Protimesius carnaval, Villarreal-Manzanilla, Osvaldo & Pinto-Da-Rocha, Ricardo, 2006

Villarreal-Manzanilla, Osvaldo & Pinto-Da-Rocha, Ricardo, 2006, Five new species of Protimesius from Brazil (Opiliones: Stygnidae), Zootaxa 1325, pp. 219-233 : 229-232

Protimesius carnaval n. sp.

Figs 29–35 , 44–45

Type­material: Male holotype (MZSP­24154), Brazil, Acre, Parque Nacional da Serra do Divisor (Rio Moa, Amazonian Rain Forest, 7°39´S, 72°41´W), XI.1996, R.S. Vieira leg. Paratypes: 1 female (MZSP­24154), same data as for holotype; 7 females (MZSP­24153), same data as for holotype; 2 females (MZSP­19227), Parque Nacional da Serra do Divisor, 22.XI.–12.I.2000; 1 male and 1 female (MNRJ­HS­684), Colombia, Amazonas, 6 km N Letícia, 9.VII.1977, Rowland Shelley leg.

Diagnosis: This species is similar to P. longipalpis (Roewer, 1943) based on the presence of an almost smooth and straight male leg IV, but differs from it and other species of the genus by having only 1 dorsal and 1 ventral tubercle apically on male patella IV, and in the armature of leg IV.

Etymology: The species name refers to the profane festivities (called “ carnaval ” in Portuguese) that begin on “Three Kings Day” and end close to the Lent. People, dressed up and masked, conduct parades and parties. The specific epithet is a noun in apposition.

Description of male (holotype):

Measurements: Dorsal scute length 4.5; prosoma length 2.1; dorsal scute width 4.5; prosoma width 3.7; interocular distance 2.5; chelicera: II 3.9; III 1.6; pedipalpus 18; leg I 21.0; II 41.0; III 30.0; IV 40.0.

Dorsum ( Figs 29–30 ): Prosoma with 1 low anterior eminence minutely tuberculated; anterior border with 6 tubercles on each side; region between eyes with several granules. Lateral border with several tubercles from ocularia to area I. Areas I and II minutely granular, III with 2 slightly divergent spines. Posterior border and free tergites with 1 row of small granules.

Venter: Coxa I with a row of 6–7 medial tubercles, 2 apical tubercles; II with 7–9 medial tubercles, 2–3 posterior tubercles, 3 apical tubercles; III with 4–5 anterior, 9–10 medial, 3 posterior and 2 apical tubercles; IV irregularly tuberculated. Free sternites I–III with 1 row of minute granules, anal operculum irregularly tuberculated.

Chelicera: Swollen; II with finger carrying 1 basal tooth and 4 medial teeth; III with 1 rounded basal and 3 medial teeth.

Pedipalpus ( Figs 31–32 ): Coxa with 4 ventral tubercles (medial one largest), 1 dorsal meso­basal eminence, 3–4 ecto­basal tubercles. Trochanter with 3 ventral tubercles (basal one largest).

Legs ( Figs 33–35 ): Coxa I with 3 dorsal tubercles, II with 1 anterior and 1 posterior tubercles fused with 1 tubercle of coxa IV. Trochantera I–IV dorsally smooth; I and II with 4 ventral tubercles; III with 5 ventral tubercles; IV with 3 ventral tubercles. Femora I and II with 2 ventro­basal tubercles; IV with 1 ventral row of 10–12 retrolateral tubercles on distal third. Patella IV with 3 dorso­distal tubercles; 1 large ventro­prolateral tubercle ( Fig. 33 ). Tibia IV with 2 ventro­distal tubercles.

Penis ( Figs 44–45 ): Ventral plate with lateral and distal margin concave, with 3 distal pairs of long curved setae, 1 short intermediary pair and 3 basal pairs of setae. Glans with dorsal process, stylus inflated at apex.

Color: Mostly yellowish brown, border of dorsal scute darker, latero­anterior region of prosoma with black reticulation. Patellae I–IV darker. Cheliceral fingers reddish brown.

Description of female (paratype, MZSP­24153):

Measurements: Dorsal scute length 4.3; prosoma length 1.9; dorsal scute width 4.0; prosoma width 3.6; interocular distance 2.5; chelicera: II 3.1; III 1.5; pedipalpus 20.0; leg I 23.2; II 40.0; III 30.3; IV 40.3.

Somatic morphology: Similar to male, except for: Prosoma with 5 medio­anterior tubercles (2 of them larger than the rest), small tubercles present between ocularia. With fewer setiferous granules than in males. Area I with 1 tubercle on each side; III with 1 small granule on base of spine. Pedipalpal coxa with 6–7 dorsal tubercles. Trochanter IV without tubercles. Femur, patella and tibia IV without tubercles. Tarsal segmentation: 8, 14, 7, 8.

Intraspecific variation: Females (n=7) tarsal formula 7–8, 13–16, 7, 9. Dorsal scute length 4.3–4.8; dorsal scute width 3.8–4.1; pedipalpus 17–20; leg I 20.9–23.2; II 37.1–40.9; III 29 –31.7; IV 38.5–42.9.

Figures

FIGURES 29 – 35. Protimesius carnaval n. sp., male holotype. 29 Dorsal view of body. 30 Lateral view of body. 31 – 32 Right palpus (31 ectal, 32 mesal view). 33 Right patella IV, prolateral view. 34 – 35 Proximal segments of leg IV (34 dorsal, 35 ventral view). Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIGURES 36 – 45. Protimesius spp., distal portion of penis, dorsal (36, 38, 40, 42, 44) and lateral view (37, 39, 41, 43, 45). Protimesius foliadereis n. sp. (36 – 37), Protimesius junina n. sp. (38 – 39), Protimesius boibumba n. sp. (40 – 41), Protimesius cirio n. sp. (42 – 43), Protimesius carnaval n. sp. (44 – 45). Scale bars: 0.1 mm.