Sarax cochinensis ( Gravely, 1915 )

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 : 219-220

Sarax cochinensis ( Gravely, 1915)

Figs 11C–D , 135 , 141 ; Table 9

Phrynichosarax cochinensis Gravely, 1915b: 438–439 , fig. 2.

Phrynicosarax cochinensis – Mello-Leitão 1931: 52.

Phrynichosarax cochinensis – Nair 1934: 475, fig. a. — Werner 1935: 470.

Sarax cochinensis – Harvey 2003: 8.

Sarax cochinensis cochinensis – Harvey 2003: 8.

Diagnosis

This species may be separated from other species of Sarax in Africa, the Middle East and South Asia by the following combination of characters: lateral eyes contacting lateral curved carina; ventral sac cover well developed; female gonopod finger-like; cheliceral claw with three denticles ( Fig. 11C–D ); pedipalp patella dorsal with two spines between spine I and distal margin ( Fig. 141E ); pedipalp tarsus with one spine, one-third length of tarsus ( Fig. 141D ); tibia of leg I and tarsus I with 23 and 41 articles, respectively.

This species resembles S. dhofarensis comb. nov., from which it differs in the higher number of dorsal spines on the pedipalp patella: four spines are present in S. dhofarensis comb. nov., compared with five in S. cochinensis .

Etymology

Although unspecified, the name is evidently an adjective referring to the city of Cochin, in the vicinity of the type locality.

Type material

Holotype INDIA • ♀; Kerala, near Trichur, Cochin State Forest Tramway , between miles 10–14; 0–91 m a.s.l.; F.H. Gravely leg.; 28–29 Sep. 1914; SMF 64592.

Paratype INDIA • 1 ♀; Kerala, Kavalai, Cochin State Forest Tramway ; 396–914 m a.s.l.; F.H. Gravely leg.; 24–27 Sep. 1914; SMF 64593 .

Additional material

INDIA • 1 ♀; Kerala, Thrissur Distr., Attoor, Asurankundu Dam , near dam wall; 10°41′ N, 76°18′ E; 118 m a.s.l.; 25 Nov. 2004; S. Basi leg.; under stone in tropical lowland swamp forest with dense canopy, many sandstone outcrops; moderate to sparse leaf litter layer; AMCC [ LP 13118 ] .

Description

CARAPACE. Frontal process large, triangular, not visible in dorsal view, rounded apically ( Fig. 141C ). Median eyes and median ocular tubercle well developed; seta on median ocular tubercle and another seta posterior to it ( Fig. 141A, C ); lateral eyes well developed, seta situated lateral to each lateral ocular triad.

STERNUM. Tritosternum projected anteriorly, surpassing base of pedipalp coxae, with typical setation ( Fig. 141B ); metasternum not paired, forming single platelet, with pair of setae on elevated surface medially on plaque.

OPISTHOSOMA. Ventral sacs and ventral sac cover well developed. Region of plaque where ventral sac cover present with dark margin.

GENITALIA. Female gonopod with posterior margin slightly curved. Elevated surface, covered with setae, extending from midpoint to posterior margin; first third of elevated surface pale, resembling membranous structure. Gonopods finger-like. Male gonopod with PI short, visible in dorsal view; LoL2 lanceolate, long, reaching LaM; LoL1 short, fimbriate; LaM long, reaching LoL2. Fistula curved, unsclerotized.

CHELICERAE. Small tooth on retrolateral surface of basal segment, opposite to bifid tooth ( Fig. 11D ). Prolateral surface with longitudinal row of eight setae. Claw with three denticles ( Fig. 11C–D ).

PEDIPALPS. Coxae without seta encircled by round carina and with two or three setae on anterior margin. Femur with three dorsal spines and two prominent setiferous tubercles proximal to spine 1 ( Fig. 141E ); four ventral spines (female with three ventral spines) with small setiferous tubercle proximal to spine 1 ( Fig. 141F ). Patella with five dorsal spines; two spines distal to spine I, proximal spine about half length of spine I, distal spine one-fifth length of proximal spine. Patella with three ventral spines; second spine half length of first spine. Tibia with two dorsal spines, proximal spine two-thirds length of distal spine; ventral spine in distal half, two-thirds length of proximal dorsal spine. Tarsus with large, curved dorsal spine ( Fig. 141D ); cleaning brush with 24–27 setae ventrally.

LEGS. Tibia of leg I with 23 articles; tarsus I with 41 articles; proximal article subequal to subsequent articles.Leg IV basitibia with one or two pseudo-articles; trichobothria unknown; distitibia trichobothrium bc situated closer to sbf than to bf; sc and sf series each with 5 trichobothria; tarsus unknown (missing in material examined).

Measurements

See Table 9.

Distribution

Known only from the state of Kerala, India.

Natural history

One specimen collected under stone in dense canopy tropical lowland swamp forest with many sandstone outcrops and moderate to sparse leaf litter layer.

Remarks

Leg IV was missing from the material examined, preventing the position of the trichobothria or the number of pseudo-articles in the basitibia to be assessed. However, Gravely (1915) noted that the basitibia of leg IV could be undivided, i.e., with one pseudo-article, or divided, i.e., with two pseudoarticles.

Figures

Fig. 11. Charinidae Quintero, 1986, chelicerae, prolateral and retrolateral views. A–B. Charinus milloti Fage, 1939 (MNHN). C–D. Sarax cochinensis (Gravely, 1915) (AMCC [LP 13118]). E–F. Charinus longipes Weygoldt, 2006 (MNHN). Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Fig. 135. Map plotting known distributions of species of Sarax Simon, 1892 in Africa, the Middle East and South Asia.

Fig. 141. Sarax cochinensis (Gravely, 1915) (AMCC [LP 13118]), 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–B, E–F = 1 mm; C = 0.1 mm; D = 0.5 mm.