Indohya karenae Harvey & Burger, 2023

Harvey, Mark S., Burger, Mieke A. A., Abrams, Kym M., Finston, Terrie L., Huey, Joel A. & Perina, Giulia, 2023, The systematics of the pseudoscorpion genus Indohya (Pseudoscorpiones: Hyidae) in Australia, Zootaxa 5342 (1), pp. 1-119 : 107-110

Indohya karenae Harvey & Burger , n. sp.

( Figs. 6A , 60 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:0A152BBE-5411-4E89-B9DA-EA7404050B8C

Indohya sp. : Murienne et al. 2008: figs. 3–5.

Material examined. Holotype female. AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: South Maret Island, plateau above Northeast Beach , site SMAR10 , 14°26′11.6″S, 124°59′20.7″E, 19 March 2007, sifted litter, Corymbia clavigera group tree, J.M. Waldock, K.L. Edward ( WAM T126382 ).

Paratypes. AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: 1 tritonymph, 1 protonymph, collected with holotype ( WAM T82510 , T153117 ) .

Other material. AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: 2 nymphs, collected with holotype ( WAM T83090 , T129138 ; specimens destroyed during DNA extraction) .

Diagnosis. Indohya karenae is an epigean species with two pairs of eyes and 14 setae on the carapace, thus resembling I. boltoni , I. cardo and I. juliannae . It differs from them all by the robust chelal hand [hand (without pedicel) 1.39 (♀), vs. 1.54–1.92 (Ô), 1.54–1.86 (♀) in the others].

It also differs from all other Indohya species for which sequence data are available by five synapomorphies in COI mtDNA: at base 48 there is a substitution to A; at base 350 there is a substitution to A; at base 351 there is a substitution to G; at base 479 there is a substitution to G; and at base 553 there is a substitution to C. The two sequenced specimens differ from all other sequenced specimens of Indohya by 12.7–29.6% (Table 2).

Description (adult). Colour: mostly brown-yellow; carapace, cheliceral fingers, pedipalpal trochanter, femur and patella darker reddish brown.

Setae and cuticle: setae long, mostly straight and acicular; most cuticular surfaces smooth and glossy.

Chelicera: surface smooth; hand with 7 (♀) setae, movable finger with 1 sub-medial seta, all setae acuminate; galea present, long, slender and slightly curved; fixed finger with 12 (♀) small teeth; movable finger with 7 small (♀) teeth, each approximately same size; with 2 dorsal and 1 ventral lyrifissures; lamina exterior absent; rallum with 7 blades, all blades with anterior spinules, basal blade shorter than others.

Pedipalp ( Fig. 60B ): robust; trochanter smooth, 2.33 (♀) ×; femur broadened distally, retrolateral face lightly granulate, without dorsal tactile seta, with 3 stout retrolateral setae near base, 3.97 (♀) ×; patella broadened distally, prolateral face lightly granulate, pedicel not strongly pronounced but basal portion slimmer than distal portion, with 4 lyrifissures situated basally on dorsal surface, including 3 long and 1 short lyrifissure, 2.48 (♀) ×; chela ( Fig. 60C ): hand robust, with prolateral and retrolateral faces lightly granulate, chela (with pedicel) 3.13 (♀) ×, chela (without pedicel) 2.93 (♀) ×, hand (without pedicel) 1.39 (♀) × longer than broad, movable finger 1.09 (♀) × longer than hand (without pedicel). Fixed finger with 8 trichobothria, eb, esb and isb in straight row at base of finger, ib situated dorsally at the end of the chelal hand, isb at the basal end of the fixed finger, ib situated on dorsum of chelal hand, it closer to et than to est, et slightly distal to it; movable finger with 4 trichobothria, sb much closer to b than to st, st situated much closer to t than to sb, ratio sb–st / sb–b = 1.79 (♀), t acuminate. Both fingers straight in lateral view. Fixed finger smooth, movable finger with several retrolateral granulations basally. Chelal teeth ( Figs. 60D, E ) juxtadentate, fixed finger with 48 (♀) teeth, teeth 1, 30, 32, 34, 36 acute, remainder truncate or rounded, movable finger with 19, low, barely discernible teeth. Venom apparatus present only in movable chelal finger, venom duct long, terminating in nodus ramosus between sb and st.

