Two new species of Synsphyronus (Pseudoscorpiones: Garypidae) from southern Western Australian granite landforms

WA Museum Records and Supplements | Updated 8 years ago

ABSTRACT – Two new species of Synsphyronus, S. francesae and S. ellenae, are described from southern Western Australia. These species occur on granite outcrops where they congregate under exfoliating pieces of granite. Synsphyronus francesae occurs near the south coast of Western Australia, while S. ellenae occurs in the central wheatbelt region. Synsphyronus ellenae is the first species of the genus with an adult trichobothrial pattern of six trichobothria on the fixed finger and two on the moveable finger (6/2), although some variation was observed with five or seven trichobothria occasionally present. All other species of Synsphyronus have patterns of 8/3, 8/2, 8/1, 7/2 or 7/1. The only other species of Garypidae with a 6/2 pattern is Meiogarypus mirus Beier from Namibia, and the only species with lower trichobothrial numbers are Elattogarypus cruciatus Beier from South Africa, E. somalicus Mahnert from Somalia, E. cicatrosus Mahnert from the Yemeni island of Socotra, and Eremogarypus eximius Beier from Namibia, each with a 5/1 pattern. The conservation status of these species is examined.

KEYWORDS: inselbergs, monadnocks, taxonomy, morphology, Arachnida, conservation, short-range endemics.