Phrynichus persicus, Miranda & Zamani, 2018

Miranda, Gustavo Silva De & Zamani, Alireza, 2018, Filling the gap of whip spider distribution in Asia: Phrynichus persicus sp. n. (Arachnida, Amblypygi), a new Phrynichidae from Iran, Zootaxa 4413 (2), pp. 339-350 : 341-345

Phrynichus persicus sp. n.

FIgS 1D – 5

Holotype. IRAN: Ilam Province: DehlORaN cOUNTY, NeaR The bORdeR WITh MehRaN cOUNTY, SURROUNdINgS Of ChaNgUleh [33°0'49.37"N 46°36'38.63"E, appROxImaTe cOORdINaTeS], UNNamed caVe, 12.VII.2013, A.H. AghaeI leg. (male, SMF)

Etymology. The SpecIfIc epITheT IS a maScUlINe LaTIN adjecTIVe Of Persian OR of Persia, RefeRRINg TO The hISTORIcal RegION Of The MIddle EaST, lOcaTed IN The eaST Of MeSOpOTamIa (NOWadaYS IRaN), aNd TO The RemaRkable fIRST RecORd Of a WhIp SpIdeR TO ThIS cOUNTRY.

Common Name: We propose Persian Whip Spider (in Persian: Ankabūt- e Šallāqī- ye Pārsi, ﯽ*ﺭﺎﭘ ﯽﻗỵﺷ =ﻮ÷ﮑÀF) as a common name

Diagnosis. Phrynichus persicus sp.n. caN be RecOgNIzed bY The pReSeNce Of TWO WeaklY claVaTe SeTae VeNTRallY ON The baSal SegmeNT Of chelIceRae ( FIg. 3C ), The flaT UppeR TOOTh ON exTeRNal SIde Of The baSal SegmeNT Of The chelIceRae ( FIg. 3B ), The pReSeNce Of ONe TRIchObOThRIUm ON sbc (dISTITIbIa IV; FIg. 5 ) aNd The paIR Of ShORT aNd NaRROW pROjecTIONS clOSe TO The INNeR SIde Of LOL2 ON The male geNITalIa ( FIg. 4A, B ). Phrynichus persicus sp.n. caN be dISTINgUIShed fROm all SpecIeS Of The ceylonicus gROUp bY The pReSeNce Of SpINe-lIke pROjecTIONS ON The caRapace (VeNTRal TO The laTeRal eYeS) aNd caN be SepaRaTed fROm all SpecIeS Of The deflersi gROUp bY The abOVe meNTIONed chaRacTeRISTIcS.

Description (Male). Carapace ( FIg. 2A ): flaTTeNed, WIdeR ThaN lONg (1.7 TImeS), WITh aN acUTe Small pROjecTION VeNTRal TO The laTeRal TRIad Of eYeS; ThIN medIaN fURROW ReacheS The fOVea STaRTINg fROm The medIaN eYe TUbeRcle. ANTeRIOR maRgIN STRaIghT, WITh a ROW Of Small SeTae aNd a ShORT SeTIfeROUS TUbeRcle; a paIR Of ShallOW depReSSIONS clOSe TO The laTeRal pROjecTIONS Of The caRapace. FRONTal pROceSS laRge, SUb-TRIaNgUlaR, WITh a caReNa V-Shaped clOSe TO ITS TIp, VISIble fROm abOVe. ThRee paIRS Of ShallOW fURROWS ON The laTeRal SIde Of The caRapace, aNd a deep TRIaNgUlaR fOVea. 1ST paIR Of fURROWS placed jUST behINd The laTeRal bOSS, cONVeRgINg TO The fOVea. MedIaN eYeS aNd TUbeRcle pReSeNT, Well deVelOped; a paIR Of Small SeTae ON ITS TOp. LaTeRal eYeS Well deVelOped, pale cOlORed, ONe Small SeTa behINd each TRIad Of eYeS; leNSeS dIRecTed UpWaRdS aNd aNTeRIORlY.