Cephalothorax: carapace ( Fig. 60A ) sub-rectangular; smooth; anterior margin slightly convex; epistome absent; lateral margins slightly convex; 1.17 (♀) × longer than broad; ♀ with 14 setae arranged 4: 2: 4: 2: 2; without furrows; with two pairs of corneate eyes, situated near anterior margin of carapace. Manducatory process distally triangular, with 2 distal setae; pedipalpal coxa with 6 additional setae. Coxa I with anterior margin not modified; chaetotaxy of coxae I–IV: ♀, 4: 4: 4: 5.

Legs: femora I and II much longer than patellae I and II, respectively; femora I and II with basal swelling; femora I and II each with 2 slit sensilla, each directed transversely; junction between anterior femora and patellae perpendicular; junction between posterior femora and patellae slightly oblique; femora III and IV much smaller than patellae III and IV, respectively; femur + patella IV 2.43 (♀) × longer than broad; metatarsi shorter than tarsi; subterminal tarsal seta acuminate; claws smooth, arolium slightly shorter than claws; arolium not divided.

Abdomen: tergites not divided; tergal chaetotaxy ♀, 4: 6: 6: 6: 6: 7: 8: 8: 11: 7 (including 4 tactile setae): 8 (including 4 tactile setae): 2; arranged in single rows; sternal chaetotaxy ♀, 7: (1) 6 (1): (3) 8 (3): 11: 11: 11: 11: 11: 10: 6 (including 2 tactile setae): 2; setae of anterior genital operculum (sternite II) of ♀ minute; posterior tergites and sternites with several tactile setae; medial sternites without suture line; pleural membrane uniformly granulate; without setae; stigmatic helix present.

Genitalia: female: with large gonosac that is covered with scattered pores.

Dimensions (mm): female holotype ( WAM T126382 ). Body length (excluding chelicerae) 1.59. Pedipalp: trochanter 0.280 / 0.120 , femur 0.595 / 0.150, patella 0.410 / 0.165, chela (with pedicel) 0.875 / 0.280, chela (without pedicel) 0.820, hand (without pedicel) 0.390, movable finger length 0.425. Carapace 0.450 / 0.385, anterior eye 0.040, posterior eye 0.035. Leg IV: femur + patella 0.560 / 0.210, tibia 0.360 / 0.010, metatarsus 0.175 / 0.070, tarsus 0.270 / 0.055.

Description (tritonymph). Colour: pale yellow-brown.

Chelicera: hand with 6 setae, movable finger with 1 sub-medial seta.

Pedipalp: trochanter 2.42 ×, femur 3.65 ×, patella 2.50 ×, chela (with pedicel) 2.91 ×, chela (without pedicel) 2.75 ×, hand (without pedicel) 1.27 × longer than broad, movable finger 1.14 × longer than hand (without pedicel). Fixed finger with 7 trichobothria ( Fig. 60F ), eb, esb, est, et, ib, ist and it present; movable finger with 3 trichobothria; b, st and t present, st much closer to t than to b. Fixed chelal finger with 37 mostly quadrate, juxtadentate teeth, movable chelal finger with 5 low, juxtadentate teeth.

Cephalothorax: carapace 1.08 × longer than broad; with 12 setae, arranged 4: 0: 4: 2: 2, including posterior margin with 2 setae; smooth; without furrows; 2 pair of eyes. Coxal chaetotaxy 4: 4: 4: 5.

Legs: femur + patella IV 2.37 × longer than broad; metatarsi and tarsi not fused.

