Manahunca matazon Alegre & Gainett & Iborra & Giribet 2019, new species
Creators: name: Alegre, Aylin
name: Gainett, Guilherme
name: Iborra, Germán López
name: Giribet, Gonzalo
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2019
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Opiliones
Biantidae
Manahunca
Manahunca matazon

description: Manahunca matazon Alegre, Gainett & Giribet, new species
(Figs. 24–33, 34, 35B, Tables 6–7)
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 494D8017-F6B8-41C1-9608-14EB5FBB180A
Types: Holotype male, La Matazón, El Salvador municipality, Guantánamo, Cuba, (20° 24’ 59.5” N; 75° 19’ 52.61” W), 280–300 m a.s.l., Leg., L. F. Armas & E. Alonso, 25.v.1993, under bark of rotten log (CZACC 3.4363). Paratypes: 1 female (CZACC 3.4364), same collecting data as holotype; 2 males (CZACC 3.4365 and 3.4366), La Matazón, El Salvador municipality, Guantánamo, Cuba, Leg., L. F. Armas & E. Alonso, 20.v.1993, in rotten log.
Etymology: The specific epithet is a noun in apposition in reference to the type locality.
Diagnosis: Differs from M. bielawskii and M. turquino n. sp. in its general appearance and smaller body size. The mesotergal areas and free tergites bear sharper tubercles and granules than in the other species of the genus, particularly on Area IV and free tergite III, which present a pair of paramedian tubercles sharper and bigger than in the other known species of Manahunca. Legs unarmed, only with sparse short setiferous denticles. Metatarsus III swollen (in males) at the calcaneus region (between the third and fourth quarter of the proximal portion of the metatarsus), bearing 19, 21, 27 setae on the ventral groove; tarsal formula 7(3):13–14(4):8:8 (n=4). It is also distinguished from M. bielawskii and M. turquino n. sp. by the penis morphology. Manahunca matazon presents a ventroapical finger-like process and a shorter capsula interna, composed by a lateroapically flattened and wide stylus and two basally fused conductors. The stylus has a pointed tip (lanceolate shape), and the conductors apically exhibit slender and laminar free lobes, projected ventrally. The stylus length slightly exceeds the length of the conductors.
Description of male holotype: Dorsum measurements: CL 0.8, CW 1.6, DSL 1.92, DSW 1.8. Appendage measurements in Tables 6–7.
Dorsum (Figs. 24–25): Dorsal scutum almost rectangular. Anterior margin with shallow cheliceral sockets and 4 small denticles on each lateral side (Fig. 24). Carapace finely granulated. Rougher granules concentrated in the medial region. Some small granules occur in front of each eye mound. Eye mounds with small granules, located near sulcus I and projected laterally (Fig. 24). Lateral margins with one row of slightly sharp tubercles. These tubercles are larger toward the distal end of the lateral margin. Mesotergal areas well defined and roughly granulated. Area I divided into left and right halves and constricted by a brief and narrow medial groove (Fig. 24). On each half, a lateral small tubercle is evident. Area III with a paramedian pair of low tubercles. Area IV with a paramedian pair of large pointed tubercles (Fig. 25). Posterior margin and free tergites with a row of transverse tubercles. Free tergites I–II with slightly larger paramedian tubercles; free tergite II with a paramedian pair of smaller tubercles between the larger pair. Free tergite III with a paramedian pair of strong tubercles, with the same size as those tubercles present on Area IV (Fig. 25). Anal operculum roughly granulated.
Venter: coxae I, III–IV with an anterior row of small tubercles, the ones on first coxa being larger. Tubercles on coxae III–IV form small cuticular bridges with the precedent coxa. Free sternites with a row of very small tubercles. Genital operculum narrow, with small granules.
Chelicera: basichelicerite with bulla. Hand greatly swollen (hypertelic), with dispersed small setiferous granules, more concentrated distally. Cheliceral fingers with teeth. Fixed finger with 7–8 small distal teeth. Movable finger with one basal stout and blunt tooth, one medial serrated dome-like tooth and 6 small distal teeth. Cheliceral fingers basally with a wide aperture when closed.
Pedipalp: coxa dorsally with an ectoproximal small tooth-like tubercle (bicuspidate or tricuspidate), followed by other 1–2 small ectal tubercles, and a group of 4–5 dorsoproximal granules. Coxa ventrally with a row of 4–5 tubercles, being the proximal and the distal ones more prominent. Distal tubercle bears a short seta. Trochanter dorsally with one small granule. Ventrally, with one proximal tubercle and one distal smaller setiferous tubercle. Ectally, with a small proximal setiferous tubercle. Femur dorsally with 5 small setiferous granules, ventrally with 4–5 small setiferous granules. Granules on both sides of the femur located on the proximal half of segment. Patella enlarged at its distal third, where it dorsally exhibits a dense concentration of granules. Ventrally, with one strong mesodistal setiferous tubercle. Tibia dorsally with dense granules. Tarsus dorsally with scattered setae and fewer granules than tibia. Both segments ventrally armed with strong setiferous tubercles: tibia ectal: IIIi (1˂2=3>4); tibia mesal: IIII (1˂2=3=4), tarsus ectal IiIi (1=3>2=4); tarsus mesal IiIi (1=3>2=4). Mesoproximal-most setiferous tubercle on the ventral tibia displaced almost ectally. It is widely separated from the subsequent mesal setiferous tubercles, letting a marked gap in the setiferous tubercle series.
