Eulibitia Roewer, 1912

Medrano, Miguel & Kury, Adriano B., 2017, Taxonomic revision of the Andean genus Eulibitia Roewer, 1912 (Arachnida, Opiliones, Cosmetidae), with the description of five new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 357, pp. 1-55 : 5-7

Eulibitia Roewer, 1912

Eulibitia Roewer, 1912: 16 (type species: Eulibitia maculata Roewer, 1912 , by original designation).

Libitia (Messa) Sørensen in Henriksen, 1932: 412 (junior homonym of Messa Leach, 1817 ( Hymenoptera ) and unavailable name because no type species was designated). Syn. nov.

Messa Mello-Leitão, 1933: 107 , 112 (available because a type species was designated and a description provided, but still invalid due to homonymy; type species: Libitia (Messa) scalaris Sørensen, 1932 , by original designation). Syn. nov.

Paramessa Mello-Leitão, 1933: 109 (type species: Libitia (Messa) castanea Sørensen, 1932 , by original designation). Syn. nov.

Brachylibitia Mello-Leitão, 1941: 166 (junior subjective synonym of Cynorta C.L. Koch, 1839 according to Goodnight & Goodnight (1953: 38); synonymy disclaimed by Kury (2003); junior subjective synonym of Platymessa Mello-Leitão, 1941 according to Medrano & Kury (2016); type species: Brachylibitia ectroxantha Mello-Leitão, 1941 , by original designation). Syn. nov.

Platymessa Mello-Leitão, 1941: 167 (type species: Platymessa h-inscripta Mello-Leitão, 1941, by original designation). Syn. nov.

Messatana Strand, 1942: 398 (replacement name for Messa Mello-Leitão, 1933 ). Syn. nov.

Eulibitia – Roewer 1914: 127; 1923: 298; 1928: 547. — Mello- Leitão 1926: 331; 1932: 56; 1933: 106. — Kury 2003: 60. — Pinto-da-Rocha & Hara 2011: 10. — Medrano & Kury 2016: 52.

Messa – Mello-Leitão 1935: 114. — Kury & Alonso-Zarazaga 2011: 50.

Platimessa (incorrect original spelling) – Mello-Leitão 1941: 167.

Platymessa – Roewer 1963: 52. — Kury 2003: 81. — Medrano & Kury 2016: 54.

Brachylibitia – Kury 2003: 38.

Messatana – Kury 2003: 67. — Kury & Alonso-Zarazaga 2011: 50.

Paramessa – Kury 2003: 80.

Diagnosis

Outline of the dorsal scutum beta-shaped, with coda convergent posteriorly in males and almost parallel in females; protoglyphs shallow, with well-marked lateral triangular or rounded projections ( Figs 1, 6A). Posterior margin of scutum armed with two small paramedian tubercles (except for E. maculata ). Areas II and IV unarmed ( Figs 5–6). Yellowish white color markings of scutum as a ladder mask over dark brown background, blots dissociated sometimes to the point of having no white marking ( Fig. 20A, C–H). Spot as a yellowish band on posterior margin, posterior to paramedian tubercles, sometimes dissociated medially ( Figs 12A, 16A). Coxa IV entirely visible in dorsal view, reaching posterior groove of scutal area III ( Figs 5A, 8A). Chelicerae ( Figs 7F, 13A) monomorphic, weak, with marginal rows of acuminate tubercles of varied size on posterior border. Movable and fixed fingers with blunt teeth ( Fig. 17A). Pedipalpal femur with a dorsal keel formed by a row of tubercles ( Figs 10E, 17E). Legs short and strong, Fe III and IV slightly arched to the inside ( Fig. 21 A–C); basitarsomeres of leg I of male thicker than distitarsomeres ( Fig. 2). Tarsal counts: 4–6; 6–14; 6–7; 6–9. Ventral plate of penis subrectangular laterally, with 6 pairs of MS, organized from base to top as follows: A1–A2, D1–D2, C1– C2; and ventrally: B basally and E1–E2 distally ( Figs 3, 22; contrasting with Ambatoiella and Libitia , see Fig. 4A, E). Microsetae of type T4, restricted to lateral margins of ventral side of VP as two parallel stripes from corners to MS B ( Fig. 30A, C–D).

