Austropurcellia finniganensis Popkin-Hall, Jay & Boyer

Jay, Katya R., Popkin-Hall, Zachary R., Coblens, Michelle J., Oberski, Jill T., Sharma, Prashant P. & Boyer, Sarah L., 2016, New species of Austropurcellia, cryptic short-range endemic mite harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones, Cyphophthalmi) from Australia's Wet Tropics biodiversity hotspot, ZooKeys 586, pp. 37-93 : 40-44

Taxon classification Animalia Opiliones Pettalidae

Austropurcellia finniganensis Popkin-Hall, Jay & Boyer sp. n. Figs 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

Material examined.

Holotype. Male (QM 102446), Mt. Finnigan (sample 1, AR4), 15.816°S, 145.280°E, coll. Alex Riedel 28.iv.2014.

Paratypes. 3 males, 3 females, same collecting data as holotype, QM 102447, Macalester SEM stubs M30.11, M30.12.

Additional material.

1 female, Mt. Finnigan (sample 2, AR3), 15.816°S, 145.278°E, coll. Alex Riedel 28.iv.2014, MCZ IZ 68947.

4 males, 5 females, 2 juveniles, Mt. Finnigan 37 km S Cooktown, 15.817°S, 145.283°E, coll. G. B. Monteith, D. Yeates, and D. Cook 22.iv.1982, QM berlesate 401A, Macalester SEM stubs M8.1, M8.2.

3 males, 1 female, Mt. Finnigan Summit, 15.817°S, 145.283°E, coll. G. B. Monteith 21.xi.1998, QM berlesate 981, Macalester SEM stubs M6.11, M6.12.

Diagnosis.

Distinguished from congeners by very short, round scopula emerging from posterior quarter of fully granulated anal plate. Distinctive lack of granulation on sutures of dorsal scutum, including medial sulcus.

Description.

Pettalid with tergite VIII bilobed (Figs 6 A–B, 7). Posterior margin of dorsal scutum curves ventrally (Fig. 6C). Length of male holotype (Fig. 6) 2.1 mm, width at widest point in posterior third of prosoma 1.2 mm, width at ozophores 0.8 mm. Most of body surface covered in microstructure of tubercles and granules (Fig. 7). Dorsal transverse sulci present and very prominent by lack of granulation (Fig. 7A). Dorsal longitudinal sulcus lacking granulation but with adjacent band of elongated granules oriented parallel to medial sulcus (Figs 7A, 8A). Granulation medially absent in anterior portions of sternites II-V; area of absent granulation approximately equal to width of gonostome (Fig. 7).

Ozophores relatively conical, of type III sensu Juberthie (1970) (Figs 7A, 9A). Coxae of legs I and II mobile, coxae of remaining legs fixed. Male coxae II–IV meeting in the midline (Fig. 7B). Male gonostome small, subtriangular, wider than long (Fig. 7B). Spiracles circular and C-shaped with slightly recurved edges (Fig. 9), as found in "open circle" type of Giribet and Boyer (2002). Anal region of "pettalid type" ( Giribet and Boyer 2002). Anal plate convex and granulated (Fig. 8B). Short, round scopula extruding from posterior third of anal plate and extending just past posterior margin of anal plate (Fig. 8B). Orientation of scopula obscures anal pores, which are not visible (Fig. 8B).

Chelicerae (Fig. 10A) short and relatively robust. Proximal article of chelicerae with dorsal crest, without ventral process. Median article with prominent apodeme. Chela with two types of dentition typical in pettalids (Fig. 10A). Measurements of cheliceral articles of male paratype, from proximal to distal (in mm): 0.85, 0.94, 0.27. Palp (Fig. 10B) with prominent ventral process on trochanter. Measurements of palpal articles of male paratype from proximal to distal (in mm): 0.27, 0.28, 0.20, 0.31, 0.27.

Legs with all claws smooth, without ventral dentition or lateral pegs (Fig. 11). All tarsi smooth (Fig. 11). Distinct solea present on ventral surface of tarsus I (Fig. 11A). Metatarsi I and II heavily ornamented on proximal half, with distal half smooth (Fig. 11A, B). Remaining metatarsi with full ornamentation (Fig. 11 C–F). Male tarsus IV completely divided into two tarsomeres (Fig. 11D, E). Adenostyle with relatively robust, pointed claw, wider base, and small pore at apex on lateral (external) side (Fig. 11D). Seta on lateral surface of adenostyle (Fig. 11 D–E) (example with adenostyle features labeled, Fig. 5).

Length measurements from male paratype of leg articles from proximal to distal (in mm): leg I [trochanter damaged], 0.59, 0.26, 0.43, 0.20, 0.40; leg II 0.26, 0.42, 0.25, 0.30, 0.15, 0.34; leg III [trochanter damaged], 0.48, 0.20, 0.33, 0.15, 0.31; leg IV [trochanter damaged], 0.50, 0.24, 0.39, 0.16, 0.35. Width measurements from male paratype of leg articles from proximal to distal (in mm): leg I [trochanter damaged], 0.18, 0.18, 0.17, 0.15, 0.20; leg II 0.17, 0.15, 0.16, 0.18, 0.13, 0.14; leg III [trochanter damaged], 0.18, 0.18, 0.19, 0.12, 0.14; leg IV 0.16, 0.21, 0.20, 0.21, 0.17, 0.18.

Etymology.

The specific epithet refers to the type locality, Mt. Finnigan.