I; in T. cavernarum these solenidia are recumbent, lie in shallow depressions and resemble small rhagidial solenidia. In T. gracilis the slender rhagidial solenidia in rhagidial organ I are shorter than diameter of tarsus at site of their insertion (see in dorsal aspect); in T. cavernarum the rhagidial solenidia in rhagidial organ I are much longer than diameter of tarsus at site of their insertion.

Etymology

The epithet gracilis reflects the morphology of the rhagidial solenidia on tarsi I which are elongated and strikingly slender. Feminine gender.

Description

Adult female (two examined). Length of idiosoma 930–960 µm. Ratio of leg I length to idiosomal length 1.38.

Gnathosoma . Subcapitulum oval, subtriangular (Fig. 22F); ratio of length to breadth 1.40; distal hypostomal lips with spiniform internal and external malar processes with plain rim; adoral setae nude, overlapping apex of subcapitulum; proximal subcapitular setae pubescent, external pair slightly longer than internal pair. Dorsal surface of chelicera with saddle-shaped depression at level of bases of digits (Fig. 22A,B); cheliceral digits long, slender; fixed digit terminates in two cusps, smooth along masticatory surface and with distinct prebasal laterodorsal fissure located at level of insertion of proximal cheliceral seta; movable digit finely serrate along distal two thirds of masticatory surface. Chelicera with two setae; proximal seta inserted distad of articulation of cheliceral digits; tip of proximal seta not reaching insertion of distal seta; tip of distal seta distinctly overlaps apex of fixed digit. Length of chelicera 214–224 µm, dorsoventral width 79–92 µm, length of movable digit 82 µm, length of proximal and distal cheliceral setae 20 and 50 µm, respectively, distance between their insertions 26 µm. Ratios: cheliceral length to dorsoventral width 2.42–2.70, length of movable digit to length of chelicera 0.36–0.38, length of movable digit to dorsoventral width of chelicera 0.89–1.04. Palpal tarsus about the same length as femorogenu (Fig. 22C); ratio of length to width of tarsus 3.44–3.66. Length of palpal trochanter, femorogenu, tibia and tarsus 33–43, 92–115, 49–53 and 102–109 µm, respectively. Number of setae and solenidia (in brackets) on palpal trochanter, femorogenu, tibia and tarsus 0-2-3- 10(1), respectively; tarsal solenidion spiniform, erect.

Prodorsum. Naso well-developed, all prodorsal setae torn off in the examined specimens ( Fig. 21A).

Opisthosomal dorsum and anal region. Cupules ia positioned proximad of insertions of setae c 2, about midway between insertions of setae setae c 1 and d 1; im lateral and about midway between insertions of setae d 1 and e 1; ip lateral and about midway between insertions of e 1 and f 1; ih positioned ventrolateraly, laterodistad of insertions of adanal setae ad 1, and almost at level of insertions of posteriormost pair of aggenital setae ( Fig. 21A,B). Length of setae: c 1 73, c 2 158, d 1, e 1 torn off, f 1 85, f 2 59, h 1 112, h 2 66, ps 1 99, ps 2 59, ps 3 33, ad 1 35 µm. FIGURE 22. Traegaardhia gracilis n. sp., adult female: (A) chelicera, lateral aspect; (B) cheliceral digits in detail, lateral aspect; (C) palpus, lateral aspect; (D) rhagidial organ I, dorsal aspect; (E) rhagidial organ II, dorsal aspect; (F) subcapitulum, ventral aspect.

Podosoma. Coxae I, II, III, IV with 3-1-6-3 finely pubescent setae, respectively; exceptionally five setae on coxa III asymmetrically.

Genital region. Genital valves each with six finely pubescent genital setae (g) of similar length, about 43 µm, arranged evenly along medial edge of valve ( Fig. 21B). Five pairs of aggenital setae (ag) of similar length, about 66 µm. Length of genital valves 148 µm.

Legs. Leg I 1280 µm long, about 1.38 as long as idiosoma. Empodia of all legs setulose, slightly overlapping claws; claws each with small tubercle ventrobasally. Number of setae and solenidia (solenidia and famulus (ε) bracketed), respectively, on legs I-II-III-IV (Figs 23,24): trochanters 1-1-2-2, basifemora + telofemora 5+5-6+5-4+4-3+4, genua 11(1)-9(1)-7(1)-6, tibiae 11(2)-7(2)-7(2)-6(1), tarsi 21(4+ε)-16(3+ε)-14-14. Genua I and II each with one erect spiniform distoventral solenidion (σ); genu III with one small dorsoproximal spiniform solenidion. Tibia I with one erect spiniform dorsoproximal solenidion (Φ), and one small dorsodistal rhagidial solenidion; tibia II with one erect spiniform dorsoproximal solenidion, and one dorsodistal lanceolate solenidion recessed in deep pit with small surface pore; tibia III with two erect spiniform dorsoproximal solenidia arranged in tandem; tibia IV with one erect spiniform laterodorsal proximal solenidion. Tarsus I slender, its tip slightly tapers in lateral view ( Fig. 23C), ratio length to width 5.15–5.92, with four long, strikingly slender, oblique separate rhagidial solenidia (ω); stellate famulus (ε) subtending second proximal rhagidial solenidion antiaxially (Fig. 22D); tarsus II with three rhagidial solenidia lying in tandem in separate depressions (some of them may be confluent—check both tarsi); small spiniform famulus (ε) subtending proximal rhagidial solenidion (Fig. 22E).