Mayazomus aluxe Monjaraz-Ruedas & Francke, 2015, new species
Creators: name: Monjaraz-Ruedas, Rodrigo
name: Francke, Oscar F.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2015
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Schizomida
Hubbardiidae
Mayazomus
Mayazomus aluxe

description: Mayazomus aluxe, new species
Figs. 49–64, 112, Table 3
Type material. MEXICO: Chiapas: Heteromorphic male holotype (CNAN-T0855) [28 July 2013, O. Francke, A. Valdez, C. Santibáñez, J. Mendoza, K. Zárate, R. Monjaraz] from Arroyo Nayte, Sierra de la Cojolita (16.79406ºN, 91.0423ºW, 194 m. a.s.l.), Municipio Ocosingo. Paratypes: 2 heteromorphic males, 3 females (CNAN-T0856), same data as holotype; 1 female (CNAN-T0857) [3 October 2005, G. Montiel, H. Montaño, I. Mondragón] same locality data as holotype; 1 homeomorphic male, 1 female (CNAN-T0858) [9 November 2006, G. Montiel, R. Paredes, A. Valdez, H. Montaño, F. Bertoni] from 10 km Entronque Frontera-Benemerito (16.72267ºN, 90.9247ºW, 162 m. a.s.l.), Municipio Ocosingo; 1 heteromorphic male (CNAN-T0859) [11 August 2006, A. Valdez, H. Montaño, I. Mondragón, S. Rubio, N. Pérez] from Hidalgo Cortéz, Montes Azules (16.68919ºN, 90.9302ºW, 150 m. a.s.l.), Municipio Ocosingo.
Additional material examined. MEXICO: Chiapas: 1 homeomorphic male, 4 females (CNAN-Sz000116) [8 September 2005, O. Francke, A. Valdez, H. Montaño, M. Córdova, A. Jaimes] from Arroyo Nayte, Sierra de la Cojolita (16.79406ºN, 91.0423ºW, 194 m. a.s.l.), Municipio Ocosingo. 1 homeomorphic male (CNAN-Sz000117) [29 July 2013, O. Francke, A. Valdez, C. Santibáñez, J. Mendoza, K. Zárate, R. Monjaraz] from outside Cueva del Tigre Chem-Balam, Grutas de Tzolquin (16.68689ºN, 90.8249ºW, 150 m. a.s.l), Municipio Ocosingo. 1 female (CNAN-Sz000118) [7 September 2005, O. Francke, A. Valdez, H. Montaño, M.Córdova, A. Jaimes] from El Encaño, Sierra de la Cojolita (16.81133ºN, 91.0774ºW, 165 m. a.s.l.), Municipio Ocosingo. 1 female (CNAN- Sz000119) [4 June 2005, O. Francke, G. Montiel, G. Villegas, S. Rubio] from El Aserradero, (16.78533ºN, 91.0382ºW, 205 m. a.s.l.), Municipio Ocosingo.
Etymology. The specific name is a noun in apposition; it refers to the magical, mischievous creatures that Mayans believe inhabit the tropical rainforest.
Diagnosis. Males can be distinguished by the peculiar shape of pedipalp trochanter, which is widened and whose apical process presents a pointed tip and an apical seta, similar to two spines (Fig. 55); pedipalp femur with spiniform setiferous tubercles Fv1 and Fv2 fused basally, forming a “V” (Fig. 55), mesal surface with a well developed and pointed apophysis (FAP); tibia with two mesal apophyses opposable to tarsus (TMA), apical apophysis claw-like and located near margin between tibia and patella. The flagellum of Mayazomus aluxe differs from the other known species in the genus, being thinner and more ovoid in shape. Females can by distinguished by the spermathecae with wide, short lateral lobes and narrower and longer median lobes, and by the presence of a broad chitinized arch, which is widened on posterior branch, resembling a shovel (Fig. 54). Mayazomus aluxe resembles Mayazomus infernalis in the general shape of the flagellum (roughtly oval in M. aluxe), but they differ in the shape of the ventral margin of the pedipalp trochanter, whose borders are irregular in M. aluxe and smooth in M. infernalis (Rowland, 1975: figs. 9, 10). The apical process of the trochanter presents a pointed projection and spiniform seta in M. aluxe, whereas on M. infernalis it presents a single, long triangular projection without a seta. M. aluxe has two distinct, separate tibial apophyses; whereas M. infernalis presents a single, claw-shaped median tibial apophysis. The male flagellum of M. aluxe presents one pair of dorso-submedian depressions strongly marked with a slight sub-median constriction, whereas M. infernalis has one pair of inconspicuous dorsosubmedian depressions and without distal constrictions. Spermathecae of M. aluxe present the lateral lobes thicker than median lobes, whereas in M. infernalis the lateral and median lobes are of the same thickness. Also the posterior branch of the chitinized arch is wider in M. aluxe and slender in M. infernalis.
