Antsirananaella, Lorenz & Loria & Harvey & Harms, 2022

Lorenz, Michelle, Loria, Stephanie F., Harvey, Mark S. & Harms, Danilo, 2022, The Hercules pseudoscorpions from Madagascar: A systematic study of Feaellidae (Pseudoscorpiones: Feaelloidea) highlights regional endemism and diversity in one of the " hottest " biodiversity hotspots, Arthropod Systematics & amp; Phylogeny 80, pp. 649-691 : 649

Antsirananaella gen. nov.

Type species.

Antsirananaella lorenzorum sp. nov.

Diagnosis.

Antsirananaella gen. nov. differs from other Malagasy genera, Toliaranella gen. nov. and Mahajanganella gen. nov., by the following characters: the presence of five specialized setae on the retrolateral face of the movable chelal finger that are arranged in a row between trichobothrium b and the terminal chelal teeth (arranged in a group in Toliaranella gen. nov. and Mahajanganella gen. nov.); the presence of five terminal teeth (including one large tooth) on the fixed chelal finger and seven on the movable chelal finger (number of terminal teeth varying from 7-9 teeth in fixed and movable fingers in other Malagasy genera); anteromedial lobes of carapace closer to each other and slightly longer than anterolateral lobes (all four lobes equidistant in other Malagasy genera); and larger body size (1.80-2.17/2.17-2.47 ♂/♀ in Antsirananaella gen. nov. and ca. 1.56-1.89/1.96-2.33 ♂/♀ in all other genera). Antsirananaella gen. nov. differs from Cybella (Southeast Asia) by having platelets on the pleural membrane (absent in Cybella ), from Iporangella (Brazil) by the presence of specialized setae on the movable chelal finger (absent in Iporangella ), from Feaella (Difeaella) (South Africa) and Feaella (tropical Africa) by the presence of four anterior carapaceal lobes (two and six, respectively), from Feaella (Tetrafeaella) in continental Africa by having a less pronounced depression on the base of coxa I and on top of coxa II (distinctly more pronounced in Feaella (T.) cf. mucronata in Figs 25 - 27 ), and from the Australian species presently attributed to Feaella (Tetrafeaella) by having fewer coxal spines (one pair versus three or four in the Australian taxa).

Etymology.

This genus is named after the former Antsiranana Province, the area where the specimens were found. The gender is feminine.

Description.

The following description is based on examination of all species in Antsiranana . Typical feaellid habitus with a spherical abdomen, short and robust pedipalps, four prominent carapaceal lobes and dark reddish-brown body colour. - Carapace: (Figs 5A , 7A , 8A , 9A , 10A ): With four distinctly pointed anterior lobes; anteriolateral lobes slightly broader and wider than anteriomedial ones; anteriomedial lobes distinctly longer and closer to each other than anteriolateral ones; two pairs of eyes with lenses, equal in size, second pair partly covered by cuticula; four prominent posterior lobes (pm, pl in Figs 7A , 8A , 9A , 10A ) and two longitudinal furrows more distally (af, pf in Figs 7A , 8A , 9A , 10A ); with two medio-lateral mounds; and two postero-lateral processes. - Pedipalp: With a distinct conical protuberance on trochanter (Figs 4A, B , 7D , 8D , 9D , 10D ); femur broad and with one prolateral triangular process plus a retrolateral hump, patella cone-shaped. Chelal hand very small and with one large medial tooth at the base of each finger. Fixed finger with 9 trichobothria including dt, movable finger with 4 trichobothria (Figs 6A, B, C , 7C , 8C , 9C , 10C ). Movable finger with 5 specialized setae on ventral face, arranged in a transverse row between b and terminal teeth (Fig. 6A ). Chelal teeth large and retrorse, arranged in three rows on both chelal fingers. Terminal teeth situated in compact groups facing medial, four equally sized teeth and one larger tooth on fixed finger, seven equally sized teeth on movable finger (Figs 6A, B, C , 7C , 8C , 9C , 10C ). With 2 sensory setae (dt in Figs 6B , 7C , 8C , 9C , 10C ) on dorsal tip of fixed finger. - Chelicera: Palm with five long and several short setae; is and ls close; sbs proximal on fixed finger; movable finger with 1 subdistal seta (gs); es on palm close to base of movable finger; galea absent; spinneret conical; serrula exterior with 16-20 blades; no rallum could be found in any of the Malagasy species because of dirt; movable finger short and without teeth. - Coxal region (Fig. 5B, C ): Pedipalpal coxae with one spike laterally near base (Fig. 5B ); coxae I with a basal depression and one small coxal spine only (Fig. 5B ); coxae II with irregular shaped spines various in number framing depression of coxa I (Fig. 5B ); all coxae reaching towards midline and with coxa IV bigger in size than coxa I-III; cuticle within depression strongly granulate. - Legs (Figs 4B , 7B , 8B , 9B , 10B ): Trochanter I and II rather circular, trochanter III and IV rather elliptical; femur I and II slightly longer than patella I and II; femur III and IV shorter than patella III and IV; all tarsi long and slender, without specialized tactical trichobothria; subterminal tarsi with two curved and smooth claws; all setae acuminate; arolium much shorter than claws and with fimbriate distal margin; claws divided. - Abdomen (Fig. 4A, B, C ): Paired tergites and sternites medially divided; anal plate strongly sclerotized and with a circular raised rim in the center; pleural membrane with two rows of pleural platelets, 15 in the dorsal row, 14 in the ventral row. - Genital region (Figs 4B , 5B ): Details like outer genital setae and inner structures not visible because of dirt on all specimens.

