2003. The Journal of Arachnology 31:394±399 THIRD SPECIES OF GUASINIIDAE (OPILIONES, LANIATORES) WITH COMMENTS ON FAMILIAL RELATIONSHIPS Ricardo Pinto-da-Rocha: Depto. de Zoologia, Instituto de BiocieÃncias, Universidade de SaÄo Paulo, Rua do MataÄo, Travessa 14, No. 321, 05508-900 SaÄo Paulo/SP, Brazil. E-mail: [email protected] Adriano B. Kury: Museu Nacional, Quinta da Boa Vista s/n, SaÄo CristoÂvaÄo, 20.940-040, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil ABSTRACT. Guasinia persephone, a new species of the family Guasiniidae, is described from the soil of an inundation forest in Brazilian Amazonia. This family was hitherto only known from two species from Venezuela. Male genitalia of the new species are described in detail. A close relationship of Guas- iniidae with Zalmoxidae and Fissiphalliidae is proposed on basis of genital morphology. This is the third species of blind Laniatores from Brazil and the ®rst from leaf mold, one is from termite nests and the other is from a cave. Keywords: Guasiniidae, Neotropics, Opiliones, anophthalmy, Brazil, Amazonia, Arachnida The family Guasiniidae (correct spelling for size and the strictly de®ned microhabitat. The a family name based on the generic name Guas- recognition of the Guasiniidae (GonzaÂlez-Spon- inia GonzaÂlez-Sponga 1997, see Kury & Pinto- ga 1997) was a welcome departure from the da-Rocha 2002) is the most recently discovered conservative approach by the same author family of Laniatores (GonzaÂlez-Sponga 1997). (GonzaÂlez-Sponga 1987), who preferred to keep The other recently described families are Fissi- the polyphyletic family Phalangodidae, discard- phalliidae Martens 1988 and Agoristenidae SÏil- ing the use of Minuidae and Zalmoxidae. havy 1973 from the Neotropics and Pentany- The discovery by Dr. Joachim Adis (Max- chidae Briggs 1971 from the Nearctic. Planck Institute, PloÈn, Germany) of new ma- GonzaÂlez-Sponga (1997) provided descriptions terial from upper soil layers near Manaus of two monotypic genera of Guasiniidae, with (Central Amazonia) is here described as a new only very schematic drawings of the penis of species. This minute opilionid expands the both species and related them to the Oriental distribution range (recorded only from Vene- zuela) of the family Guasiniidae much south- family Oncopodidae Thorell 1876. wards and offers the opportunity to illustrate Guasiniidae, together with Fissiphalliidae and discuss the male genitalia and attempt to and Ogoveidae, both with three described spe- relate this family to other laniatorid families. cies, are the least diverse families among Opil- The material studied is deposited in the In- iones. According to Roewer's system, which stituto Nacional de Pesquisas da AmazoÃnia dominated the past 90 years of Opiliones sys- (INPA, C. MagalhaÄes); Museu de Zoologia da tematics, guasiniids should be included in the Universidade de SaÄo Paulo (MZSP, R. Pinto- ``wastebasket'' family Phalangodidae Simon da-Rocha), Museu Nacional do Rio de Janeiro 1879. However, as distinct from members of the (MNRJ, A.B. Kury) and Senckenberg Muse- Fissiphalliidae, which are externally very simi- um (SMFD, M. Grasshoff). lar to zalmoxids, Guasiniidae were described on SYSTEMATICS well-delimited external characters. It can be rea- sonably expected to ®nd Fissiphalliidae de- Family Guasiniidae GonzaÂlez-Sponga scribed among the Phalangodidae of Roewer, 1997 however it is highly improbable that a guasiniid Genus Guasinia GonzaÂlez-Sponga 1997 has been described previously in Phalangodidae Guasinia GonzaÂlez-Sponga 1997: 53. or another family due to the striking structure Type species.ÐGuasinia delgadoi GonzaÂ- of the pedipalps, as well as the minuscule body lez-Sponga 1997, by original designation. 394 PINTO-DA-ROCHA & KURYÐNEW BRAZILIAN GUASINIIDAE 395 Figures 1±5.ÐGuasinia persephone new species, male: 1, Habitus, dorsal view; 2, Same, lateral view; 3, Carapace, dorsal view; 4, Right ozopore and dorsal surface of coxa II; 5, Detail of ozopore, scale 4 times larger than Fig. 4. Emended diagnosis.ÐStridulatory appa- naus, State of Amazonas, Brazil (038029S, ratus on mesal surface of cheliceral hand. Tar- 608179W). Holotype male, date 26 July 1983, sal counts 3±4(2)/4±8(2±4)/5/5±6 (see re- (INPA). Paratypes: 23 February 1982, 1 / marks). Guaiquinimia GonzaÂlez-Sponga 1997 (INPA); 1 ? (MNRJ); 1 / (INPA); 29 Sep- differs from Guasinia by the very stout tember 1982, 2 / (INPA); 1 / (SMFD); 25 smooth and spined basichelicerite with back- March 1983, 1 ? (SMFD); 28 March 1983, 1 wards projection, and 13 segments on tarsus / (MZSP); 1 ? (MNRJ); 25 April 1983, 2 ?, II. 3 / (MNRJ); 2 / (INPA); 2 / (SMFD); 1 ? Remarks.ÐAs currently understood, there (MZSP); 26 May 1983, 2 ?,2/ (INPA); 27 is little reason to separate both guasiniid gen- June 1983, 3 / (INPA); 1 ? (MZSP); 24 July era, but a synonymy would be premature at 1983, 1 / (INPA); 26 July 1983, 1 / (INPA); this stage. 