Sternum: TeTRa-SegmeNTed, all pIeceS Well ScleROTIzed. TRITOSTeRNUm WITh aN OVal baSIS aNd pROjecTed aNTeRIORlY IN a bIg blUNT TUbeRcle, gReaTlY SURpaSSINg The baSe Of The pedIpalp cOxae, WITh SeVeRal ThIN aNd ThIck SeTae fROm The baSe TO apex; apex WITh TWO ThIck aNd lONg SeTae. MIddle pIece (TeTRaSTeRNUm) WIdeR ThaN lONg, WITh SeVeRal Small SeTae. ThIRd pIece (peNTaSTeRNUm) SlIghTlY NaRROWeR ThaN TeTRaSTeRNUm, WITh SeVeRal Small SeTae. STeRNITeS SepaRaTed fROm each OTheR bY half The leNgTh Of The ThIRd pIece. MeTaSTeRNUm WITh a paIR Of ShORT aNd ThIN SeTae pROxImallY, clOSe TO The bORdeR WITh The membRaNe RegION, aNd TWO paIRS Of SeTae dISTallY ON The apex Of a bUlgINg aRea.

Abdomen ( FIg. 2A ): OblONg, WITh almOST INdISTINgUIShable pUNcTUaTIONS. TeRgITeS cOVeRed WITh SeVeRal Small RhOmbUS TUbeRcleS, WITh a paIR Of ThIN aNd ShORT SeTae ON The pOSTeRIOR-laTeRal bORdeR Of The STeRNITeS. VeNTRal Sac cOVeR Well deVelOped. FI WITh WRINkled SURface ( FIg. 4A, B ); exTeRNal laTeRal bORdeR Of FI cURVed cONVeRgINg (lIke IN Trichodamon MellO-LeITãO, 1935; FIg. 4A, B ); LOD cURVed cONVeRgINg ( FIg. 4A, B ); The STRUcTUReS pROjecTINg fROm The apex Of FI NOT TeleScOped ( FIg. 4A, B ); LOL1 UNaRmed, bUT WRINkled ( FIg. 4A, B ); LOL2 WITh a paIR Of ShORT aNd NaRROW pROjecTIONS clOSe TO The INNeR SIde Of The STRUcTURe; PI STRaIghT; LaM SepaRaTed ( FIg. 4A, B ).

Chelicera ( FIg. 3A, B, C ): ChelIceRal fURROW WITh ThRee INTeRNal (pROlaTeRal) TeeTh ( FIg. 3A ); fIRST TOOTh (UppeR) bIfId, pROxImal cUSp SlIghTlY laRgeR ThaN The dISTal cUSp. SecONd aNd ThIRd TeeTh lONg aNd cURVed; SecONd TOOTh half The ThIRd. ONe bIcUSpIdaTe TOOTh ON The exTeRNal ROW Of The baSal SegmeNT, The UppeR flaT. MeSal face WITh aN OblIqUe ROW Of TWO lONg aNd ThIck SeTae, WITh SOme SmalleR aNd ThINNeR dORSal TO Them IN bOTh chelIceRa ( FIg. 3A, C ). SeVeRal SeTae ON dORSal bORdeR Of baSal SegmeNT WITh pROmINeNT (pROjecTed) SOckeTS ( FIg. 3A ). ChelIceRal claW WITh a ROW Of SeTae ON The ecTal SIde fROm The baSe UNTIl clOSe TO The apex (dORSal SIde) aNd ON The meSal SIde ( FIg. 3B ). EIghT SeTae ScaTTeRed beTWeeN The TWO ROWS Of SeTae ON The chelIceRal claW. ClaW WITh 5 deNTIcleS ( FIg. 3B ).

