Skip to main content

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

Popular Posts

Purwaceng (Pimpinella pruatjan)

Purwaceng or purwoceng or antanan gunung or Viagra of Java ( Pimpinella pruatjan or Pimpinella priatjan ) are small termas growing horizontally in Apiaceae, growing in villages on Dieng Plateau, Central Java Province, Indonesia, at 1,500 to 2,000 meters above sea level, the roots have medicinal properties for aphrodisiacs and are usually processed in powder form for a mixture of coffee or milk. P. pruatjan grows flat on the ground but does not propagate, small leaves are reddish green for 1-3 cm in diameter. This plant is only found in Java and grows in high mountain areas. A low population where industrial demand is very high results in increasingly scarce. Another place that is likely to become a purwaceng habitat is the Iyang Mountains and the Tengger Mountains in East Java Province. Efforts to multiply and cultivate have a big problem where these plants have difficulty producing seeds. In vitro propagation research through tissue cultivation has been carried out to overcome ...

Six new species forming the Sumbana species group in genus Nemophora Hoffmannsegg 1798 from Indonesia

NEWS - Sumbawa longhorn ( Nemophora sumbana Kozlov, sp. nov.), Timor longhorn ( Nemophora timorella Kozlov, sp. nov.), shining shade longhorn ( Nemophora umbronitidella Kozlov, sp. nov.), Wegner longhorn ( Nemophora wegneri Kozlov, sp. nov.), long brush longhorn ( Nemophora longipeniculella Kozlov, sp. nov.), and short brush longhorn ( Nemophora brevipeniculella Kozlov, sp. nov.) from the Lesser Sunda Islands in Indonesia. The Lesser Sunda Islands consist of two parallel, linear oceanic island chains, including Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, Flores, Sumba, Sawu, Timor, Alor, and Tanimbar. The oldest of these islands have been continuously occurring for 10–12 million years. This long period of isolation has allowed significant in situ diversification, making the Lesser Sundas home to many endemic species. This island chain may act as a two-way filter for organisms migrating between the world's two great biogeographic regions, Asia and Australia-Papua. The recognition of a striking cli...

New living fossil, Amethyst worm lizard (Amphisbaena amethysta), from Espinhaço Mountain Range, Brazil

NEWS - New species from the northern Espinhaço Mountains, Caetité municipality, Bahia state, Brazil. Amethyst worm lizard ( Amphisbaena amethysta ) is the 71st species of the genus with 4 precloacal pores and the 22nd species of Caatinga morphoclimatic domain. Identification of the new species shows the reptiles of the Mountains are far from complete and may contain greater diversity of endemic taxa. A. amethysta can be distinguished by its anteriorly convex snout, slightly compressed and unkeeled, pectoral scales arranged in regular annuli, four precloacal pores, distinct head shield, 185-199 dorsal and half annuli, 13-16 caudal annuli, a conspicuous autotomy spot between the 4th-6th caudal annuli, 16-21 dorsal and ventral segments in the middle of the body, 3/3 supralabials, 3/3 infralabials and a smooth and rounded tail tip. A. amethysta occurs in areas with an average elevation of 1000 meters in patches of deciduous and semi-deciduous forests associated with valleys, slopes, fore...