Charinus cavernicolus Weygoldt 2006
Creators: name: Miranda, Gustavo Silva de
name: Giupponi, Alessandro P. L.
name: Prendini, Lorenzo
name: Scharff, Nikolaj
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2021
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Amblypygi
Charinidae
Charinus
Charinus cavernicolus

description: Charinus cavernicolus Weygoldt, 2006, new rank
Figs 94–95; Table 7
Charinus australianus cavernicolus Weygoldt, 2006b: 16–18, figs 1–2, 13, 23–24.
Charinus australianus cavernicolus – Seiter & Hörweg 2013: 50.
Diagnosis
Based in part on Weygoldt (2006a), this species may be separated from other species of Charinus in New Caledonia (C. elegans, C. longipes, C. neocaledonicus and C. pecki), by means of its dull coloration, slightly smaller size, shorter legs, and different spermatophore.
Etymology
Adjective, referring to the subterranean habitat of the species (Weygoldt 2006b).
Type material
Holotype NEW CALEDONIA • ♂; Province Nord, Grottes de Koumac, ca 7 km E of Koumac; 13 Nov. 2004; S. Huber, S. Weygoldt and P. Weygoldt leg.; MNHN AM 1.
Paratypes NEW CALEDONIA • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for holotype; MNHN AM 2.
Additional material
NEW CALEDONIA • 2 ♀♀, 1 ♂, 4 protonymphs, 1 protonymph exuvium; Province Nord, Grottes de Koumac; 4–5 Apr. 1977; Strinati and Aellen leg.; MHNG • 2 ♀♀, 2 ♂♂; 4 Aug. 1978; S. and J. Peck leg.; MHNG • 5 ♀♀, 4 ♂♂, 5 juv.; 13 Nov. 2004; S. Huber, S. Weygoldt and P. Weygoldt leg.; MHNG.
Supplementary description
CARAPACE. Median eyes and median ocular tubercle well developed (Fig. 95A); pair of setae on median ocular tubercle (Fig. 95C); lateral eyes well developed, seta posterior to lateral ocular triad; lateral ocular triad well separated from margin of carapace.
STERNUM. Tritosternum projected anteriorly with typical setation (Fig. 95B); other sternal platelets divided into two pairs of small rounded plaques, each with seta anteriorly; pentasternum with two setae anteriorly and one seta in membranous region.
OPISTHOSOMA. Ventral sac and ventral sac cover absent.
GENITALIA. Posterior margin of female genital operculum slightly convex; gonopod flat cushion-like (see Weygoldt 2006b: 7, figs 1–2); unsclerotized basally. Male gonopod with border of fistula and lateral lobes sclerotized.
CHELICERAE. Prominent tooth on retrolateral surface of basal segment, opposite to bifid tooth; retrolateral surface of claw with row of setae restricted to base; claw with five teeth; row of setae on prolateral surface of basal segment of chelicerae not visible; bifid tooth on basal segment with dorsal cusp larger than ventral cusp.
PEDIPALPS. Coxal dorsal carina with two setae encircled by round carina and four setae on margin. Femur with four dorsal spines and four ventral spines (Fig. 95E–F); three setiferous tubercles between dorsal spine 1 and proximal margin. Patella with three dorsal spines and prominent setiferous tubercle proximal to spine III (Fig. 95E); prominent setiferous tubercle distal to spine I, one-third length of spine I; two ventral spines (Fig. 95F); three setiferous tubercles between spine I and distal margin. Tibia with ventral spine distally and three setae between spine and distal margin; several long, slender setae prolateral to ventral spines. Tarsus with two dorsal spines, distal spine curved, long, half length of tarsus, proximal spine straight, short, one-third length of distal spine (Fig. 95D); several long, slender setae ventral to distal spine; cleaning organ with 26 setae in ventral row.
LEGS. Tibia of leg I with 23 articles; tarsus I with 41 articles; first tarsal article twice length of subsequent article (mean length of first article: 0.5 mm; mean length of second article: 0.19 mm, n =2). Leg IV, basitibia with four pseudo-articles, trichobothrium bt situated in proximal third of pseudo-article; distitibia trichobothrium bc situated closer to sbf than to bf, sc and sf series each with five trichobothria.
Measurements
See Table 7.
Distribution
Known from Grottes de Koumac and Île des Pins, New Caledonia.
Natural history
Specimens were found under stones near the entrance of the cave as well as deeper, in complete darkness. No specimens were found in the forest outside the cave.
Remarks
Weygoldt (2006b) noted some differences between the specimens from Île des Pins and those from the Grottes de Koumac, such as a denser group of setae on the prolateral surface of the chelicera, and the dorsal spines of the pedipalp tarsus being unequal, the distal spine nearly four times as long as the proximal spine.
description: Published as part of 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), pp. 1-409 in European Journal of Taxonomy 772 on pages 155-159, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2021.772.1505, http://zenodo.org/record/5536410