Geogarypidae, Chamberlin, 1930

Neethling, J. A., 2024, Three new Geogarypidae (Pseudoscorpiones: Garypoidea) from South Africa, with an updated key to the country’s geogarypid species, Zootaxa 5443 (3), pp. 387-405 : 403-404

Key to the Geogarypidae species of South Africa

1 Dorsal surface of chela hand with a well-developed sulcus or concave region ( Afrogarypus ).......................... 2

1’ Dorsal surface of chela hand without a well-developed sulcus or concave region ( Geogarypus )....................... 13

2(1) Dorsal surface of chela hand with a distinct sulcus proximal to the base of the fixed finger, as in fig. 3A................. 3

2’ Dorsal surface of chela hand without a distinct sulcus but with a wide depression, giving the dorsum of chelal hand a concave appearance, as in fig. 6A................................................................................ 7

3(2) Species larger, pedipalp femur length ♀ 1.26–1.44 mm, ♂ 1.04–1.40 mm ......................................... 4

3’ Species smaller, pedipalp femur length ♀ 0.46–0.54 mm, ♂ 0.39–0.45 mm ........................................ 5

4(3) Chelal fingers ♀ 1.03–1.14, ♂ 1.09–1.17 times longer than hand; trichobothrium isb situated midway between est and ist, trichobothrium st situated between est and isb ................................... Afrogarypus excelsus (Beier, 1964)

4’ Chelal fingers ♀ 0.75–0.82, ♂ 0.86–0.90 times longer than hand; trichobothrium isb distinctly closer to est than ist, trichobothrium st situated directly beneath isb ........................................... Afrogarypus impressus (Tullgren, 1907)

5(3’) Trichobothria eb, esb, ib, est, isb, ist, it and et distributed normally over length of fixed chelal finger, not separated into distinct groups.............................................................................................. 6

5’ Trichobothria eb, esb, ib, est and isb grouping within first third of fixed finger length while ist, it and et group in the distal third................................................................ Afrogarypus subimpressus ( Beier, 1955)

6(5) Prolateral surface of chelal hand strongly convex in both sexes; trichobothrium st located between ib and est; trichobothrium t located midway between ist and it; female galea with five rami.......................... Afrogarypus haddadi sp. nov.

6’ Prolateral surface of chelal hand nearly straight, giving the chelae a chisel shape in both sexes; trichobothrium st located just distal of est; trichobothrium t located directly beneath it; female galea with nine rami........................................................................................ Afrogarypus megamolaris Neethling & Haddad, 2016

7(2’) Trichobothrium isb present on fixed chelal finger, legs I and II diplotarsate........................................ 8

7’ Trichobothrium isb absent from fixed chelal finger, legs I and II monotarsate.................................................................................................. Afrogarypus castigatus Neethling & Haddad, 2016

8(7) Trichobothria eb, esb, ib, est, isb, ist, it and et distributed normally over length of fixed chelal finger, not separated into distinct groups.............................................................................................. 9

7’ Trichobothria eb, esb, ib, est and isb grouping within first third to half of fixed finger length while ist, it and et group in the distal third.......................................................................................... 12

9(8) Pedipalp femur length ♀ 0.52–0.77 mm, ♂ 0.44–0.63 mm; chelal fingers ♀ 0.95–1.25, ♂ 0.98–1.27 times longer than hand; trichobothrium ib situated between esb and est ............................................................. 10

9’ Pedipalp femur length ♀ 1.08–1.16 mm, ♂ 0.99–1.05 mm; chelal fingers ♀ 0.78–0.80, ♂ 0.80–0.86 times longer than hand; trichobothrium ib situated between est and isb, just distal of est ..................... Afrogarypus robustus (Beier, 1947)

10(9) Chelal fingers ♀ 0.95–1.03, ♂ 0.98–1.01 times longer than hand; trichobothrium sb situated between esb and ib, trichobothrium st situated between est and isb .......................................................................... 11

10’ Chelal fingers ♀ 1.16–1.25, ♂ 1.22–1.27 times longer than hand; trichobothrium sb situated directly beneath ib, trichobothrium st situated directly beneath isb ............................................. Afrogarypus purcelli (Ellingsen, 1912)

