Fortia jedi Villarreal & Kury & Colmenares 2022, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Villarreal, Osvaldo
name: Kury, Adriano B.
name: Colmenares, Pío A.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Opiliones
Stygnidae
Fortia
Fortia jedi

description: Fortia jedi, sp. nov.
Figures 1–11, 25–27
TYPE DATA: Ƌ holotype (AMNH_IZC 00146658), COLOMBIA, Magdalena, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, trail from San Pedro de la Sierra. 2300 m. C.W.D. Gibson and R.J. Robins.
DIAGNOSIS: Fortia jedi differs from the only other congeneric species by the pattern of the spots on the dorsal scutum: the presence of five main median spots (two on the posterior border of carapace, two in the median region of both sides of area I and one median large spot on the median region of area II) forming a rough pentagon (figs. 1, 6) (unlike F. sith, a median rectangular spot on area II and with two small points on the internal corner of area I) (figs. 12, 17); the presence of spots laterally to the eyes and in the posterior region of carapace (absent in F. sith); absence of yellowish spots on lateral border of area I (presents in F. sith); by males femur, patella and tibia III normally thickened, not abruptly differentiated from leg II (in F. sith both legs III and IV are thickened); and the ornamentation of the legs IV of the males, trochanter with a large apical retrolateral apophysis (figs. 10, 11) (reduced to a short spine in F. sith), femur without a retrolateral row of large tubercles (unlike F. sith, which has a retrolateral row of large tubercles, decreasing in size distally) (figs. 10, 11, 23, 24).
DESCRIPTION: Measurements. DSL = 4, DSW = 3.4, ID = 2; Pedipalp: Co = 0.9, Tr = 0.9, Fe = 2.9, Pa = 1.1, Ti = 1.7, Ta = 1.4, total = 8.9; Leg IV: Fe = 5.1, Pa = 1.4, Ti = 2.5, Mt = 4.7, total = 13.7. Dorsum (figs. 1, 6). DS outline epsilon. Anterior margin of prosoma with 3–4 anterolateral tubercles; cheliceral sockets shallow, between two short processes. Eyes separated into two small mounds with some anterior granules, placed posteriorly on the carapace. Interocular region with small granules and one central high mound, placed slightly forward on carapace and covered with sparse granules, ending with a high spine on top. Lateral margin with a row of minute granules. Mesotergum divided into three areas: I divided medially into two triangular halves, with one small granule on each side; II unarmed and entire, with only two granules on each side, medially invading area I and reaching the carapace; III with two small tubercles on each side and a pair of paramedian high spines. Posterior margin slightly convex, with two small tubercles. Free tergites I–III with a row of granules, and a paramedian pair of large tubercles (I) and acuminated short spines (II>III). Venter (fig. 3). Coxa I with a row of 7–8 conspicuous tubercles; II–III with 2–3 median rows of granules and a small apical tubercle; IV densely granulated. Genital operculum finely granulated. Free sternites with a row of minute granules. Chelicerae (figs. 1–3, 5, 6). Segment I with five small tubercles on bulla; II swollen, with scattered granules on anterior side, fixed finger with four distal teeth (Iiii); mobile finger with a large basal tooth and with three distal teeth (I_Iii). Pedipalps (figs. 8, 9). Coxa dorsally with a proximal low hump with three tubercles on it; ventrally with two conspicuous tubercles. Trochanter with one dorsal tubercle, and one tubercle and two granules on the ventral side. Femur thin and curved in the proximal third, contouring the cheliceral hand, and thicker and straighter in the two distal thirds; dorsally with a row of four granules placed on distal half and an apical apophysis; an ectal and a mesal row of tubercles, the later ones being more noticeable; ventrally with a proximal prominent tubercle, and a row of seven spaced tubercles. Patella slightly swollen distally, with two dorsal small tubercles, ventrally smooth. Tibia dorsally with abundant tubercles, ventrally smooth; tibia mesal IIiIi, ectal IiIiIii. Tarsus dorsally and ventrally smooth; tarsus mesal IiIiii, ectal Iiii. Legs (figs. 10, 11). Coxae I–II with a prolateral bifid tubercle and a retrolateral tubercle; III with a prolateral tubercle; IV with sparse prolateral small tubercles and an apical larger and conical tubercle. Trochanter I dorsally smooth and one retrolateral granule; II with one dorsal tubercle and sparse minute granules, two retrolateral small tubercles; III with sparse granules and a retroapical tubercle; IV with sparse prolateral, dorsal and retrolateral low tubercles, one slightly larger dorsoapical tubercle, and a large retrolateral apical apophysis. Femora I–II with retroventral and proventral rows of granules; II with a dorsoapical apophysis; III with proventral and retroventral rows of low tubercles, one retroventral row of tubercles increasing in size distally, other rows with granules and a dorsoapical apophysis; IV slightly curved, distally swollen, with a dorsal, prodorsal, retrodorsal, and retrolateral rows of tubercles of relatively equal size, one proventral and one retroventral row of tubercles increasing in size distally, as well as two prodorsal and retrodorsal apical apophyses. Patella I granulated; II–III evenly covered with low tubercles; IV covered with tubercles larger than those in III, more noticeable on ventral side, with two dorsoapical conspicuous tubercles and a retroventral and retrolateral group of six strong tubercles almost forming a row. Tibiae I–II slightly thicker distally, while III–IV are visibly thicker distally; I smooth; II–III with rows of noticeable granules; IV with rows of tubercles: a prolateral row of small tubercles, a retrolateral row of tubercles, two ventral rows of slightly larger tubercles increasing in size distally, and two dorsal rows of tubercles. Metatarsi I–IV smooth. Basitarsus I with basal segment slightly swollen. Tarsal process present. Tarsal claws III–IV subparallel, unpectinated. Tarsal segmentation: 7(3)/15(3)/6(3)/7(3). Penis (figs. 25–27). Truncus subapically encircled by multiple small wrinkles dorsally and laterally, along with a few thick ventral folds. Malleus with two dorsolateral lobes, forming a dorsal concavity where the glans rests. Malleus lobes contain MS A1–A3 that form a dorsolateral arch and MS B, which continues the same arch but is separated by a wide gap and inserted ventrally. MS A1–A3 larger than MS B. Lamina parva formed by: (1) a columnar base, slightly compressed laterally bearing MS C–E; (2) a concave subquadrangular platform; and (3) a pair of erect middorsal lobes. MS D1 small, dorsolateral, at junction glans/stylus; MS C1–C3 dorsally slightly curved and flattened, forming a transverse row just below platform; MS E1 short, MS E2 long, both pairs forming a rectangle in ventral view. Coloration (in alcohol, figs. 1–5). Dorsal scutum, chelicerae, and pedipalps pale yellow, legs slightly translucent. Dorsal scutum with metalized spots on ectal side of eyes, posterior zone of carapace, internal corners of area I, median zone and lateral border of area II, and median zone and posterior border of area III.
FEMALE: Unknown.
DISTRIBUTION: Known only for the type locality.
ETYMOLOGY: Noun in apposition from the neologism jedi, a monastic order of academics and peacekeepers, users of the light side of the energy field known as The Force in the Star Wars fictional universe. Specific epithet in reference to the light coloration of the type specimen.
description: Published as part of Villarreal, Osvaldo, Kury, Adriano B. & Colmenares, Pío A., 2022, A new genus with two new species of Colombian harvestmen (Opiliones: Stygnidae: Stygninae), pp. 1-16 in American Museum Novitates 2022 (3991) on pages 5-8, DOI: 10.1206/3991.1, http://zenodo.org/record/7399574