Ecologica Montenegrina 17: 1-13 (2018) This journal is available online at: www.biotaxa.org/em https://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:4BCF2090-D85E-4081-9D37-58937D83E51A The true generic identity of Mastigoproctus pelegrini Armas, 2000: a new genus of Antillean whipscorpions (Thelyphonida: Thelyphonidae) ROLANDO TERUEL Grupo de Sistemática y Ecología de Artrópodos Caribeños Calle 200 # 3759, e/ 37 y 45, Reparto Versalles; La Lisa; La Habana 13500. CUBA. E-mail: [email protected] Received 1 March 2018 │ Accepted by V. Pešić: 25 March 2018 │ Published online 26 March 2018. Abstract A new monotypic genus is herein described for the Western Cuban endemic whipscorpion Mastigoproctus pelegrini Armas, 2000. Its morphology is strikingly different from all other species of Mastigoproctus Pocock, 1894, but its generic placement remained unchallenged so far. Sheylayongium gen. n. is diagnosed from all other Mastigoproctinae Speijer, 1933 by a combination of several morphological characters of both sexes, e.g., high reduction of pedipalp armature and sexual dimorphism, carapace carination, unusual modification of sternite V, and female spermathecal structure. Its single species is thoroughly illustrated with high-resolution, full-color photographs, its geographical distribution is revised and updated, and new data are given on its natural history. Key words: Thelyphonida, whipscorpion, taxonomy, new genus, Cuba, Greater Antilles. Introduction In his rather succinct revision of the Cuban whipscorpions, Armas (2000) described Mastigoproctus pelegrini from the western part of the archipelago, with populations recorded from the two main islands: Cuba (former Pinar del Río Province, now including also Artemisa Province) and Isla de Pinos (Isla de la Juventud Special Municipality). In that moment, Mastigoproctus Pocock, 1894 was the single genus recognized to occur in the Greater Antilles. During the last 15 years, several other American genera have been described or resurrected, involving either explicit or implicit redefinitions of the generic diagnosis of Mastigoproctus, see e.g. Armas & Víquez (2005), Víquez & Armas (2005, 2006), Huff et al. (2008), Haupt (2009) and Barrales-Alcalá et al. (2018). Nevertheless, the original generic assignment of M. pelegrini remained unchallenged, despite being morphologically quite distinct from all other Antillean and most continental members of Mastigoproctus, something already noticed even in its original description (Armas, 2000: 4). With the aim to define the correct generic position of M. pelegrini, the present author undertook with some collaborators an intensive schedule of field trips, complemented with the revision of the complete whipscorpion collections of the main Cuban research institutions and museums. Such effort contributed more than 100 specimens from across its entire geographical range and their examination confirmed the initial supposition that M. pelegrini cannot be kept in its current generic assignation. The main objective of the Ecologica Montenegrina, 17, 2018, 1-13 A NEW GENUS OF ANTILLEAN WHIPSCORPIONS present paper is to describe a new genus to accommodate this peculiar species, thoroughly illustrated with full-color photographs (including the first images of male and female genitalia). In addition, its geographical distribution is revised and updated, and new data are given on its natural history. Material and Methods Specimens were studied, measured and photographed under an AmScope SM-1T-PL LED trinocular stereo microscope, equipped with a 20X calibrated line scale for measuring. Unless otherwise noted, all photographs were taken with a Nikon Coolpix S8100 digital camera; microscopic shots were taken by manually attaching the camera to the upper ocular tube of the microscope. High-resolution images were processed with Adobe Photoshop CS5, only for contrast and brightness optimization, background cleanup and plate composition. Distribution maps were constructed in Mapinfo Professional ver.10, using precise locality coordinates taken in situ with a portable GPS device (Datum WGS84) or extracted from 1:25 000 military- reference cartographic maps. The literature cited herein is not an exhaustive compendium for each taxon, but a selection of the sources more relevant to the subject of the present paper: original descriptions, redescriptions and those dealing with taxonomy or contributing important information of ecology and geographical distribution. Nomenclature follows Rowland (2002) as modified by Teruel (2010), except for pedipalp ornamentation and spination coding (Barrales-Alcalá et al., 2018: fig. 3). Measurements and tibial spur formula were taken after Teruel (2010). Genitalia were dissected, cleared and studied following the technique