Sarax dunni, Miranda & Giupponi & Prendini & Scharff, 2021

Miranda, Gustavo Silva de, Giupponi, Alessandro P. L., Prendini, Lorenzo & Scharff, Nikolaj, 2021, Systematic revision of the pantropical whip spider family Charinidae Quintero, 1986 (Arachnida, Amblypygi), European Journal of Taxonomy 772, pp. 1-409 : 182-183

Sarax dunni sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:63CBC94C-F7CE-4563-80EC-29102233C553

Figs 103 , 109 ; Table 8

Charinus pescotti Dunn, 1949: 10–11 (in part, specimens from Savo Island).

Diagnosis

This species may be separated from other species of Sarax in Southeast Asia and Oceania by the following combination of characters: cheliceral claw with four teeth and acute tooth in retrolateral row, adjacent to bifid tooth; pedipalp femur with five dorsal spines and four ventral spines ( Fig. 109E–F ); pedipalp patella with five dorsal spines and four ventral spines ( Fig. 109E–F ); leg IV basitibia with four pseudo-articles, trichobothrium bt situated distally; leg IV distitibia trichobothrium bc equidistant between bf and s bf, sc and sf series each with five trichobothria.

Sarax dunni sp. nov. resembles S. palau sp. nov., from which it differs by the higher number of spines on the pedipalp.

Etymology

Patronym honoring R.A. Dunn for his contributions to arachnology.

Type material

Holotype SOLOMON ISLANDS • ♀; Savo Island ; [09°07′54.17″ S, 159°48′42.51″ E]; R.R. Forster leg.; Jan. 1944; under debris in coastal forest and coconut plantation; NMNZ.

Description

CARAPACE. Six anterior setae ( Fig. 109A ); frontal process triangular ( Fig. 109D ). Small granules densely scattered between ocular triads and among sulci. Median eyes well developed ( Fig. 109A, D ); median ocular tubercle reduced; pair of setae on median ocular tubercle; lateral eyes well developed, seta situated lateral to lateral ocular triad; lateral ocular triad situated near carapace margin; curved carina between ocular triads and lateral margin of carapace.

STERNUM. Tritosternum projected anteriorly with typical setation ( Fig. 109B ); other sternal platelets narrow and concave, with pair of setae anteriorly on plaque and some smaller setae posteriorly; pentasternum with four setae anteriorly and without seta in membranous region.

OPISTHOSOMA. Ventral sacs and ventral sac cover present.

GENITALIA. Female genital operculum with prominent setae posteromedially and some smaller setae near margin, without bulges medially; gonopod absent (probably lost). Male unknown.

CHELICERAE. Acute tooth projecting from retrolateral surface of basal segment, opposite to bifid tooth; retrolateral surface of claw with continuous row of setae, basally to medially; claw with four teeth; row of around ten setae on prolateral surface of basal segment; bifid tooth on basal segment with dorsal cusp larger than ventral cusp.

PEDIPALPS. Coxae without seta encircled by round carina and with three setae on margin. Femur with five dorsal spines and four ventral spines ( Fig. 109E–F ); long spine between proximal margin and ventral spine 1, and between spines 1 and 2; three prominent setiferous tubercles between dorsal spine 1 and proximal margin. Patella with five dorsal spines ( Fig. 109E ); prominent spine distal to dorsal spine I, half length of spine I; four ventral spines ( Fig. 109F ; setiferous tubercle between spine I and distal margin. Tibia with ventral spine distally and three setae between spine and distal margin. Tarsus with one dorsal spine, one-tenth length of tarsus ( Fig. 109D ); cleaning organ with 28 setae in ventral row.

LEGS. Leg IV, basitibia with four pseudo-articles, without sclerotized, denticulate projection at apex of articles; trichobothrium bt situated in distal third of pseudo-article; distitibia trichobothrium bc equidistant between bf and s bf; sc and sf series each with five trichobothria.

Measurements

See Table 8.

Distribution

Known only from the type locality.

Natural history

Found under debris in coastal forest and coconut plantation.

Remarks

Dunn (1949) mentioned four females in the museum and his personal collection, but only one female is present at NMNZ. The specimen here described as S. dunni sp. nov. was a paratype of Charinus pescotti . Dunn (1949) mentioned differences in pedipalp spination between the holotype of C. pescotti and the paratypes from the Solomon Islands, but attributed these differences to developmental stages. However, the paratype from the Solomon Islands is clearly an adult female in which all spines and trichobothria are present. Although the antenniform leg I are missing from the specimen, the position of the lateral eyes situated near the carapace margin, the curved carina contacting the lateral eyes, and the presence of a ventral sac cover, unequivocally place this specimen in Sarax .

Figures

Fig. 103. Map plotting known distributions of species of Sarax Simon, 1892 in Southeast Asia and Oceania, with insets for Singapore (A), eastern Borneo (B), and western West Papua (C).

Fig. 109. Sarax dunni sp. nov. (NMNZ), general morphology, ♀. A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Sternum, ventral view. C. Frontal process. D. Pedipalp tarsus, frontal view. E. Pedipalp, dorsal view. F. Pedipalp, ventral view. Scale bars: A, E–F = 1 mm; B–D = 0.5 mm.