Zalmoxis furcifer, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Sharma, Prashant P.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2012
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Opiliones
Zalmoxidae
Zalmoxis
Zalmoxis furcifer

description: Zalmoxis furcifer sp. nov.
Figs. 19–22, 25
Types. Male holotype (QM [ex MCZ DNA106311]) from Daintree National Park, Cape Tribulation Road, Emmagen Creek, adjacent to “4WD track”, Cape Tribulation section, Queensland (16° 3' 40.9" S, 145° 27' 42.2" E), Australia, 30 m elevation, collected 26 April 2011 by R.M. Clouse and P.P. Sharma from sifted litter. 6 male (3 in ethanol; 1 dissected for genitalia and mounted on SEM stub MCZ 124568; 1 dissected for genitalia and mounted on SEM stubs MCZ 124568, MCZ 124571; 1 mounted on SEM stubs 124572–124573) and 5 female (3 in ethanol; 1 used for DNA extraction [ex MCZ DNA106311]; 1 mounted on SEM stub MCZ 124570) paratypes, same collecting locality as holotype (MCZ 124569). 2 male and 3 female paratypes (MAGNT) from Daintree National Park, Mossman Gorge, on trail at end of road, Cape Tribulation section, Queensland (16° 28' 19.5" S, 145° 19' 49.7" E), Australia, 69 m elevation, collected 28–IV–2011 by R.M. Clouse and P.P. Sharma from sifted litter. 3 male and 3 female paratypes (WAM) from Barron Gorge National Park, Crystal Cascades trail, Queensland (16° 57' 50.6" S, 145° 40' 45.2" E), Australia, 75 m elevation, collected 29–IV–2011 by R.M. Clouse and P.P. Sharma from sifted litter. 2 male and 2 female paratypes (MHNG) from vicinity of Russell River National Park, Graham Range, Queensland (17° 17' 30.3" S, 145° 57' 36.7" E), Australia, 44 m elevation, collected 30–IV–2011 by R.M. Clouse and P.P. Sharma from sifted litter.
Additional material studied. 1 male, 3 females and 2 juveniles from Daintree National Park, Mossman Gorge, on trail at end of road, Cape Tribulation section, Queensland (16° 28' 19.5" S, 145° 19' 49.7" E), Australia, 69 m elevation, collected 28–IV–2011 by R.M. Clouse and P.P. Sharma from sifted litter. 3 males, 4 females (1 used for DNA extraction [MCZ DNA106316]), and 2 juveniles from Barron Gorge National Park, Crystal Cascades trail, Queensland (16° 57' 50.6" S, 145° 40' 45.2" E), Australia, 75 m elevation, collected 29–IV–2011 by R.M. Clouse and P.P. Sharma from sifted litter. 2 males, 2 females (1 used for DNA extraction [MCZ DNA106318]) and 1 juvenile from vicinity of Russell River National Park, Graham Range, Queensland (17° 17' 30.3" S, 145° 57' 36.7" E), Australia, 44 m elevation, collected 30–IV–2011 by R.M. Clouse and P.P. Sharma from sifted litter. 2 females and 2 juveniles from vicinity of Russell River National Park, Graham Range, Queensland (17° 17' 23.5" S, 145° 57' 38.4" E), Australia, 38 m elevation, collected 30–IV–2011 by R.M. Clouse and P.P. Sharma from sifted litter. 2 females from Emmagen Creek, Daintree National Park, Cape Tribulation section, Queensland (16° 3' 41" S, 145° 27' 43" E), Australia, 22 m elevation, collected 18–II–2003 by C. D’Haese and G. Giribet.
Etymology. The specific epithet, an invariable noun in apposition, refers to the incidence of polymorphism in males of this species, likely indicative of alternative mating strategies. Derived from Latin, “ furcifer ” meaning “rascal” or “scoundrel”.
Diagnosis. Distinguished from congeners by coloration pattern; armature of free tergites (three large tubercles at posterior margin of last tergite) and anal plate (single large median tubercle); and greatly elongate walking leg IV in males.