11(10) Pedipalp femur ratio ♀ 3.70–3.79, ♂ 3.87–3.92; first tooth behind venom apparatus on fixed chelal finger noticeably more sclerotized and slightly larger than teeth just after it; female galea with nine rami............................................................................................... Afrogarypus carmenae Neethling & Haddad, 2016

11’ Pedipalp femur ratio ♀ 3.23–3.29, ♂ 3.14–3.22; first tooth behind venom apparatus on fixed chelal finger not modified as above, same size as teeth behind it; female galea elongate and with eight rami....... Afrogarypus minutus (Tullgren, 1907)

12(7’) Trichobothria eb, esb, est, ib, isb, b, sb and st grouping within first third of fixed finger length; trichobothrium st situated between est and isb, trichobothrium t situated directly beneath ist; female galea with nine rami.......................................................................................... Afrogarypus triangularis (Ellingsen, 1912)

12’ Trichobothria eb, esb, est, ib, isb, b, sb and st grouping within first half of fixed finger length; trichobothrium st situated proximal to est, between ib and est, trichobothrium t situated between ist and it; female galea with ten rami.................................................................................. Afrogarypus pseudotriangularis sp. nov.

13(1’) Cheliceral hand with five acuminate setae; rallum consisting of a single simple blade; pedipalps without protuberances... 14

13’ Cheliceral hand with seven acuminate setae; rallum consisting of either one or two long blades with finger-like projections clustered at distal ends; pedipalps densely ornamented with protuberances.................. Geogarypus grandis sp. nov.

14(13) Movable chelal finger of both sexes without a distinct basal tooth separated from rest of teeth........................ 15

14’ Movable chelal finger of both sexes with a distinct lone tooth at base of finger................................................................................................... Geogarypus deceptor Neethling & Haddad, 2016

15(14) Both sexes with <40 teeth on the fixed chelal finger; retrorse teeth behind venom apparatus of fixed chelal finger not raised on a bulge............................................................................................ 16

15’ Both sexes with ≥ 40 teeth on the fixed chelal finger; first three retrorse teeth behind venom apparatus of fixed chelal finger raised on a slight bulge, forming distinct group...................................... Geogarypus flavus Beier, 1947

16(15) Trichobothrium t situated between ist and it ............................................................... 17

16’ Trichobothrium t situated directly below it, or between it and et ................................................ 19

17(16) Trichobothrium s t situated between isb and ist; female galea with nine rami, male galea with or without a spinule........ 18

17’ Trichobothrium s t situated between est and isb; female galea with five to seven rami, male galea without spinule.................................................................. Geogarypus variaspinosus Neethling & Haddad, 2016

18(17) Pedipalp femur ratio ♀ 3.66–3.77, ♂ 3.52–3.69; trichobothrium est distinctly closer to ib than isb; first three retrorse teeth behind venom apparatus on fixed chelal finger small, grouping together to form distinct group; male galea with a single spinule.................................................. Geogarypus tectomaculatus Neethling & Haddad, 2016

18’ Pedipalp femur ratio ♀ 3.21–3.27, ♂ 3.15–3.25; trichobothrium est situated midway between ib and isb; first three retrorse teeth behind venom apparatus on fixed chelal finger not smaller than adjacent teeth nor in a distinct group; male galea without any spinules.............................................................. Geogarypus olivaceus (Tullgren, 1907)

19(16’) Chela ratio ♀ 3.65–3.81, ♂ 4.00–4.18; female galea with nine rami............................................. 20

19’ Chela ratio ♀ 3.25–3.32, ♂ 3.28–3.37; female galea with eight rami... Geogarypus octoramosus Neethling & Haddad, 2016

20(19) Trichobothrium sb situated directly below ib, trichobothrium t situated between it and et; fused teeth present at the base of both chelal fingers in females, basal teeth on male movable chelal finger reduced to small plates................................................................................... Geogarypus liomendontus Neethling & Haddad, 2016

20’ Trichobothrium sb situated between ib and est, trichobothrium t situated directly below it; fused teeth only present at the base of fixed chelal finger in females, basal teeth on male movable chelal finger larger and still distinct.................................................................................. Geogarypus modjadji Neethling & Haddad, 2016