Legs: coxae IV dorsally with small tubercles. Trochanters I–II ventrally with small granules. The rest of the segments only with scattered fine and small denticles, bearing short setae. General form of metatarsus III, shape of the ventral groove in the calcaneus, integument appearance, setal morphology and disposition in the groove as in M. bielawskii (Fig. 26 A–D). Pores (glandular opening) scattered, paired and irregularly disposed around the base of the setae (Fig. 26 C). Ventral groove on metatarsus III bears 21 setae. Tarsal claws small, double and lying perpendicular to the axis of the leg. Distitarsi III–IV with scopula. Tarsal formula 7(3):14(4):8:8.
Penis (Figs. 27–33): cup-shaped, with the pars distalis enlargement at the distal third of the truncus (Fig. 29). Glans with a big stragulum that articulates dorso-distally with the truncus, as a jackknife. Stragulum apically narrow in dorsal view, exhibiting a wide and deep cleft with thin edges (Figs. 27, 28). In lateral view, the apical portion of the stragulum is wide (Fig. 30). The everted stragulum reveals its ventral extension as a spiny follis and the capsula interna (Figs. 31, 33). Capsula interna formed by a stylus and two conductors. Stylus lateroapically flattened and wide, with an acute end, that gives it a general lanceolate shape (Fig. 31). Stylus flanked by the conductors, which appear fused at the base. Apical portion of conductors with free slender laminar lobes, ventrally projected (Figs. 31, 33). Stylus slightly exceeds the length of conductors (Figs. 28, 31, 33). Truncus ventrally with a finger-like apical process and five pairs of setae in two oblique rows (Figs. 30, 33). Both pairs of setae in the apical group shorter than the rest, the apical-most pair being the shortest and apically bifurcated (Fig. 31). The ventrolateral setae are long and acuminate (Figs. 32, 33).
Coloration (in ethanol): Dorsum yellow with some brown tones.Anterior margin of the carapace with a marked brown line. Medial region yellow. Brown reticulation present toward the anterolateral region of the carapace. Lateral margins with some irregular and discontinuous brown markings. Area I brown, with two lightly colored spots on the small lateral tubercles. Areas II–IV with the lateral-most portion brown, and medial region lighter in color. Area II bears two little dark paramedian spots. Area IV with a paramedian pair of pointed lightly colored tubercles. Posterior margin and free tergites dark yellow, with lighter tubercles. Pedipalps and legs yellow, with some irregular brown stripes, but last segments of the pedipalps (tibia and tarsus) whitish in color. Chelicerae yellow, with ectal and mesal brown reticulated markings in the hand. Movable and fixed fingers dark brown.
Female: Similar to male. Anterior margin of the carapace with 3–4 small denticles on each side. Chelicerae not enlarged on the hand. Pedipalpal coxa dorsoproximally with an ectal bicuspidate or tricuspidate tooth-like tubercle and one small mesal tubercle. Ventrally, pedipalp has 3–4 tubercles, being the proximal and distal ones more conspicuous. Distal tubercle bears a short seta. Trochanter ventrally with two tubercles. Proximal tubercle of the trochanter is larger than the distal and has a short seta. Cheliceral fixed finger with 5 distal teeth; movable finger with 8 distal small teeth. The basal stout and blunt tooth, present in the males, is absent. Aperture between cheliceral fingers inconspicuous. Legs III–IV slightly thinner than in males. Metatarsus III without swollen region, glandular structures absent. Coloration pattern as in male, except for femur and tibia of leg IV. These segments bear irregular brown markings a little paler than in males. Tarsal formula 7(3):13(4):8:8. Genital operculum a little wider than in males. Measurements in Tables 6–7.
Variation: Males (n=3); female (n=1). Measurements in Tables 6–7. There is a discrete variability in the size of the tubercles on mesotergal areas, free tergites and free sternites. Number of denticles on the anterior margin of the carapace variable (3–4). Coxa of pedipalps shows variability in the number of the dorsoproximal grouped tubercles (3–5). Ectoproximal tubercles may be tricuspidate or bicuspidate, followed by 1–2 small tubercles. Ventroproximal tubercles vary in number (5–6), and may occur in groups of 3 or 4. Pedipalpal femur dorsally with 4–6 small setiferous tubercles and ventrally with 4–5. Chelicerae swollen (hypertelia) in two males, including the holotype. One male with slender chelicerae similar to those of the females, showing male dimorphism. Cheliceral fingers also vary in number of teeth; fixed fingers could present 5 distal teeth (female and the non-hypertelic male) or 7–8 teeth (in hypertelic males); movable finger could exhibit 6–8 small distal teeth, followed by a serrated dome-like tooth in hypertelic males, but they are absent in the female and in the non-hypertelic male. The basal, stout and blunt tooth in the movable fingers is absent in the female, and reduced in the non-hypertelic male. Number of setae in the enlargement of metatarsus III of males: 19, 21, 27. Tarsal formula 7(3):13–14(4):8:8.
Distribution: La Matazón, El Salvador municipality, Guantánamo Province, Cuba (Fig. 34).
Natural history: The specimens studied were collected inside rotten logs at a coffee plantation at 280–300 m a.s.l.
description: Published as part of Alegre, Aylin, Gainett, Guilherme, Iborra, Germán López & Giribet, Gonzalo, 2019, Two new species of Manahunca, redescription of its type species, current conservation status of the genus and a survey of male glands in Stenostygninae (Opiliones: Laniatores: Biantidae), pp. 83-111 in Zootaxa 4686 (1) on pages 100-105, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4686.1.4, http://zenodo.org/record/3484357