Salfacarus ranobensis Vázquez & Klompen n. sp.

(Figs. 27–36)

Diagnosis. Ovipositor without long terminal setae, small setae or glands, or large spinose structures, but with a pair of large trachea-like structures near its base (Fig. 27). Female with ribbed, tapering setae in the genital region. The latter characteristic has not been observed in any other Salfacarus species in Madagascar (it was reported for S. lawrencei from South Africa).

Description. Based on observations on 9 protonymphs, 15 deutonymphs, 13 tritonymphs, 2 females, 5 males. Larva unknown.

Gnathosoma. Chelicera (Fig. 28). Basal segment without setae in PN and some DNs. One seta added in some DNs and all TNs and adults, fixed digit with 3 setae in all known instars. Axial seta on fixed digit lightly barbed, other cheliceral setae smooth. Dorsal (id) and antiaxial (i α) lyrifissure well developed in most nymphs and adults, not observed in PN. Fixed digit with 1, rarely 2, teeth, movable digit with 1–2 teeth and a well developed terminal hook. Movable digit with 1–2 ventral denticles in PN and DN, 2–3 in TN, and 3, rarely 4, in adult. Internal surface of movable digit with a small sensillum (arrow).

Subcapitulum (Fig. 29). All 4 pairs of paralabial setae present: pl1 small, conical; With’s organ (pl2) membranous; rutella (pl3) with 1 distinct row of 5 teeth, inserted dorso-laterally; pl4 very small, inserted dorsal on subcapitulum (not observed in PN). In addition, adults with 4 circumbuccal (cb), and 5–8 median and subcapitular (vm (in part), lvm, ldm, vp, lvp) setae. Males may have fewer median and subcapitular (5–6) than females, but sampling inadequate. PN, DN and TN similar but number of median and subcapitular setae smaller, 2, 3, and 3–5, respectively. Lateral lips with distinct canals in all instars.

Palp. Adult (Figs. 30–31). Trochanter with 5 ribbed, tapering (= r-type) setae; femur with 9 (female) or 6 (male) papilliform (= p-type) and 12 r-type setae; genu with 7 (females) or 3–4 (males) p-type and 27–35 rtype setae. Tibia and tarsus partially fused. Tibia with approximately 5 smooth (= s-type) and 55 r-type setae. Palp tarsus with lyrifissures i π and i α. Setation including 3 s, 5 d (leaf-like), and approximately 17 ch, 9 sm, and 9 v, setae. Sexual differentiation in tibia and tarsus indistinct. Pretarsus in shape of a pair of well developed sessile claws. Immatures (Figs. 32–34). Trochanter: PN, 0 setae; DN, 0–1 (2 in one specimen); TN, 2–4. Femur: PN, 3–4 r and 2 p setae; DN, 3–4 r plus 2–4 p; TN, 4–9 r plus 6 p. Genu: PN, 5–6 r plus 1 p; DN, 7–8 r plus 1–2 p; TN, 12–20 r plus 2– 4 p. Tibia: PN, 15–16; DN, 23–26; TN 24 setae. Tarsus of PN, DN and TN with, respectively, 2, 3, and 4 d setae. Number of tarsal ch, sm, and v setae not scored for immatures.

Idiosoma. Anterior dorsal shield of adults with 94–174 (N= 4) papilliform setae, and two pairs of eyes. Lyrifissures absent. Rostrum rounded. PN, DN and TN with, respectively, 22–27, 45–56, and 90–108 anterior dorsal shield setae. Remaining idiosoma with lyrifissures arranged in more or less transverse rows. Setation in PN limited to 1 dorsal and 2 ventral seta on preanal segment; subsequent instars all with more than 200 papilliform setae. Setae predominantly mid-dorsal and mid-ventral. Anal valves each with 14–23 papilliform setae in adults; PN, DN and TN with, respectively, 2, 5, and 11–17 setae on each valve.