described by Teruel (2017). Unless otherwise noted, all characters mentioned refer to adults of both sexes. Specimens studied herein are preserved in ethanol 80% and deposited in the following repositories: Instituto de Ecología y Sistemática, Havana, Cuba (IES) and personal collection of the author (RTO). Systematics Family Thelyphonidae Lucas, 1835 Subfamily Mastigoproctinae Speijer, 1933 Sheylayongium gen. n. Figs. 1–8 Mastigoproctus [in part: references to Mastigoproctus sp., M. giganteus, M. liochirus and M. pelegrini]: Franganillo, 1930a: 92. Franganillo, 1930b: 118. Franganillo, 1936: 144, 147. Moreno, 1939: 17–19; pl. 4, figs. 1–3. Armas, 1987: 1. Armas, 2000: 1–10; figs. 1–3. Harvey, 2003: 66–67, 366. Armas, 2004: 53. Domínguez & Armas, 2006: 22, 24; tab. 2. Teruel, 2010: 187, 193. Armas, 2013: 93. Armas & Alayón, 2014: 48–49; tab. 2. Teruel & Rodríguez-Cabrera, 2014: 115–117; figs. 1–3. Type species. Mastigoproctus pelegrini Armas, 2000 [= Sheylayongium pelegrini (Armas, 2000) comb. n.], by both present designation and monotypy. Etymology. This new genus is named after Sheyla Yong (Havana, Cuba), the youngest and most-talented Caribbean entomologist, in recognition to her outstanding contributions to the taxonomy of Cuban orthopteroid insects and also, in appreciation of all her continuous and selfless support to my professional and private life. The generic epithet is neuter in gender. Diagnosis. Size small for the family (25–35 mm). Chelicera-pedipalp stridulatory organ absent (fig. 5d). Cheliceral movable finger with outer basal notch rudimentary. Pedipalps (figs. 1–2) short and robust, entirely smooth and glossy, with sexual secondary dimorphism vestigial; trochanter with six anterodorsal spines (S1– S5 + AS); femur with dorsal internal and ventral internal teeth reduced. Carapace (fig. 3a) with anterolateral carinae well developed, granulose, on basal two-thirds of the distance between median and lateral ocular groups; interocular triangle (i.e., area delimited by the three ocular tubercles) largely smooth and glossy; 2 TERUEL each lateral ocular group formed by three large pale ocelli encircling two rudimentary dark ocelli. Tibia with ventrodistal spur only on leg IV. Sternum (fig. 4a) with a deep, wide longitudinal furrow all along median line. Abdominal tergites (fig. 3b) entire, only subdivided by a pale suture on II–III and anterior part of IV; segment X with pleuron rudimentary; segment XII with a pair of oval to vertically lanceolate ommatoids. Abdominal sternites (fig. 4b) undivided, II unmodified (only slightly bulky in adult male), III and V highly modified (see below for each sex). Flagellum (fig. 1) medium-sized, with 30–38 flagellomeres and with whip organs well developed, in ventrobasal location. Male: pedipalp trochanter with spines blunt, AS weak to vestigial; femur with dorsal internal tooth vestigial, ventral internal tooth small; patella and tibia with dorsal apophysis almost smooth on both edges. Sternite III with median area raised, triangular, whitish, densely setose and fenestrate; V with a large, oval to round, very densely setose (tufted) median depression. Genitalia (fig. 5a): standard for Mastigoproctinae. Female: pedipalp trochanter with spines sharp, AS strong; femur with dorsal internal tooth small, ventral internal tooth moderate; patella and tibia with dorsal apophysis serrate on both edges. Sternite III with median area slightly raised, triangular, translucent and sparsely setose; V medially with a small, oval to drop-shaped, sparsely setose (not tufted) median depression. Genitalia (figs. 5b–c): single pair of seminal receptacles, each shaped as a baby's bottle and with two very different parts: a basal half membranose, translucent, tubular and very short, plus a distal half highly sclerotized, very dark and nipple-shaped, with single apical bulb kidney-shaped, much narrower than base, about as wide as neck and curved backwards to outwards. Fig. 1. Adults of Sheylayongium pelegrini comb. n. from Minas de Matahambre, Pinar del Río; male from Sierra del Sumidero (left) and female from Sierra de Mesa (right), full-body views: a) dorsal; b) ventral. Ecologica Montenegrina, 17, 2018, 1-13 3 A NEW GENUS OF ANTILLEAN WHIPSCORPIONS Fig. 2. Adults of Sheylayongium pelegrini comb. n. from Minas de Matahambre, Pinar del Río; male from Sierra del Sumidero (left) and female from Sierra de Mesa (right), close-up of left pedipalp: a) dorsal; b) ventral. 4 TERUEL Fig. 3. Adults of Sheylayongium pelegrini comb. n. from Minas de Matahambre, Pinar del Río; male from Sierra del Sumidero (left) and female from Sierra de Mesa (right), dorsal close-ups: a) carapace; b) abdomen. Ecologica Montenegrina, 17, 2018, 1-13 5 A NEW GENUS OF ANTILLEAN WHIPSCORPIONS Fig. 4. Adults of Sheylayongium pelegrini