2 ?,1/ (MZSP); 3 / (MNRJ); 24 August Guasinia persephone new species 1983, 2 ?,3/ (MZSP); 1 / (MNRJ); 2 / Figs. 1±15 (SMFD); 2 / (INPA). Type material.ÐAll material collected by Etymology.ÐThe species name is treated Joachim Adis from Igapo TarumaÄ Mirim, Ma- as a noun in apposition to Persephone, a 396 THE JOURNAL OF ARACHNOLOGY Figures 6±11.ÐGuasinia persephone new species, male: 6, Leg I; 7, Leg II; 8, Leg III; 9, Leg IV; 10, Pedipalp; 11, Chelicera. Scale bars 5 0.5 mm. Greek goddess who was kidnapped by the god covered with minute granules, and a stripe of Hades (not Adis) and had to live with him in coarse granules in the middle region (from an- the underground realm all her life. terior margin to groove I). Eye mound ill-de- Diagnosis.ÐDiffers from G. delgadoi by ®ned (Fig. 3); eyes completely lacking. Only the male metatarsus II undivided and armature one transversal slit-like ozopore in lateral po- of leg IV with large tubercles (Fig. 9). Cara- sition (Figs. 4, 5). pace without posterior convexity. Tarsal Chelicera (Fig. 11): Cheliceral hand with counts 3(2), 4(2), 5, 5. Segmentation of tarsi stridulatory apparatus formed by numerous I±II and IV is lower than G. delgadoi that pos- granules on mesal surface and two larger me- sesses 4(2), 8(4) on legs I±II and 6 on leg IV sal teeth. Hand not in¯ated, similar in both (see remarks). Transverse grooves of carapace sexes. I±V well de®ned (Fig. 1), differing from the Pedipalp (Fig. 10): Coxa and trochanter other species of the family. with mesal ®eld of numerous granules. Tro- Description.ÐMeasurements (holotype, in chanter with one ventral and one basal setifer- mm): Dorsal scute length 1.3; cephalothorax ous tubercles. Femur with curved prolateral length 0.5; mesotergum width 0.8; cephalo- subapical tubercle, ventral row of four tuber- thorax width 0.65. Dorsum (Figs. 1±2): Out- cles. Patella with mesal subdistal tooth. Tibia line of scute attenuate hourglass-shaped. All with three small setae on each side. Tarsus scutal grooves transverse and well marked. with small setae, plus longer distal setae. Scutal areas I±V and free tergites I±III densely Claws short. covered with large granules. Carapace densely Legs (Figs. 6±9): Legs I±IV ®nely granu- PINTO-DA-ROCHA & KURYÐNEW BRAZILIAN GUASINIIDAE 397 lated. Coxae I±IV with stout tubercles. Tro- deep (humus layer 5 matting of humus with chanter I with two ventral and two dorsal tu- ®ne humus). The humus stratum is slightly de- bercles; femur III with one short dorsal veloped (covering 5%), seedlings of abundant subapical tubercle; trochanter IV with two trees occur in large numbers, shrubs are ab- ventral (apical much larger, bi®d, forming a sent, there are 1300±2000 trees/ha, totaling 47 straight angle) and two large dorsal (posterior species. The tree roots spread as far as 8 m longer) tubercles; femur IV with two short on the forest ¯oor. Annual precipitation ranges dorsal sub basal, one short ventral sub basal, between 1000±2500 m (lowest monthly pre- one longer than femur diameter on ventro-me- cipitation 0±60 mm). Rainy months January± dian followed by four short tubercles; patella April; dry months July±September tempera- IV with four ventral tubercles increasing in ture between 24.3±27.48C. The igapo is an- size; tibia IV with nine ventral tubercles in- nually ¯ooded for 5±6 months. The water lev- creasing in size and one ventral subapical tu- el ¯uctuations are between 5.5±14 m, mean bercle. Metatarsus II undivided. Tarsal seg- 10 m (see Adis 1981). mentation: 3(2), 4(2), 5, 5. Remarks.ÐThe tarsal counts of leg II of Male genitalia (Figs. 12±15): Ventral plate the two Venezuelan species provided by Gon- modi®ed as apical portion of truncus separat- zaÂlez-Sponga (1997) are not compatible with ed from the shaft by a constriction; lateral his own drawings. GonzaÂlez-Sponga (1997) margins of ventral plate twisted around the stated that G. delgadoi had 7(3) segments main axis of truncus and are fused to each (GonzaÂlez-Sponga 1997: 55) and that Guai- other, resulting in a funnel-shaped calyx; ven- quinimia longipes had 10±12(4) segments tral plate with two groups of setae; basal (GonzaÂlez-Sponga 1997: 58), although the group formed by 3 1 3 large foliaceous-spat- drawings (his ®gs. 6 & 13) clearly show 8(4) ulate setae with rounded apex; distal group is and 13(3), respectively. Male genitalia of the formed by 2 1 2 small cylindrical acuminate new species appear at ®rst to be incompatible setae; distal portion of truncus proximal to with GonzaÂlez-Sponga's drawings, which lack ventral plate depressed forming a cavity the large basal setae of the ventral plate. Our where glans structures are inserted; accesso- own observation is that even if those setae are ries of glans well developed as a membranous very large, they are ¯attened and applied sac projected into two paired lobes (titilla- against the truncus, so their presence is easily tors); conductors and other parastyli absent, overlooked using an optical microscope, rec- stylus free.