Sphaerowithius ansieae, Harvey & Mahnert, 2015

Harvey, Mark S. & Mahnert, Volker, 2015, A new species of Sphaerowithius (Pseudoscorpiones, Withiidae) from Namibia, African Invertebrates 56 (2), pp. 491-491 : 492-496

Sphaerowithius ansieae sp. n.

Figs 1 , 2

Xenowithius transvaalensis Beier, 1953 : Mahnert 1975: fig. 6b (misidentification).

Nannowithius transvaalensis (Beier, 1953) : Strinati 1977: 104 (misidentification).

Etymology: This species is named for our friend Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman for her outstanding contributions to arachnology.

Diagnosis: Sphaerowithius ansieae sp. n. differs from all other species of the genus in being substantially larger, e.g. the pedipalpal femur length is 0.99–1.05 mm (males) and 1.00– 1.09 mm (females), whereas in S. vafer it is 0.58 mm (male) and 0.62 mm (female), in S. basilewskyi it is 0.66 mm (male) and 0.71 mm (female), in S. perpusillus it is 0.38–0.43 mm (female), in S. saegeri it is 0.55–0.61 mm (female) and in S. salomonensis it is 0.42 mm (male).

Description:

Adults:

Colour. Pedipalps and carapace red-brown, tergites slightly paler, remainder of sclerotised portions pale yellow-brown ( Fig. 1 ).

Chelicera. With 5 setae on hand, bs and sbs slightlY dentate; movable finger with 1 subdistal seta; galea of ♂ and ♀ with 4 small terminal and 2 small medial rami; rallum of 4 blades, the most distal blade with several serrations on leading edge, other blades smooth; serrula exterior with 17 (♂, ♀) blades; lamina exterior present.

Pedipalp ( Fig. 2D ). Trochanter, femur, patella and chelal hand coarsely granulate, chelal fingers smooth; setae generallY clavate and denticulate; segments long and slender, trochanter 1.41–1.43 (♂), 1.96–2.05 (♀), femur 5.60–5.68 (♂), 5.46–5.60 (♀), patella 4.66–4.98 (♂), 4.20–4.62 (♀), chela (with pedicel) 4.82–5.09 (♂), 4.44–4.61 (♀), chela (without pedicel) 4.52–4.78 (♂), 4.15–4.34 (♀), hand 2.35–2.45 (♂), 2.11–2.19 (♀) × longer than broad, movable finger 0.97–1.00 (♂), 0.96–0.99 (♀) × longer than hand (without pedicel). Fixed chelal finger with 8 trichobothria, movable chelal finger with 4 trichobothria ( Fig. 2A ): eb and esb situated basally; est situated sub-medially, opposite isb; et situated sub-distally; ib and ist situated basally; isb situated medially; it situated sub-distally; b and sb situated near one another; st substantially closer to t than to sb. Venom apparatus present in both chelal fingers, venom ducts long, terminating in nodus ramosus between et and est in fixed finger and distal to t in movable finger. Retrolateral side of fixed finger with 11 sense-spots; retrolateral side of movable finger with 15 sense-spots; prolateral sides without sense-spots. Chelal teeth verY small; fixed finger with 59 (♂), 58 (♀) teeth; movable finger with 65 (♂), 55 (♀) teeth; accessorY teeth absent.

Carapace ( Fig. 2C ). 1.22–1.28 (♂), 1.17–1.26 (♀) × longer than broad; posteriorlY widened; with 2 verY small non-corneate eYe-spots; with 70 (♂), 61 (♀) setae, including 31 (♂), 27 (♀) in anterior zone (with 4 near anterior margin), 32 (♂), 28 (♀) in median zone, and 7 (♂), 6 (♀) in posterior zone; with 2 deeplY incised furrows, posterior furrow closer to posterior margin than to median furrow.

Coxal region. Maxilla with 2 apical setae and 1 very small internal, sub-oral seta, plus 20 (♂), 25 (♀) other setae; maxilla without rugose area; chaetotaxY of coxae I–IV: ♂, 10: 10: 14: 23, ♀, 8: 9: 10: 20.

Legs ( Figs 2E, F ). Long and slender; junction between femora and patellae I and II only slightlY oblique; femur + patella of leg IV 4.25 (♂), 4.56 (♀) × longer than broad; legs III and IV with slightly shortened, acuminate, tarsal tactile seta, situated sub-distally, TS = 0.78 (♂), 0.75 (♀); subterminal tarsal setae simple, arcuate and acute; arolium slightly shorter than claws.

Abdomen. Tergites I–X and sternites VI–VIII with faint medial suture. Tergal chaetotaxy: ♂, 6: 8: 9: 12: 11: 13: 16: 16: 15: 16: 10 (including 2 tactile setae): 2; ♀, 6: 6: 9: 10: 10: 12: 13: 14: 14: 14: 8: 2; mostly uniseriate, but some tergites with a few setae placed anteriorlY; all setae foliate. Sternal chaetotaxY: ♂, 8: (2) 11 (2): (1) 12 [0] (1): 18: 16: 16: 15 + ca. 26 gls: 14 + ca. 20 gls: 12: 7 (including 2 tactile setae): 2; ♀, 14: (2) 9 (2): (1) 6 (1): 16: 15: 13: 12: 12: 10: 6 (including 2 tactile setae): 2; ♂ without internal setae in the genital atrium; sternites VIII–IX of ♂ with small patches of glandular setae ( Fig. 2G ), set in a depression that extends posteriorly over the segmental membrane, glandular setae small and conical; sternites of ♀ without glandular setae; all other setae uniseriate and acuminate; ♂ without paired invaginations on anterior margins of sternites.

