Alpiscorpius kaleensis sp. nov., a new scorpion species from Denizli Province, Turkey (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae)

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Alpiscorpius kaleensis sp. nov., a new scorpion species from Denizli Province, Turkey (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae) Abstract A new scorpion species, Alpiscorpius kaleensis sp. nov., is described from Denizli Province, in the Aegean Region of western Turkey, based on morphological characters. The species is assigned to the genus Alpiscorpius , based on the presence of three trichobothria in the em series on the external surface of the pedipalp patella. Alpiscorpius kaleensis sp. nov. can be readily distinguished from all congeners by its orange-yellow males and brownish-orange females, the presence of distinct ventrolateral carinae on metasomal segment V, six trichobothria in the Pv series, and five trichobothria in the et series. The new species is compared with Alpiscorpius akkayai , A. hakani , and A. honazicus , all of which occur in Denizli Province, as well as with A. huyukensis from Konya Province, its most similar congener. With the description of this new species, the number...

Castaways: the Leeward Antilles endemic spider genus Papiamenta (Araneae: Pholcidae)

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Castaways: the Leeward Antilles endemic spider genus Papiamenta (Araneae: Pholcidae)

Abstract

Ninetinae is a group of small to tiny short-legged spiders largely restricted to arid habitats. Among daddy-long-legs spiders (Pholcidae) this is by far the least diverse subfamily but this may partly be a result of inadequate collecting, poor representation in collections or scientific neglect. We build on a large recent collection of the ninetine genus Papiamenta Huber, 2000 from the Leeward Antilles and use cytochrome oxidase 1 (COI) sequences, extensive scanning electron microscopy data, transmission electron microscopy data and karyotyping to analyse this geographically isolated and poorly known island genus. COI sequences support the split between the two morphologically distinct species on Curaçao but genetic distances between these are surprisingly low (7.4–9.8%; mean 8.6%). The type species P. levii (Gertsch, 1982) may include more than one species but COI and morphology suggest conflicting clade limits. A third species, P. bonay Huber sp. nov. is newly described from Bonaire. Our data on sperm ultrastructure and karyology are puzzling as these suggest different phylogenetic affinities of Papiamenta to other genera. Males transfer sperm as individual sperm (cleistosperm), agreeing with the putative closest relatives as suggested by molecular data, the North American genera Pholcophora and Tolteca. The sex chromosome system (X1X2X3Y) of P. levii, however, is as in the South American Ninetinae genera Gertschiola and Nerudia but different from the putative closest relatives.

Huber Bernhard A., Meng Guanliang, Dederichs Tim M., Michalik Peter, Forman Martin, Král Jiří (2024) Castaways: the Leeward Antilles endemic spider genus Papiamenta (Araneae: Pholcidae). Invertebrate Systematics 38, IS23052.

https://doi.org/10.1071/IS23052