OCCASIONAL PAPERS OF THE California Academy of Sciences No. 108, 15 pages, 28 figures PHALANGODIDAE FROM CAVES IN THE SIERRA NEVADA (CAliFORNIA) WITH A REDESCRIPTION OF THE TYPE GENUS COMMITTEE ON PUBLICATION (Opiliones:Phalangodidae) George E. Lindsay, Chairman Edward L. Kessel, Editor By Thomas S. Briggs SAN FRANCISCO PUBLISHED BY THE ACADEMY March 14, 1974 OCCASIONAL PAPERS OF THE California Academy of Sciences No. 108, 15 pages, 28 figures. PHALANGODIDAE FROM CAVES IN THE SIERRA NEVADA (CALIFORNIA) WITH A REDESCRIPTION OF THE TYPE GENUS (Opiliones:Phalangodidae) By Thomas S. Briggs Research Associate, California Academy of Sciences and Galileo High School, San Francisco, California Many of the small limestone caves in the Mother Lode district of the Sierra Nevada possess a varied biota which includes a distinctive genus of laniatorid harvestmen. This group has previously been known only by one species, Banksula californica (Banks) which was collected in Alabaster Cave, El Dorado County, California at the turn of the century. Several new species in the genus Banksula were collected during an investigation of Sierra Nevada caves with the San Francisco Bay Chapter of the National Speleological Society. It is now apparent that the genus Banksula is entirely confined to caves even though all but one species possess eyes. The only laniatorid opilionids found on the ground in the Mother Lode district are in an unrelated genus of Phalangodidae. This surface-inhabiting genus does include one cavernicolous example in th~ Sierra Nevada (Sitalcina cloughensis Briggs, 1967), but it is found south of the Mother Lode district in a different limestone formation. In spite of broad separation of deposits of Mother Lode (Calaveras) limestone by deep river valleys the allopatric populations of Banksula are morphologically similar. This phenomenon of a regional population of allopatric cave 2 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES [Occ. Papers No. 108J BRIGGS: PHALANGODIDAE 3 laniatorids being related to each other but unrelated to the SPECIMENS EXAMINED. Kentucky: Mammoth Cave, 3 January regional population of surface laniatorids exists in several 1931, H. Dietrichi Bypass Cave, near Bowling Green, Warren parts of the united States and elsewhere and will be County, 31 August 1967, S. Peck and A. Fiske. discussed in a future paper. The Mother Lode caves are found in small limestone outcrops and are unprotected from various destructive BANKSULA Roewer, 1949 types of human use. The type species, Banksul~ californica, is only known from Alabaster Cave. From the t~me Fused segments of scute weakly delineated by grooves, Alabaster Cave was partially destroyed by quarrying no first segment without a medial line. Eye ~ubercle of further specimens have been round, and the species may be normal size, unarmed, clearly separated from anterior extinct. Another cave, McLean's Cave, is important because margin of scute. Labial processes project anterior to among other organisms it contains syrnpatric species of endites of secnnd coxae. Spiracles visible. Sternum Banksula. This cave will be flooded by a new dam on the narrow, broadening beneath operculum. Tergites of normal Stanislaus River. Several caves, particularly Moaning Cave, size, lateral sclerites present. Tarsi of third and fourth are threatened by "improvements" for recreational use. legs without scopulae and with simple untoothed double Several authors have placed Banksula californica in claws. Distitarsi of first leg with two segments, of the genus Phalangodes. The genus Phalangodes has long been second with three. Tarsi of first legs with four segments. the recipient of a variety of unrelated species ~rom Europe, Palpal tarsi with four major lateral spines, femur with spec~es, United States, and the Carribean. The type six to eight dorsal spines. Males without ventral pro­ Phalangodes armata Tellkampf, occurs in the Marnrnoth Caves jections on endites. Penis without apical process on of the state of Kentucky. An examination of this and . aedeagus, hinged aedeagus and dorsal plate expand above related species indicates that Phalangodes is restricted ventral plate, dorsal and ventral plates bifurcate. Juve­ to the southeastern United States, possibly limited to niles with large aroleum on hind claws. caves. To help clarify the morphology of both this genus TYPE SPECIES. Scotolemon californicus Banks. and Phalangodidae as a whole, redescription of Phalangodes will be given based on specimens from Mammoth Cave and nearby Bypass Cave. Key to the Males of BanksUla During this study it was found desirable to expand the folded velum of the opilionid penis. This was accomplished 1. Operculum small, posterior margin continuous with by brief treatment with 10 percent KOH as is done with the posterior margin of fourth coxaei apex of palpi of male spiders. Such a procedure is necessary for aedeagus not enclosed in sheath 2 a complete description of the genitalia of most male Operculum large, posterior margin behind posterior harvestmen in the superfamily Gonyleptoidea (Oncopodoidea). margin of fourth coxaei apex of aedeagus enclosed All types collected in this study are deposited in the in sheath 4 collections of the California Academy of Sciences. 