A redefinition of Iranothyas Bader, 1984 with the description of a new species from Oman Author Pesic, Vladimir Author Gerecke, Reinhard Author Smit, Harry text Zootaxa 2009 2290 59 64 journal article 10.5281/zenodo.191352 3f63d847-9e21-40f9-a5fd-14fc0809a9b4 1175-5326 191352 Iranothyas alhajarica spec. nov. ( Fig. 2A–E ) Type series . Holotype 3, Zoological Museum of the University of Amsterdam, Oman , Al Hajar mountains, spring Al Khremh, crossing road to United Arab Emirates border, 24 47.421 N 55 56.503 E , 15.xi.2008 , leg. Smit, slide-mounted. Paratypes : 1 3, 2 Ƥ, 11 deutonymphs, same date as holotype . 1 Ƥ, 1 deutonymph slidemounted, 1 Ƥ, 10 in Koenike's fluid. Diagnosis . Both sexes: Acetabula circular in shape, Ac-2 located halfway between Ac-1 and Ac-3; Ac-3 diameter 30–40. Sexual dimorphism in shape of IV-L (males: stouter, terminal segment subrectangular in shape, claws robust; females: more slender, terminal segment distally widened, claws more slender and less curved). Description . Both sexes: Papillae covering membranous integument flat in anterior part of idiosoma, elevated and directed posteriorly in posterior part. Sclerotized parts with fine round pores (dorsal plates) or larger pores surrounded by a ring of fine dots (coxae, appendages). Frontal shield with a rounded posteromedial extension; Dc-2 not fused to frontal shield; Dc-3 fused medially to a small roundish platelet, Dc-5 fused to a large transverse dorsocaudal plate, Dc-2, Dc-4 and Dl-2-4 rather large, roundish. Coxae with numerous long setae, a little stronger and particularly densely arranged near tips of Cx-I-IV, finer and scattered along medial margin of Cx-I and suture line Cx-I/II. Genital flaps with longish pores, anteriorly narrow, posteriorly enlarged and including Ac-3; a line of densely-arranged long and fine setae extending from the anterior edge to the area lateral to Ac-3, stronger and larger setae arranged in a group on a mediocaudal extension, anteromedially to Ac-3. Ac-1 and Ac-2 small and circular, in the membranous area flanking the gonopore. Excretory pore surrounded by a sclerite ring; except for a pair of small sclerite platelets lying posterior to excretory pore, ventrocaudal idiosoma membranous. Gnathosoma elevated, with welldeveloped rostrum. Chelicera slender, with relatively short claw (basal segment/claw ratio 2.2). Palp stout, all segments strongly thickened, P-4 shortened and extremely narrowed from the base to the tip; P-1 bearing one dorsal seta; P-2, 4–5 stronger setae, dorsally and medially and 1–3 finer setae laterally; P-3, 2 dorsodistal setae, one longer, medially, one shorter laterally; P-4, 3 fine distal setae, in lateral, dorsal and medial position. Male: Idiosoma L/W 720/550; frontal shield L/W 290/280; W fused Dc-5 205; genital flap L 200, gonopore area with a pair of tongue-shaped extensions facing each other and densely covered by heavy denticulation ( Fig. 2D ); in the area between these extensions, tip of ejaculatory complex located between a pair of very finely denticulated membranous humps; anterior to this area a pair of weekly sclerotized, crossed pointed extensions; pregenital sclerite knob-shaped, postgenital sclerite rod-shaped; posteromedial extensions of genital flaps strongly protruding, with densely-arranged strong setae; diameter Ac-1-3, 18-15-30; gnathosoma ventral L 190; chelicera basal segment L/H 205/52, claw L 95; palp ( Fig. 2B ): L/H P-1, 24/65; P- 2, 90/75; P-3, 40/67; P-4, 102/52; P-5, 38/12; IV-L very stout, terminal segments subrectangular in shape, with very robust claws; L/H (in brackets, ratio) IV-L-3, 108/70 (1.5), IV-L-4, 145/61 (2.4); IV-L-5, 114/54 (2.1); IV-L-6, 67/45 (1.5). Female: Idiosoma L/W 850/600; frontal shield L/W 350/350; W fused Dc-5, 280; genital flap L 170; diameter Ac- 1-3 20-18 -38; gnathosoma ventral L 270; chelicera basal segment L/H 250/62, claw L 115; palp ( Fig. 2C ): L/H P-1, 25/65; P-2, 112/95; P-3, 42/67; P-4, 120/50; P-5, 42/15; IV-L much more slender than in males in setation and shape of segments and claws similar to those of male I. marismortui ( Gerecke 1999, Fig. 3F), L/H (in brackets, ratio) IV-L-3, 100/58 (1.7), IV-L-4, 166/54 (3.1); IV-L-5, 139/41 (3.4); IV-L-6, 90/41 (2.2). FIGURE 2A–E : Iranothyas alhajarica sp. nov. : A = female frontal shield; B = male palp; C = female palp (P-1 lacking); D = male genital field; E = male IV-L. Scale bars = 100 µm (Figs. A, C–E), 50 µm (Figs. B). Deutonymph: As described for adults, but dorsalia very small and Dc-5 unfused. Idiosoma L/W 580/500; frontal shield L/W 130/161, posterior margin irregularly convex, without a medial extension; provisory genital organ with two pairs of round Ac (diameter Ac-1, 9, Ac-2, 7) and three paired setae, L/W 40/71; gnathosoma ventral L 212; chelicera basal segment L/H 220/29, claw L 50; L/H P-1, 12/35; P-2, 51/41; P-3, 25/32; P-4, 63/25; P-5, 17/8; L/H IV-L-3, 58/29, IV-L-4, 99/29; IV-L-5, 9/22; IV-L-6, 58/22; proportions of IV-L segments as in females. Etymology . Named after the Al-Hajar mountain range in northern Oman , where the new species was collected. Discussion . Both sexes of Iranothyas alhajarica differ from the two other species in the shape of the frontal shield (with undulating outline, having a posteromedial extension), and from I. circularis in the position of Ac-2 (in agreement with I. marismortui , halfway between Ac-1 and Ac-3, not approached to Ac- 3). Males of I. marismortui differ from I. alhajarica in a series of further characters that cannot be discussed for I. circularis , this species being known in the female sex only: (1) Dc-2 fused to frontal shield; (2) posteroventral area bearing two pairs of small platelets; (3) IV-L with weakly developed sexual dimorphism and segments consequently much more slender (L/H ratio IV-L-3, 2.0; IV-L-4, 3.1; IV-L-5, 3.8; IV-L-6, 1.8), claws less strongly curved and finer. Distribution . Oman , only known from the type locality.