Troglostygnopsis anophthalma Šilhavý, 1974

Cruz-López, Jesús A. & Francke, Oscar F., 2021, Revision of the troglomorphic genus Troglostygnopsis Šilhavý, 1974 (Opiliones, Laniatores, Stygnopsidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 735, pp. 74-88 : 78-80

Troglostygnopsis anophthalma Šilhavý, 1974

Figs 1–3

Troglostygnopsis anophthalma Šilhavý, 1974: 182 .

Troglostygnopsis anophthalma – Sbordoni et al. 1974: 32 (nomen nudum). — Reddell 1981: 165. — Rambla & Juberthie 1994: 221. — Kury & Cokendolpher 2000: 149. — Kury 2003: 240. — Cruz- López & Francke 2013b: 303; 2015: 829; 2016: 328; 2020: 435. — Aguiñaga & Cruz-López 2019: 10.

Diagnosis

Movable finger of chelicera with three teeth ( Fig. 1B ), small and wide. Tubercles of leg IV small and scattered; patella with few, small tubercles ( Fig. 2B ). Penis with one pair of MS D, MS E1 below the level of E2 ( Fig 3 ).

Type material (not examined)

Holotype MEXICO • ♂; Chiapas, San Cristóbal de las Casas , Grutas de Rancho Nuevo ; 2,275 m a.s.l.; 25 Feb. 1971; R. Argano leg.; MCZR.

Allotype MEXICO • ♀; same collection data as for holotype; MCZR.

Material examined

Topotype MEXICO • 1 ♂, Chiapas, San Cristóbal de las Casas , Grutas de San Cristóbal [= Grutas de Rancho Nuevo]; 16º44′12″ N, 92º38′18″ W; 20 Jan. 1980; V. Roth leg.; AMNH .

Preliminary considerations

The holotype was not examined; however, according to several caves studies and maps collected by the Association for Mexican Cave Studies (AMCS, information available at:http://www.mexicancaves.org/) we know that Grutas de Rancho Nuevo are the same as Grutas de San Cristobal; therefore, the male examined here is considered a topotype. This specimen is poorly preserved, without almost all legs, incomplete scutum and broken body. In the present work, we could only illustrate the chelicera, pedipalp, ornamentation of femur and patella IV, and male genitalia in detail. Fortunately, these structures are enough to recognize and diagnose this species. Additionally, Šilhavý (1974) made excellent drawings of dorsal and lateral view of the holotype, which are very clear and informative for taxonomic purposes. Finally, Šilhavý (1974), based on immature stages, mentioned two additional records for T. anophthalma from Cueva de la Golondrina and Cueva del Nacimiento del Río San Antonio, both in Bochil, Chiapas. Due to the specificity in cave habitats in these species, it is necessary to collect adults from those caves to corroborate if they are conspecific with T. anophthalma or represent undescribed species.

Redescription

Male

MEASUREMENTS. Scutum length: 4.9, scutum width: 4.1.

CHELICERA ( Fig. 1 A–B). Scutum/cheliceral hand ratio: 1.37. Basichelicerite long, with diffuse bulla. Cheliceral hand slightly swollen, fixed finger with six teeth distributed evenly throughout, middle one

biggest; movable finger with three scattered teeth, basalmost and middle ones small and triangular, distal one diffuse.

PEDIPALPS ( Fig. 1 C–D). Measurements: 2.30/1.00/1.75/1.80/1.00. Trochanter globose, with three ventral spiniform tubercles, apical one very large, dorsally with one spiniform tubercle. Femur slightly compressed laterally, with one ventral and one dorsal row of large spiniform tubercles pointing distally, these tubercles uniformly distributed throughout femur, ventral basalmost one most prominent. Patella with few small spiniform tubercles. Tibia with long armature, with relative sizes of three major tubercles (SST) on mesal side 1 = 3> 2, and on ectal margin 3 = 2> 1, on this segment two small setiferous tubercles between SST 1 and 2, and at apical end of the margin. Tarsus with six major tubercles on mesal side (2> 4 = 5> 6> 1 = 3) and five on ectal side (1> 4> 2 = 3 = 5).

LEGS ( Fig. 2 ). All segments very long and slender, femur IV longer than scutum. Ornamentation of femur IV composed of small and scattered tubercles forming longitudinal rows, patella covered with few small tubercles.

PENIS ( Fig. 3 ). Pars distalis with an apical concavity, lateral and apical margins softly rolled dorsally. Follis rugose, apices of dorsal bilobular projection long and pointed. One pair of small MS D lateral to base of follis, near to lateral margins of pars distalis. Four pairs of acute MS C forming two irregular rows on lateral sides. MS A+B formed by many spatulate setae, on latero-basal portion of pars distalis, some of them on ventral side. MS E composed of two pairs, MS E1 markedly below level of E2.

Female Not examined.

Distribution

Known only from the type locality.

Figures

Fig. 1. Troglostygnopsis anophthalma Šilhavý, 1974, ♂, topotype (AMNH). A. Chelicera, mesal view. B. Chelicera, frontal view. C. Pedipalpal femur, mesal view. D. Pedipalpal tibia and tarsus, ventral view.

Fig. 2. Troglostygnopsis anophthalma Šilhavý, 1974, ♂, topotype (AMNH). A. Apical femur, patella and basal tibia IV. B. Patella IV.

Fig. 3. Troglostygnopsis anophthalma Šilhavý, 1974, ♂, topotype (AMNH), penis. A. Dorsal view. B. Lateral view. C. Ventral view. Scale bar in C applicable to all figures.