Cenopalpus abaii Khosrowshahi and Arbabi, 1997

(Figs. 117–125)

Cenopalpus abaii Khosrowshahi and Arbabi, 1997: 7, figs. 20–23.

Diagnosis. Rostral shied with 2 medial lobes, 2 small indistinct submedial lobes and 2 small lateral lobes. Propodosoma with large polygonal reticulations medially and irregular, transverse areolae sculpturing laterally; opisthosoma reticulated medially except area between d1–e1 with large transverse reticulate elements and laterally with irregular transverse areolae sculpturing. Dorsal body setae narrowly lanceolate, serrate, setae v2 slightly longer than distance v2–v2; opisthosomal setae mostly shorter than propodosomal setae, but setae c1–3 and d1 subequal to sc2; setae h1–2 smallest; opisthosomal pores absent. Intercoxal area between III–IV smooth, opisthosomal venter with reticulations behind coxae IV, smooth medially. Solenidia Iω 12–14, IIω 12–14.

Re-description. FEMALE (n = 4). Color in life red. Idiosoma oval. Length of body (excluding gnathosoma) 250–270; (including gnathosoma) 288–318; width 145–147; length of leg I 136–148; leg II 133–144; leg III 121– 129; leg IV 122–137.

Dorsum (Fig. 117). Rostral shied with 2 large medial lobes, 2 indistinct submedial lobes and 2 small lateral lobes (Fig. 117). Propodosoma with large polygonal reticulations medially and irregular, transverse areolae scultpuring laterally. Sejugal furrow distinct; opisthosoma with reticulations medially except for area between d1–e1 with large transverse reticulate elements and laterally with irregular transverse areolae sculpturing. Propodosomal, dorsocentral, sublateral and lateral setae c2, c3, d3 broadly lanceolate, laterally barbed; other opisthosomal setae narrowly lanceolate to setiform; opisthosomal pores absent (Fig. 117). Lengths of dorsal setae as follows: v 2 30–39, sc 1 25–32, sc 2 22–26, c 1 24–30, c 2 20–23, c 3 19–25, d 1 21–26, d 3 13–19, e 1 15 –19, e 3 10 –16, f 2 11–13, f 3 8–13, h 1 6–10, h2 7–9; distances between dorsal setae; v2–v 2 26–31, v2–sc 1 22–27, sc1–sc1 72–74, sc2–sc2 101–113, sc1–sc 2 29–33, c1–c1 42–47, c1–c 2 25–35, c2–c 3 6–12, c2–c2 106–108, c3–c3 121–127, c1–d 1 31–35, c3–d3 34–40, d1–d1 32–41, d1–d–3 38–42, d3–d3 108–126, d1– e 1 42–48, e1– e 1 23–30, e1– e 3 38–47, e3–e3 113–116, e3–f 2 28–32, f2–f2 94–98, f2–f 3 19–27, f3–f3 71–80, f3–h 2 18–25, h1–h 1 18–22, h1–h 2 11–14, h2–h2 42–48, e1–h1 58–64, d3– e 3 32–36.

Venter (Fig. 118). Area between coxae I–IV smooth, immediately behind coxa IV with reticulations, smooth medially, opisthosoma laterally with transverse areolae sculpturing and coarse striae anterior to ventral shield (Fig. 118); length of setae la 63–72, 1 b 26–35, 1 c 22–27, 2 b 33–38, 2 c 25–27, 3 a 18–19, 3 b 17–20, 4 a 73–78, and 4b 17–19. Ventral setae long, 1a shorter than 4a. Ventral and genital shields with transverse striae (Fig. 118); aggenital setae (ag) 16–19 longer than genital setae (g1–2); anal shield with irregular reticulations and 2 setae (ps1–2), setae g 1 9–13, g 2 9–13, ps 1 12–15, ps 2 6–10. Distances between genital area setae: ag–ag 16–19, g1–g 1 23–28, g2–g2 37–43, g1–g 2 7–11.

Gnathosoma (Figs. 119–121). Rostrum extending to middle of genu I (Fig. 119); palp 4 segmented, palp tarsus with 1 solenidion and 2 eupathidia; palp genu-tibia with 2 setae, palp femur with 1 dorsal seta (Fig. 121). Subcapitulum with seta m 17–18, distance m–m 10–10. Chelicerae shown in Fig. 120.

Legs (Figs. 122–125). Legs rather short, about 1/3 length of the idiosoma. Setal formulae of leg segments as follows: coxae 2-2-1-1; trochanters 1-1-2-1; femora 4-4-2-1; genua 3-3-1-0; tibiae 5-5-3-3; tarsi 9(1ω) - 9(1ω)-5-5. Femur I and II with two lanceolate setae. Tarsus I and II with solenidia Iω 12–14, IIω 12–14 (Figs. 122–123). Tarsal claws uncinate and empodia pad-like.

Material examined. Four females collected from leaves of oak trees, Quercus sp. ( Fagaceae), IRAN: Fars province, Kazeron, 29°37'N, 40°48'E, 880 m a. s. l., 3 October 1978, coll. M. Khosrowshahi. Deposited in CALBS. Type specimens of C. abaii deposited at CPPDRII, No: T 1022, lent from Dr. M. Khosrowshahi.

Remarks. Cenopalpus abaii Khosrowshahi and Arbabi, 1997 closely resembles C. quercusi sp. nov. (see remarks under C. quercusi). It also resembles C. ramus Manson, 1963 in having a rostral shield with four-pronged medial lobes and two small lobes laterally, propodosomal setae broadly lanceolate, reticulations behind coxa IV and the rostrum extending to the end of femur I. However it differs from the latter in: propodosomal setae pass base of next seta behind in C. abaii (shorter in C. ramus), propodosoma medially with irregular large reticulations in C. abaii (smooth in C. ramus), opisthosoma medially with irregular small reticulations in C. abaii (transverse striae posterior of d 1 in C. ramus), and setae e1 long (25) and broadly lanceolate in Cenopalpus abaii (setae e1 minute and simple in C. ramus).