Afrogarypus pseudotriangularis, Neethling, 2024

Neethling, J. A., 2024, Three new Geogarypidae (Pseudoscorpiones: Garypoidea) from South Africa, with an updated key to the country’s geogarypid species, Zootaxa 5443 (3), pp. 387-405 : 393-397

Afrogarypus pseudotriangularis sp. nov.

Figs 4–7

Holotype: 1♀, SOUTH AFRICA, Free State, Fouriesburg, Meiringskloof Nature Park, Swaeltjiesnes Trail , 28°36’S, 28°13’E, 1759 m a.s.l., Indigenous Bush, Leaf litter sifting, leg. J.A. Neethling, 19.IV.2023 ( NMBAP 00454 ).

Paratype: 1♂, Same data as holotype ( NMBAP 00455 ) .

Non-type material examined: SOUTH AFRICA: Free State: 2♀, 1 Deutonymph, 1 Tritonymph, Fouriesburg , Meiringskloof Nature Park , Swaeltjiesnes Trail , 28°36’S, 28°13’E, 1759 m a.s.l., Indigenous Bush, Leaf litter sifting, leg. J.A. Neethling, 19.IV.2023 ( NMBAP 00456 ) ; 1♀, 2♂, 5 Tritonymphs, Fouriesburg, Meiringskloof Nature Park , Swaeltjiesnes Trail , 28°36’S, 28°13’E, 1759 m a.s.l., Indigenous Bush, Leaf litter sifting, leg. J.A. Neethling, 19–20.IX.2023 ( NMBAP 00457 ) .

Etymology: The species is named for its remarkably similar appearance to Afrogarypus triangularis .

Diagnosis: Small species (chela length ♀ 0.95–1.03 mm, ♂ 0.82–0.89 mm), with a wide depression located dorsally, before the fixed finger, on the chelae of both females and males; cheliceral hand with five acuminate setae; female galea with ten rami, male galea simple with no rami; rallum present as a simple single blade. Differs from Afrogarypus excelsus , A. haddadi sp. nov., A. impressus , A. megamolaris and A. subimpressus by lacking a well-developed sulcus on the dorsal surface of the chelae. Differs from Afrogarypus carmenae , A. castigatus , A. minutus , A. purcelli and A. robustus by having chelae with a distinctly convex pro-lateral surface giving the chelae a triangular appearance. Differs from Afrogarypus triangularis by having ten rami on the female galea, as opposed to nine; having chelal fingers that range from slightly shorter than the chelal hand with pedicel (♀) to distinctly longer than the chelal hand with pedicel (♂), as opposed to being shorter than the chelal hand without pedicel (♀) to slightly shorter than chelal hand with pedicel (♂); having trichobothria eb, esb, ib, est, isb, b, sb and st group within the first half of the finger length, as opposed to the first third, and having ib further from est with t located between ist and it, as opposed to ib being close to est and t located in line with ist.

Description: Carapace: Strongly sub-triangular, narrow furrow posterior to the eyes ( Figs. 4A, C , 6H ). Uniformly dark brown and granular in texture, with a slightly lighter posterior edge in both sexes. Heavily constricted anteriorly into cucullus, constriction beginning at the medial furrow. Two pairs of corneate eyes situated on ocular tubercles, located about one-third away from the anterior edge. Six prominent acuminate setae located on anterior edge, row of acuminate setae (♀ 11– 13 ♂ 12–15), seated within rims, located on the posterior margin. Numerous small acuminate setae present on carapace.

Abdomen: Wider than carapace and subovate. Tergites granular in texture in both sexes, mostly brown in colour with a tan line running centrally from tergites III–IX, giving the tergites a divided appearance. Tergites I and II each with a faint darker median spot, tergites IV–X with a pair of faint darker spots each, one spot located per side of the central tan line. Tergite XII uniformly lighter in colour ( Figs. 4A, C ). Tergal setae acuminate and located on the posterior of each tergite. Sternite XII same colour as tergite XII in both sexes. In female, sternites range in colour from tan in sternites II and III to light brown in sternites IV–XI. Central tan-coloured region present on sternites III–X, giving these sternites a divided appearance. Sternites V–X with paired faint darker spots. Male sternites II–V light brown to brown in colour, sternites VI–XI dark brown. Central tan-coloured region present on sternites IV–X, giving these sternites a divided appearance. Sternites V–X with paired faint darker spots ( Figs. 4B, D ). Female operculum with nine acuminate setae on the anterior genital plate, separated into seven setae distributed along the posterior margin of the genital plate, and two setae clustered loosely alongside, near the centre. Male operculum with 11 acuminate setae on the anterior genital plate, separated into eight setae distributed along the posterior margin of the genital plate, and three setae near the centre. Male sternite III with 16 acuminate setae, separated into four setae located along the anterior margin of the sternite, at the edge of the genital opening, two setae located centrally behind these and ten setae distributed along the posterior margin of the sternite. Pleural membrane wrinkled-plicate, cream in both sexes. Brown to dark-brown lateral sclerites, each with a central acuminate seta, present in male.