Abdomen: tergal chaetotaxy 4: 6: 6: 7: 10: 9: 9: 9: 7: 6 (including 2 tactile setae): 6 (including 4 tactile setae): 2; sternal chaetotaxy 0: (1) 6 (1): (2) 6 (2): 10: 11: 9: 9: 10: 9: 7 (including 4 tactile setae): 2.

Dimensions (mm): WAM T82510 . Body length 1.00. Pedipalp : trochanter 0.205 / 0.085 , femur 0.420 / 0.115, patella 0.300 / 0.120, chela (with pedicel) 0.640 / 0.220, chela (without pedicel) 0.605, hand (without pedicel) length 0.280, movable finger length 0.320. Carapace 0.335 / 0.310 . Leg IV: femur + patella 0.355 / 0.150.

Description (protonymph). Colour: very pale, yellow-white.

Chelicera: hand with 4 setae, movable finger without seta.

Pedipalp: trochanter 1.92 ×, femur 3.60 ×, patella 2.13 ×, chela (with pedicel) 3.23 ×, chela (without pedicel) 3.08 ×, hand (without pedicel) 1.38 × longer than broad, movable finger 1.22 × longer than hand (without pedicel). Fixed finger with 3 trichobothria ( Fig. 60G ), eb, ist and et present; movable finger with 1 trichobothrium, t present; fixed chelal finger with 20 low, juxtadentate teeth, quadrate; movable chelal finger with 2 teeth.

Cephalothorax: 0.90 × longer than broad; with 12 setae arranged 4: 0: 4: 2: 2; without furrows; with 2 pairs of eyes. Coxal chaetotaxy 1: 1: 1: 1.

Legs: metatarsi and tarsi not fused.

Abdomen: tergal chaetotaxy 4: 4: 4: 4: 4: 4: 4: 4: 4: 4: 2 (including 2 tactile setae): 2; sternal chaetotaxy 0: (0) 2 (0): (1) 2 (1): 4: 4: 4: 4: 4: 4: 4 (including 2 tactile setae): 2.

Dimensions (mm): WAM T153117 . Body length 0.69. Pedipalp: trochanter 0.125 / 0.065 , femur 0.270 / 0.075, patella 0.16/0.075, chela (with pedicel) 0.420 / 0.130, chela (without pedicel) 0.400, hand (without pedicel) length 0.180, movable finger length 0.220. Carapace 0.230 / 0.255.

Distribution and remarks. Indohya karenae has only been collected from South Maret Island in the Kimberley region of Western Australia ( Fig. 6A ).The island are situated within the Northern Kimberley bioregion.The specimens were collected from leaf litter under a member of the apple gum complex that includes Corymbia clavigera . Indohya karenae was included in the molecular phylogeny of pseudoscorpions by Murienne et al. (2008). The species was previously known by WAM identification code Indohya ‘PSE155’.

Conservation assessment. Indohya karenae has been collected at a single site on South Maret Island. The surface habitat appears to be relatively undisturbed and I. karenae does not meet the status of threatened using the criteria developed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (2012).

Etymology. This species is named for our friend and colleague Karen Cullen, one of the collectors of the type specimens.

Figures

FIGURE 6. Maps of north-western Australia depicting recorded distributions of the three epigean species of Indohya from the Kimberley:A, epigean species; B, troglobitic species.

FIGURE 60. Indohya karenae Harvey & Burger, n. sp., holotype female (WAM T126382), unless stated otherwise:A, carapace, dorsal (distorted); B, right pedipalp, dorsal; C, left chela, retrolateral; D, left movable finger, chelal teeth, retrolateral; E, left fixed finger, chelal teeth, retrolateral; F, right chela, retrolateral, paratype tritonymph (WAM T82510); G, left chela, retrolateral, paratype protonymph (WAM T153117). Scale lines = 0.2 mm (Figs. A–C, F, G), 0.1 mm (Figs. D, E).