Neocranaus gladius Villarreal & González-Gómez & Kury & García 2024, sp. nov.
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
Neocranaus gladius

description: Neocranaus gladius Villarreal & Kury sp. nov.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 5AE279E5-BBC8-4135-A5CB-5D76648EF54A
Figs 1, 6–8
Diagnosis
Neocranaus gladius sp. nov. differs from all other congeneric species by the shape of the outline of the dorsal scutum in dorsal view (gamma pyriform with the median bulge asymmetrical and posteriorly displaced) (Figs 6A, 7A); coxa II (at least in the males) ventrally inflated (Figs 6B–C, 7B); males with a large retrolateral spine in coxa III (Fig. 7A); paired spines on area III high, sharp and strongly divergents (Figs 6B, 7A–B) instead of short and rounded (Fig. 9B, D) or acute but almost subparallel (Fig. 2B, D). Ventral plate elongated cordiform, with trapezoid cleft which defines a pair of square ears, without subdistal constriction (the other species with known males have a subdistal constriction), MS-C distal pairs longer than MS-C basal pair and MS-D (in other species the MS-C distal pairs are smaller than basal pairs).
Etymology
From the Latin noun ‘ gladius ’, meaning ‘sword’ of any type, but in its narrow sense, it refers to the sword of ancient Roman foot soldiers. It is used here in reference to the retrolateral tubercle of coxa III of the males in this species. Noun in apposition.
Type material
Holotype
COLOMBIA • ♂; Santander, Carmen de Chucurí, Vereda La Bodega, P.N.N. Yariguíes, camino a La Bocatoma; 6.688917° N, 73.438917° W; alt. 1704 m; 19 Mar. 2011; R. del Valle leg.; ICN-Ao- 837.
Paratypes
COLOMBIA • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; ICN-Ao-ex. 837 • 1 ♂; Santander, Carmen de Chucurí, Vereda La Bodega, P.N.N. Los Yariguíes; 6.688917° N, 73.438917° W; 16 Mar. 2011; Est. Taxonomía Animal leg; ICN-Ao-855 • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Santander, Encino, La Sierra, S.F.F. Guanentá-Alto Río Fonce; 6.021047° N, 73.151700° W; alt. 2450–2600 m; 13 Jan. 2002; S. Arias leg.; ICN-Ao-1149.
Description
Male
MEASUREMENTS. DSL = 8.4; MDW = 7.5; CL = 3.8; CW = 5.0; IOD = 1.7; ChI = 1.6; pedipalp: tr = 1.3, fe = 3.4, pa = 2.0, ti = 2.3, ta = 2.4; leg IV: tr = 1.3, fe = 16.1, pa = 1.5, ti = 7.8, mt = –, ta = –.
DORSUM (Figs 6A–B, 7A–B). Dorsal scutum outline gamma pyriform, with median bulge asymmetrical and posteriorly displaced. Anterior margin of prosoma with three anterolateral short tubercles and pair of medial rounded yellow tubercles; cheliceral sockets shallow, between two very short processes, medial process short. Eyes located on elliptical ocularium, located slightly anterior on carapace, very granulated and with two rounded spines. Lateral margin with row of granules and with group of posterolateral rounded yellow tubercles on each side. Mesotergum divided into three areas: I medially divided by suture into two trapezoidal halves, each with one large tubercle surrounded by granules; II unarmed and entire, with some disperse granules and transverse row of small yellow granules, invading slightly medial portion of area I; III with paramedian pair of high and stout spines with base densely granulated. Posterior margin substraight, with row of small tubercles. Free tergites I–III with row of tubercles each, and III with paramedian pair of large acuminated tubercles.
VENTER (Fig. 6C–D). Coxa I granulose, with row of 8–9 conspicuous tubercles; II much expanded, II–III with 4 median rows of granules; IV densely granulated in ventral surface, with some tubercles in prolateral face. Stigmatic area granulated (Fig. 6C), T-inverted shaped, stigmata ovoid, subparallel, with large tubercles on posterior margin and triangular ventral projection. Free sternites with row of minute granules. Free sternites I with lateral yellow tubercles, rest of sternite with lateral large tubercles and row of minute granules.
CHELICERAE (Figs 6A, 7A). Segment I with few small tubercles on bulla proximal face; II slightly swollen.
PEDIPALPS (Fig. 6E). Coxa short, dorsally with 1–2 small tubercles. Trochanter with some dorsal small tubercles, and one large tubercle on ventral side. Femur stout and slightly curved, dorsally with row of tubercles and apical apophysis; ectal row of tubercles; ventrally with two proximal tubercles, small gap and row of four spaced tubercles. Patella slightly swollen distally, with dorsomedial depression; dorsally tuberculated, ventrally smooth. Tibia dorsally with abundant tubercles, ventrally smooth; tibia ectal iiIiIii. Tarsus dorsally tuberculated and ventrally smooth; tarsus ectal IiiIiIi.
LEGS (Figs 6F–G, 7C–D). Coxae I–II with dorsal pair of tubercles; III with prolateral tubercle; IV with sparse prolateral small tubercles, one large prolateral distinctive and one apical larger and sharp tubercle. Trochanter I dorsally smooth; II dorsally tuberculated, and with two retrolateral conspicuous tubercles; III with dorsal irregular tubercles and granules, one prolateral tubercle, one retrolateral medial large tubercles and one large spine; IV with sparse prolateral, dorsal and retrolateral tubercles, one dorsal tubercle larger than others. Femora I–II with complete rows of granules; II–IV each with dorsoapical apophysis; III with complete rows of granules, and proximal retrolateral large tubercle; IV straight, with complete rows of tubercles, retrodorsal row with large tubercles on proximal and distal portions, with one large and curved prolateral distal tubercle. Patella I granulated; II–III evenly covered with low tubercles; IV covered with larger than those in III. Tibiae IV with rows of tubercles and retrolateral row of curved spines.
PENIS (Fig. 8). Apical portion of truncus sinuous, with subdistal break (undergoing change in direction). Ventral plate elongate cordiform, with trapezoid cleft which defines pair of square ears. MS-A1-A2 situated close to MS-C1-C2 on distal half of VP. MS-D1 as large as MS-C3 being closer to MS-D1 than to other MS-C. MS-B absent. Pedestal very short, sprawled. Stylus slightly curved, S-shaped, with small and irregular stylar caps.
COLORATION (in alcohol) (Fig. 6). Dorsal scutum and anal operculum brownish black (65), prosoma dark brown (59) reticulated on dark orange yellow (72). Free tergites, coxae and trochanters brownish black (65). Trochanters III–IV dorsal with distal spots vivid yellow (82). Chelicerae reticulated dark yellowish brown (78) on background vivid yellow (82). Coxae I–III and medial zone of IV ventrally reticulated deep yellowish brown (75) on background strong yellow (84); lateral and posterior zone of IV and stigmatic area deep brown (56). Pedipalp reticulated dark olive brown (96) on background moderate olive brown (95).
Female
Unknown.
Distribution
Colombia, Santander Department (Fig. 1).
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 303-306, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2024.925.2471, http://zenodo.org/record/10843299