Eukoenenia valencianus, Barranco, P. & Mayoral, J. G., 2014

Barranco, P. & Mayoral, J. G., 2014, New palpigrades (Arachnida, Eukoeneniidae) from the Iberian Peninsula, Zootaxa 3826 (3), pp. 544-562 : 548-553

Eukoenenia valencianus sp. nov.

( Figs. 12–23 , Table 1 and 2 )

Material examined. Holotype ♂, Tunel de Canals [UTM 30SYJ 102117], Canals, Valencia, Spain, 10-XI-2002, leg. A. Sendra et al. Paratypes: 6 ♀ and 2 immatures (B), same location, date and collector as holotype; 2 ♂ and 2 ♀, Cova Dones, Millares, Valencia, Spain, 2-III-2005, leg. V. Ortuño; 1 ♂, Cueva de las Palomas, Millares, Valencia, Spain, 4-II-2005, leg. A. Sendra et al.; 1 immature (B), Cova de l’Alt del Pi, Serra, Valencia, Spain, 20- XI-2004, leg. A. Sendra et al. Holotype ( MNCN 20.02/17286) and two female paratypes from Tunel de Canals ( MNCN 20.02/17287; MNCN 20.02/17288) deposited in MNCN; one female paratype from Cova Dones deposited in collection of Vicente M. Ortuño, Universidad de Alcalá; other paratypes in authors’ collection at Universidad de Almeria.

Description of male. Total length (without flagellum) 1651 µm. Prosoma: Frontal organ with 2 granulate branches, each 2.2 times longer than wide. Lateral organ with 6 blades (two male paratypes with 6 blades and one with 7), each granulate and distally pointed, each blade 3.3 times longer than wide (33/10 µm) ( Fig. 12 ). Propeltidium with 10 + 10 setae. Metapeltidium with 3 + 3 setae (t1, t2, t3), medial setae shortest (18 µm, 148 µm, 105 µm). Hand of the chelicera with 6 dorsal and one ventral seta, each finger with 9 teeth. Sternum with 10–13 deuto-tritosternal setae (10 on specimens from Tunel de Canals, Cova Dones and Cueva de las Palomas, 13 on other paratype from Cova Dones) ( Fig. 13 ). Chaetotaxy of coxae: pedipalp with 19 setae; leg I with 14 setae; leg II with 16 setae, 10 normal + 6 thick; leg III with 15 setae, 9 normal + 6 thick; leg IV with 11 setae, 7 normal + 4 thick ( Figs 14–18 ). Leg I: basitarsus 3 with 4 setae, 4.2 times longer than broad (Fig. 19); grt 105 µm, gla 88 µm, r 95 µm long, shorter than the segment (125/95 µm, t / r = 1.31), inserted in distal third and surpassing distal margin of basitarsus 4. Ibta4 with one trichobothrium, four long thin setae and one forked seta at distal end. Leg IV: basitarsus 4 with 7 setae (2 esd, 2 esp, gla, grt and r) (Fig. 20), bta / ti 1.03; seta r less than half as long as dorsal edge of segment (240/100 µm, t / r = 2.40) and inserted slightly beyond middle of segment (s / er = 0.36); both esp inserted proximally, followed by gla, grt and the stiff seta. Ta3 of pedipalp (Pta3) with 2 forked setae; one longer than the other, inserted distally and with asymmetrical branches; the other one smaller, inserted in the last third of the segment but proximal to the longer one and with symmetrical branches. Ta3 of leg I (Ita3) with 3 bifurcate symmetrical setae arranged in line.

Opisthosoma. Tergites II–VI with 3 + 3 dorsal setae each: t1, t3 (75 µm) and one slender lateral seta s (50 µm) on each half; tergites VII–VIII with 2 + 2 (single t and s seta). Sternites II–III each with 2 + 2 setae. Sternites IV–VI with 4 + 4, inner ones (a1, a2, 53 µm) shorter than the others (s1, s2, 70 µm). Sternite VII with 4 + 3 slender setae, with a supernumerary seta (a4) on the left side (3+ 3 in the other three male paratypes). Segments VIII–XI with 9, 6, 6 and 8 setae, respectively (Fig. 21). Male paratypes with 10–11, 7–9, 7 and 8 setae, respectively.

