Graecophalangium Roewer, 1923

Tchemeris, Aleksey N., 2021, - A-new-harvestman-species-of-the-genus-Graecophalangium-Roewer, - 1923 (Arachnida: - Opiliones: - Phalangiidae) - from-Turkey-, Zootaxa 5081 (1), pp. 141-150 : 141

Genus­ Graecophalangium Roewer ,­1923

To date the genus Graecophalangium Roewer, 1923 ­ includes eight species: seven valid species ( Snegovaya & Staręga, 2009; Tchemeris & Snegovaya, 2010; Murányi, 2015; Mitov, 2021) and one species, G. turcicum Mitov, 2009 , is considered a nomen nudum because the initial description was presented in posters at the 25 th European Congress of Arachnology ( Mitov, 2009) and have not been described according to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (1999). Later, Mitov (2021) transferred Egaenus marenzelleri Nosek, 1905 to the genus Graecophalangium . The species G. karakalensis Tchemeris & Snegovaya, 2010 , known from the SW Kopetdagh Mountains in Turkmenistan, requires further study. Preliminary analysis showed that the species possibly belongs to the genus Rilaena .

The general morphology of the genus Graecophalangium was described in detail by Snegovaya & Staręga (2009) with the main characters as follows: 1) Ocularium relatively high (height = length = width), front and back surface nearly of equal width, deeply furrowed, with distinct denticles on eye rings. 2) Body coloration from yellowish to dark brown, saddle distinct but often visible only as dark margins. 3) Chelicerae basal segment normal, dorsal surface with group of denticles (rarely such denticles are located also on ventral surface). Distal segment always with apophyses (with one small or several large hook-like apophyses). 4) Pedipalps short, simple, femur with dorsal and ventral denticles. 5) Legs typically strongly armed, I pair thickened. 6) Penis: shaft with distinct broad basis, then rounded like a stick, subapical „spoon” very long (nearly ¼ of shaft length) and narrow, glans in profile banana-shaped.

Additionally, it is worth noting several new characters that distinguish this genus from others are recommended, namely, ocularium not trapezoidal as in Rilaena and bearing distinct denticles on eye rings, while in small species of Graecophalangium it is covered only with bristles; pedipalps can be and long as in G. antalicum ; glans of penis with two spicules on each side; armament of limbs different and indistinct in small species.

A new species, Graecophalangium antalicum sp.­nov., described below, is the third species of the genus registered for the fauna of Turkey ( Mitov, 2009, 2021; Kurt, 2014), which was found in material collected from the Mediterranean Region of Turkey.