Pedipalp ( FIg. 2B ): Coxa: IN dORSal VIeW WITh a TRIaNgUlaR caReNa WITh aROUNd fIVe Small SeTae ON ITS fRONTal bORdeR. Trochanter: dORSal-fRONTal bORdeR WITh a caReNa beaRINg a SeRIeS Of TUbeRcleS aNd a Small SpINe ON The exTeRNal bORdeR; a SeRIeS Of SpINeS fOllOWINg The exTeRNal bORdeR fROm dORSal TO VeNTRal; fRONTal face Of The SegmeNT glabROUS aNd UNaRmed UNTIl ITS mIddle, WheRe SeVeRal SeRIeS Of SeTIfeROUS TUbeRcle aNd SpINeS aRe pReSeNT; laRge VeNTRal SpINe, lOcaTed IN The pOSTeRIOR bORdeR Of The TROchaNTeR; SpINe WITh a feW ShORT SeTae aNd a lONg/ThIN SeTae clOSe TO The TIp Of The SpINe; TWO SUbeqUal SpINeS, ONe aT abOUT The ceNTeR Of The aNTeRIOR ROW Of SeTIfeROUS TUbeRcleS, aNd The OTheR aT The exTeRNal bORdeR, abOVe The VeNTRal SpINe. Femur ( FIg. 2B, E ): fIVe dORSal SpINeS IN The maIN SeRIeS, decReaSINg IN SIze; ONe pROmINeNT SpINe beTWeeN SpINe 1 aNd TROchaNTeR, TWO ThIRdS SpINe 1; SeVeRal ShORT SpINeS beTWeeN The SpINeS Of The maIN SeRIeS, WITh TWO pROmINeNT beTWeeN SpINeS 1 aNd 2, ThRee pROmINeNT beTWeeN SpINeS 2 aNd 3, fOUR pROmINeNT beTWeeN SpINeS 3 aNd 4, aNd TWO TO ThRee pROmINeNT beTWeeN SpINeS 4 aNd 5; fOUR VeNTRal SpINeS IN The maIN SeRIeS, decReaSINg IN SIze; SeVeRal ShORT SpINeS beTWeeN SpINeS Of The maIN SeRIeS, WITh ONe pROmINeNT beTWeeN SpINeS 1 aNd 2, TWO pROmINeNT beTWeeN SpINeS 2 aNd 3, aNd TWO pROmINeNT beTWeeN SpINeS 3 aNd 4. Patella ( FIg. 2B, D ): fOUR dORSal SpINeS; fIRST aNd SecONd SpINeS SUbeqUal, ThIRd SlIghTlY ShORTeR; The fIRST ThRee SpINeS clOSe TO each OTheR IN The apex Of The paTella fORmINg, WITh The OTheR SpINeS ON The phRYNIchId haNd (WeYgOldT 1995, 1998); fOURTh SpINe lONgeR ThaN a SeTIfeROUS TUbeRcle; ThRee VeNTRal SpINeS IN The maIN SeRIeS decReaSINg IN SIze, SecONd half The SIze Of The fIRST, ThIRd a bIT lONgeR ThaN a SeTIfeROUS TUbeRcle; ONe SpINe beTWeeN SpINe I aNd TIbIa, ThIckeR aNd ShORTeR ThaN SpINe I, cURVed fORWaRd. Tibia ( FIg. 2B ): TWO dORSal SpINeS, ONe lONg (mORe ThaN half The SIze Of The aRTIcle), clOSe TO The mIddle Of The aRTIcle, pOINTINg fORWaRdS, aNd ONe ShORT, beTWeeN The lONg SpINe aNd The paTella; ThIS SpINe IS cURVed backWaRdS; ONe lONe VeNTRal SpINe, half The SIze Of The aRTIcle, pOINTINg fORWaRdS; a ROW Of fIVe WIde SeTIfeROUS TUbeRcle IS placed fROm The baSe TO The mIddle Of The SpINe. Tarsus + claw ( FIg. 2C ): WITh TWO ShORT SpINeS dORSal The cleaNINg ORgaN; WITh SeVeRal lONg aNd ThIN SeTae WITh apex flaT aNd RUgged. CleaNINg ORgaN abOUT half Of The aRTIcle leNgTh; VeNTRal ROW Of The cleaNINg bRUSh WITh 19 SeTae (IN bOTh palpS); INVagINaTION Of The aTTachmeNT ROd Of The TaRSal addUcTOR mUScle pReSeNT aNTeRIOR TO The cleaNINg ORgaN.