Genitalia. Male with rounded dorsal apodemes, lateral apodemes not elongated, postero-ventral diverticulum (?) with small lobes ( Fig. 2H ); female with 2 spheroid spermathecal receptacula, with 1 ovoid median cribriform plate and a pair of curved lateral apodemes ( Fig. 2I ).

Male dimensions (mm). Holotype, followed by other male paratype (when measured): Body length 2.38 (2.43). Pedipalps: trochanter 0.468 / 0.242 (0.435 / 0.228), femur 1.045 / 0.184 (0.992 / 0.184), patella 0.899 / 0.193 (0.877 / 0.176), chela (with pedicel) 1.486 / 0.308 (1.424 / 0.280), chela (without pedicel) 1.392 (1.338), hand length 0.725 (0.685), movable finger length 0.704 (0.686). Chelicera 0.242 / 0.106, movable finger length 0.173. Carapace 0.888 / 0.693 (0.851 / 0.698); eye diameter 0.039. Leg I: femur 0.200 / 0.140, patella 0.378 / 0.130, tibia 0.452 / 0.079, tarsus 0.410 / 0.058. Leg IV: femur + patella 0.722 / 0.170, tibia 0.630 / 0.090, tarsus 0.463 / 0.068, TS length 0.360.

Female dimensions (mm). Paratype, followed by other paratype females (when measured): Body length 2.38 (2.51–3.22). Pedipalps: trochanter 0.435 / 0.218 (0.448–0.481/ 0.219–0.246),femur 0.996 / 0.178 (1.005–1.091/0.184–0.198), patella 0.947 / 0.205 (0.886– 0.982/0.211–0.231), chela (with pedicel) 1.446 / 0.314 (1.488–1.586/0.328–0.357), chela (without pedicel) 1.363 (1.405 –1.482), hand length 0.688 (0.694 –0.770), movable finger length 0.668 (0.685 –0.736). Chelicera 0.255 / 0.110, movable finger length 0.177. Carapace 0.848 / 0.688 (0.880–0.904/0.718–0.752); eye diameter 0.026. Leg I: femur 0.187 / 0.125, patella 0.403 / 0.074, tibia 0.414 / 0.073, tarsus 0.389 / 0.057. Leg IV: femur + patella 0.725 / 0.159, tibia 0.640 / 0.088, tarsus 0.481 / 0.067, TS length 0.360.

Protonymph:

Colour. Mostly very pale yellow-brown, with pedipalps and carapace pale red-brown. Chelicera. With 4 setae on hand and no seta on movable finger; rallum with 4 blades. Pedipalp. Trochanter 1.78, femur 2.97, patella 2.37, chela (with pedicel) 3.60, chela (without pedicel) 3.42, hand 1.76 × longer than broad, movable finger 0.96 × longer than hand (without pedicel). Fixed chelal finger with 3 trichobothria, movable chelal finger with 1 trichobothrium ( Fig. 2B ): onlY eb, et, ist and t present.

Carapace. 1.30 × longer than broad; eyes absent; with 16 setae, including 4 near anterior margin and 4 near posterior margin; with 1 deep, median furrow.

Abdomen. Tergal chaetotaxy: 2: 2: 4: 4: 4: 4: 4: 4: 4: 4: 2: 2. Sternal chaetotaxy: 0: (0) 2 (0): (1) 2 (1): 4: 4: 4: 4: 4: 4: 4: 2; glandular setae absent.

Dimensions (mm). Body length 1.24. Pedipalps: trochanter 0.173 / 0.097, femur 0.288 / 0.097, patella 0.258 / 0.109, chela (with pedicel) 0.525 / 0.146, chela (without pedicel) 0.499, hand length 0.257, movable finger length 0.248. Carapace 0.506 / 0.390.

Holotype: NAMIBIA: Otjozondjupa: ♂ Nosibhöhle, Otavi (19°39'S 17°20'E), 2.v.1972, P. von Wrede & P. Strinati ( MHNG).

Paratypes: NAMIBIA: Otjozondjupa: 3♀, 1 protonYmph, collected with holotYpe ( MHNG) ; 1♂ Albathöhle, Otavi (19°39'S 17°20'E), 30.iv.1972, P. von Wrede & P. Strinati ( MHNG) .

Remarks: Sphaerowithius ansieae sp. n. is known only from two caves in the Otavi region of northern Namibia, from Nosibhöhle and Albathöhle, and the specimens were first recorded bY Strinati (1977). He also mentioned a specimen from nearbY Ghaubhöhle, but this specimen has not been available for studY. These three caves, along with Aigamashöhle, were described bY Strinati (1977), who also listed other taxa collected in the caves including beetles, hemipterans, orthopterans, flies, isopods, spiders, mites, harvestmen, earthworms, and molluscs, as well as the pseudoscorpion Cheiridium capense Beier, 1970 , which was previously known only from the type locality in South Africa (Beier 1970). The specimens of S. ansieae show some slight modifications to an obligate cavernicolous existence including extremelY small eYes and long, slender pedipalps.

Figures

Fig. 1. Sphaerowithius ansieae sp. n., holotype male: (A) dorsal; (B) ventral.

Fig.2. Sphaerowithius ansieae sp. n., holotype male, unless stated otherwise: (A) left chela, lateral; (B) left chela,dorsal, protonymph paratype;(C) carapace, dorsal; (D) right pedipalp, dorsal; (E) leg I; (F) leg IV; (G) sternites VIII and IX, ventral; (H) genitalia, ventral; (I) genitalia, ventral, female paratype. Abbreviations:da, dorsal apodeme;la, lateral apodemes;pvd,postero-ventral diverticulum;vd,ventral diverticulum. Scale bars: (A, C–F)=0.5 mm, (B, G)=0.2 mm, (H, I)=0.1 mm.