30. Redescription of Schizomus Buxtoni Gravely from Sri Lanka on the Basis of Syntypes Deposited in the Zoological Survey of India, Calcutta by F.h. Gravely 1915

5 Pages·2001·2.6 MB·

by  D B Bastawade

MISCELLANEOUSNOTES
30. REDESCRIPTIONOF SCHIZOMUSBUXTONIGRAVELYFROM SRI LANKA
ON THE BASIS OF SYNTYPES DEPOSITED IN THE ZOOLOGICAL SURVEY
OFINDIA, CALCUTTABYF.H. GRAVELY 1915
(With sixteen text-figures)
Schizomids are minute arachnids difficult posteriorportion. Pedipalps short and stout, not
to see with the naked eye. They are nocturnal much expanded and produced on trochanters
and secretive in habit, and a difficult group to (Figs 6 & 10); male flagellum with a ventral
collect and study. There are about 5-6 species longitudinal hyaline body (Figs 7 & 8).
described from India (Bastawade 1985, 1992), Measurements (inmm): Female syntype,
8 from Sri Lanka and 3 from Myanmar in the totallength4.86,cephalothorax 1.78long, 1.008
Oriental region. In 1872, Pickard-Cambridge wide; abdomen 3.08 long.
described Schizomus crassicaudatus, the first Cephalothorax: Propeltidium more than
species known from Sri Lanka. Subsequently, twice as long as wide, anterior margin acutely
Pocock(1900)describedS. suboculatus,Gravely narrowed in a medianprocess bearing a median
(1911a, 1911b, 1912, 1915) described 5 species seta,followedimmediatelybyapairofsetaeand
S. buxtoni S. greeni S. peradensis, S. vittatus subsequently with three lateral and two median
, ,
andS.perplexus,andFernando(1957)described pairsofsetae(Fig. 1), eyespotsabsent,posterior
S. formicoides. portion rough with microscopic suturous
The species described by Gravely (1911- reticulations;mesopeltidiummuchnarrowed,not
1915) were from his own collections ofseveral clearly seen; metapeltidium bearing a deep
male and female specimens from various median notch on anterior portion (Fig. 1), with
localities in Sri Lanka. He designated these a pair ofposterior setae. Anterior sternum with
collectionsassyntypesanddepositedthematthe 8-9setaeplusapairoflongstemapophysealsetae
ZoologicalSurveyofIndia,Calcutta(=Kolkata). from anterior margin, posterior sternumweakly
I had the opportunity to study a few sclerotised, bearing 5-6 setae.
specimens ofS. buxtoni Gravely and to prepare Abdomen: All tergites and sternites
redescriptions and illustrations, which would smooth, sternite I with two anterior rows of
facilitate future studies on this small, but most 8 setae and a pair of lateral oblique rows of 7
interesting invertebrate. setae(Fig. 13),sterniteII-IXwithapairoflateral,
1 submedianlateraland 1 pairofanteriormedian
Schizomus buxtoni Gravely setaeeach; setationonX-XIIsegmentsnotclear.
(Figs 1-16) TergitesI-VIIsmooth,withapairofmediansetae
1915. Schizomus (Trithyreus) buxtoni and tergites VIII-IX with a pair ofmedian and
,
Gravely, Rec. Indian Mus. 11: 383-6. lateral setae. Segment XII with only 4 dorsal
mm
General: Body colour yellowish-brown, setae clearly noticeable. Flagellum 0.342
darker on pedipalps and cheliceral fingers, but long, most ofthe setae shaded or drooped (due
pale on distal digits of legs; sometimes with a to prolonged preservation) as in Fig. 14.
greenish tinge on larger specimens (Gravely Spermathecaewithtwopairsofspearheadedlobes,
1915). Dorsal body surface smooth on most of with undulating inner surface (Figs 15 & 16).
the anteriorportions ofpropeltidium, but rough Chelicerae: Basal segment smooth,
with microscopic suturous reticulation on slightly depressed medially, fixed finger with
JOURNAL, BOMBAYNATURAL HISTORYSOCIETY, 98(1),APR. 2001 133
.