Legs ( FIg. 2A ): All SeTOSe aNd WITh acUTe TUbeRcleS. VeNTRal cORNeR Of The pROlaTeRal face Of femORa II–IV pROjecTINg IN a dISTINcT SpINIfORm pROceSS. FemORa leNgTh: I>III>II>IV. TIbIa I WITh 32 aRTIcleS (bOTh legS). TaRSUS (baSITaRSUS+dISTITaRSUS) I WITh 72 aRTIcleS (bOTh legS).

Leg IV (bOTh legS): Basitibia: UNdIVIded; TRIchObOThRIUm bt ON The dISTal ThIRd ( FIg. 5 ). Distitibia: fIVe pROxImal aNd 36 dISTal TRIchObOThRIa (TOTal Of 41); sbc WITh ONe TRIchObOThRIUm aNd fRONTal SeRIeS WITh fOUR TRIchObOThRIa; sf WITh 15 aNd sc WITh 16 TRIchObOThRIa ( FIg. 5 ). Tarsus: WIThOUT WhITe RINg IN dISTal paRT Of fIRST aRTIcle Of dISTITaRSUS IV.

Measurements (IN cm): CaRapace: leNgTh 0.6, WIdTh 1.0. PedIpalp: FemUR 3.0, PaTella 3.0, TIbIa 0.4, TaRSUS+claW 0.3. Leg I: FemUR 2.4. Leg IV: FemUR 2.6, BaSITIbIa 1.5, DISTITIbIa 0.9, BaSITaRSUS 0.1, OTheR TaRSal aRTIcleS 0.1.

Color Pattern (alcohol preserved material) ( FIg. 1D , 2A ): CaRapace, chelIceRae aNd pedIpalpS daRk bROWN. AbdOmeN aNd legS YellOWISh–bROWN.

Female: UNkNOWN.

Distribution. Phrynichus persicus IS cURReNTlY kNOWN ONlY fROm The TYpe lOcalITY, WhIch IS The NORTheRNmOST glObal RecORd Of The famIlY PhRYNIchIdae ( FIg. 6 ). IT IS WORTh meNTIONINg ThaT The pReSeNce Of aNOTheR amblYpYgId geNUS, Charinus SImON, 1892 IN The ARabIaN PeNINSUla (e.g. Charinus omanensis Delle CaVe , GaRdNeR aNd WeYgOldT, 2009) aNd IN PakISTaN ( Charinus pakistanus WeYgOldT, 2005) SUggeST ThaT TheRe mIghT be SpecIeS Of ThIS geNUS OccURRINg SOmeWheRe IN SOUTheRN IRaN, bUT NO RecORdS haVe beeN made SO faR ( HaRVeY 2013).

