Memoires de Biosphlogie, Tome XX, 1993, p. 177-182. MAZORERUS RANDOZ N. GEN., N. SP., THE FIRST LANIATORID FROM A CANARY ISLAND CAVE (OPILIONES, PHALANGODIDAE) by Maria RAMBLA* I - INTRODUCTION The Canary Islands are situated in the Atlantic on the same parallel as Cuba (West Zndies) and just four degrees north of the Tropic of Cancer. The new opilionid reported in this paper comes from "Cueva del Llano", Villaverde, Fuerteventura, the second largest island in the Canary archipelago (1.725 km2) and the nearest to the African coast at a distance of about 100 km. It is semidesertic, rather flat (maximal alt. of 670 m) and without forest formation (MACHADO, 1976). The "Cueva del Llano" (UTM FSO 669 coordinates) is a volcanic tube about 500 m long with only one entrance, (MONTSERRAT and ROMERO, 1980). The opilionid specimens were found on dry mud at the bottom of the cave in which the water usually accumulates during rain. Besides of this new opilionid, some troglobites invertebrates were found in this cave during a preliminary survey of the invertebrate fauna, undertaken by R. Dr. Pere OROMI of the University of the La Laguna, Tenerife, assisted by Mr. Juan Carlos RANDO and other co-workers. A report of this cave fauna will be published later with detailed information. The new opilionid described here is a Laniatorid belonging to the family Phalangodidae, which is distributed world wide ad vepy abundant in pies, d y in tropical and temperate regions. In spite of its wide distribution, no representative of the phalangodids had been reported from the Canary Islands to date. This new phalangodid is a true troglobite with complete eyes and pigment loss, leg elongation and some body depigmentation. It is among this family that a large number of cavernicolous species are found; Phalangaies Tellkampf, 1844 from America and Scotolemon Lucas, 1860 from Europa, were the first two genera described with caveadapted species. Both, have long been a rag-bag in which several unrelated species were included. Since them, many phalangodids papers can be quoted, as GOODNIGHT and GOODNIGHT (1960, 1967, 1971), BRIGGS and HOM (1966), ROEWER (1935) and some less related with this study. Unfortunately, none of these authors included the study of the genitalia. More recently, genitalic characters have been included in the phalangodid studies and MAFUZNS (1976, 1986) has contributed much to the knowledge of the opilionid genitalia. According to this author there are two penis types in the Laniatores: the muscle-tendon type (Trawnioidea) and the hemolymph-pressure type (Oncopodoidea-Gonyleptoidea). Like other phalangodids, the penis of the new opilionid described here appears to be of the hernolymph-pressure type. Nevertheless, the unexpanded state of the only penis avaible for study, does not allow us to determine the internal structures of the subdistal dorsal glans. Consequently, special emphasis was made here on the study of external features, mainly in the shape of the immovable finger or ventral plate, which differs strongly from any other phalangodids. Detailed penial illustrations provided by many authors allow as to recognize the different shapes of this ventral plate, beeing in general undivided, partially divided or bifurcate. Some typical exemples as follows: Undivided ventral plates are present in three Nearctic genera, Sitalcina Banks (BRIGGS, 1967, 1968), Callicina Ubick and Briggs and Microcina Briggs and Ubick (BRIGGS and UBICK, 1989; UBICK and BRIGGS, 1989), and also in many European species of the genus Scotolemon Lucas, as S. lespesi Lucas (MARTENS and LIGNAU, 1986). Two Antillean species Jirneneziella negreai Avram from Cuba, (AVRAM, 1973) and Cynortina pecki Rambla from Jamaica (RAMBLA, 1969) both cavernicolous and eyeless, also show undivided ventral plates, and these may also be present in some new genera described by GOODNIGHT and GOODNIGHT (1983) but illustrations are not very clear. Less Erequently, the ventral plate is partially divided, as in some Meditemean species, like Aldsobskia athos Martens from Greece, (MARTENS, 1972). Finally, a bifurcate ventral plate is present in all Nearctic species of the genus Banhula Roewer, entirely confined to caves, (BRIGGS, 1974). *Dept. Biologia Animal, Univ. Barcelona, Avda Diagonal 645, 08028 Barcelona, Spain. R~'Q~T& PBflf0-a]a0W0cha