Description. Total length of male holotype (female paratype [MCZ 124569] in parentheses) 2.26 (2.26), greatest width of prosoma 1.04 (0.94), greatest width of opisthosoma 1.74 (1.82); length-to-width ratio 1.30 (1.24). Body campaniform, colored yellow and black or brown (in alcohol, depending on incidence of light), almost entirely with dense microgranulate surface microstructure. Eyes present on low, well-developed ocularium. Ocularium wider than long, removed from anterior margin of carapace, without spines or tubercles. Anterior margin of carapace with two pairs of pegs above coxae of leg I and single median peg. Scutal grooves of mesotergum slightly curved, not “V”-shaped. Areas III–IV of mesotergum bearing medial pair of minute tubercles. Opisthosomal tergite VI with belt of small setose tubercles, tergite VII with median tubercle prominently enlarged, and tergite VIII with three large median tubercles. Dorsum mottled, with pigmentation concentrated on margins and midline of mesotergal areas (Fig. 19).
Ventral prosomal complex with coxae II and III meeting in midline, coxae I and IV not so (Fig. 20 a). Anterior and posterior margins of coxae III with tubercular bridges to adjacent coxae, and coxae I–III with low setose tubercles. Coxae IV greatly enlarged. Genital operculum sub-triangular. Spiracles not concealed, anterior to row of tubercles. Opisthosomal sternites armed with belts of flattened tubercles. Anal plate armed with one prominent median tubercle, flanked by four smaller tubercles, in turn adjacent to even smaller and very low tubercles. Venter mottled, with pigmentation concentrated around spiracles, sternites 7–8, and margins of anal plate. (Fig. 19).
Chelicerae (Fig. 21 a) sexually monomorphic, with prominent bulla on proximal article. Proximal article with denticulate granulation basally and ventrally. Second article not incrassate, free of ornamentation, with dorsal margin bearing several setae. Distal article with delicate dentition, free of ornamentation. Palpi (Fig. 21 b) robust and spined ventrally and/or ventrolaterally, typical of zalmoxids. Palpal tarsus with two pairs of megaspines.
Legs (I–IV) finely granulated (Fig. 21 c–g). Femora of legs I–IV with ventral row of fine tubercles. Male leg IV greatly elongated but neither armored nor incrassate (Fig. 21 f). Coxae of all legs with few tubercles on mesal surface. Metatarsi I–IV divided distally, with calcaneus less ornamented but generally more setose. Tarsal claws I– IV smooth, unmodified. Tarsal segmentation 3: 6: 5: 6 (Fig. 21 c–f).
Appendage measurements of holotype (length/width):
TrFePaTiMtTaTotalLeg I0.21/0.181.02/0.160.44/0.180.78/0.141.40/0.070.67/0.104.52Leg II0.29/0.251.85/0.160.69/0.211.76/0.151.13/0.061.29/0.107.01Leg III0.25/0.271.40/0.150.53/0.271.19/0.161.88/0.100.80/0.096.05Leg IV0.25/0.334.70/0.151.74/0.285.30/0.144.80/0.131.05/0.1017.84Palp0.18/0.180.50/0.170.27/0.150.37/0.19—0.38/0.131.70ProximalSecondDistalChelicera0.51/0.130.68/0.220.20/0.07
Appendage measurements of female paratype (MCZ 124574) (length/width):
TrFePaTiMtTaTotalLeg I0.20/0.170.74/0.140.35/0.160.53/0.150.85/0.060.56/0.083.23Leg II0.24/0.231.17/0.150.53/0.190.96/0.161.22/0.071.12/0.105.24Leg III0.25/0.240.87/0.150.41/0.240.67/0.171.10/0.100.63/0.093.93Leg IV0.26/0.241.32/0.160.51/0.251.14/0.181.57/0.100.76/0.105.56Palp0.16/0.170.48/0.160.25/0.150.35/0.19—0.35/0.141.59ProximalSecondDistalChelicera0.54/0.250.67/0.220.25/0.05
Penis (Fig. 22) with two pairs of setae on rutrum and four pairs setae on pergula (one median pair, two ventrolateral pairs with bases in close proximity, and one lateral pair). One pair of setae displaced from midline and posterior to pergula. Rutrum arrowhead-like with lateral extensions. Pergula projecting ventrally, typical of zalmoxids.
Variation. Manifested in the size of the body and the fourth walking legs of males. Male body length 2.00– 2.48 (n=20); male leg IV length 9.20–18.30 mm (n = 20).
Distribution. Known from multiple sites in the northern part of the Wet Tropics Range of Queensland, Australia. The range likely extends from Daintree National Park in the north to Russell River National Park in the south.
description: Published as part of Sharma, Prashant P., 2012, New Australasian Zalmoxidae (Opiliones: Laniatores) and a new case of male polymorphism in Opiliones, pp. 1-35 in Zootaxa 3236 on pages 25-28, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3236.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/212212