Eulibitia castor, 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 : 8-12

Eulibitia castor sp. nov.

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Figs 5–7 , 34

Diagnosis

Paramedian tubercles of areas I, III and posterior margin of scutum acuminate ( Fig. 5E ), tubercles of posterior margin higher than wide and slanted backwards ( Fig. 5A , D–E). Ladder mask only present in the scutal groove between areas I and II ( Fig. 6A ). Coda short and mid-bulge symmetrical ( Fig. 6A ), clavi inguines composed of two tubercles. DS shape is very similar to that in E. pollux sp. nov., but differs because it is slightly more slender and the paramedian tubercles of the posterior margin are separated, with independent basis.

Etymology

Noun in apposition of Castor, son of Leda and Zeus, and twin of Pollux, from Greek mythology. Referring to the fact that this species and E. pollux sp. nov. are very similar to each other like the twins Castor and Pollux.

Material examined

Holotype

COLOMBIA: ♂, Boyacá, Pajarito, Corinto, Quebrada La Limona , 5°24′11.06′′ N, 72°44′34.88′′ W, 2 Sep. 1981, I. de Arévalo leg. ( ICN-AO 79 ).

Description

Male

MEASUREMENTS. CL = 1.97, AL = 3.37, CW = 3.20, AW = 4.86, Fe IV = 5.51, Ti IV = 3.97.

DORSUM ( Figs 5 , 6A ). Dorsal scutum beta-shaped, with symmetrical mid-bulge. Areas I, III and posterior margin of scutum with two paramedian acuminate tubercles. 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. 5 C–D). 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. 7F ). Basichelicerite uniformly occupied with tubercles of different sizes, some basal and one mesodistal larger; movable finger with row of eleven tubercles, giving a serrated appearance, fixed finger with seven tubercles decreasing in size from basal to distal part of finger.

PEDIPALPS ( Fig. 7 D–E). Trochanter with strong ventral process. Femur with pronounced dorsal keel formed by fusion of six tubercles, with ventral row of nine setiferous tubercles and mesodistal process. Patella with mesal keel formed by six small tubercles.

LEGS ( Fig. 7 A–C, G). Coxa IV granulated, with well-marked clavi inguines, distal apophysis of coxa IV slightly tuberculate and directed laterally. Trochanter IV with small retro-distal apophysis. Femur IV straight, with two longitudinal ventral rows of small tubercles along entire length, tubercles increasingly larger distally in prolateral row. Patella IV substraight, with small setiferous tubercles. Tarsal counts: 6(3)/14(3)/?–7/8.

COLOR ( Fig. 5 ). Body and appendages background 48 (Vivid Orange) mottled in 74 (Strong Yellowish Brown), ladder mask 104 (Pale Greenish Yellow). Pedipalpus as well as trochanters and tarsomeres of legs 83 (Brilliant Yellow).

GENITALIA ( Fig. 6 B–C). Penis ventral plate subrectangular, narrower basally and distal border concave; dorsal apophysis of glans rounded, wattle long. Shapes and organization of macrosetae as follows: MS C1–C2 large, curved and flat; MS D1–D2 smaller than MS C and curved at apex; MS A1–A2 large, cylindrical, straight or slightly curved, located in middle of ventral plate; MS B and MS E1–E2 ventral, very small and immersed in microsetae. MS B located at basal fourth of VP.

Female

Unknown.

Distribution

Only known from the type locality, in the WWF ecoregion Cordillera Oriental montane forest (NT0118), tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forest biome, in Boyacá Department ( Fig. 34 ).

Figures

Fig. 5. Eulibitia castor sp. nov., ♂, holotype (ICN-AO 79), habitus. A. Dorsal view. B. Panoramic, dorsal view. C. Frontal view. D. Posterior view. E. Lateral view. F. Detail of apical apophysis of coxa IV. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Fig. 6. Eulibitia castor sp. nov., ♂, holotype (ICN-AO 79). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B–C. Apical portion of the penis: B. Dorsal view. C. Lateral view. Scale bars: A = 1 mm; B–C = 0.1 mm.

Fig. 7. Eulibitia castor sp. nov., ♂, holotype (ICN-AO 79). A. Left femur and trochanter IV, dorsal view. B. Same, prolateral view. C. Same, ventral view. D. Left pedipalpus, tibia and tarsus in ventral view. E. Same, femur and patella in mesal view. F. Left chelicera, dorsal view. G. Left tibia and tarsomeres of leg I, prolateral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Fig. 34. Northern Andes in Colombia, showing localities for Eulibitia ectroxantha (Mello-Leitão, 1941) comb. nov., E. pollux sp. nov., E. castor sp. nov. and E. helena sp. nov. Colored patches on the background represent WWF ecoregions.