Turonychus fadriquei Derkarabetian, Prieto and Giribet 2021, sp. nov.

(Fig. 7 B, 9, 10)

ZooBank LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 2C2B4A48-DEE4-4860-BCB3-8A3E52504E0B

Type material

Holotype male (MNCN 20.02/19649, ex-ZUPV ARACH#5155) from Spain: Aragón, Teruel, Fortanete, La Cija Cave (Sima de La Cija), 40.57933 N, 0.55978 W, elev. 1575 m, collected on 26 July 2014 by F. Fadrique and Carlos Prieto. All paratypes are from the same locality as the holotype. Two female paratypes (MNCN 20.02/19650, ex-ZUPV ARACH#5156) with same collection information as holotype. Two female paratypes (MCZ:IZ:152706; ex-ZUPV ARACH#5353) collected on 16 June 2015 by F. Fadrique (genetic voucher). Two female paratypes (ex-ZUPV ARACH#5122; both used for SEM and optical microscopy) from same locality, collected on 18 April 2014 by F. Fadrique. One female and one juvenile paratype (ZUPV ARACH#5734) collected on 17 August 2018 by F. Fadrique. Two female paratypes (ZUPV ARACH #5999) collected on 27 December 2019 by F. Fadrique. One female paratype collected on 9 July 2014 by F. Fadrique (MCZ:IZ:152704, genetic voucher). Three female paratypes collected on 9 July 2014 by F. Fadrique and S. Pastor (deposited in MCZ; MNCN 20.02/19651, MCZ: IZ:152705, genetic voucher).

Diagnosis

As per genus.

Description

Male holotype (n = 1). Scutum length 1.21, width at widest point 1.1, width at narrowest point 0.8. Integument colour yellow, without any black pigmentation (Fig. 9 A). Integument with microtuberculate-rivulose-microgranulate morphology of Murphree (1988) (Fig. 10 B). Anterior margin of carapace smooth. Scutal segments 6 – 8 each with 1 – 2 small spinebearing tubercles on the lateral margins (Fig. 9 A, 10 A). Pedipalp femur with a series of small spine-bearing tubercles dorsally, four elongate spines ventrally (three basal, one distal), one elongate spine on the prolateral surface distally; patella with one spine on the prolateral surface distally; tibia with two spines on the retrolateral surface and three spines on the prolateral surface; tarsus with three spines on each side (Fig. 9 B, 10 E, F). Leg II length 9.25. Tarsal formula 5,15,4,4. Penis with two elongate articulated lobes; deeply bifurcate ventral plate with two superior (dorsal) and three inferior (ventral) spines on each half; stylus expanded apically, forming into two lobes (Fig. 7 B).

Female. Very similar to male. Tarsal formula 4 – 5,13 – 14,4,4.

Distribution

Known only from the type locality.

Comments

The cave is structured in a joint stratification located at an anticline, which results in an almost complete vertical cave with a total depth of 117 m and length of 1343 m (Porcel and Gordillo 1997). It has an average temperature of 8.35 C and a relative humidity of 97.46% (Fadrique, pers. comm.). The biodiversity of this cave (Jordana et al. 2012; Ortuño et al. 2017; unpubl. data) is composed of oribatid and mesostigmate mites, collembolans including two troglobionts (Pygmarrhopalites maestrazgoensis Jordana, Fadrique & Baquero, 2012 and Oncopodura fadriquei Jordana & Baquero, 2012), and others such as Megalothorax minimus Willem, 1900, Heteromurus nitidus (Templeton, 1835), Schaefferia decemoculata (Stach, 1939) and Pseudosinella encrusae Gisin & da Gama, 1969, and four predators, including the campodeid Campodea maestrazgoensis Sendra & Escolà, 2004, the carabid Paraphaenops fadriquei Ortuño & Faille, 2017, the linyphid spider Palliduphantes sp. (J. Fernández, pers. comm.), in addition to the laniator Turonychus fadriquei, gen. et sp. nov. It is likely these predators feed on Diptera of different families (Sciaroidea, Platypezoidea, Lauxaniidae and Phoridae) that have also been recorded.

Etymology

The specific epithet is in honour of Floren Fadrique, who discovered this species and made the specimens available to us.