Sternitogenital region (Figs. 35–36). Sternal verrucae in adults with 1 long, tapering, and 2–3 shorter setae each. Remaining sternal area with 2 pairs of long tapering and 4–9 pairs of papilliform setae, and 3 pairs of lyrifissures (two pairs very large, the third smaller; all different in shape and size from “standard” opisthosomal lyrifissures). PN, DN and TN with, respectively, 0, 1, and 2–3 shorter setae on sternal verrucae, and 0, 1–4, and 6–8 pairs of papilliform setae in remaining sternal area. Pregenital capsules of adults with 1 long tapering and 3–6 papilliform setae each (0, 2–3, and 3–4 in, respectively, PN, DN and TN). Pregenital and genital areas in male with, respectively, 3–6 papilliform and 11–13 ribbed tapering setae. Pregenital area in female with 3–9 ribbed, tapering setae. Condition of genital area less clear. This area appears to have 12 (6– 24) smooth, tapering setae, a unique condition for Salfacarus, but the area is distorted in the few available specimens, and the zone with smooth setae may in fact be further posterior. In that case the genital area might be without setae (as in all other Salfacarus). Still, the presence of smooth tapering setae (in the genital area or in the postgenital ventral area) is highly unusual. Numbers for PN, DN, and TN, respectively, 0 and 0, 0 and 1–3, and 0–2 and 5–8. Ovipositor (Fig. 27). Without long terminal setae, or very small structures on the ovipositor (setae, gland ducts), but with a pair of large trachea–like structures near base.

Legs. Tarsus I without distinct acrotarsus but with a basitarsus in all instars. Broad sensillum with “crownlike” tip (Fig. 1S in Vázquez and Klompen (2002)) in main sensillar field. Pretarsi with well developed sessile claws; without setae. Tarsi II each with a thick but not bifurcate dorsal seta and a smooth sensillum resembling a solenidion. Acrotarsus of legs IV present in DN, of legs II–III delayed until TN. Trochanters of legs III–IV divided in most DNs and all TNs. Pretarsi II–IV each with two pairs of setae and a pair of claws.

Collection information. Multiple numbers refer to multiple slides representing a single, dissected. individual. Holotype female (OSAL 092010 –11), MADAGASCAR: Toliara, Ranobe, 30 m, 23°02’03”S 43°36’43”E, coll. Frontier Project, 25–28 Apr 2003, ex spiny forest/thicket, litter, mold, rotten wood (EH11, MGF064) . Paratypes: same data as holotype: M (OSAL 092008 –09); same locality and collector, 5–9 Feb 2003, (EH11, MGF056): TN (OSAL007262–63), TN (OSAL007265–7266), F (OSAL007267–69), M (OSAL007276–77); same locality and collector, 17–21 Feb 2003 (EH11, MGF061): TN (OSAL007264); same locality and collector, 25 Apr 2003: PN (OSAL007287), PN (OSAL007288), PN (OSAL007289), PN (OSAL007290), PN (OSAL007291), PN (OSAL007292), PN (OSAL007293), PN (OSAL007296), PN (OSAL007297), DN (OSAL007294), DN (OSAL007298), DN (OSAL007299), DN (OSAL007300), DN (OSAL007301–02), DN (OSAL007304–05), DN (OSAL007306), DN (OSAL007307), DN (OSAL007308), DN (OSAL007309), DN (OSAL007310), DN (OSAL007311), DN (OSAL007312), DN (OSAL007313), DN (OSAL007014), TN (OSAL007303), TN (OSAL007314–15), TN (OSAL007295), TN (OSAL007316–17), TN (OSAL007318–19), TN (OSAL007254–55), TN (OSAL007256), TN (OSAL007257), TN (OSAL007258–59), TN (OSAL007260–61), M (OSAL007270–71), M (OSAL007272–73), M (OSAL007274–75) .

Deposition of types. Holotype female at CAS (CAS18503) (2 slides OSAL 092010 –11). Paratypes at CAS, OSAL, UQRoo.

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the collecting locality, the town of Ranobe.