Etymology Eulibitia : from Greek εὖ (rightful, proper, good) + pre-existing generic name Libitia (with origin

obscure, but sounds like an Ancient Roman woman’s name). Gender feminine. Messa : from a city name in Ancient Greece. Gender feminine. Paramessa : from Greek παρά (beside) + pre-existing genus Messa . Gender feminine. Brachylibitia : from Greek βραχύς (short) + pre-existing generic name Libitia . Gender feminine. Platymessa : from Greek πλατύ- (flattened) + pre-existing generic name Messa . Gender feminine. Messatana : variation of pre-existing genus Messa . Gender feminine.

Included species

Eulibitia maculata Roewer, 1912 (type species), E. scalaris (Sørensen, 1932) comb. nov., E. h-inscriptum ( Mello-Leitão, 1941) comb. nov., E. ectroxantha ( Mello-Leitão, 1941) comb. nov., E. castor sp. nov., E. clytemnestra sp. nov., E. helena sp. nov., E. leda sp. nov. and E. pollux sp. nov.

Key to the species of Eulibitia (males only)

1. Scutal area I without tubercles, coxa IV without clavi inguines ( Figs 8A, 9A).................................2

– Scutal area I with two paramedian tubercles, coxa IV with clavi inguines ( Figs 12A, 16A)..............5

2. Scutal area III with two paramedian tubercles ....... E. ectroxantha ( Mello-Leitão, 1941) comb. nov.

– Scutal area III without two paramedian tubercles ( Figs 9A, 20A)....................................................3

3. Scutum entirely unarmed ( Figs 19, 20A) ................................................. E. maculata Roewer, 1912

– Posterior margin of scutum with two paramedian tubercles ( Fig. 20A).........................................4

4. Posterior margin of scutum with two paramedian tubercles, separated and rounded ( Fig. 8 A–B); lateral margins of DS smooth ( Fig. 9A); penial MS D2 large and straight ( Fig. 9 B–C) ................... ....................................................................................................................... E. clytemnestra sp. nov.

– Posterior margin of scutum with paramedian tubercles, contiguous and acuminate ( Fig. 23A); lateral margins of DS with an irregular row of tubercles ( Fig. 24A); penial MS D2 minute ( Fig. 26B) .......................................................................................................................... E. pollux sp. nov.

5. Ladder mask reaching lateral margins of DS (see Medrano & Kury 2016: figs 10–18) ................... ............................................................................. E. h-inscriptum ( Mello-Leitão, 1941) comb. nov.

– Ladder mask confined to mesotergum ( Fig. 28 C–H).....................................................................6

6. Posterior margin of scutum with two acuminate paramedian tubercles slanted backward ( Fig. 5E) .................................................................................................................................. E. castor sp. nov.

– Posterior margin of scutum with two rounded, erect paramedian tubercles ( Figs 11E, 15E)......7

7. Ladder mask overflowing the scutal grooves to reach areas I, II and III ( Figs 11, 12A); femur IV straight, with a large dorso-apical spine ( Fig. 12 C–D) .......................................... E. helena sp. nov.

– Ladder mask confined to the scutal grooves ( Figs 15A, 16A); femur IV curved, without a large dorso-apical tubercle or spine ( Fig. 17 G–I)....................................................................................8

8. Coda short, with constriction poorly marked, dorsal apophysis of coxa IV acuminate and with few minute granules ( Figs 15A, 16A), patella of pedipalpus with a mesal keel without tubercles ( Fig. 17F) .................................................................................................................... E. leda sp. nov.

– Coda large, with constriction well marked, dorsal apophysis of coxa IV rounded and widely granulated ( Figs 27A, 28A), patella of pedipalpus with a mesal keel with a row of small setiferous tubercles ( Fig. 29E) ................................................................ E. scalaris (Sørensen, 1932) comb. nov.

Although no material of the species E. ectroxantha has been examined in this project, the description and illustrations provided by Mello-Leitão (1941) are sufficient and appropriated for this key, taking into account the characteristics listed for the other species in this section.