Table Of Content2003. 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, Institute de Biociencias, Universidade
de Sao Paulo, Rua do Matao, Travessa 14, No. 321, 05508-900 Sao Paulo/SP, Brazil.
E-mail: [email protected]
Adriano B. Kury: Museu Nacional, Quinta da Boa Vista s/n, Sao Cristovao,
20.940-040, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
ABSTRACT. Guasinia persephone, a new species ofthe 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 moiphology. This is the third
species of blind Laniatores from Brazil and the first 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 defined microhabitat. The
afamily name based on the generic name Guas- recognition of the Guasiniidae (Gonzalez-Spon-
inia Gonzalez-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 (Gonzalez-Sponga 1997). (Gonzalez-Sponga 1987), who preferred to keep
The other recently described families are Fissi- the polyphyletic family Phalangodidae, discard-
phalliidae Martens 1988 and Agoristenidae Sil- 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, Plon, Germany) of new ma-
Gonzalez-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
species. This minute opilionid expands the
only very schematic drawings of the penis of
distribution range (recorded only from Vene-
both species and related them to the Oriental
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 stitute Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazonia
dominated the past 90 yeais of Opiliones sys- (INPA, C. Magalhaes); Museu de Zoologia da
tematics, guasiniids should be included in the Universidade de Sao Paulo (MZSP, R. Pinto-
“wastebasket” family Phalangodidae Simon da-Rocha), Museu Nacional do Rio de Janeiro
1879. However, as distinct from members ofthe (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 find Fissiphalliidae de- Family Guasiniidae Gonzalez-Sponga
scribed among the Phalangodidae of Roewer, 1997
however it is highly improbable that a giiasiniid Genus Guasinia Gonzalez-Sponga 1997
has been described previously in Phalangodidae Guasinia Gonzalez—-Sponga 1997: 53.
or another family due to the striking stmeture Type species. Guasinia delgadoi Gonza-
of the pedipalps, as well as the minuscule body lez-Sponga 1997, by original designation.
394
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PINTO-DA-ROCHA & KURY—NEW BRAZILIAN GUASINIIDAE 395
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Figures 1-5. Guasinia 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. Stridulatory appa- naus, State of Amazonas, Brazil (03°02'S,
ratus on mesal surface ofcheliceral hand. Tar- 60°17'W). 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 Gonzalez-Sponga 1997 (INPA); 1 d (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 d (SMFD); 28 March 1983, 1
wards projection, and 13 segments on tarsus $ (MZSP); 1 d (MNRJ); 25 April 1983, 2 d,
ITRemarks. As currently understood, there 3(M$ZS(PM)N;R2J6);Ma2y$ 1(9I8N3P,A)2;d2, 2$ ($S(MIFNDP)A;);12d7
eisral,ittbluetreaassoynnotonysmepyarwaoteulbdotbheguparseimnaitiudrgeena-t June 1983, 3 $ (INPA); 1 d (MZSP); 24 July
this stage. 1983, 1 $ (INPA); 26 July 1983, 1 $ (INPA);
2 d, 1 $ (MZSP); 3 9 (MNRJ); 24 August
Guasinia persephone new species 1983, 2 d, 3 $ (MZSP); 1 $ (MNRJ); 2 $
Figs. 1-15 (SMFD); 2 $ (INPA).
Type material. All material collected by Etymology. The species name is treated
Joachim Adis from Igapo Taruma Mirim, Ma- as a noun in apposition to Persephone, a
1
396 THE JOURNAL OF ARACHNOLOGY
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Figures 6-1 . Guasinia persephone new species, male: 6, Leg I; 7, Leg II; 8, Leg III; 9, Leg IV; 10,
Pedipalp; 1 1, Chelicera. Scale bars = 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 undergrou—nd realm all her life. terior margin to groove I). Eye mound ill-de-
Diagnosis. Differs from G. delgadoi by fined (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, II): 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 inflated, similar in both
(see remarks). Transverse grooves ofcarapace sexes.
I-V well defined (Fig. 1), differing from the Pedipalp (Fig. 10): Coxa and trochanter
other species of—the family. with mesal field of numerous granules. Tro-
Description. Measurements (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 finely granu-
PINTO-DA--ROCHA & KURY—NEW BRAZILIAN GUASINIIDAE 397
lated. Coxae I-IV with stout tubercles= Tro- deep (humus layer = matting of humus with
chanter I with two ventral and two dorsal tu- fine 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, bifid, 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 floor. Annual precipitationranges
m
dorsal sub basal, one short ventral sub basal, between 1000-2500 (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 24.3-27.4°C. The igapo is an-
size; tibia IV with nine ventral tubercles in- nually flooded for 5-6 months. The water lev-
creasing in size and one ventral subapical tu- el fluctuations are between 5.5-14 m, mean
m
bercle. Metatarsus II undivided. Tarsal seg- 10 (see Ad—is 1981).
mentation: 3(2), 4(2), 5, 5. Remarks. The tarsal counts of leg II of
Male genitalia (Figs. 12-15): Ventral plate the two Venezuelan species provided by Goe-
modified as apical portion of truncus separat- zalez-Spoega (1997) are not compatible with
ed from the shaft by a constriction; lateral his owe drawings. Gonzalez-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 (Gonzalez-Sponga 1997: 55) and that Guad
other, resulting in a funnel-shaped calyx; ven- quinimia longipes had 10-12(4) segments
tral plate with two groups of setae; basal (Gonzalez-Sponga 1997: 58), although the
group formed by 3 + 3 large foliaceous-spat- drawings (his figs. 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 + 2 small cylindrical acuminate new species appear at first to be incompatible
setae; distal portion of truncus proximal to with Gonzalez-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 ifthose setae are
ries ofglans well developed as a membranous very large, they are flattened 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. onciling penial morphology of G. persephone
Female: Measurements (INPA, 29.Septem- with both Venezuelan species.