- 178 Maria Rambln The opilionid studied here has a pis shape hitherto undescribed in any other of this similar phalangodid fauna. On the other hand, and in spite of the proximity of Fuerteventura to the coast of Africa, no relations are found with the Africa phalangodids as Con~wma troglodytes Lawrence and some other species, (LAWRENCE, 1952, 1957). In constrast to this peculiar male genitalia, the general appearance of this animal did not reveal striking differences with other phalangodids, but exhibits a combinations of characters that clearly separate this opilionid from all other genera, and allows us to describe it as new. I1 - MATERIAL AND METHODS The holotype mature male, one subadult female and one juvenile were studied with a light microscope. The perus was remuved and cleaned with ultrasonication, dehydrated in a graded series of ethanol and fixed with double-sided adhesive tape to aluminium stubs. Preparation were coated with about 40 mm of gold and finally examined with a SEM model HITACHI S - 2300 at 15 h. I11 - DESCRIPTION OF MAZORHRUS RANDOZ N. GEN., N. SP. SUPERFAMILY GONYLEPTOIDEA FAMILY PHALANGODIDAE MAZORHRUS NEW GENUS Diagnosis. Dissimilar penis shape, form of the body and being the first Laniatorid found in the Canary Archypelago, are diagnostic. Description. Phalangodid small. Cephalothorax raised and convex. Eye tubercule close to front margin, very large and unarmed, eyes and corned lenses absent. Surface body unarmed, without big tubercules or spines. Sternum narrow, genital operculum small, spirales visible. Chelicerae rather robust but not enlarged. Palpus typical of Phalangodidae, palpal femur with dorsal spines. Tarsus of first leg with four segments. Tarsal formula 4(2): more than 6(3): 5: 6. Penis unexpanted with the ventral plate very large, undivided and folded towards the dorsal side, shaping a cavity where unexpanded gland is enclosed. Slight sexual dimorphism. Type species: Maiorerus randoi new species (Cueva del Llano, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands. This is the only species known). -- - Maiorerus randoi n. sp. - -- -- - -- - -.. W Fig. 1 - Maiorerus randoin. gen., n. sp. Male, lateral view. Male description (Fig. 1): Measurements. Total body lenght 2.2 mm, cephalothorax 0.78 mm, abdomen 1.42 mm, greatest body width 1.5 1 mm. Chelicerae: proximal article 0.96 mm, distal article l. 10 mm. Palpus: Tr 0.36 mm, Fe 1.02 mm, Pa 0.46 mm, Ti 0.68 mm and Ta 0.64 mm. Total length 3. 15 mm. & - Pa Ti Mt - Ta Leg I 1.38 0.45 0. 96 1.S4 1.09 5.42 Leg I1 1.90 0.58 1.74 2.87 2.16 9.25 Leg 111 1.58 0.35 1.29 1.61 1.22 6.05 Leg IV 2.12 0.61 l.64 2.29 1.51 8.17 I Total I
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TheJirst Laniatoridfi-o~n a Canary Island cave 1 Ventral face. Venter and coxae finely granulate like dorsum. Tubercles arranged in rows are present on the anterior and posterior margins of coxa 111. In the remaining coxae, there are some similar tubercles, but not arranged in rows. The endite of the second coxa lacks a ventral projection. Genital operculum small, as long as large. Chelicerae (Fig. 2). Proximal article slender at the base but slightly enlarged dorsally and distally with some dorsal and ventral low tubercles. Distal article clothed with hair-tipped tubercles dorsally and some long hairs at the base of the quela. Palpus (Fig. 2). Somewhat longer than the body and armed