A new species of the genus Tithaeus from China (Arachnida: Laniatores: Epedanidae)
Author
Zhu, Wei-Guang Lian Ming-Sheng
Author
Kury, Adriano B.
text
Zootaxa
2008
1841
53
60
journal article
10.5281/zenodo.183208
0f46b88c-8545-4bc9-9053-62b52ac326b0
1175-5326
183208
Tithaeus
Thorell, 1891
Tithaeus
Thorell, 1891
: 371
,
type
species by original designation:
Tithaeus laevigatus
Thorell, 1891
;
Loman
, 1905
: 33
;
Roewer, 1912
: 120
(in part); 1923: 79; 1927: 279; 1949: 44; Banks, 1931: 67;
Suzuki, 1969a
: 24
; 1972: 3.
Sinis
Loman
, 1892
: 12
[junior homonym of
Sinis
Heer 1862 (Coleoptera)
and of
Sinis
Thorell 1878 (Araneae)
].
Sinniculus
Loman
, 1902
: 198
[valid replacement name for
Sinis
Loman
, 1892
].
Diagnosis.
Medium-sized epedanids with a low or moderate common eye tubercle removed from the anterior margin of carapace, without a median spine. Few with a slight hump situated between the eye tubercle and the anterior margin, lower than eye tubercle. Scutal region divided into five areas. Palpus relatively short and thickened, its femur and patella each usually provided with a setiferous tubercle medially-distally. Tarsal formula (I–¦IV): 5: more than 5: 5: 6. Distitarsi of first and second tarsus usually with two tarsalia each. Tarsi III– IV with simple and smooth double claws, no scopulae. Distal margin of ventral plate of penis usually with deep cleft, glans with simple membranous lobe to protect the stylus, stylar tip ending with a bifurcate lobe or slightly inflatable. Each lobe of ovipositor usually with 2 ventral and 2 dorsal setae.
Distribution.
Indo-Malaysian Region:
Burma
(
Myanmar
),
Indonesia
,
Malaysia
,
Singapore
,
Thailand
, (
Roewer 1912
,
1923
,
1949
;
Suzuki 1969a
,
1969b
,
1972
,
1985
) and
China
(new record). There is a record from Timor in the Australasian Region, but this is highly doubtful because it does not fit with the known distribution of the genus, otherwise confined to the Indo-Malaysian side of Wallace’s Line (
Fig. 3
). Timor is a common word in Bahasa
Indonesia
and applies to many different places. In the absence of further records of
Tithaeus
from Australasia, and in view of the notorious cases of mislabelled localities in the Roewer collection (e.g.,
Helversen & Martens 1972
;
Kury 2003
), it is reasonable to assume a mislabeling by Roewer. On the other hand, significance of the Wallace’s Line and other related lines in the Wallacea is evident for mammals, birds, some reptiles, and freshwater fish. However, biogeographical boundaries between Oriental and Australasia are rather obscure for insects and arachnids in the Wallacea. In
Opiliones
there are many representatives that are distributed in both western and eastern part of
Indonesia
beyond the Wallace’s Line, like laniatorids Dampetrinae, podoctids such as
Ibalonius
Karsch, 1880
and epedanids such as
Beloniscus
Thorell, 1891
(assuming these taxa do represent monophyletic units).