2. Without corneas and re.tinae . ......................... Banksula californica (Banks) PHALANGODES Tellkampf, 1844 With corneas and part or all of retinae...•........... 3 Fused segments of scute not delineated by grooves, first 3. Second endites with a concave ectal margin of segment without a median line. Eye tubercle small, unarmed, constant radius Banksula galilei, new species clearly separated from anterior margin o~ scute. L~ial Second endites with an angular invagination of processes visible between, but not anter~or to, end~tes of the ectal margin, interior apex close to second coxae. Spiracles visible. Sternum narrow, broaden­ posterior margin Banksula tuolumne, new species ing beneath operculum. Tergits reduced, lateral sclerites present. Tarsi of third and fourth legs without scopulae 4. Aedeagus and enclosing sheath held within and with simple untoothed double claws. Distitarsi of first bifurcate dorsal plate... Banksula grahami, new species leg with two segments, of second with three..Ta:si of first tars~ w~th Aedeagus and enclosing sheath folds anterior legs with four or five segments. Palpal four to recurved prongs of dorsal plate............••..... major lateral spines, femur without dorsal spines. Male. ........•......... '.' ... Banks u la me lanes, new species with ventral projections on endites of second coxae. Pen~s with apical process (dorsal plate?) on narrow, unhinged aedeagus; ventral plate bifurcate. Juvenile with large aroleum on hind claws. TYPE SPECIES. Phalangodes armata Tellkampf (see figs. 1-7). 4 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES rOcc. Papers No. 108] BRIGGS: PHALANGODIDAE 5 BanksuZa caZifornica (Banks). Similar to female but with narrower operculum and more (Figures 8-11.) robust palpal femur. Penis with bifurcate ventral plate bearing setae on recurved distal processes. Articulated ScotoZemon caZifornicus Banks, 1900, J. N. Y. Entomol. Soc., dorsal plate retracted anterad~ bifurcate with acute distal vol. 10, p. 200; 1901, Amer. Natur., vol. 35, p. 672; processes. Base of dorsal plate smooth. Aedeagus un­ 1904, Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., ser. 3, vol. 3, p. 363. sheathed at apex, unfolds anterior to dorsal plate when PhaZangodes caZifornica, Roewer, 1912, Arch. Naturgesch., turgid. vol. 78A, fasc. 3, p. 142; 1923, Die Weberknechte der Erde, p. 105. TYPE DESIGNATIONS. Lectotype female, paralectotype BanksuZa caZifornica, Roewer, 1949, Senckenbergiana, vol. male and paralectotype females from the Nathan Banks 30, p. 33. type series in the collection of the Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology. Types are from Alabaster Cave, El Dorado County, California. LECTOTYPE. Female. Body length 2.06mm. Scute length 1.25mm. Scute width 1.33mm. Eye tubercle length 0.21mm. REMARKS. A thorough search has failed to locate speci­ Eye tubercle width 0.38mm. mens in the remainder of Alabaster Cave. The male para­ lectotype does not have complete first and second legs. I II III IV Palpus Trochanter O.lmm. 0.2mm. 0.2mm. 0.2mm. 0.2mm. BanksuZa tuoZumne Briggs, new species. Femur 1.1 1.4 1.1 1.4 0.7 (Figures 12-17.) Patella 0.3 0.4 0.3 0.4 0.4 Tibia 0.8 1.3 0.9 1.3 0.6 HOLOTYPE. Male. Body length 1.80mm. Scute length Metatarsus 0.8 1.0 1.0 1.3 1. 33mm. Scute width 1.36mm. Eye tubercle length 0.28mm. Tarsus 0.8 1.5 0.8 1.1 0.8 Eye tubercle width 0.39mm. Total "J:9iiiiil. 5.8mm. 4:"1iiiii\• s:tiliin. 2:iIiim. I II IH IV Palpus Scute with cheliceral sockets, not tuberculate, segmen­ tation not apparent. Eye tubercle subconical, tuberculate, Trochanter 0.2mm. 0.2mm. 0.2mm. 0.2mm. 0.2mm. retinae absent, corneas very small or absent. Tergites Femur 1.0 1.4 1.2 1.1 0.9 with row of tubercles at posterior margins. Second endites Patella 0.4 0.5 0.3 0.5 0.5 large, setose, project anteriorly as triangular lobes. Tibia 0.9 1.4 1.1 1.5 0.6 Labial processes project anterior to second endites. Metatarsus 1.0 1.3 1.2 1.5 Operculum small, subtriangular, posterior margin adjacent Tarsus 0.9 1.7 1.0 1.3 0.8 to mesal apex of posterior margin of fourth coxae. Total 4:4iiiill. ~. 5"":OIiUi\• b:"IiTiii1. romm. Chelicerae setose, basal segments with ectal spur. Palpi with six major spines on dorsum of femora. Scute with cheliceral sockets, moderately tuberculate, Tarsal formula 4-6-5-6. segmentation delineated by rows of tubercles. Eye tubercle Color of body concolorous yellow. sUbconical, tuberculate, with small corneas and depigmented retinae. Tergites with row of tubercles. Second endites PARALECTOTYPE. Male. Body length 1.88mm. Scute large, setose, narrowest behind midpoint at deep angle. length 1.41mm. Scute width l.36mm. Eye tubercle length Spatulate labial processes project anterior to second 0.31mm. Eye tubercle width 0.38mm. endites. Operculum small, subtriangular, posterior margin adjacent to mesal apex of posterior margin of fourth coxae.