Tergal chaetotaxy: 12(12): 11(12): 11(11): 11(11): 11(12): 12(11): 12(11): 10(11): 12(10): 11(8): 7(8): 2(2).

Sternal chaetotaxy:?(?): 9(11): 7(16): 15(13): 17(17): 18(16): 16(19): 15(14): 12(11): 8(6): 6(6): 2(2).

Pedipalp: In both sexes all segments granular in texture with small acuminate setae scattered over the surface, except the pedicels. Trochanter, femur and patella dark brown in colour, chela somewhat lighter. Trochanter rounded in shape, distinct apophysis present ventrally, only slightly curved toward the main body of the trochanter. Femur narrower in females, more thickset in males, 3.40–3.48 (♀) to 2.90–2.95 (♂) times longer than wide. Constricted at pedicel, widening quickly to form base in males, more gradually in females, then widening slightly before constricting again at end. Patella constricted and distinctly angled at pedicel, widening markedly into a cone, 2.41–2.45 (♀) to 2.47–2.65 (♂) times longer than wide. Prolateral surface more convex than retrolateral edge. Several small lyriform fissures present on a bulge on the dorsal surface, just distal of base. Disto-prolateral excavation present ( Fig. 6B ).

Chela: Uniformly dark brown in both sexes. Hand granular in texture up to base of movable finger, as well as over first quarter of dorsal surface of fixed finger. Wide concave region present on dorsal surface ( Figs. 5A, C ). Hand of both sexes distinctly convex on the prolateral edge, giving the chela a triangular appearance ( Figs. 5B, D ). Ventral edge convex, much less so the retrolateral edge. Male chelae smaller. Both sexes with a short pedicel (pedicel 0.12–0.17 ♀ 0.14–0.17 ♂ times longer than chelal hand) and a prolaterally slanted posterior hand edge. Fingers narrow and curved slightly prolaterally, slightly shorter than hand with pedicle in female, longer than hand with pedicel in male. Venom apparatus present on both fingers. Fixed and movable chelal fingers with eight and four trichobothria respectively as in fig. 6A.

Chelal teeth strongly sclerotized, acute and retrorse in both sexes. Female fixed finger with 24–26 teeth. First four teeth behind venom apparatus of mostly equal size and spaced closer together in a single row ( Fig. 6D ), rest of the teeth spaced further apart and in two disparate rows along the fixed chelal finger, reducing in size proximally, still acute. Female movable finger with 16–17 nearly contiguous teeth. Proximal five to six much reduced. Male fixed finger with 25–28 teeth. First three teeth just behind venom apparatus small and grouped together, two teeth on the retrolateral side and one tooth located between them on the prolateral side ( Fig. 6E ). Rest of the teeth spaced further apart and in two disparate rows along the fixed chelal finger, reducing in size proximally, still acute. Male movable finger with 18–20 nearly contiguous teeth. First two teeth behind the venom apparatus much smaller and located on a raised ridge. Proximal five to six much reduced.

Chelicera: Hand with five long and acuminate setae ( Fig. 6C ). Female fixed finger with eight teeth, male with six. Female movable finger with seven teeth, male with five. Galea complex, with ten rami (♀) ( Fig. 6F ), simple with no rami (♂) ( Fig. 6G ). Rallum with a single blade in both sexes. Serrula exterior with 19–21 lamellae (♀), 14–18 lamellae (♂). Lamina exterior present in both sexes.

Coxae and legs: Pedipalpal coxae lighter in colour than rest of pedipalps. Coxae I–IV tan. Legs I–IV brown to dark brown in colour. All legs diplotarsate with simple claws; arolium longer than claws.