Life history and habitat preferences. The SINgle SpecImeN WaS cOllecTed IN a NaTURal, lImeSTONe kaRST caVe WITh TWO Small eNTRaNceS aNd TWO laRge paSSageS, WITh ITS hIgheST WallS ReachINg a heIghT Of abOUT 16 meTeRS, aNd OccUpYINg a TOTal aRea Of abOUT 2000 m 2, WITh The SUbSTRaTe cOVeRed WITh a laYeR Of baT gUaNO. The meaN TempeRaTURe Of ThIS hOT aNd hUmId caVe IS qUITe cONSTaNT dURINg The YeaR, RaNgINg beTWeeN 20–25°C, WITh meaN hUmIdITY Of 60–70%. OTheR INhabITINg aNImalS Of ThIS caVe INclUde a cOlONY Of TRIdeNT leaf-NOSed baT ( Asellia tridens ), TWO SpecIeS Of geckOS ( Asaccus elisae , Hemidactylus robustus ), UNIdeNTIfIed SpecIeS Of hUNTSmaN SpIdeRS ( Spariolenus Sp. ) aNd ROacheS (BlaTTOdea). IT IS NOTeWORThY ThaT ThIS caVe WaS VISITed bY The cOllecTOR fOR ThRee TImeS: The fIRST lead TO The fINdINg Of The hOlOTYpe, WhIle dURINg The SecONd VISIT (JUNe 6, 2014) a jUVeNIle WaS ObSeRVed bUT NOT cOllecTed, aNd IN The ThIRd VISIT (JaNUaRY 15, 2015) NO SpecImeNS WeRe ObSeRVed aT all. IT IS pOSSIble ThaT ThIS SpecIeS haS a VeRY ReSTRIcTed RaNge aNd exTeNT Of OccURReNce, aNd mIghT alReadY be ThReaTeNed bY habITaT lOSS aNd deSTRUcTION Of SUbTeRRaNeaN ecOSYSTemS.

Figures

FIGURE 3. ChelicerA Of Phrynichus persicus sp.n. A. MesAl vieW Of left chelicerA. B. EctAl vieW Of chelicerAl clAW And teeth Of the bAsAl segment. C. DetAil Of the setAeOn the bAsAl segment Of chelicerA. ScAle bArs:A, B, 1mm; C, 0.5mm.

FIGURE 5. BAsi- And distitibiA Of leg IV shOWing number And pOsitiOn Of trichObOthriA.Right rectAngle shOWs frOntAl series And left rectAngle shOWs cAudAl series Of trichObOthriA.ScAle bArs:1mm.

FIGURE 6. DistributiOnAl mAp Of All Phrynichus KArsch, 1879 species. LOcAlities And cOOrdinAtes Were gAthered frOm BAstAWAde et al. (2005); MAquArt et al. (2016); WeygOldt (1998, 2003, 2009); WeygOldt et al. (2002) And Huber (pers. cOm.). The recOrd Of Phrynichusexophthalmus Whittick, 1940 in SOuth AfricA is dOubtful (WeygOldt 1998).

FIGURE1. DOrsAl hAbitus Of fOur Phrynichus species.A. Phrynichus deflersi arabicus WeygOldt,2003 frOm SAudi ArAbiA.B. Phrynichus dhofarensis WeygOldt, POhl & POlAk, 2002 frOm OmAn. C. Phrynichus jayakari POcOck, 1894 frOm United ArAb EmirAtes.D. Phrynichus persicus sp.n. frOm IrAn.ScAle bAr:Fig. D, 5.0mm.PhOtOs A–C: Siegfried Huber.

FIGURE4. MAle gOnOpOd Of Phrynichus persicus sp.n.A. VentrAl vieW.B. DetAil vieW Of theleft side.Fi fistula, LAM lamina medialis, LOD lobusdorsalis, LOL1 lobus lateralisprimus, LOL2 lobus lateralissecundus, PI processus internus. ScAlebArs:A, B,0.5mm.

FIGURE2. HAbitus And detAils Of the pedipAlp Of Phrynichus persicus sp.n. A. DOrsAl hAbitus.B. DOrsAlvieW Of left pedipAlp tArsus; s = spines. C. VentrAl vieW Of left pAlpAl trOchAnter And prOXimAl femur spines. D. VentrAl vieW Of spines Of left pAlpAl pAtellA.E. DOrsAl vieW Of left pedipAlp.ScAle bArs:A, B, 5.0mm; C, D, E, 1.0mm.