Included species.

Antsirananaella lorenzorum sp. nov.; Antsirananaella faulstichi sp. nov.; Antsirananaella leniae sp. nov.; and Antsirananaella marlae sp. nov. .

Distribution.

Antsirananaella gen. nov. is endemic to dry deciduous forests in Diana and Sava Regions (formerly Antsiranana Province) of northern Madagascar and separated by other Malagasy genera by more than 500 km of terrain. The climate is arid or "transition tropical" with temperatures ranging from 10.5-41.5 °C. Annual precipitation ranges from 400-1000 mm.

Figures

Figure 4. Antsirananaella, gen. nov., habitus. Specimen used for imaging: A. leniae sp. nov. holotype (CAS 9072445). A dorsal; B ventral; C lateral. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.

Figure 5. Antsirananaella gen. nov., scanning electron micrographs. Specimen used for imaging: A. leniae sp. nov. male paratype (ZMH-A 0016685). A carapace, dorsal; B sternum, ventral; C coxal spines (highlighted in red). Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A, B); 0.1 mm (C).

Figure 6. Antsirananaella, gen. nov., scanning electron micrographs. Specimen used for imaging: A. faulstichi sp. nov. allotype (ZMH-A 0016680). A right chela from ventral with specialized setae in a row in detail; B left chela with double trichobothrium dt in detail; C left chela from medial with terminal teeth in a compact group in detail. Scale bar: 0.2 mm.

Figure 7. Drawings of Antsirananaella lorenzorum sp. nov.. A carapace, dorsal; B leg IV; C left chela from dorsal with trichobothrial pattern; D right pedipalp from dorsal. Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A - C); 0.4 mm (D).

Figure 8. Drawings of Antsirananaella faulstichi sp. nov.. A carapace, dorsal; B leg IV; C left chela from dorsal with trichobothrial pattern; D right pedipalp from dorsal. Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A - C); 0.4 mm (D).

Figure 9. Drawings of Antsirananaella leniae sp. nov.. A carapace dorsal; B leg IV; C left chela from dorsal with trichobothrial pattern; D right pedipalp from dorsal. Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A - C); 0.4 mm (D).

Figure 10. Drawings of Antsirananaella marlae sp. nov.: A carapace dorsal; B leg IV; C left chela from dorsal with trichobothrial pattern; D right pedipalp from dorsal. Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A - C); 0.4 mm (D).

Figure 25. Feaella (Tetrafeaella) cf. mucronata (Tullgren, 1907), scanning electron micrographs. Specimen used for imaging: F. cf. mucronata female paratype (ZMH-A 0010793). A carapace, dorsal view; B sternum ventral overview; C coxal spines in detail (highlighted in red). Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A, B); 0.1 mm (C).

Figure 27. Drawings of Feaella (Tetrafeaella) cf. mucronata (Tullgren, 1907): A carapace from dorsal; B leg IV; C left chela from dorsal with trichobothrial pattern; D right pedipalp from dorsal. Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A - C); 0.4 mm (D).