MISCELLANEOUSNOTES
aspect.
aspect;
lateral
aspect;
retromarginal
flagellum,
dorsal
for
Palp,
Chelicera, 6. X-XII
d
3. aspect;
Segments
Gravely aspect;
lateral 8.
IV,
biixtoni aspect;
promarginal
Femur
5. ventral
Schizomus
Chelicera, aspect;
1-8:
flagellum,
2.
Figs dorsal
I, with
aspect;
IX-XII
dorsal metatarsus
Segments
Tarsus,
Cephalothorax,
4.
Abdominal
1.
7.
134 JOURNAL, BOMBAYNATURAL HISTORYSOCIETY, 98(1), APR. 2001
MISCELLANEOUSNOTES
4minuteteethbetweentwolargeouterteeth(Figs median pair and a lateral pair of setae, tergite
&
2 3),movablefingerwithsmoothserrula,with IX less than halfthe length oftergite VIII and
12-13 minute teeth ridge and a tooth on lateral with a pair of median and two lateral pairs of
anterior margin (Figs 2 & 3), types of setae setae. Segments X-XII telescoped, X with one
presentType1-3, II-4,III-7, IV-4,V-3 andVI-1. mediolateral, 2 pairs oflateral setae; XI with 6-
Pedipalps: Short and stout, trochanter 8 ventral setae, dorsalsetaenotclear; XII with2
produced, but not acutely, bearing 6-7 spinose pairs of strong dorsomedians, 2 pairs of short
setae, femora rounded and anteroventrally and stout laterals and 6 ventral setae. Male
knobbedwithspinesonexteriorsurface,patellae flagellum short, 0.414 long, and 0.27 wide,
without spur, but with long pilose setae on sphere shaped, knobbed with two lateral lobes,
ventromesal margins, a pair oflonger plumose not much sclerotized and provided with a
setaeondistalend,tibiaenotrounded,butalmost ventromedian, elongated along with ventral
pentagonalwithmanysetaeondorsalandmesal medianlineasemi-dumbbellshapedtransparent
surfaces,withalongsetaonventromesalsurface, hyaline piece (Figs 7 & 8), with 2d, 2dm, 2L
tarsus-basitarsus with several short and some and3Vsetae.Legs: I-IVasinTable2,basitarsal-
long plumose setae, spur about 0.6 and claws tarsal proportions as 27:4:5:6:5:4:15 (Fig. 12),
about 1.2timesdorsallengthoftarsus-basitarsus. Femora IV 2.6 times as long as deep (Fig.11),
Legs: Leg I-IV as in Table 1, basitarsal- anterior sternum with 7 setae and a pair oflong
tarsal proportions as 22:3:4:4:5:5:13 (Fig. 4). stemapophysialsetaeonanteriormargin,posterior
Femora IV about 3.3 times long as deep. sternum with 5-6 setae.
Measurements (in mm): Male syntype Materialexamined: 19,1 d,fromthetype
total length 3.96, cephalothorax 1.88 long, 1.00 seriesdepositedatNationalZoologicalCollections,
wide; abdomen 2.08 long. Zoological Survey ofIndia, Calcutta(=Kolkata).
Cephalothorax:Propeltidium1.28,almost Type Locality: i. Polonuruwa, North
same as infemale syntype, except2 medianand central Province, Sri Lanka (Ceylon), several
2 lateral setae;mesopeltidiumnotveryclearand 9 9 and dd collected from under rocks and
very narrow, thus invisible, transparent due to leaves.
longpreservation;metapeltidiumdeeplynotched ii. Minneriya, North Central Province
medially (Fig. 9). 3 9 9.
Abdomen: Tergites I-V each with a pair iii. Sigiri, Central Province many 9 9 and
of median setae, tergites VI-VIII each with a dd.
