Sarax cavernicola Rahmadi, Harvey & Kojima, 2010

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 : 180-181

Sarax cavernicola Rahmadi, Harvey & Kojima, 2010

Fig. 103 ; Table 8

Sarax cavernicola Rahmadi et al., 2010: 3–6 , figs 1–7, 33–34.

Diagnosis

Based in part on Rahmadi et al. (2010), this species may be separated from other species of Sarax in Southeast Asia and Oceania by the following combination of characters: large size (adult body length ca 6.2–16.2 mm); yellowish-brown tegument; female gonopod plunger-like; median and lateral eyes reduced; basal segment of chelicera with one tooth in retrolateral row; six teeth on cheliceral claw; pedipalp femur with six dorsal spines and seven ventral spines; pedipalp patella with three dorsal spines and four ventral spines; pedipalp tibia with three ventral spines decreasing in length from distal to proximal; pedipalp tarsus with three dorsal spines, proximal spine shortest, distal spine longest, medial spine close to proximal spine; tibia of leg I and tarsus I with 23 and 41 segments, respectively; leg IV basitibia trichobothrium bt situated close to proximal margin; leg IV distitibia with 18 trichobothria; trichobothrium bc situated very close to sbf, sc and sf series each with six trichobothria.

This is one of few charinid species with more than one spine on the ventral surface of the pedipalp tibia (three are present), a character state otherwise found only in another cave species, Charinus diamantinus sp. nov., and in a few species of other families, including Charontidae , Phrynidae , Paracharon caecus and Xerophrynus machadoi Weygoldt, 1996 .

Etymology

Latin adjective referring to the cavernicolous habitat ( Rahmadi et al. 2010).

Type material

Holotype INDONESIA • ♀; East Kalimantan, Pengadan Village, Sangkulirang District, Kutai Timur Regency , Gua Ambulabung (Gua Baai); KAL-110; 01°9′11″ N, 117°33′59.91″ E; 16 Aug. 2004; L. Deharveng leg.; MZB Ambl. 145 [not examined].

Paratypes INDONESIA • 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; MZB Ambl. 146 • 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; MNHN Am. 8 [not examined] • 1 ♂; same collection data as for holotype; MZB Ambl. 147 [not examined] • 2 ♀♀; Gua Sungai ; 01°05′38.78″ N, 117°17′45.39″ E; Marang , Kelai District, Kutai Timur Regency; 22 Aug. 2004; Y.R. Suhardjono leg.; MZB Ambl. 72 , MZB Ambl. 73 [not examined] • 2 ♀♀; same locality as for preceding; 23 Aug. 2004; C. Rahmadi leg.; MZB Ambl. 91 , MZB Ambl. 92 [not examined] .

Measurements

See Table 8.

Distribution

Known only from two caves, Gua Ambulabung and Gua Sungai in East Kalimantan, Indonesia.

Natural history

This troglobitic species exhibits several troglomorphies, including reduction of the eyes and elongation of the pedipalp spines. It was collected along with several other cave arthropods, including a giant cave cockroach Miroblatta baai Grandcolas & Deharveng, 2007 , and the cave millipedes Plusioglyphiulus bedosae Golovatch et al., 2009 and Plusioglyphiulus pallidior Golovatch et al., 2009 .

Remarks

See Rahmadi et al. (2010) for a description of this species.

Figures

Fig. 103. Map plotting known distributions of species of Sarax Simon, 1892 in Southeast Asia and Oceania, with insets for Singapore (A), eastern Borneo (B), and western West Papua (C).