with the characteristic spine-bearing tubercles as follow: Tr. with two spines dorsally and three spines ventrally, Fe. with three long and three shorter spines ventrally, one on inner side subdistally, six spines and some scattered short tubercles dorsally: Pa. with two spines ventrally, one on inner side subdistally and with some tubercles dorsally; Ti. with three long and three shorter spines ventrally and three on inner side; Ta. with three long spines on every side. lmm Tarsal claw slightly shorter than the tarsus. Legs. Long and slender, clothed with hairs and fine granulation whch terminate abruptly at calcaneus of metatarsus, which is very much shorter than astragalus. Distitarsus I with two segments, distitarsus I1 with Fig. 2 - Maiorerus ranhi n. gcn. n. sp. Lcfi chcliccra and three. Tarsal formula 4(2): 13(3): 5: 6. Third and fourth palpus, inner side. tarsi with two smooth claws, without scopula and without pseudonychium. Coloration. Entire body uniform pale yellowarange. Venter somewhat lighter than dorsum. Appendages the same color as the body, but tarsus and metatarsus lighter yellowish. Penis. Total penis length 0.73 mm. Penis stem long and cylindrical slightly enlarged subbasally and flattened ventrdox-sally upwards. Vend plate with both lateral edges bent towards dorsal plate, shaping a cavity where unexpanded gland is located. These lateral edges, bearing ten setae each, expand distally in two lobes nearly joined forming a narrow groove, which is probably the path for expanded stylus. Dorsal face of ventral plate with a middle vertical crest and one transversal at the base which separates the stem from the distal enlarged process. Female. Similar in appearance to male but as it is probably a subadult and may lack important data as ovipositor, it seems better not to pve a description. Records. Besides the male holotype specimen, two remaining immatures paratypes were collected at the same cave. One is a juvenile with the characteristic aroleum on the 111 and IV tarsi of legs. Another specimen seems to be the penultimate state of a female. Ovipositor unknown. These specimens are deposited in the collection (CAUB) of the Universitat de Barcelona, Zoologia-Artn5pods, Spain. Etymology. The genus name is derived from the Spanish vernacular name "majoreros", just as the inhabitants of Fuerteventura are named. The specific name is a patronym of Mr. RANDO, who captured this opilionid for the first time. IV - DISCUSSION This new genus show some affinities with the Nearctic genus Banhula in the tarsal formula, tarsal femur with dorsal spines and anophthalmy. But differs markedly in the penis shape, which is somewhate related to the penis of Scotolemon with undivided ventral plate. Unexpanded state of the unic penis avaible for study, does not allows us to know internal structures. Besides, the adult female with the ovipositor is lacking. So that, in the absence of indispensable data, the precise position of this new genus, could not be established. Probably, the "Cueva del Llano" will be newly visited and we hope that further specimens of this new opilionid be collected, allowing us to set forward the relationship. Acknowledgments. I gratefully thank Dr. Pedro Oromi, Profesor of the Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, for placing thcsc spccirncns at my disposal and also Mr. Rando who collected this animal. I also thank the "Scrvci dc Microscopia Elcctronica dc la Univcrsitat dc Barcelona" for technical assistancc. RESUMEN Se describe Maiorerus randoin. gen. y n. sp. de una cueva de Fuaeventura. Se trata no solo del primer opilion troglobio hallado en las Islas Canarias, sino tambikn del primer representante del suborden Laniatores, familia
