Monday, February 3, 2020

[Arachnida • 2020] Taito adrik • A New Harvestman Species (Opiliones: Laniatores: Cosmetidae) from the Área de Conservación Privada Panguana, Peruvian Amazonia


 Taito adrik Friedrich & Lehmann, 2020


Abstract
A new species of the cosmetid harvestman genus Taito Kury & Barros 2014 is described from the Área de Conservación Privada (ACP) Panguana, Peruvian Amazonia, which extends the distribution range of the genus to the south-west. The herein described species Taito adrik sp. nov. differs from all other known species of the genus by the distinct shape of the equuleus, the armature of leg IV in males, and the structure of male genitalia, in combination with features of the chelicerae and the anal operculum. In addition, COI barcodes of the new species are provided.

Keywords: Opiliones, Neotropics, primary rainforest, Opiliones, new species, COI barcode

FIGURE 1. A. Living female paratype (ZSMA20190293) of  Taito adrik sp. nov. from the type locality, ACP Panguana (photo: Konrad Wothe); B. Location of the type locality; C. Habitat at type locality.

FIGURE 2.  Taito adrik sp. nov., holotype male (MUSM 0513700):
A. Dorsal view; B. Ventral view; C. Left side, lateral view; D. Posterior view; E. Left leg IV, dorsal view. F. Left leg IV, prolateral view. (c: coda, co: coxa IV, e: equuleus, fe: femur IV, pa: patella IV, ti: tibia IV, tr: trochanter IV). Overall scale bar = 1 mm.

Taito adrik sp. nov. 

Diagnosis. Dorsal scutum sturdy (average ratio length/width ca. 1.18 in females, ca. 1.21 in males), β-type (normal β) (Kury et al. 2007) and not βL-type (elongate β) (Kury & Medrano 2016) (Fig. 2 A). Equuleus butterflyshaped with discrete feet and arms, and elongated, slim horns (Figs. 1 A; 2 A, C; 3); two whitish blots on minute tubercles at posterior margin of scutal area III (in some specimens two smaller additional blots beside) (Figs. 1 A; 2 A, C). Groin warts (Kury & Barros 2014) on dorso-proximal part of coxa IV (Fig. 2 A, B), coxa IV with dorsal triangular apophysis (Fig. 2 F). Leg IV of male: femur IV gently curved with comb of five to six curved apophyses on distal-prolateral side; patella IV with coarse granules and one single apophysis proximal-retrolateral; tibia IV unarmed, covered with granules (Figs. 2 E, F; 5).

Etymology. The specific name is an indeclinable noun in apposition, given in honour of the outstanding arachnologist Adriano B. Kury (nickname “Adrik”), who established the genus Taito, together with Carla M.L. Barros, in 2014. As professor and senior curator of arachnids in the Museu Nacional/UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, he lost most of his invaluable collections and fruits of his many field trips through the fire catastrophe in September 2018.

FIGURE 3. Taito adrik sp. nov.: Outline of equulei of all specimens of the type series (aa: male holotype (MUSM 0513700), ab–ao: male paratypes, ba–bs: female paratypes, c: juvenile male paratype ZSMA20190294), showing minimal variation. Overall scale bar = 1 mm.

 Distribution. Only known from the type locality (Fig. 1 B). This extends the distribution range of the genus Taito to the south-west. So far, the genus was known from the Upper Amazon Basin up the eastern slope of the Andes. Now, the distribution reaches to a territory west of the Ucayali River, into the Pachitea Basin, which is located between the eastern slopes of the Andes and the Sira Mountains (Fig. 1 B).


 Stefan Friedrich and Tobias Lehmann. 2020. Taito adrik, A New Harvestman Species from the Área de Conservación Privada Panguana, Peruvian Amazonia (Opiliones: Laniatores: Cosmetidae). Zootaxa. 4729(1); 105–115. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4729.1.7