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Camel-spider (Karschia Walter, 1889) got two new species, Karschia shannan and Karschia trisetalis

Camel-spider (Karschia Walter, 1889) got two new species, Karschia shannan and Karschia trisetalis

NEWS - Two new species have been reported from Xizang, China, Karschia shannan and Karschia trisetalis which were added to the genus Karschia Walter (1889) which so far contains 32 species distributed in North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia with 12 of them described from western China.

Solifugae commonly known as camel spiders, sun spiders and wind scorpions are an order of mostly nocturnal, fast-moving and predatory arachnids characterized by their powerful two-segmented chelicerae and voracious appetite.

Shannan camel-spider (K. shannan) is named after Shannan City where the specimen was collected and K. trisetalis is a combination of the Latin word "tri" meaning three, "seta" as a spiniform structure and the suffix "ālis" meaning āle which together mean "pertaining to three setae" referring to the flagella complex of the male chelicerae with three fcs.

K. shannan differs in males from all Karschia species by the ventral coxae of leg Ⅲ with specialized tubular setae. Pedipalpal metatarsus with dense papillae, apex of fixed cheliceral finger (FT) tapering, reduced number of ctenidia on sternite Ⅳ and flagella proximally with small lateral apophyses. Plumose setae of flagella complex (fcp) are moderate in size.

Females can be diagnosed by the genital operculum, although usually triangular, lacking a clear boundary between the genital plates, while the genital opening is not visible between the genital and distal plates. In addition, it has long ctenidia reaching the posterior margin of adjacent sternites and needle-like on sternite Ⅳ.

Three seta camel-spider (K. trisetalis) differs in males from all other Karschia species by the flagella complex with three spiniform setae of flagella complex (fcs) and fixed cheliceral finger with two small subterminal teeth (FST). Females can be distinguished from other Karschia species by the deeply indented central region of the genital plates and the genital opening visible between the plates.

The camel-spider genus Karschia (Arachnida, Solifugae) was erected and placed in the Galeodidae Sundevall (1833) by Walter (1889) with the type species Karschia cornifera Walter (1889) from Turkmenistan. Kraepelin (1899) erected the subfamily Karschiinae Kraepelin (1899) under the Solpugidae Leach (1815) and transferred Karschia to this new subfamily.

Roewer (1933) elevated the Karschiinae to the rank of family. Harvey (2003) refined the classification by dividing the genus Karschia into two subgenera: Karschia Walter (1889) and Karschia (Rhinokarschia) Birula (1935), based on morphological characteristics, in particular the presence or absence of horn-like crests on the cheliceral permanent digits of the males.

Recent studies have confirmed that the Karschiidae of Kraepelin (1899) belong to the suborder Boreosolifugae Kulkarni (2023) and may be monophyletic. However, despite this clarification at the family level, the relationships within the genus Karschia remain unclear and further research is needed to elucidate the diversity and phylogeny within the genus.

Original research

Fan W, Zhang C, Zhang F (2024). Two new species of Karschia Walter, 1889 from Xizang, China (Solifugae, Karschiidae). Biodiversity Data Journal 12, DOI:10.3897/BDJ.12.e129933
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