ber.1982, in mm): Dorsal scute length 1.2;
DISCUSSION
cephalothorax length 0.5; mesotergum width
0.8; cephalothorax width 0.65. Similar to male This is the third aeophthalmic Brazilian
except as follows: cephalothorax less tuber- species of Opiliones. The first totally blind
culate. Legs with fewer and shorter tubercles; Brazilian opilionid to be described was Cae-
legs IMII granulate; trochanter IV with 2 sin- cobunus termitarum Roewer 1927 (originally
gle branched tubercles on ventral and dorsal; in Phalaegodidae, but family uncertain, see
femur IV with 1 sub-basal, 1 median and 1 Kury 2003), described from termite nests in
subapical short tubercles; patella IV with 1 Rio de Janeiro state. The second was the cave-
ventroapical tubercle. Tarsal segmentation: dweller Giupponia chagasi Perez & Kury
4(2), 4(2), 5, 5. 2002 from Bahia state (Perez & Kury 2002).
Habitat.-^All of the material was obtained The other two species of Guasiniidae de-
from inside the soil, similar to the species de- scribed by Gonzalez-Sponga (1997), Guasinia
scribed by Gonzalez-Spoega (1997), who delgadoi and Guaiquinimia longipes are also
found guasiniids inside bark under litter. The eyeless.
type locality, Taruma-Mirim, is an inundation- The presence of well-developed accessory
forest of black-water, also called igapo. The ofglans (Figs. 12-15) forming a solid unfold-
type-locality is on the lower course ofthe Tar- able bifid plate articulated with the truncus re-
uma-Mirim river near the mouth of Rio Ne- lates Guasiniidae with the Zalmoxidae, Fissi-
gro, 20 km upstream from Manaus, in Central phalliidae and Icaleptidae (Kury & Perez
Amazonia, The soil A-horizon is 10-15 cm 2002). The short pedipalpal claw, tarsus twice
398 THE JOURNAL OF ARACHNOLOGY
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PINTO-DA-ROCHA & KURY—NEW BRAZILIAN GUASINIIDAE 399
Figures 14--15. Guasiniapersephone new species, Distal portion ofpenis: 14, Dorsal view; 15, Lateral
view.
as long as tibia and tarsus with reduced ven^ LITERATURE CITED
tral setae seem to be autapomorphies of the Adis, J. 1981. Comparativeecological studies ofthe
family (Fig. 10). Gonzalez-Sponga (1997) no- terrestrial arthropod fauna in central Amazonian
ticed the similarity of the pedipalps of Onco- inundation-forests. Amazoniana 7(2):87-173.
Gonzalez-Sponga, M.A. 1987. Aracnidos de Vene-
podidae and Guasiniidae. But on closer ex-
zuela. Opiliones Laniatores 1. Familias Phalan-
amination, Oecopodidae have a very different godidae y Agoristenidae. Academia Cienc. Fisi-
somatic and genital morphology, possessing a cas, MatemMcas y Naturales, Caracas.
huge glans that folds against the truncus and Gonzalez-Sponga, M.A. 1997. Aracnidos de Vene-
many somatic autapomorphies (see Martens zuela. Una nueva familia, dos nuevos generos y
1986; Schwendinger 1992). In the absence of dos nuevas especies de Opiliones Laniatores.
Acta Biologica Venezolana 17(3):51~58.
other putative syeapomorphies to unit both Kury A.B. 2003. Annotated catalogue of New
families, this similarity between the structures World Laniatores. Sociedad Ibericade Aracnolo-
of their pedipalps can be only homoplasioiis. gia.
The calyx formed by the ventral plate also oc- Kury, A.B. & A. Perez G. 2002. A new family of
curs in some Caribbean species that are cur- Laeitores from northwestern South America
(Arachnida: Opiliones). Revista Iberica de Arac-
rently in the Stygnommatidae (Abel Perez,
pers. comm. 2002). Kurnyo,loAg.iBa.6—:&3-R1.1.Pinto-da-Rocha. 2002. Opiliones.
Pp. 345 362. In: J. Adis (ed.). Amazonian
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Arachnida and Myriapoda, Pensoft, Sofia.
Martens, J. 1986. Die Grossgliederung der Opili-
We thank to Joachim Adis (Plon) for seed- ones und di—e Evolution der Ordnung (Arachni-
ing us the material and Marcio Cruz (Labora- da). Pp. 289 310, In Congreso Intereacional de
torio de Microscopia, IBUSP) for help with Aracnoiogia. 10° Jaca, Espanha, voL I.
SEM photos. We are also grateful to Abel Perez G., A. & A.B. Kury. 2002. A new remarkable
troglomorph goeyleptid from Brazil (Arachnida,
Perez G. for the helpful comments on the Opiliones, Laniatores). Revista Iberica de Arac-
manuscript. This study has been supported noiogia 5:43-50.
by grant #20406/98-2 from the FAPESP Schwendinger, RJ. 1992. New Oecopodidae (Opil-
#99/05446-8, #00/05729-9 (RPR) and grant iones, Laniatores) from South-East Asia. Revue
#520406/98-2 from the Conselho Nacional de Suisse de Zoologie 99:177-199.
Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico Manuscript received 4 November 2002, revised 12
(CNPq) to ABK. March 2003.
