Indohya morganstrongi 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 : 84-86

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5342.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:A6D20DA1-1C12-454E-B422-D8457CF132FE
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/010B87B4-FFA9-0B7D-AFB0-F8C3FC9AF7E1
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Indohya morganstrongi Harvey & Burger
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Indohya morganstrongi Harvey & Burger , n. sp.

( Figs. 1–3 View FIGURE 1 View FIGURE 2 View FIGURE 3 , 5 View FIGURE 5 , 44 View FIGURE 44 , 45 View FIGURE 45 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:2922F169-FCD1-4B68-9249-4EC5794DF873

Material examined. Holotype deutonymph. AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: Mesa A, ca. 45.7 km ENE. of

Pannawonica, MEARC2927 , 21°40′03″S, 115°52′53″E, 4 April–22 May 2014 GoogleMaps , troglofauna trap, J. King ( WAM T145851 ) .

Diagnosis. Indohya morganstrongi is a blind troglobite that differs from all other Indohya species for which sequence data are available by six synapomorphies in COI mtDNA: at base 56 there is a substitution to G; at base 241 there is a substitution to C; at base 468 there is a substitution to A; at base 560 there is a substitution to A; at base 577 there is a substitution to T; and at base 616 there is a substitution to G. The single sequenced specimen differs from all other sequenced specimens of Indohya by 18.2–28.7% (Table 2).

Description (deutonymph). Colour ( Fig. 44 View FIGURE 44 ): Very pale, yellow-white.

Chelicera: hand with 5 setae, movable finger with 1 sub-medial seta.

Pedipalp: trochanter 1.96 ×, femur 6.90 ×, patella 3.74 ×, chela (with pedicel) 5.13 ×, chela (without pedicel) 4.93 ×, hand (without pedicel) 1.93 × longer than broad, movable finger 1.56 × longer than hand (without pedicel). Fixed finger with 6 trichobothria ( Fig. 45 View FIGURE 45 ), eb, est, et, ib, ist and it present; movable finger with 2 trichobothria, b and t present. Fixed chelal finger 56 teeth. Fixed chelal finger low, or juxtadentate. Movable chelal finger 22 teeth. Movable chelal finger low, or juxtadentate.

Cephalothorax: carapace 1.20 × longer than broad; with 12 setae, arranged 4: 0: 4: 2: 2; without furrows; eyes absent. Coxal chaetotaxy 3: 4: 2: 3.

Legs: metatarsi and tarsi not fused.

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

Dimensions (mm): holotype ( WAM T145851 ). Body length 1.74. Pedipalp: trochanter 0.225 / 0.115 GoogleMaps , femur 0.690 / 0.100, patella 0.430 / 0.115, chela (with pedicel) length 1.025 / 0.200, chela (without pedicel) length 0.985, hand (without pedicel) length 0.385, movable finger length 0.600. Carapace 0.495 / 0.405.

Distribution and remarks. This blind, troglobitic species is currently represented only by a single deutonymph but based on available sequence data, is different from other species. It has been collected from Mesa A in the Robe River Valley ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 ). The species was previously known by WAM identification code Indohya ‘PSE169’.

Conservation assessment. Mesa A is an active mine site in which the vast majority of the subterranean habitat is currently being extracted. Like other troglobitic arthropods that occur in the subterranean environment of Mesa A, it is highly unlikely that I. morganstrongi occurs in any nearby environments, as these mesas are occupied by other species of Indohya . The combination of small distributions and loss of available habitat suggests that this species is Critically Endangered (B2ab[iii]).

Etymology. This species is dedicated to Morgan Strong.