Karschia (Rhinokarschia) liui Fan, Zhang & Zhang, 2024, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Fan, Wenlong
name: Zhang, Chao
name: Zhang, Feng
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Solifugae
Karschiidae
Karschia
Karschia liui

description: Karschia (Rhinokarschia) liui sp. nov.
Figures 1, 12–15, 16A–E, 17C. Table 1, 2.
Type material. Holotype ♂ (MHBU-Sol-GS2023043001), CHINA: Gansu Province, Linze County, Pingchuan Town, Yigongcheng Village, 39.3358°N, 100.0976°E, ca 1300m elev., 30.IV.2023, leg. Jiliang Liu.
Paratypes. 1♂ (MHBU-Sol-GS2023043002), same data as holotype; 2♂♂ 3♀♀ (MHBU-Sol-GS2016051901– 03, SWUC-Sol-GS2016051901–02), CHINA: Gansu Province, Linze County, Pingchuan Town, Yigongcheng Village, 39.3358°N, 100.0976°E, ca 1320m elev., 19.Ⅴ.2016, leg. Jiliang Liu.
Other material. 9 juveniles (MHBU-Sol-GS2016091301-09) CHINA: Gansu Province, Linze County, Pingchuan Town, Yigongcheng Village, 39.3358°N, 100.0976°E, ca 1300m elev., 13.IX.2016, leg. Jiliang Liu; 3 juveniles (MHBU-Sol-GS2023070301-04), CHINA: Gansu Province, Linze County, Pingchuan Town, Yigongcheng Village, 39.3358°N, 100.0976°E, ca 1300m elev., 3.VII.2023, leg. Wenlong Fan.
Etymology. Named after Dr. Jiliang Liu (the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, CAS, China), who collected over 100 solifuges from Zhangye City, Gansu Province.
Diagnosis. Males of Karschia (Rhinokarschia) liui sp. nov. should belong to the subgenus Karschia (Rhinokarschia) by having a coiled flagellum and presence of notedly hornlike process on fixed finger (Gromov 2003; Figs 13A, B, 15 A, B). K. (R.) liui differs from other Karschia (Rhinokarschia) species except Karschia (Rhinokarschia) zarudnyi Birula, 1922 by the presence of a small triangular hornlike process on cheliceral fixed finger (Fig. 13A). This new species differs from K. (R.) zarudnyi by the shorter flagellum (extending not further than the FD tooth, where it extends nearly to the FT in K. (R.) zarudnyi), flagellum lateral apophysis triangular-shaped (Figs 13C, 17C), the small straight (slightly curved posteriorly in K. (R.) zarudnyi) fixed finger hornlike process (Fig. 13C), the non-broadened apex of ctenidia on sternite III (Figs 13E, 15G), the presence of more short spines on pedipalpal tarsus (8–9), and the absence of papillae on pedipalpal metatarsus (Figs 15F, 16B). Females differ from other Karschia (Rhinokarschia) species by the presence of spines on pedipalpal metatarsus and tarsus (Fig. 16D, E), the short, needle-like ctenidia on sternite IV (shorter than other species in this subgenus, ctenidia in K. (R.) liui reach the distal border of the sternite IV, but ctenidia in other species reach the following sternite) (Figs 14F, 15J), and the genital operculum not subtriangular, distally not widened and genital opening visible between plates. (Figs 14E, 15I).
Description. Male. Holotype (MHBU-Sol-GS2023043001).
Measurements. Total body length 16.91, CH 1.74, CL 4.66, CW 1.54, PL 2.20, PW 3.05, A/CP 8.12, CL/ CH 2.68. Pedipalp 17.4 (4.75, 5.16, 3.63, 1.03), leg Ⅰ 14.57 (4.43, 3.88, 2.51, 1.17, 0.18, leg II 15.83 (2.56, 4.37, 3.24, 0.78, 1.01), leg III 20.64 (3.91,5.60, 3.95, 1.37, 1.26), leg IV 23.64 (5.57, 5.86, 4.23, 1.20, 1.05).
Coloration. In 75% ethanol-preserved specimens (Figs 12A, B). General background light yellow. Propeltidium yellow, densely covered with short yellowish-brown setae and sparsely with long tawny setae; ocular tubercle black (Fig. 13D). Opisthosoma densely covered with yellowish-brown setae dorsally, except for black abdominal tergites and sclerites. Chelicera yellow brown, covered with long brownish setae; each terminal tooth of fixed finger and movable finger reddish (Figs 13A, B), pedipalps and legs yellowish brown expect coxa and trochanter, covered with brownish setae. Malleoli white.
