Charinus australianus (L. Koch, 1867 )

Miranda, Gustavo Silva de, Giupponi, Alessandro P. L., Prendini, Lorenzo & Scharff, Nikolaj, 2021, Systematic revision of the pantropical whip spider family Charinidae Quintero, 1986 (Arachnida, Amblypygi), European Journal of Taxonomy 772, pp. 1-409 : 154-155

Charinus australianus (L. Koch, 1867)

Fig. 94 ; Table 7

Phrynus australianus L. Koch, 1867: 231–232 .

Phrynus australianus – Butler 1873: 119. — Moritz & Fischer 1980: 138.

Charon australianus – L. Koch & Keyserling 1885: 40–41, pl. 4 fig. 1a–b. — Simon 1892: 48. — Hansen 1893: 159. — Kraepelin 1895: 46–47, figs 33, 38, 41; 1899: 249, fig. 93; 1901: 264. — Börner 1904: 5. — Mello-Leitão 1931: 54. — Werner 1935: 471, fig. 176b. — Fage & Simon 1936: 300. — Weidner 1959: 142. — Weygoldt 1972b: 123, fig. 22f; 2006a: 244, figs 3–4, 8–9; 2006b: 10–13. — Strinati & Aellen 1983: 21. — Delle Cave 1986: 154–155, fig. II. — Quintero 1986: 207, figs 4, 7, 9. — Harvey 2003: 4. — Jocqué & Giupponi 2012: 59.

Charon australiensis – Kästner 1932: fig. 82. — Werner 1935: figs 142–143.

Charinus australianus australianus – Weygoldt 2006b: 13–16, figs 17–21.

Diagnosis

This species may be separated from other species of Charinus in Oceania by means of the following combination of characters: prolateral surface of cheliceral basal segment with more than 20 setae in two or three parallel rows, ventrally to subdorsally; cheliceral claw with four teeth, and setae present only at base; pedipalp coxa with distinct setiferous tubercle and small spine on its side; pedipalp femur with four dorsal spines, distal spine tiny, similar in length to setiferous tubercle, but with setae inserted laterally, not apically, two setiferous tubercles proximal to spine 1 of primary series, and three ventral spines; pedipalp patella with four dorsal spines and small setiferous tubercle similar in length to other setiferous tubercles, distal to proximal spine; pedipalp tibia with three ventral spines; pedipalp tarsus with two spines.

Etymology

Although unspecified, the species name is evidently an adjective referring to the Australasian region inhabited by this species.

Type material

Holotype SAMOA • Upolu Island ; Phrynus australianus L. Koch ; ZMH 2281 .

Additional material

FIJI • 2 ♀♀, 1 juv.; Viti Levu , Wailotua Cave; 26 Aug. 1978; S. Peck leg.; MHNG GSM 3 .

SOLOMON ISLANDS • Charinus australianus (L. Koch, 1867) [labeled as holotype, but not part of original type series; see Weygoldt (2006)]; ZMB 2505 • 1 ♀; Guadalcanal, Kukum ; [09°25′49.24″ S, 160°01′29.50″ E]; 10 May 1963; P. Grenslade leg.; BMNH 5158 [new record] • 1 ♂; Wainoni Bay, San Cristobal ; [10°32′35.89″ S, 161°48′31.47″ E]; J.F.P. leg.; BMNH P3 .

Supplementary description

CARAPACE. Small granules densely scattered between ocular triads and among sulci. Median eyes and median ocular tubercle well developed, with pair of setae; lateral eyes well developed, seta posterior to lateral ocular triad; lateral ocular triad well separated from carapace margin.

STERNUM. Tritosternum projected anteriorly with typical setation; other sternal platelets wide, separated into pairs, with seta on each lateral margin and some smaller setae in between; pentasternum with two setae anteriorly and without seta in membranous region.

OPISTHOSOMA. Ventral sac and ventral sac cover absent.

GENITALIA. Posterior margin of female genital operculum slightly convex; gonopod cushion-like and markedly sclerotized basally.

CHELICERAE. Tooth projecting from retrolateral surface of basal segment, opposite to bifid tooth; retrolateral surface of claw with row of setae basally to medially; claw with six teeth; two or three parallel rows of more than 20 setae, ventrally to subdorsally, on prolateral surface of basal segment; bifid tooth on basal segment with dorsal cusp larger than ventral cusp.

PEDIPALPS. Coxal dorsal carina with four setae on anterior border and without seta encircled by round carina. Femur with four dorsal spines and four ventral spines; four or five prominent setiferous tubercles between dorsal spine 1 and proximal margin; prominent spine between ventral spine 1 and proximal margin. Patella with three dorsal spines and two prominent setiferous tubercles proximal to spine 3; prominent setiferous tubercle distal to spine I, one-third length of spine I; two ventral spines; two or three setiferous tubercles between spine I and distal margin. Tibia with one ventral spine distally and two setae between spine and distal margin. Tarsus with two dorsal spines, distal spine one-third length of tarsus, and proximal spine one-third length of distal spine; cleaning organ with 33 setae in ventral row.

LEGS. Tibia of leg I with 23 articles; tarsus I with 41 articles; first tarsal article twice length of subsequent articles. Leg IV basitibia with four pseudo-articles; denticulate sclerotized region distally on articles, but not projected; trichobothrium bt situated in distal third of pseudo-article; distitibia trichobothrium bc equidistant between sbf and bf, sc and sf series each with five trichobothria.

Measurements

See Table 7.

Distribution

Known from Fiji, Samoa (Upolu Island), and the Solomon Islands.

Figures

Fig. 94. Map plotting known distributions of species of Charinus Simon, 1892 in Oceania, with inset for New Caledonia.