Description. Heteromorphic male (holotype): Dark brownish; chelicerae and legs lighter. Prosoma: Propeltidium with two setae on anterior process and two pairs of dorsal setae; ocular spots asymmetrical and irregular. Mesopeltidial plates 0.27 wide, 0.06 long; gap between the plates 0.30. Metapeltidium 0.42 long, 0.83 wide. Anterior sternum with 10 setae, plus two sternophysial setae; posterior sternum with six setae.
Chelicerae (Figs. 51–53): Movable finger: Serrula with 20 teeth. Fixed finger with 4 smaller teeth between 2 primary teeth. Setation: Setal group formula: 1:3, 2:6, 3:4, 4:2, 5:8, 6:1. G1 (setae group 1) with three spatulate setae, covered with few spicules starting from middle of shaft; G2 composed of six feathered setae, subequal in length, and shorter than movable finger length; G3 with four setae, feathered apically and smooth basally, two of them present the feathery area very short (long basally, ending in a bulb); G4 consisting of two setae, smooth and thick, spine-like; G5 with eight similar sized setae, feathered apically and longer than fixed finger; G6 with one smooth seta about 1/3 of movable finger length.
Pedipalps (Figs. 55–57): Robust, 3.98 times longer than propeltidium length. Trochanter elongated, 2.81 times longer than wide; apical process triangular, about 45º; basal margin of trochanter at an angle of 90º; with a row of long setae on ventral margin plus one row of microsetae on ectal face; mesal surface with a row of three setae near ventral margin, plus two setae near dorsal margin; with a small distal mesal spur. Femur extremely long, 2.36 times longer than high; distal margin straight, ventral margin flattened; distal margin of ectal face with spiniform setiferous tubercles Fv1 and Fv2 extremely long; mesal face with two ventral plus two dorsal spiniform setae (2+2) and with an apical depression; distal margin of mesal face with a well-developed, long and pointed apophysis (FAP) (Fig. 56). Patella strongly curved, inverse U-shaped; flattened ventrally and widened apically; with scattered setae. Tibia elongated, with scattered plumose setae; with two long, chitinized, claw-shaped apophyses on ventromesal face, opposable to tarsus (TMA). Tarsus short, 2.50 times longer than high. Claw about 0.6 times as long as dorsal length of tarsus; spurs asymmetrical, 0.11 long.
Legs: Leg I, basitarsal-telotarsal proportions: 29: 4: 4: 4: 5: 6: 14. Femur IV 2.4 times longer than wide.
Opisthosoma: Tergite I with two pairs microsetae anteriorly plus one pair macrosetae 2+1; tergite II with three pair microsetae anteriorly plus one pair macrosetae 3+1; tergites III–IV with one pair dorsal setae each; tergites V–IX with one pair dorsal and one pair lateral setae each; segments X–XI telescoped with one pair lateral setae and five ventral setae; segment XII with one dorsal, two lateral and four ventral pairs of setae, without posterodorsal process. Sternites with scattered setae; genital aperture with many microsetae.