Measurements (mm): Body length ♀ 1.84–2.05 ♂ 1.60–1.74; Carapace ♀ 0.68–0.69 x 0.70–0.72 (0.96–0.97) ♂ 0.62–0.68 x 0.63–0.67 (0.98–1.01); Chelicera ♀ 0.19–0.21 x 0.12–0.13 (1.58–1.62) ♂ 0.18–0.20 x 0.10–0.11 (1.80–1.82), movable finger length ♀ 0.15–0.17 ♂ 0.12–0.13; Pedipalps: femur ♀ 0.68–0.73 x 0.20–0.21 (3.40– 3.48) ♂ 0.56–0.61 x 0.19–0.21 (2.90–2.95), patella ♀ 0.49–0.53 x 0.20–0.22 (2.41–2.45) ♂ 0.45–0.47 x 0.17–0.19 (2.47–2.65), chela ♀ 0.95–1.03 x 0.33–0.37 (2.78–2.88) ♂ 0.82–0.89 x 0.28–0.32 (2.78–2.93), hand ♀ 0.49–0.52 x 0.33–0.37 (1.41–1.48) ♂ 0.40–0.45 x 0.28–0.32 (1.41–1.43), movable finger length ♀ 0.46–0.49 ♂ 0.43–0.46; Leg I: femur ♀ 0.29–0.30 x 0.11–0.12 (2.50–2.64) ♂ 0.24–0.27 x 0.09 (2.67–3.00), patella ♀ 0.16–0.17 x 0.11–0.12 (1.42–1.45) ♂ 0.14–0.16 x 0.09 (1.56–1.78), tibia ♀ 0.20–0.21 x 0.08–0.09 (2.33–2.50) ♂ 0.17–0.19 x 0.08–0.09 (2.11–2.13), metatarsus ♀ 0.14 x 0.07–0.08 (1.75–2.00) ♂ 0.11–0.12 x 0.06–0.07 (1.71–1.83), tarsus ♀ 0.15 x 0.05–0.06 (2.50–3.00) ♂ 0.12–0.13 x 0.05–0.06 (2.17–2.40); Leg IV: femoropatella ♀ 0.55–0.57 x 0.16–0.17 (3.35– 3.44) ♂ 0.46–0.50 x 0.14–0.15 (3.29–3.33), tibia ♀ 0.39–0.41 x 0.11–0.13 (3.15–3.55) ♂ 0.34–0.38 x 0.10–0.11 (3.40–3.45), metatarsus ♀ 0.19–0.20 x 0.08 (2.38–2.50) ♂ 0.15–0.18 x 0.06–0.07 (2.50–2.57), tarsus ♀ 0.18–0.19 x 0.06 (3.00–3.17) ♂ 0.16–0.17 x 0.06 (2.67–2.83).

Remarks: Afrogarypus pseudotriangularis sp. nov. is remarkably similar to A. triangularis in overall size, morphology and colouration. The males of both species also possess abdominal lateral sclerites, while the chelae of both sexes appear triangular in shape. The latter character being one of the original distinguishing features of Afrogarypus triangularis . Apart from the morphological differences given above in the diagnosis, the ventral apophysis located on the pedipalp trochanter is much less curved towards the main trochanter body in the Afrogarypus pseudotriangularis sp. nov. specimens studied, while it is distinctly curved towards the trochanter body in A. triangularis ( Figs. 7A, B ). Due to the limited number of Afrogarypus pseudotriangularis sp. nov. specimens collected, it is not yet certain if this difference can be attributed to interspecies variation, and is tentatively mentioned here as a possible diagnostic character.

Ecology: Currently only known from the indigenous bush found at the Meiringskloof Nature Park in the Free State ( Fig. 12 ), where the species inhabits deep leaf litter accumulated amongst large boulders. The indigenous bush lies isolated within a gorge surrounded by grasslands, making Afrogarypus pseudotriangularis sp. nov. a possible short-range endemic. Both adults and nymphs were collected during the months of April and September. Elevation: 1759 m.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Digital microscope photographs of Afrogarypus pseudotriangularis sp. nov., Female (A, B) and Male (C, D). A, C. Dorsal view; B, D. Ventral view. Scale bar: 1.00 mm.

FIGURE 5. Digital microscope photographs of Afrogarypus pseudotriangularis sp. nov. right chela: Female (A, B) and Male (C, D). A, C. Retrolateral view; B, D. Dorsal view. Scale bar: 1.00 mm.

FIGURE 6. Afrogarypus pseudotriangularis sp. nov. A. Female right chela, retrolateral view; B. Female right pedipalp, dorsal view; C. Female left chelicera, dorsal view; D. Female chelal fingers, anterior retrolateral view; E. Male chelal fingers, anterior retrolateral view; F. Female galea; G. Male galea; H. Female carapace, dorsal view. Scale bars: A, B, H: 0.50 mm; D, E: 0.20 mm; C: 0.10 mm; F, G: 0.05 mm.

FIGURE 7. Ventral views of pedipalp trochanters showing the differences in the apophyses. A. Afrogarypus pseudotriangularis sp. nov., with apophysis less curved towards the trochanter; B. A. triangularis (Ellingsen, 1912), with apophysis curved towards the trochanter. Scale bar: 0.10 mm.

FIGURE 12. Topographical map of South Africa displaying the distribution of Afrogarypus haddadi sp. nov., A. pseudotriangularis sp. nov. and Geogarypus grandis sp. nov. Also highlighted are the distributions of the Cape Floristic Region (CFR) and the Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany (MPA) hotspots. Shapefile acquired from http://www.conservation.org/where/ priority_areas/hotspots/Pages/hotspots_main.aspx (accessed 20.XI.2020).