Homolophus airyamani, Snegovaya & Cokendolpher & Zamani, 2021

Snegovaya, Nataly Yu., Cokendolpher, James C. & Zamani, Alireza, 2021, Further studies on harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones) from Iran, with the descriptions of two new species, Zootaxa 4984 (1), pp. 73-86 : 80-82

Homolophus airyamani spec. nov.

Figs 4A–K , 5

Type material. IRAN: Hormozgan Province: Holotype male ( ZMMU), 75 km N of Bandar Abbas, Siahu , 27°33’N, 55°38’E, 600–700 m a.s.l., Alireza Zamani leg. 30.1.2020 . Paratypes. 2 males, 1 juvenile ( RCNS), with same data as for holotype .

Etymology. Named after Airyaman, the Persian divinity of friendship and healing; name in the genitive case.

Diagnosis. The new species is most similar to H. chemerisi Staręga & Snegovaya, 2008 , different from it by the following characteristics: smaller body size [ H. chemerisi body length 5.5, width 3.2 vs. 3.4, 2.2], large group of about 30 black-tipped smaller denticles in front of the eye mound [about 15 medium-sized denticles in H. chemerisi ].

Description. Male (holotype). Body medium-sized (length 3.4, width 2.2), dorsally covered with small dark denticles, those closer to eye mound arranged in regular transverse rows, the rest scattered randomly ( Fig. 4A ). Eye mound low ( Figs 4A–B ), with 7–8 dark denticles and with a large group of black-tipped denticles anteriorly, each with a small bristle basally. Dorsal side of body sand-colored and with a slightly darker saddle pattern; limbs also sandy in color, with small darkened areas on surface. Legs long (Body Leg Index = 1.36); 1st pair considerably thickened ( Fig. 4A ), surface of its segments with longitudinal rows of dark teeth ( Figs 4A–D ). Ventral surface of metatarsi with densely packed brushes of short bristles, like those in H. chemerisi ( Snegovaya & Cokendolpher 2021: fig. 1E). Lengths of leg segments: I - 3.0+1.0+2.5+3.1+5.0 = 14.6; II - 7.5+1.8+6.0+5.5+13.5 = 34.3; III - 6.7+2.0+6.4+4.0+11.2 = 30.3; IV - 4.0+1.0+3.0+3.7+9.5 = 21.2. Pedipalp strong ( Fig. 4F ), femur ventrally and dorsally with rather large black-tipped denticles, laterally with setae; patellae dorsally and laterally with smaller black-tipped denticles; tibiae with the same kind of denticles, but laterally a stripe with only bristles; tarsi ventrally with many microdenticles and bristles. Length of pedipalp segments: 1.1+0.5+0.7+1.5 = 3.8. Chelicera mediumsized ( Figs 4G–H ), basal segment with a group of black-tipped denticles dorsally, second segment dorsally with black-tipped denticles and bristles on the rest of the surface. Basal segment 1.7 long, second segment 1.6 long. Penis with wide base tapering slightly towards distal end ( Fig. 4I ); glans massive, with one pair of setae per side ( Figs 4J–L ), widened distally. Total penis length 2.3, glans length 0.3, stylus length 0.1.

Female. Unknown.

Habitat. The type specimens were collected from a sparsely vegetated, rocky arid plain ( Fig. 5 ).

Distribution. Known only from the type locality in Hormozgan Province, southern Iran.

Figures

FIGURES 4A–L. Homolophus airyamani spec. nov., holotype male. A Habitus, dorsal. B Eye tubercle, dorsal. C Femur I, dorsal. D Metatarsus I plus part of the second segment (= tarsomeres) of tarsus I, lateral. E, F Right pedipalp (E lateral, F mesal). G, H Right chelicera (G lateral, H mesal). I, K Penis (I dorsal, K lateral). J, L Close-up of penis glans (J dorsal, L lateral). Scale lines: A, C, D: 1 mm; B, E–I, K: 0.5 mm; J, L: 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 5. Habitat at the type locality of Homolophus airyamani spec. nov. in Hormozgan Province, Iran, 27°33’N, 55°38’E.