Table1
MEASUREMENTS(INMM):FEMALESYNTYPES'.BUXTONIGRAVELY
Pedipalp LegsI II III IV
Coxa 0.67 0.51 0.52 0.36 0.36
Trochanter 0.34 0.36 0.36 0.23 0.27
Femur 0.43 1.10 1.08 0.99 1.22
Patella 0.54 1.39 0.54 0.32 0.34
Tibia 0.47 1.12 0.52 0.38 0.81
Tarsus 0.40 0.34 0.41 0.79
0.22
Basitarsus 0.61 0.36 0.40 0.50
Total 2.67 3.09 3.45 3.09 4.29
JOURNAL, BOMBAYNATURAL HISTORYSOCIETY, 98(1),APR. 2001 135
MISCELLANEOUSNOTES
aspect.
dorsal
(magnified),
Spermathecae
.
16
136 JOURNAL. BOMBAYNATURAL HISTORYSOCIETY. 98(1). APR. 2001
MISCELLANEOUSNOTES
Table2
MEASUREMENTS(INMM):MALESYNTYPES.BUXTONIGRAVELY
Pedipalp Legs1 11 III IV
Coxa 0.54 0.72 0.54 0.36 0.33
Trochanter 0.49 0.42 0.23 0.27 0.43
Femur 0.60 1.62 0.94 0.88 1.40
Patella 0.61 2.20 0.56 0.36 0.54
Tibia 0.54 1.55 0.65 0.4 1.10
Tarsus 0.56 0.52 1.00
0.27 1.90
Basitarsus 0.43 0.36 0.45
Total 3.05 8.41 3.91 3.15 5.25
Distribution: North Central and Central RegionalStation,PuneforfacilitiesandtheArtist
Provinces ofSriLanka only. section, ZSI, WRS, Pune for preparing the ink-
lined illustrations.
Acknowledgements
February 16, 2000 D.B.BASTAWADE
I thank Dr J.R.B. Alfred, Director, Zoological Survey ofIndia,
Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata for the 251 Western RegionalStation,
,
facilities to study the syntypes at ZSI, Kolkata. Vidyanagar, Sec. 29
I thank Drs R.C. Basu, A.K. Sanyal, and Opp. Akurdi Railway Station,
B. Biswas fortheirkindco-operationduring the Rawat Road,
studies,theOfficers-in-ChargeofZSI,Arunachal Pune411 044,
PradeshFieldStation,Itanagar,andZSI,Western Maharashtra, India.
ReferENCES
Bastawade, D.B. (1985): The first report ofthe order Gravely,F.H.(1911b):ThespeciesofCeylonPedipalpi.
Schizomida (Arachnida) from Southern India. SpoliaZeylanica 7: 135-140.
J. Bombaynat. Hist. Soc. 82: 689-691. Gravely,F.H.(1912):NotesonPedipalpiinthecollection
Bastawade,D.B. &T.K. Pal(1992):Thefirstrecordof oftheIndianMuseum.Rec. IndianMus. 7: 101-110.
the Arachnid order Schizomida from Arunachal Gravely,F.H.(1915):NoteonPedipalpiinthecollection
Pradesh.J. Bombaynat. Hist. Soc. 89(1): 137. of Indian Museum V, Tarterides collected by
Fernando, E.F. (1957): A new species ofSchizomus Mr.B.H.BuxtoninCeylonandtheMalaya.Rec.Indian
(Trithyreus)formicoidesfromCeylon.Ann.Mag.Nat. Mus. 77:383-386.
Hist. 10(12): 13-16. Pocock,R.I.(1900):TheFaunaofBritishIndia,including
Gravely,F.H.(1911a):NotesonPedipalpiinthecollection CeylonandBurma.Arachnida.Taylor&Francisxii+
oftheIndianMuseum.Rec. IndianMus. 6:33-38. 279.
MORPHOLOGY OF EURYCERCUSLAMELLATUS(MULLER), CHYDORIDAE:
31.
CLADOCERA, FROM THE HIGH ALTITUDE WETLANDS OF SIKKIM, INDIA
(With thirteen text-figures)
Chydoridae is the largest family of the examined the phylogenetic relationships
Order Cladocera, and is clearly defined amongst its members and established four
morphologically and ecologically. Frey (1967) subfamilies, namely Eurycercinae, Sayciinae,
JOURNAL. BOMBAYNATURAL HISTORYSOCIETY. 98(1),APR. 2001 137