Two new species of the genus emNemaspela/em Šilhavý from caves in Georgia (Opiliones: Nemastomatidae).

Zootaxa

Johannes Gutenberg-Universität, Institut für Organismische und Molekulare Evolutionsbiologie (iomE), D-55099 Mainz, Germany; Senckenberg Research Institute, Arachnology, D-60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Published: April 2021

Two highly specialized endemic troglobiotic harvestman species of the genus Nemaspela Šilhavý, 1966 are described. N. melouri sp. nov. from Melouri Cave and N. prometheus sp. nov. from Prometheus Cave (Sataplia-Tskaltubo karst massif, Imereti region, western Georgia), respectively. Despite the fact that the entrances of the caves are positioned only 2.5 km apart, the new taxa differ from each other distinctly by presence vs. absence of male cheliceral apophysis, which is lacking in the second species. A key to the Caucasian species of the genus is provided. Relationships of Nemaspela species within the genus and with hypothetical epigean ancestors are discussed.

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Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4951.3.7DOI Listing

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