Genital region of the male. With 3 pairs of lobes and a total of 42 setae. First lobe short and broad, distal margin nearly straight, continuous and without medial cleavage; 13 + 13 setae in four rows, first row 2 + 2, second row 3 + 3, third row 4 + 4, fourth row with 4 + 4 (2 setae + 2 fusules at each side). Fusules long, very close to each other, parallel, with a dilated and conical base; similar in length and overreaching distal margin of second lobe. Second lobe large, with pointed end, with 5 + 5 setae (a, b, c, c ′, d); a shorter than b, c, c ′ and d, latter very internal. Third lobe with a single, large, pointed apex, with 3 + 3 setae (x, y, z) ( Fig. 22 ).

Description of female. Overall aspect, prosoma and opisthosoma as in holotype. Females from Tunel de Canals with lateral organ with 8 blades and females from Cova Dones with 7 blades. Deuto-tritosternal setae variable, even within specimens from the same cave, specimens from Tunel del Canal with 9–10 setae, and specimens from Cova Dones with 12–13 setae. Dorsal chaetotaxy as in male. Sternites III–VI as in holotype. Number of setae and distribution on basitarsus IV as in holotype. Sternite VII variable, some females with 3+3 and others with 4+4 setae. Segments VIII–XI also with variable number of setae, 9–11, 6–7, 6–7 and 8, respectively.

Genital region of the female. With 2 pairs of lobes and a total of 28 setae. First lobe with 11 + 11 setae arranged in four transverse rows, 3 + 3, 2 + 2, 1 + 1, 1 + 1, and 4 + 4 apical setae, of which a1, a2 and a3 are shorter than a4. Second lobe with pointed end and 3 + 3 setae. One group of 4 glandular orifices at each side ( Fig. 23 ).

Immature, female type B. Lateral organ with 4 blades. Deuto-tritosternum with 6–9 setae. Chelicera with 8 teeth. Tergites II–VI with 3 + 3 setae, as in adults. Sternites IV–VI with 3 + 3 setae. Segments VII–XI with setae variable, 6–8, 8–9, 6–8, 7–8 and 8, respectively.

Etymology. The name of the species is after the Spanish province “Valencia” where all the caves from which the types were collected are located.

Remarks. There are 23 species that share the same or a similar chaetotaxy of sternites IV–VI with E. valencianus sp. nov. (4+4 on each). Most of them are epigeal and consequently their basitarsus IV is short (˂ 100 µm) and the number of blades in the lateral organ is low (usually ≤ 3). There are only 3 species with bta IV longer than 150 µm and a lateral organ with 5 blades or more: E. grafittii Condé & Heurtault, 1994 , E. guzikae Barranco & Harvey, 2008 and E. pyrenaica Condé, 1989 ( Condé 1989; Condé & Heurtault 1994; Barranco & Harvey 2008). E. valencianus sp. nov. differs from these 3 species in the number of setae on basitarsus 3 of leg I (4 vs. 3).

The female of E. valencianus sp. nov. bears a pair of medial setae on the metapeltidium (t1) that are approximately one third the length of those in E. grafittii (18 vs. 60 µm, respectively). Also, they differ in the ratios B/bta (1.77–2.04 vs. 1.59) and bta/ti (0.98–1.07 vs. 0.89). The female genitalia of E. grafittii also show differences in the shape of the lobes and the distribution of the setae when compared with E. valencianus sp. nov. In E. grafittii , from the middle group of setae on lobe I of the genitalia, the distal pair is inserted close to the border and next to a1–3, whereas in E. valencianus it is inserted further back. The border in E. grafittii is also less concave than in E. valencianus . The male immature of E. grafittii carries oar-like setae on sternites IV–VI, whereas these are absent in E. valencianus sp. nov.

FIGURES 19–21. Eukoenenia valencianus sp. nov.. 19, basitarsi 3–4, leg I holotype; 20, basitarsus, leg IV holotype; 21, opisthosoma of paratype, ventral view (setae a1–4 strongly foreshortened). Scale bars 19–20 = 100 µm; 21 = 200 µm.

