RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY 2015 Taxonomy & Systematics RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY 63: 97–109 Date of publication: 15 May 2015 http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:447E26D1-ECC7-42AB-A9DB-D86888AA854E Gasterapophus (Opiliones: Laniatores: Epedanidae), a new genus from Hainan Island, South China Sea Chao Zhang1, Wei-Guang Lian2* & Feng Zhang1 Abstract. Gasterapophus, new genus (Opiliones: Laniatores: Epedanidae) and two species are newly described from Hainan Island, China, G. singulus, new species and G. binatus, new species. The genital characters dictate that the new genus should be placed in Epedanidae. The new genus is characterised by: (a) penis simple, ventral plate conspicuously extended, stylar lobe entirely surrounding the stylus, basal sac partly sinking into the truncus; (b) stigmatic area of male with large apophysis; (c) ocularium, scutum and free tergites unarmed; (d) coxa IV widened. Key words. Arachnida, taxonomy, harvestmen, genitalia INTRODUCTION distinguished from other genera by the eyes placed in two widely separated mounds (Kury, 2009). The family Epedanidae Sørensen, 1886 is endemic to Asia, with the greatest abundance in Southeast Asia, e.g., Acrobuninae contains six genera, i.e., Acrobunus Thorell, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia (Kury, 2007). 1891, Anacrobunus Roewer, 1927, Harpagonellus Roewer, Most genera and species were found and named by Roewer 1927, Heterobiantes Roewer, 1912, Metacrobunus Roewer, (1923, 1938) and much work has been done on this family in 1915 and Paracrobunus Suzuki, 1977. Members of this recent years (Suzuki, 1969, 1976, 1977, 1982, 1985a; Zhu & subfamily have dense scopulae in tarsi III–IV and eyes Lian, 2006; Kury, 2008; Lian et al., 2008; Zhang & Zhang, placed laterally at the base of a well-marked common 2010; Lian et al., 2011; Zhang & Zhang, 2012). Thus far, ocularium (Kury, 2007) and they are mainly distributed in this family includes 70 genera and 174 species (Kury, 2013). the south Asian tropics including Sumatra (Berg Singalang), Borneo (Mt. Dulit), Riouw-Archipel (Doerian), Mentawei- Typical members of epedanids, which includes four valid Inseln (Sipora, Sereinu), China (Hong Kong), Singapore, subfamilies (Acrobuninae Roewer, 1912; Sarasinicinae Malakka (Johore, Gunung Pulai), Sarawak (Mt. Poi) and Roewer, 1923; Epedaninae Sørensen, 1886 and Dibuninae the Philippines (Palawan Island). Roewer, 1912), are characterised by “the greatly elongate pedipalps, high erect spine on eye tubercle, fused scutal areas Sarasinicinae is distinguished from Acrobuninae and I–II etc.” (Lian et al., 2008: 58), while some epedanids have Epedaninae by the tarsi III–IV without scopulae and contrary external morphology, e.g., relatively short and thick distitarsus I with three tarsomeres (Kury, 2007). Roewer pedipalps, unarmed eye tubercle and scutum, disjunct scutal (1938) reviewed this subfamily which encompassed 21 genera I and II etc. However, “based mainly on the presence of a at the time. Suzuki (1973, 1985b) successively synonymised well-developed immovable sac (…follis) and the absence Nobeoka Roewer, 1938 and Strisilvea Roewer, 1927 with of complex introverting structures in the penis”(Lian et Pseudobiantes Hirst, 1911 which belongs to Sarasinicinae, al., 2008: 58), Kury (1993, 2003, 2009) placed these quite and he (1976) placed the new genus Pasohnus Suzuki, different epedanids in Epedanidae incertae sedis. 1976 which was erected by himself in the same subfamily. Kury (1992) transferred Padangcola Roewer, 1963 from Dibuninae is one of the dominant group of opiliones of Tricommatinae Roewer, 1912 to Sarasinicinae because the Philippines (Kury, 2007), and only includes one genus “Padangcola does not share any evident synapomorphy with Dibunus Loman, 1906 presently. Dibunus was traditionally the rest of the Tricommatinae, which are exclusively South- American, ranging from Argentina to Venezuela”. Tsurusaki (1995) found another new genus Sungsotia Tsurusaki, 1995 which is included in Sarasinicinae. So far, the Sarasinicinae includes 22 described genera typically occured in Borneo, 1The Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Application, College of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei, 071002, China Tonking, Taiwan, Ryukyu Island, Malacca, Sumatra, Betelnut 2Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Hebei Medical University, Key Lab of Island, Japan and Vietnam. Laboratory Animal Science of Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang, 050017, China; E-mail: [email protected] (*corresponding author) Although Epedaninae is similar to Sarasinicinae in the absence of scapulae in the tarsi III-IV, it can be differentiated © National University of Singapore ISSN 2345-7600 (electronic) | ISSN 