Gonyleptes atrus Mello-Leitao , 1923

Pinto-da-Rocha, Ricardo, Benedetti, Alipio Rezende, de Vasconcelos, Eduardo Gomes & Hara, Marcos Ryotaro, 2012, New systematic assignments in Gonyleptoidea (Arachnida, Opiliones, Laniatores), ZooKeys 198, pp. 25-68 : 36-37

Gonyleptes atrus Mello-Leitao, 1923 revalidated Figs 9 A–B 10

Gonyleptes atrus Mello-Leitão, 1923: 140; Kury 2003: 129; (male syntype, Brazil, Itatiaia, state of Rio de Janeiro or Minas Gerais, MNRJ 1462, examined; 3 males & 3 females syntypes, MZSP 42).

Weyhia brieni Giltay, 1928: 83; (male holotype; Brazil, Itatiaia; ISNB; not examined). Syn. n.

Geraeocormobius jimi Soares & Soares, 1974: 601, figs 8-25 (♂♀); (male holotype and 1 female paratype; Brazil, Rio de Janeiro; Itatiaia; J. Jim et al. leg, 28.XI.1977; HSPC 447; 2 males paratypes; same locality; A. Peracchi & E. Izecksohn leg, 9.IV.1966; HSPC 463; examined). Syn. n.

Material examined.

BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Lambari (Parque Estadual Nova Baden), (MZSP 32513); Delfim Moreira (MZSP 29393); Itamonte (MZSP 21251); Poços de Caldas (MZSP 29366). Rio de Janeiro: Itatiaia, syntypes of Weyhia bisignata (MNRJ 27321). São Paulo: Campos do Jordão (MZSP 21251).

Diagnosis.

Dorsal scutum length 8-10 mm. Corners of anterior margin of carapace smooth. Median frontal hump on anterior margin of carapace and ocularium with one pair of tubercles each one. Posterior region of carapace with 2 median tubercles. Mesotergum densely covered by tubercles. Scutal areas I–III each with a pair of median enlarged tubercles (III with largest and round ones). Prolateral apical apophysis of male coxa IV slightly directed backwards, retrolateral apophysis of male coxa IV absent or very reduced (Fig. 9 A–B). Dorsobasal apophysis of male femur IV robust, curved and retrolaterally oriented. Ornamentation of male femur IV variable, normally with two prolateral spines.

Description.

Penis (Fig. 10 A–C, MZSP 29393): ventral plate with 3 distal and 3 basal pairs of large setae, 1 median pair of short setae. Stylus with ventral trichomes. Ventral process with a triangular flabellum, with digitiform ventral median projection.

Taxonomical note.

Gonyleptes atrus was synonymized, without further remarks, with Gonyleptes saprophilus by Kury (2003) in his catalogue of Laniatores of the New World. However, the study of type material of both species revealed no overlap of some diagnostic characteristics. Gonyleptes atrus is relatively larger than Gonyleptes saprophilus . Both species present different patterns of ornamentation on male femur IV. Gonyleptes atrus shows a sigmoid femur IV with robust dorsal subasal apophysis and two remarkable retrolateral apophyses (Fig. 9 A–B), while Gonyleptes saprophilus shows a straight femur, reduced dorsal subasal apophysis, one remarkable retrolateral apophysis and three to five dorsal spines on anterior half of the femur IV (Fig. 9 C–D). Specimens of Geraeocormobius jimi and Gonyleptes atrus are identical. The description of Weyhia brieni is sufficiently clear to consider this species synonymy of Gonyleptes atrus , even without the examination of the type material. Only Gonyleptes itatiayae Mello-Leitão, Weyhia bisignata Mello-Leitão and Gyndesops pretiosus Mello-Leitão, and all its combination, remain in the synonymic list of Gonyleptes saprophilus . Gonyleptes atrus occurs in sympatry with Gonyleptes saprophilus in almost all of its distribution range.