Vol. 57, 2018

(update: 2018.11.27; 12.12) 

A Review of the Harvestman Genus Metadentobunus (Opiliones: Sclerosomatidae: Gagrellinae) With A Description of A New Species From Taiwan

Ssu-Li Chen¹ and Hsi-Te Shih^1,2,*

¹Department of Life Science, National Chung Hsing University, 250 Kuo Kuang Road, Taichung 402, Taiwan
²Research Center for Global Change Biology, National Chung Hsing University, 250 Kuo Kuang Road, Taichung 402, Taiwan

(Received 2 July 2018; Accepted 18 October 2018; Communicated by Benny K.K. Chan)

Ssu-Li Chen and Hsi-Te Shih (2018) The harvestman genus Metadentobunus is endemic to Taiwan, and has two taxa, M. formosae formosae Roewer, 1915 and M. formosae garampiensis Suzuki, 1944. The two subspecies have been raised as two species, and this study redescribes the type species M. formosae based on the type specimen and a neotype of M. garampiensis Suzuki, 1944 is assigned. A new species, Metadentobunus brevispinus sp. nov., is also established from central Taiwan based on morphological and molecular evidence. This new species differs from other congeneric species by having one pair of shorter (than other congeners) spines at frontal margin of the ocularium. It can also be distinguished from M. garampiensis by the basal shape of the penile shaft (constricted vs. parallel), location of the seminal receptacle in ovipositor (5th-6th segment vs. 6th-7th segment) and number of ampullas in the terminal of the seminal receptacle (2 vs. 3). Molecular evidence from mitochondrial 16S rDNA and cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) further supports the identity of this new species. An identification key for this genus is included as well.

Key words: Metadentobunus brevispinus, M. garampiensis, Morphology, New species, Neotype, Redescription, 16S rDNA, COI.

*Correspondence: E-mail: htshih@dragon.nchu.edu.tw