Propeltidium. Wider than long (Fig. 13D), with a dense pubescence of thin, short, anteriorly directed fine setae; median eyes separated by less than one diameter; propeltidium lobe without eyespot. Anterior, posterior, and lateral edges with several long, curved spiniform setae that perpendicular to the surface of the propeltidium (Fig. 13D). Ocular tubercle with four middle distal spiniform setae.
Chelicerae. Fixed finger with median teeth series comprising well-developed primary teeth (FP, FM and FD), FD tooth size greater, while FM and FP similar in size (Figs 13A–C, 15A, B); moreover, median teeth series comprising all secondary teeth (2 FSD and 2 FSM); secondary teeth overall size smaller than primary teeth, distal FSD and FSM smaller than proximal FSD and FSM. Retrofondal teeth series uninterrupted with six teeth (2 RFSP, 1 RFP, 1 RFM, 2 RFA); profondal teeth series consisting of five teeth (2 PFSP, 1 PFP, 1 PFSM, 1 PFM) (Figs 13A, B, 15A, B). Fixed finger asetose area sinuous, with ventral margin predominantly linear in lateral aspect; prodorsal carina not sharp, not elevated in lateral aspect, with small and straight hornlike process; fixed finger mucron without subterminal (FST) teeth, and apex (FT tooth) curved, hook-shaped. Movable finger with median teeth series comprising well-developed MP and MM primary teeth, the former of which larger, and one MSM secondary tooth smaller than MM (i.e., MP> MM> MSM), movable finger MP and MSM teeth close to one another, MSM upright and triangular-shaped; movable finger without subproximal (MSP) or subterminal (MST) teeth; movable finger mucron moderately long, with obvious prolateral flange in front of the MM tooth (Figs 13A–C, 15A, B). Retrolateral and dorsal surfaces with abundant retrolateral manus (rlm) and retrolateral finger setae (rlf), of different sizes, which predominantly straight and rigid; some of these setae arranged in bilaterally symmetrical pattern, as some principal retrolateral finger (principal rlf) setae that more flexible than others (Figs 13A, 15A); prolateral surface with array of setal types, as follows: proventral distal (pvd) setae consisting of row of plumose setae, starting at level of the flagellum and ending near level of RFSP tooth; proventral subdistal (pvsd) setae arranged in rather disorganized pattern, pvsd comb not markedly differentiated; two pvsd elongated called flagellar complex plumose (fcp) setae, moreover two fcs behind flagellum above the fcp; carpet-like field of bristle-like promedial (pm) setae broad. Stridulatory plate longer than high, occupying most of the prolateral surface of manus, above stridulatory plate two rows of pdp existing; stridulatory apparatus not obvious. Distal limit of the prolateral setose area of movable finger reaching midpoint between MSM and MM teeth; movable finger prodorsal (mpd) setal series consisting of spinous setae arranged in a rather staggered row, adjacent to abundant non-plumose setae of the movable finger promedial (mpm) and proventral (mpv) setal series (Figs 13B, 15B). Flagellum coiled, fringed and sessile, with a small triangular lateral apophysis. The flagellar complex includes two fcp and two short, thick fcs (Figs 13B, C, 15B, 17C). Flagellar basal peg unexpanded, tapering from the base (Fig 13C, 17C).
Opisthosoma. The entire surface covered with almost adpressed fine setae, and numerous long, curved, bifurcate setae, and tergites with abundant setae. Sternite III with two posterior paramedian groups of ctenidia, being gradually larger to posterior, ctenidia coarse needle-like gradually sharp from the base to the spire (Figs 13E, 15G); sternite IV with a row of 13 (partial shedding) long and thin cylindrical ctenidia (Figs 13F, 15H).
Pedipalps. Entirely covered with short fine setae and long, thick setae. Tarsus with eight ventral spines not symmetrical arrangement; metatarsus with 12 ventral spines (partial shedding) not arranged in pairs and without papillae (Figs 15E, F, 16A, B).
Legs. Legs totally covered with long, thick, setae and short fine setae. Leg Ⅰ spineless with two small claws. Tibiae II, III, and IV with a pair of distal spiniform setae ventrally; tibiae II and III with a single dorsal spiniform setae. Metatarsi II and III with a series of three dorsal spiniform setae, a pair of distal spiniform setae ventrally, and some paired short, thick, spiniform setae over their entire ventral surface; metatarsus IV also with these paired spiniform setae over its entire ventral surface and two distal spine-like setae ventrally.
Female. Paratype female (MHBU-Sol-GS2016051901).
