Eulibitia helena, Medrano & Kury, 2017

Medrano, Miguel & Kury, Adriano B., 2017, Taxonomic revision of the Andean genus Eulibitia Roewer, 1912 (Arachnida, Opiliones, Cosmetidae), with the description of five new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 357, pp. 1-55 : 17-22

Eulibitia helena sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:24196992-FBD8-405D-8F75-DFCF7F811D97

Figs 11–14 , 34 ; Table 1

Diagnosis

Paramedian rounded tubercles in areas I, III and posterior margin of scutum, other areas finely granulated, without tubercles ( Fig. 12A ). Coda short and mid-bulge slightly asymmetrical ( Fig. 12A ), coxa IV finely granulated, with well-marked clavi inguines ( Fig. 12A ). Differs from other species of the genus because the ladder mask rails and rungs overflow the scutal grooves to reach areas I, II and III ( Fig. 11A ), and beacuse femur IV is straight in dorsal view, with a large dorso-apical spine ( Figs 11B , 12 C–E).

Etymology

Noun in apposition for Helen of Troy, daughter of Leda and cause of the Trojan War in Greek mythology.

Material examined

Holotype

COLOMBIA: ♂, Norte de Santander Department, Cucutilla, Vereda Carrizal, Sector Sisavita , Quebrada Poveda [7.406° N, 72.836° W, 2040 m a.s.l.] ( IAvH 45 ).

Paratypes

COLOMBIA: 1 ♂, same collection data as for holotype ( IAvH 38); 3 ♀♀, same collection data as for holotype ( IAvH 25, IAvH 32, IAvH 51); 1 ♀, Santander Department, Suaita, San José de Suaita, Bosque

de la Fundación San Cipriano [6.167° N, 73.423° W], 1780 m a.s.l., 3 Jul. 2014, Jameo, C. Romero and D. Martínez leg. ( ICN-AO 1429).

Description

Male (based on holotype)

MEASUREMENTS. CL = 1.70, AL = 3.59, CW = 3.01, AW = 4.81, Fe IV = 6.08, Ti IV = 3.90.

DORSUM ( Figs 11 , 12A ). Dorsal scutum beta-shaped, with slightly asymmetrical mid-bulge. Areas I, III and posterior margin with two paramedian rounded tubercles. Lateral margins of scutum irregularly granulate. Posterior margin of scutum with row of small tubercles. Tergites with row of small tubercles and anal operculum finely granular.

VENTER ( Fig. 11 C–E). Free sternites finely granular; coxae II–IV finely and uniformly granular; coxa I with longitudinal row of tubercles and smooth area corresponding to lace area of pedipalp.

CHELICERAE ( Fig. 13A ). Basichelicerite with small tubercles on dorsal surface and some larger ones on ecto-basal side, movable finger with row of ten small tubercles, giving a serrated appearance; fixed finger with five tubercles, decreasing in size from basal to distal part of finger.

PEDIPALPS ( Fig. 13 B–C). Trochanter with strong ventral process. Femur with pronounced dorsal row of seven tubercles, with ventral row of fifteen setiferous tubercles and mesodistal process. Patella with low mesal keel ending in setiferous tubercle.

LEGS ( Fig. 12 B–E). Coxa IV finely granulated, with clavi inguines, distal apophysis of coxa IV slightly tuberculate and directed laterally. Trochanter IV with small retro-distal apophysis. Femur IV straight, with two longitudinal ventral rows of small tubercles along entire length, dorsal row of tubercles increasing in size, with large apical spine. Patella IV substraight, with small tubercles. Tarsal counts: 6(3)/14–?(3)/7/8.

COLOR ( Fig. 11 ). Body color background 49 (Brilliant Orange), ladder mask 104 (Pale Greenish Yellow). Appendages 67 (Brilliant Orange Yellow).

GENITALIA ( Fig. 14 ). Ventral plate subrectangular, narrower basally and distal border substraight, dorsoapical membranous invaginations basal to MSC; dorsal apophysis of glans long and rounded, wattle long. Shapes and organization of macrosetae as follows: MS C1–C2 large, curved and flat; MS D1–D2 large and straight, D2 smaller than D1 and located closer to MS A1; MS A1–A2 large, cylindrical, straight, located on basal middle of ventral plate; MS B and MS E1–E2 ventral, very small and immersed in microsetae. Pair of MS B at base of ventral plate.

Variation

There is a limited sample of blots (n = 7), the parallel bars (rails) may be more or less wide and the posterior stripe is sometimes interrupted by the paramedian tubercles ( Figs 11A , 12A ). The dorso-distal tubercle of Fe IV may seem bifurcate by the growth of the tubercles of its own base. Tarsal counts: 5–6; 8–12; 5–6; 6–7. Variation of measurements is given in Table 1 .

Female

Clavi inguines larger than in male. Basitarsomeres in legs I thickened but not swollen ( Fig. 12B ).

Distribution

E. helena sp. nov. occurs in two WWF ecoregions: (1) Magdalena Valley montane forests (NT0136), tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forest biome, in Santander Department, and (2) Cordillera Oriental montane forest (NT0118), tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forest biome, in Norte de Santander Department ( Fig. 34 ).

Figures

Fig. 11. Eulibitia helena sp. nov., ♂, holotype (IAvH 45), habitus. A. Dorsal view. B. Panoramic, dorsal view. C. Frontal view. D. Posterior view. E. Left lateral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Fig. 12. Eulibitia helena sp. nov., ♂, holotype (IAvH 45). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B–D. Left femur and trochanter. B. Dorsal view. C. Prolateral view. D. Ventral view. E. Left metatarsus and tarsomeres of leg I, prolateral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Fig. 13. Eulibitia helena sp. nov., ♂, paratype (IAvH 38). A. Left chelicera, dorsal view. B. Detail of tarsus and tarsal claw of left pedipalpus, ventro-apical view. C. Left pedipalpus, mesal view. Scale bars: A = 200 µm; B–C = 500 µm.

Fig. 14. Eulibitia helena sp. nov., ♂, paratype (IAvH 38). A. Distal view of penis, dorsal view. B. Same, ventral view. C. Same, lateral view. Scale bars: A, C = 50 µm; B = 100 µm.

Fig. 34. Northern Andes in Colombia, showing localities for Eulibitia ectroxantha (Mello-Leitão, 1941) comb. nov., E. pollux sp. nov., E. castor sp. nov. and E. helena sp. nov. Colored patches on the background represent WWF ecoregions.