Eulibitia leda, Medrano & Kury, 2017

Medrano, Miguel & Kury, Adriano B., 2017, Taxonomic revision of the Andean genus Eulibitia Roewer, 1912 (Arachnida, Opiliones, Cosmetidae), with the description of five new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 357, pp. 1-55 : 22-27

Eulibitia leda sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:C2EE6C34-F8EE-4327-B88B-4565A06D09FE

Figs 15–18 , 33 ; Table 2

Diagnosis

Paramedian rounded tubercles widely separated in areas I, III and IV ( Figs 15 , 16A ). Ectal borders of protoglyphs conspicuous, triangular and sharp ( Figs 15A , 16A ). Coda short and wide ( Fig. 15A ). Clavi inguines large ( Fig. 15A ), basichelicerite with large tubercles in the basal part ( Fig. 17B ). Pedipalpal femur wider at half length ( Fig 17E ).

This species is very similar to E. scalaris in the shape of the ladder mask, but differs by having a short coda with the constriction poorly marked ( Fig. 15A ), the basichelicerite bears larger tubercles ( Figs 15A , 17B ) and the femur of leg IV is more tuberculated in the ventro-distal region ( Fig. 17 G–H, J). Apophyses of coxa IV acuminate and poorly tuberculated ( Figs 15 , 16A ).

Etymology

Noun in apposition of Leda, mother of Clytemnestra, Castor, Pollux and Helen of Troy, from Greek mythology. This species has been named Leda to round up the family formed from the union of Zeus and Leda.

Material examined

Holotype

COLOMBIA: ♂, Santander Department, San Gil, Vereda Resumidero, road to Mogotes, 6°32′28.25′′ N, 73°05′28.75′′ W, 1600 m a.s.l., 30 Mar. 2013, A. García leg. ( ICN-AO 1165 ).

Paratypes

COLOMBIA: 5 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀, same collection data as for holotype ( ICN-AO 1165.1); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, same collection data as for holotype ( MNRJ 9264).

Description

Male (based on holotype)

MEASUREMENTS. CL = 2.11, AL = 3.29, CW = 3.11, AW = 5.08, Fe IV = 5.19, Ti IV = 3.41.

DORSUM ( Figs 15 , 16A ). Dorsal scutum beta-shaped, with asymmetrical mid-bulge. Areas I, III and posterior margin with two paramedian tubercles, tubercles of posterior margin bifid. Lateral margins with irregular row of minute granules at mid-bulge. Posterior margin of scutum with row of small tubercles. Tergites with row of small tubercles and anal operculum finely granular.

VENTER ( Fig. 15 D–E). Free sternites finely granular; coxae II–IV finely and uniformly granular; coxa I with longitudinal row of tubercles and smooth area corresponding to lace area of pedipalp.

CHELICERAE ( Fig. 17 A–B). Basichelicerite with row of large tubercles from posterior border to ectal side; movable finger with row of ten tubercles, fixed finger with two small basal tubercles and five large tubercles decreasing in size from basal to distal part of finger.

PEDIPALPS ( Fig. 17 C–F). Trochanter with strong ventral process. Femur with pronounced dorsal keel formed by row of tubercles, with ventral row of twelve setiferous tubercles and mesodistal process. Patella with mesal keel without tubercles but with distal process. Shallow slit along tibia mesal surface, separating dorsal and ventral sides.

LEGS ( Figs 16B , 17 G–J). Coxa IV granulated, with large clavi inguines, larger in females. Trochanter IV with small retro-distal apophysis. Femur IV substraight, with two longitudinal ventral rows of tubercles increasing in size in distal part. Patella IV substraight, with small setiferous tubercles. Tarsal counts: 6–6/11–10/6–6/7–7.

COLOR ( Fig. 15 ). Body and appendages color background 51 (Deep Orange) mottled in 44 (Dark Reddish Brown), ladder mask 104 (Pale Greenish Yellow). Trochanters and tarsomeres 67 (Brilliant Orange Yellow).

GENITALIA ( Fig. 18 ). VP of penis subrectangular, narrower basally, with distal border concave; dorsal apophysis of glans subsquare to rounded, wattle of stylus long. Shapes and organization of macrosetae as follows: MS C1–C2 large, curved and flattened; MS D1–D2 large and straight; MS A1–A2 large, straight, cylindrical and located in basal middle of ventral plate; MS B and MS E1–E2 ventral, very small and immersed in microsetae. MS B most basal. Microsetae confined to lateral margins, from corners to base, of VP.

Variation

Right tubercle of the posterior margin may be absent in some specimens. Tarsal counts: 6; 10–13; 6–7; 7–8. Variation of measurements is given in Table 2 .

Female

With larger clavi inguines and longer coda than males. Males with thicker basitarsus (but not notably swollen) ( Fig. 16B ).

Distribution

Only known from type locality, in the WWF ecoregion Magdalena Valley montane forests (NT0136), tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forest biome, in Santander Department ( Fig. 33 ).

Figures

Fig. 15. Eulibitia leda sp. nov., ♂, holotype (ICN-AO 1165), habitus. A. Dorsal view. B. Panoramic, dorsal view. C. Frontal view. D. Posterior view. E. Lateral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Fig. 16. Eulibitia leda sp. nov., ♂, holotype (ICN-AO 1165). A. Habitus in dorsal view. B. Left Mt and Ta of leg I, prolateral view. Scale bar: 1 mm.

Fig. 17. Eulibitia leda sp. nov., ♂, paratype (ICN-AO 1165.1). A. Fingers of hand of right chelicera. B. Right basichelicerite, dorsal view. C. Patella and tibia of right pedipalpus, dorsal view. D. Left pedipalpal tarsus. E. Femur of right pedipalpus, ectal view. F. Left pedipalpus, mesal view. G. Femur and patella of left leg, ventral view. H. Same, prolateral view. I. Same, dorsal view. J. Same, detail of distal part, prolateral view. Scale bars: A–B, D =100 µm; C, F, J = 500 µm; E = 200 µm (E); G–I = 1 mm.

Fig. 18. Eulibitia leda sp. nov., ♂, paratype (ICN-AO 1165.1), distal part of penis. A. Dorsal view. B. Ventral view. C. Lateral view. Scale bars: 50 µm.

Fig. 33. Northern Andes in Colombia, showing localities for Eulibitia leda sp. nov., E. clytemnestra sp. nov. and E. scalaris (Sørensen in Henriksen, 1932) comb. nov. Colored patches on the background represent WWF ecoregions.