The male of E. valencianus sp. nov. differs from that of E. guzikae in the number of setae on the propeltidium (10+10 vs. 9+9), the length of bta1+bta2 (185–218 vs. 125) and in the number of setae on the genital lobes (13+13/ 5+5/3+3 vs. 11+10/3+3/4+4). In addition, E. valencianus sp. nov. only bears two pairs of a setae on sternites V–VI, whereas E. guzikae has three pairs.

The male of E. valencianus sp. nov. differs from that of E. pyrenaica in the number of setae on basitarsus IV (7 vs. 4), the number of blades in the lateral organ (6–7 vs. 5), the number of deuto-tritosternal setae (10–13 vs. 6) and the number of setae on the genital lobes (13+13/5+5/3+3 vs. 13+13/3+3/4+4).

Figures

FIGURES 12 – 18. Eukoenenia valencianus sp. nov., holotype. 12, lateral organ, dorsal view; 13, metapeltidial setae; 14, coxa I; 15, pedipalp coxa; 16, coxa II; 17, coxa IV; 18, coxa III. Thick coxal setae represented with a thicker line and a terminal spine. Scale bars: 12 – 13 = 50 µm; 14 – 18 = 100 µm.

FIGURES 22 – 23. Eukoenenia valencianus sp. nov. 22, male genital region, holotype. 23, female genital region, paratype. Scale bar = 100 µm.

Tables

TABLE 2. Morphometric data (in micrometres) and ratios for adults of Eukoenenia valencianus sp. nov. Missing data due to damage or missing segments. Abbreviations: Imm, Immature; TS, Tunel de Canals.

	E. valencianus
	♀ TS Imm. TS	♀ TS	♀ TS	Imm. TS ♀ TS	♂ TS	♀ TS
L	1600 1284	1841	1646	135 1630	1651	1472
B	420 337	442	410	342 447	426	405
Ptr	170 122	175	160	143 163	173	155
Pfe	260 188	277	257	188 255	262	245
Pge	175 158	195	185	155 188	195	175
Pti	228 208	230	230	- 225	220	215
Pbta1	85 63	88	78	- 83	80	78
Pbta2	118 83	123	123	- 113	120	113
Pta1	60 53	63	-	- 65	68	65
Pta2	65 53	65	-	- 65	65	65
Pta3	85 68	88	-	- 85	88	75
Itr	205 160	225	200	175 210	217	200
Ibf	300 210	303	270	202 293	290	283
Itf	210 148	217	208	175 205	200	195
Ige	240 182	255	243	183 245	262	255
Iti	260 175	265	250	188 250	263	250
Ibta1+2	205 148	205	200	163 218	205	200
Ibta3	120 83	135	123	90 118	125	113
Ibta4	73 58	75	75	63 75	63	68
Ita1	60 50	60	63	50 60	60	60
Ita2	63 53	63	65	55 65	63	60
Ita3	193 150	195	200	158 188	203	183
IVtr	155 100	155	150	118 150	150	135
IVbf	150 123	170	155	133 170	150	158
IVtf	243 168	245	243	185 235	212	225
IVge	190 148	188	185	153 188	195	175
Ivti	238 170	238	225	185 238	230	218
Ivbta	238 163	235	225	175 233	240	220
IVta1	85 73	88	83	78 88	98	85
IVta2	98 88	100	105	85 100	100	90
a	23 20	20	28	28 20	23	20
er	128 93	128	125	125 125	130	125
grt	115 93	125	118	118 123	108	110
gla	113 75	113	115	115 113	110	115
r	103 78	108	98	98 100	100	105
t/r	2.32 2.10	2.19	2.31	1.79 2.33	2.38	2.10
t/er	1.86 1.76	1.84	1.80	1.40 1.86	1.83	1.76
gla/grt	0.98 0.81	0.90	0.98	0.98 0.92	1.02	1.05
B/bta	1.77 2.07	1.88	1.82	1.95 1.92	1.79	1.84
bta/ti	1.00 0.96	0.99	1.00	0.95 0.98	1.03	1.01
Ofm	2.17 2.75	-	2.00	2.00 2.17	2.17	2.17