Further studies on harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones) from Iran, with the descriptions of two new species
Author
Snegovaya, Nataly Yu.
Institute of Zoology, Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences, pr. 1128, kv. 504, Baku AZ 1073, Azerbaijan.
Author
Cokendolpher, James C.
Natural Science Research Laboratory, Museum of Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79415, USA.
Author
Zamani, Alireza
Zoological Museum, Biodiversity Unit, FI- 20014, University of Turku, Finland.
text
Zootaxa
2021
2021-06-10
4984
1
73
86
journal article
4967
10.11646/zootaxa.4984.1.7
9ccf3e9f-c4cf-4202-b39c-4a87c9763f81
1175-5326
4928596
604672CE-8468-4A69-93A3-D8024DB42327
Homolophus airyamani
spec. nov.
Figs 4A–K
,
5
Type material
.
IRAN
:
Hormozgan Province
:
Holotype
male
(
ZMMU
),
75 km
N of Bandar Abbas
,
Siahu
,
27°33’N
,
55°38’E
,
600–700 m
a.s.l.
,
Alireza Zamani
leg.
30.1.2020
.
Paratypes
.
2 males
,
1 juvenile
(
RCNS
), with same data as for holotype
.
Etymology
. Named after Airyaman, the Persian divinity of friendship and healing; name in the genitive case.
Diagnosis
. The new species is most similar to
H. chemerisi
Staręga & Snegovaya, 2008
, different from it by the following characteristics: smaller body size [
H. chemerisi
body length 5.5, width 3.2 vs. 3.4, 2.2], large group of about 30 black-tipped smaller denticles in front of the eye mound [about 15 medium-sized denticles in
H. chemerisi
].
Description
.
Male
(
holotype
). Body medium-sized (length 3.4, width 2.2), dorsally covered with small dark denticles, those closer to eye mound arranged in regular transverse rows, the rest scattered randomly (
Fig. 4A
). Eye mound low (
Figs 4A–B
), with 7–8 dark denticles and with a large group of black-tipped denticles anteriorly, each with a small bristle basally. Dorsal side of body sand-colored and with a slightly darker saddle pattern; limbs also sandy in color, with small darkened areas on surface. Legs long (Body Leg Index = 1.36); 1st pair considerably thickened (
Fig. 4A
), surface of its segments with longitudinal rows of dark teeth (
Figs 4A–D
). Ventral surface of metatarsi with densely packed brushes of short bristles, like those in
H. chemerisi
(
Snegovaya & Cokendolpher 2021
: fig. 1E). Lengths of leg segments: I - 3.0+1.0+2.5+3.1+5.0 = 14.6; II - 7.5+1.8+6.0+5.5+13.5 = 34.3; III - 6.7+2.0+6.4+4.0+11.2 = 30.3; IV - 4.0+1.0+3.0+3.7+9.5 = 21.2. Pedipalp strong (
Fig. 4F
), femur ventrally and dorsally with rather large black-tipped denticles, laterally with setae; patellae dorsally and laterally with smaller black-tipped denticles; tibiae with the same kind of denticles, but laterally a stripe with only bristles; tarsi ventrally with many microdenticles and bristles. Length of pedipalp segments: 1.1+0.5+0.7+1.5 = 3.8. Chelicera mediumsized (
Figs 4G–H
), basal segment with a group of black-tipped denticles dorsally, second segment dorsally with black-tipped denticles and bristles on the rest of the surface. Basal segment 1.7 long, second segment 1.6 long. Penis with wide base tapering slightly towards distal end (
Fig. 4I
); glans massive, with one pair of setae per side (
Figs 4J–L
), widened distally. Total penis length 2.3, glans length 0.3, stylus length 0.1.
FIGURES 4A–L.
Homolophus airyamani
spec. nov.
, holotype male. A Habitus, dorsal. B Eye tubercle, dorsal. C Femur I, dorsal. D Metatarsus I plus part of the second segment (= tarsomeres) of tarsus I, lateral. E, F Right pedipalp (E lateral, F mesal). G, H Right chelicera (G lateral, H mesal). I, K Penis (I dorsal, K lateral). J, L Close-up of penis glans (J dorsal, L lateral). Scale lines: A, C, D: 1 mm; B, E–I, K: 0.5 mm; J, L: 0.1 mm.
Female
. Unknown.
Habitat
. The
type
specimens were collected from a sparsely vegetated, rocky arid plain (
Fig. 5
).
Distribution
. Known only from the type locality in Hormozgan Province, southern Iran.