Neocranaus Roewer 1913
Creators: name: Villarreal, Osvaldo
name: González-Gómez, Julio César
name: Kury, Adriano B.
name: García, Luis Fernando
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Opiliones
Cranaidae
Neocranaus

description: Genus Neocranaus Roewer, 1913
Neocranaus Roewer, 1913: 408. Type species: Neocranaus albiconspersus Roewer, 1913, by monotypy.
Tolimaius Roewer, 1915: 125 [junior subjective synonym of Holocranaus Roewer, 1913 by Soares & Soares (1948: 601); synonymy herein rejected]. Type species by monotypy: Tolimaius pectinitibialis Roewer, 1915. Syn. nov.
Tolimaius – Roewer 1923: 558. — Mello-Leitão 1926: 363. — Roewer 1932: 281.
“ Tolimaiius ” – Mello-Leitão 1932: 121. Incorrect subsequent spelling.
“ Tolimalius ” – Mello-Leitão 1935: 96. Incorrect subsequent spelling.
Diagnosis
Median-sized cranaine (DSL = 7.1–9.9 mm) with DS outline gamma pyriform, with some yellow tubercles on the lateral and posterior margins (Figs 2A, 3A, 6A, 7A). Mesotergum divided into three areas: I divided medially into two halves by a medial suture, with one medium tubercle on each side; III with two wide paired spines, blunt (N. laevifrons (Roewer, 1917) and N. pectinitibialis) (Fig. 10A–B) or sharp (N. albiconspersus and N. gladius sp. nov.) (Figs 3A–B, 7A–B), scattered granulation on the medial region on the DS, including ocularium and mesotergal areas. Males with a ventral projection on the posterior border of the stigmatic area (Figs 2B, 3B, 6B–D) (males unknown in N. laevifrons). Males with prolaterodistal curved spine in the femur IV and retrolateral row of spines in the tibia IV (unknown in N. laevifrons) (Figs 2G–I, 3D–F, 6F–G, 7C–D). Penis: follis is an elongate turgid sac (Fig. 4B, D–E). Outline of ventral plate variable: cordiform (heart-shaped) (Fig. 8A) or rounded trapezoid (Fig. 11A– B), but always with an apical trapezoid cleft, lateral margins convex (Fig. 8A) or with medial bulge (Fig. 4A, C). Stylus curved, with reduced stylar caps, formed by two small lateral points (Fig. 4A). Eight pairs of MS: A1–A2 substraight, lateral, C1–C2 more prominently curved, placed more distally on lateral margins, C3 close to D1, D1 large and located dorsally, strongly curved, D2 absent. B absent, D1 larger or at least the same size as C1–C2. E1–E2 short, situated on a lateroapical flange (Fig. 4D–F).
Included species
Neocranaus albiconspersus Roewer, 1913 (type species)
Neocranaus armatissimus Mello-Leitão, 1941
Neocranaus gladius Villarreal & Kury sp. nov.
Neocranaus laevifrons (Roewer, 1917) comb. nov.
Neocranaus pectinitibialis (Roewer, 1915) comb. nov.
Combined distribution
Colombia: Huila, Santander and Tolima; Ecuador: Chimborazo (Fig. 1).
Rationale of the synonymies
See Discussion below.
Key for identification of Neocranaus
1. Area I spines as large as area III spines; carapace and mesotergum with diamond-shaped darkyellow fine granular area, contrasting with dark brown scutum background; free tergites II–III glossy, each with a pair of smooth high divergent spines ........... N. armatissimus (Mello-Leitão, 1941)
– Area I spines much smaller than area III spines; scutum without diamond-shaped area, only with larger yellow granules following different patterns; free tergites II–III granulous, each with a pair of smaller blunt tubercles ...................................................................................................................... 2
2. Paired spines of the mesotergal area III and ocularium large and sharp (Figs 2B, D, 5C, 6B, D) ... 3
– Paired spines of the mesotergal area III and ocularium low and rounded (Figs 9B, D, 10B) .......... 4
3. Pedipalpal femur with dorsal keel (Fig. 2E–F); coxa II as large as coxa III (Fig. 2C); paired spines of the mesotergal area III subparallel (Fig. 2D); coxa IV with external (prolateral) yellow and large tubercle (Fig. 2B) ............................................................................ N. albiconspersus Roewer, 1913
– Pedipalpal femur without dorsal keel (Fig. 6E); coxa II greatly swollen, much larger than coxa III (Fig. 6B–C); paired spines of the mesotergal area III divergent (Fig. 6D); coxa IV without external (prolateral) yellow and large tubercle (Figs 6B, 7B) ............... N. gladius Villarreal & Kury sp. nov.
4. Anterior margin of the dorsal scutum and posterior part of ocularium with large yellow tubercles (Figs 9A–B, 12A, C) .................................................... N. pectinitibialis (Roewer, 1915) comb. nov.
– Anterior margin of the dorsal scutum and posterior part of ocularium with concolorous tubercles .. ............................................................................................ N. laevifrons (Roewer, 1917) comb. nov.
Reamrks
Males of N. laevifrons are unknown, however females of this species are very similar to those of Neocranaus pectinitibialis, which suggest they could be synonymous. We have only had access to photos of the somewhat discolored female holotype, which limits the survey of characters. A detailed comparison of both species will only be possible when males of N. laevifrons are available.
description: Published as part of Villarreal, Osvaldo, González-Gómez, Julio César, Kury, Adriano B. & García, Luis Fernando, 2024, Peering beyond the monotypic veil: taxonomy and notes on the parental care of Neocranaus (Opiliones: Gonyleptoidea: Cranaidae), pp. 292-320 in European Journal of Taxonomy 925 on pages 295-296, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2024.925.2471, http://zenodo.org/record/10843299