0217-2445 (print) from Sarasinicinae with the presence of two tarsomeres on 97 Zhang et al.: New epedanids from South China Sea (Opiliones) the distitarsus I. Roewer (1938) reviewed that this subfamily TAXONOMY was composed of 23 genera. Roewer (1943) and Hillyard (1985) added one new genus, i.e., Epedanidus Roewer, 1943 Family Epedanidae Sørensen, 1886 and Pseudomarthana Hillyard, 1985, respectively. Suzuki (1969, 1977, 1985a) also added four new genera to this Subfamily incertae sedis subfamily, i.e., Pseudoepedanus Suzuki, 1969, Balabanus Suzuki, 1977, Alloepedanus Suzuki, 1985 and Paratakaoia Gasterapophus, new genus Suzuki, 1985. Kury transferred two genera to Epedaninae, i.e., Aboriscus Roewer, 1940 and Dino Loman, 1893; and Type species. Gasterapophus binatus, new species removed four genera from Epedaninae, i.e., Caletor Loman, 1893, Epedanestus Roewer, 1938, Mimepedanus Roewer, Diagnosis. This new genus is noticeably distinct from other 1923, Mosfora Roewer, 1938 (Kury, 1993, 2003, 2008, epedanids by the combination of (1) Stigmatic area of male 2009). Currently 27 genera were listed in this subfamily with large armature; (2) body dorsally unarmed; (3) carapace by Kury and mainly distributed in Indo-Malaysian Region with three tubercles on each side of front margin; (4) coxa (Kury, 2009). IV widened conspicuously; (5) basichelicerite unarmed, disto-dorsally swollen; (6) segments of pedipalpus short The remaining eight genera which are not assigned into and stout, never elongate; (7) femur of pedipalpus ventrally these four subfamilies belong to Epedanidae incertae sedis. with four (IIii) setiferous tubercles, distally on medial side i.e., Buparellus Roewer, 1949; Bupares Thorell, 1889; with one setiferous tubercle; (8) penis ventral plate, basal Dhaulagirius Martens, 1977; Dumaguetes Roewer, 1927; sac and cavity elongated. Parabeloniscus Suzuki, 1967; Parabupares Suzuki, 1982; Sotekia Suzuki, 1982 and Tokunosia Suzuki, 1964. Most Description. Male: dorsal scutum (Figs. 1a, 4a) pyriform in of them are found in Southeast Asia, and some in Nepal, shape; widest portion of body at fifth scutal area. Carapace Japan and China. with three setiferous tubercles on each side of front margin. Surface of the dorsum almost smooth. Low oval ocularium, In the present paper, two new species of Epedanidae found removed from anterior border of scutum. Dorsal hump on among the leaf litter in Hainan Island are described and anterior margin. Opisthosomal region of scutum with five illustrated. Both new species have similar characters, not areas, the first area without a median longitudinal line. Scutal only in external morphology but in male genitalia as well. groove strongly convex; borders of all scutal areas slightly However, they cannot be assigned to any known genus in convex. Areas I–V unarmed, nearly smooth except a few the Epedanidae. Here we erect a new genus, Gasterapophus, much reduced granules; a row of microscopic granules across to accommodate G. singulus, new species and G. binatus, the posterior margin of the scutum and free tergites. A few new species. scattered granules also on the anal plate. MATERIAL AND METHODS Venter (Figs. 1b, 3h, 4b): all coxae and genital operculum with small granulations. Coxa I with rather coarse and numerous The material used in this study was collected during 2011 granulations. Coxa II with a few setiferous tubercles as part of a project to sample terrestrial invertebrates in the retrolaterally. Coxa III with prolateral and retrolateral rows national parks of Hainan Island. of small humps. Coxa IV widened, with numerous setiferous tubercles prolaterally. Stigmatic area with at least one Specimens were examined, measured and illustrated under apophysis. Tracheal stigma clearly visible. Both tracheal a Leica M165c stereomicroscope with an ocular micrometer stigmata with a row of tubercles laterally. and equipped with a drawing tube. The male genitalia were placed firstly in hot lactic acid, followed by distilled water to Chelicerae (Figs. 1c–e, 4c–e): proximal segment disto- expand those parts for observation (Schwendinger & Martens, dorsally visibly swollen, without any conspicuous armament. 2002). All specimens were preserved in 75% ethanol. Type Second segment unarmed, only with hairs which are scattered specimens are deposited in the Museum of Hebei University, mainly on the prodorsal surface. Fingers relatively short. Baoding, China (MHBU). Taxonomic methods follow Acosta et al. (2007). The terminologies of the setae on the penis Pedipalpus (Figs. 2f, g, 5g, h): coxa dorsally with one follow Ubick & Briggs (1992). The notation of spines on stout setiferous tubercle, ventrally with one acute setiferous the pedipalp follow Kury & Maury (1998); large spines are tubercle. Trochanter ventrally with one long and one short designated as