Flagellum (Figs. 59–61): dorsoventrally flattened, oval in shape; 1.76 times longer than wide, 2.44 times longer than pedicel length; with one pair of dorso-submedian depressions. Setation: Dm1 situated over the bulb base; Dm4 situated distally; Dl1 not reduced, 2/3 of Vl1 setae; Dl1 anterior to Vl1; Dl3 posterior to Vl2; pair Vm2 present; seta Vm1 posterior to Vm2; Vm5 posterior to Vl1. With one pair of antero-dorsal microsetae between Dm1 and Dl1 nearest to Dl1; one pair of antero-lateral microsetae on flagellar pedicel, and one pair of irregular clumps between Vl1 and Vl2, each composed of 5 microsetae.
Females (paratypes): Similar to the homeomorphic male, pedipalp shorter and smaller than on heteromorphic holotype, 2.05 times longer than propeltidium length (Fig. 58). Other differences: Propeltidium shorter than male (Table 3); setation: tergite II with three pair microsetae anteriorly plus two pairs macrosetae 3+2; tergites III–IX with two rows of approximately six to nine setae each; segments X–XII as on male. Anterior sternum with 11 to 12 setae. Flagellum with three annuli (Figs. 62–64). Setation: seta Dl1 not reduced and at same level as Vl1; Dl3 posterior to Vl2; Vm2 present and reduced; seta Vm1 at same level as Vm2. Segment III with one lateral pair of microsetae near to Vm4. Segment IV with one pair of distolateral microsetae near Vl2. Spermathecae (Fig. 54) with 4 lobes and without bulbs; median pair curved evenly along its length and longer than lateral pair; lateral pair thicker (about two times thicker than median lobes), both pairs with duct openings. Gonopod short and thin, globular in shape; chitinized arch U-shaped, thinner in apical margin and strongly wider at base of the posterior branch, with irregular margins, lateral tip rounded. Chelicera: serrula with 21 teeth. Fixed finger with 4 smaller teeth between 2 primary teeth. Setae 1:3, 2:6, 3:4, 4:2, 5:9, 6:1.
Mayazomus aluxe Variation. Males present only two setae on tergite II whereas females present four setae. The homeomorphic male differs from the heteromorphic male mainly in pedipalp size (total length of the pedipalp in heteromorphic male is 3.98, and in homeomorphic male is 2.40 times the length of the propeltidium); heteromorphic males with the trochanter apical process more pronounced than in the homeomorphic males; femur longer and higher in heteromorphic males (2.45 times longer than high) than in homeomorphic males (1.43 times longer than high). The development of the femoral apophysis is minimal in the homeomorphic males. The curvature of the patella is slightly pronounced, and the ventral margin flattening is absent in homeomorphic males, which also have two extremely reduced tibial apophyses opposable to palpal tarsus. Variation in length of propeltidium among adult females: (3.80–4.96; n= 5); adult males: (3.72–4.64; n= 5). Cheliceral movable finger with 20 to 21 small teeth on serrula (mode= 20). Fixed finger of chelicerae with three to four (mode= four) smaller teeth between two primary teeth; setal group G5 (8–9 setae). Some males present more than one pair on tergites III–IV, while others present more than two pairs from tergites V–IX. The flagellum of adult males presents a pair of dorso-submedian pits, plus two dorso-submedian depressions, while other adult males lacks of the pair of dorso-submedian pits. The anterodorsal microsetae of the flagellum are absent in some males and present in others.
Distribution. This species is distributed in the Lacandona rainforest and the Montes Azules natural reserve in eastern Chiapas (Fig. 112).
Natural history. The specimens were collected under big rocks, fallen trees and in leaf litter in the preserved areas of the tropical rainforest. Two other schizomids, Stenochrus portoricensis and an undescribed species of Pacal, were collected in sympatry.
description: Published as part of Monjaraz-Ruedas, Rodrigo & Francke, Oscar F., 2015, Taxonomic revision of the genus Mayazomus Reddell & Cokendolpher, 1995 (Schizomida: Hubbardiidae), with description of five new species from Chiapas, Mexico, pp. 451-490 in Zootaxa 3915 (4) on pages 469-475, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3915.4.1, http://zenodo.org/record/241155