Measurements. Total body length 19.87, CH 1.69, CL 4.94, CW 1.52, PL 1.91, PW 3.27, A/CP 5.90, CL/ CH 2.92. Pedipalp 12.81 (3.13, 3.80, 2.53, 0.80), leg Ⅰ 10.08 (2.20, 2.52, 1.70, 0.85, 0.14), leg II 8.97 (1.40, 2.15, 1.58, 0.55, 0.58), leg III 12.04 (2.37, 2.639, 2.06, 0.49, 0.65), leg IV 17.49(3.79, 3.34, 2.98, 1.02, 1.09).
Coloration. In 75% ethanol-preserved specimens (Figs 12C, D). Coloration mostly as in the male, but may be due to preservation differences, female darker overall.
Propeltidium. Same as in the male.
Chelicera. Fixed finger with median teeth series comprising well-developed primary teeth (FP, FM and FD), FD tooth size smaller, while FM and FP similar in size (Figs 14A–C, 15C, D); moreover, median teeth series comprising all secondary teeth (2FSD and 2 FSM); secondary teeth overall size smaller than primary teeth, distal FSD and FSM smaller than proximal FSD and FSM. Retrofondal teeth series uninterrupted with nine teeth (3RFSP, 1RFP, 1RFSM, 1RFM, 3RFA); profondal teeth series consisting of six teeth (3PFSP, 1PFP, 1PFSM, 1PFM). Fondal teeth graded as II, IV, VI, VIII, IX, tiny I, tiny III, tiny V, tiny VII retrolaterally; I, II, III, IV, V tiny VI prolaterally (Fig. 14C). Movable finger with median teeth series comprising well-developed MP and MM primary teeth, the former of which larger, and two MSM, four MST and four MSP secondary tooth that smaller than MM (i.e., MP> MM> MSM> MST> MSP), movable finger MSM teeth located MM and MP center, MST teeth located MM front, and MSP located MP after; all secondary teeth upright and triangular-shaped. Fixed finger and movable finger mucron without subterminal (FST and MST) teeth. Cheliceral setose areas and stridulatory plate mostly like male, but female without fcp, fcs, and pdp only one row (Figs 14B, 15D).
Opisthosoma. The entire surface covered with almost adpressed fine setae and numerous long, curved, bifurcate setae. Genital operculum not triangular-shape, not widened distally and genital opening visible between plates. Genital plate resembling a trapezoid-shaped with a slight sunken in the middle structure, and with slightly chitinized folds distal to plates (Figs 14E, 15I). 13 short needle-like ctenidia on genital sternite IV which extending the succeeding sternite edge (Figs 14F, 15J).
Pedipalps. Entirely covered with short fine setae and long, thick setae. Tarsus with three ventral spines not symmetrical arrangement, and metatarsus with five ventral spines (partial shedding) not arranged in pairs (Figs 16D, E).
Legs. Same as in the male.
Distribution and habitat. K. (R). liui sp. nov. is known only from the type locality (Fig. 1). Habitat: Gobi Desert (Fig. 2A). In contrast to the majority of mostly Karschia species, which are typically found in hills and mountains as noted by Gromov (2003), K. (R.) liui sp. nov. exhibits a preference for low-altitude, flat regions of the Gobi Desert.
Collection method. During the day by hand collecting from under stones. Given their nocturnal habits, we also collect specimens using pitfall traps.
Variability. Males. Total length 16.39–17.23. Body coloration light yellow to yellow. Chelicera with manus yellowish to brown. Pedipalpal tarsus with 8–9 spines and metatarsus with 10–13 spines. The number of cheliceral fixed finger fondal teeth 9–11 (profondal teeth 4–5; retrofondal teeth 5–6). The number of ctenidia on sternite IV 13–14. Females. Total length 18.56–21.26. Variability of body coloration as in males. Pedipalpal tarsus with 3–4 spines, metatarsus with 4–6 spines. The number of cheliceral fixed finger fondal teeth 14–16 (profondal teeth 4–6; retrofondal teeth 10–11). MST 3–4, MSP 3–4. The number of ctenidia on sternite IV 12–13.
Remark. Based on the comparison of genetic distances, with a genetic distance of 0.14% (Table 2) between males and females collected from the same locations, we believe that they are the same species.
description: Published as part of Fan, Wenlong, Zhang, Chao & Zhang, Feng, 2024, First report of the family Karschiidae (Arachnida, Solifugae) from Gansu Province, China, with description of two new species, pp. 369-394 in Zootaxa 5492 (3) on pages 385-393, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5492.3.5, http://zenodo.org/record/13234925