182 Muria Rarnbla Phalangodidae, que se describe de estas islas. La desc~ipci6n del gcnero esti basada principalmente en la morfologia genital del macho. SUMMARY Maiorerus randoi new genus and species is described fkm a cave in Fuerteventura. It is the fmt cave-specialized opilionid found in the Canary Islands and the fmt representative of the suborder Laniatores, family Phalangodidae, repoaed from this archipelago. This new genus is based mainly on the male genitalic characters. RESUME Un nouveau genre et une nouvelle espkce d'opilions Laniatores, Phalangodidae, Maiorerus randoi est d&rit d'un tunnel de lave de l'ile de Fuerteventura. C'est le premier Opilion troglobie et le premier Phalangodidae trouve dans les iles Canaries. BIBLIOGRAPHY AVRAM, S. - 1973 - Recherches sur les Opilionides LAWRENCE, R. F. - 1957 - The Opiliones collected de Cuba. I. Phalangodidae : description de by Dr. A. De Barros Machado in the Belgian Jimeneziella n. gen., de J. decui n. p. et J. Congo during 1953 and 1955. Rev. Zool. negreai n. sp. RQult. expcd. biospcol. Bot. Afr., 56, 1-2, p. 151-156. cubano-roumaines a Cuba, 1, p. 243-249. MACHADO, A. - 1976 - Introduction to a fauna1 study of the Canary Islands laurisilva, with special regenus Sitalcina (Phalangodidae: Opiliones). faence to the Ground-beetles, p. 347-411. In. Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., ser. 4, 36, p. 1- Biogeography and Ecology in Canary ZslQnds. 32. Monogr. BioL 30. Ed. G. Kunkel, The Hague. BRIGGS, T. S. - 1968 - Phalangids of the Laniatorid BRIGGS, T. S. - 1974 - Pbalangodidae from caves in MARTENS, J. - 1972 - Amobskya athos, der mte the Sierra Nevada (California) with a redes- Krallenweberknechte aus Griechenland (Opilio- cription of the type genus (Opiliones: Phalan- nes: Phalangodidae). Senckenbergiana gddae). Occas. Pap. Calif. Acad. Sci, b i o l., 53,5-6, p. 43 1-440. 108, p. 1-15. MARTENS, J. - 1976 - Genitalmorphologie, System BNGGS, T. S. and K. HOM - 1966 - Five new spe and Phylogenie der Weberknechn. E n t om o l. cies of Phalangodidae from California (Opilio- Germanica, 3, p. 51-68. nes). Pan. Pacific Entomol., 42, p. 262- MARTENS, J. - 1986 - Die grossgliederung der Opi- 269. liones und die Evolution der Ordnuag (Amch- BRIGGS, T. S. and D. UBICK - 1989 - The harvest- nida). Actas X Congr. Arachnol. Jaca, man famdy Phalangodidae. 2. The new genus EspanH, 1, p. 289-310. Microcina (Opiliones, Laniatores). J. Ara- MARTENS, J. and M. LIGNAU - 1985 - Die chnol., 17, p. 207-220. weberknechte Scotolemon lespesi Lucas und GOODNIGHT, C. J. and M. L. GOODNIGHT - 1960 Scotolemon lucacii Simon am den Pyrenaen - Speciation among Cave Opilionids of the zwei validen arten? (Arachnids. Opiliones: United States. Amer. Midland Natur., 64 Phahgodidae). MCm. BiospCol., 12, p. 1, p. 34-38. 111-126. GOODMGHT, C. J. and M. L. GOODNIGHT - 1967 MONTSERRAT, A. and M. ROMERO - 1980 - - Opilionids from Texas caves (Opiliones, Pha- Introduccibn al conocimiento vulcano espeleolangodidae). Amer. Mus. Novitates, 2301, 16gico de la Isla de Fuerteventura (Islas Cana- p. 1-8. rias). S peleon, 26, p. 93-96. GOODNIGHT, C. J. and M. L. GOODNIGHT - 1971 RAMBLA, M. - 1969 - Cave Harvestmen from - Opilionids (Phalangida) of the family Pha- Jamaica (Opiliones: Phalangodidae). P S y c h e, langodidae from Mexican Caves. A ssoc. 76,4, p. 390-406. Mex. Caves Stud., Bull., 7, p. 33-45. ROEWER, C. F. - 1935 - Opiliones (Fiinfte Serie). GOODNIGHT, C. J. and M. L. GOODNIGHT - 1983 Zugleich eune Revision aller bisher bekam- - Opiliones of the family Phalangodidae found mten europiiischen Laniatores. Arch. 2001. in Costa Rica. J. Arachnol., 11, 2, p. 201- expcr. gcn, 78, p. 1-96. 242. UBICK, D. and T. S. BlUGGS - 1989 - The haverst- LAWRENCE, R. F. - 1952 - A collection of caver- men family Phalangodidae. I. The new genus nicolous and tewitophilous Arachnids from Calicinu, with notes on Siralcina (Opiliones: BelgianCongo. Rev. Zool. Bot. Afr., 46, Laniatores). Proc. California Acad. Sci., 1-2, p. 1-17. 46, p. 95-136.