Balkan populations of Rafalskia olympica (KULCZYNSKI, 1903) are distinguished as separate subspecies Rafalskia olympica bulgarica ST ARI::GA, 1963 novo stat. Certain novel details of the R. olympica female body structure are presented. It is stated that Metaplatybunus drenskii SILHAVY, 1965 is not a synonym of R. olympica

Karaman, Ivo M.

English

Hochschulschriftenserver - Universität Frankfurt am Main

Arachnol. Mitt. 24:62-71  Basel, Oktober 2002 A contribution to  the knowledge of the  species Rafalskia olympica (KULCZYNSKI, 1903) (Opiliones, Phalangiidae, Phalangiinae) Ivo M. KARAMAN Abstract:  Balkan  populations  of Rafalskia  olympica  (KULCZYNSKI,  1903)  are distinguished as separate subspecies Rafalskia olympica bulgarica ST  ARI::GA,  1963 novo stat.. Certain novel details oftheR. olympica female body structure are presented. It  is stated that Metaplatybunus drenskii SILHA  vY, 1965 is not a synonym of  R.  olympica. Keywords: Phalangiinae, Rafalskia olympica, Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey INTRODUCTION Among the  genera of the  subfamily Phalangiinae  (Phalangiidae)  with insufficiently  outlined  differential  characters  the  genus Rafalskia STARI;:GA, 1963 also occupies a prominent position. It  was characterized on the basis of  a number of  characters, which are more widely distributed among species of  the subfamily and not restricted to the group in question. Considering the incomplete knowledge of  a number of  species described to date and their final taxonomic status, it is difficult to discuss the validity and relationships  of the  individual  genera of the  subfamily  Phalangiinae. Therefore, I tried to elucidate the position of  the genusRafalskia using some new data on the species R.  olympica. The genus was established in 1963 as a sub genus by ST  ARI;;GA (1963), who described a new species Paropilio (Rafalskia) bulgaricus based on one male specimen from Bulgaria. SILHAVY (1965) raised Rafalskia from sub genus to  the rank of genus and in  addition to R.  bulgarica he also included the species Eudasylobus insularis ROEWER, 1956 in this genus (the  latter  species  was  synonimized with Metaplatybunus  rhodiensis ROEWER, 1927 by MARTENS 1965). STARI;;GA  (1976) synonymized 62 the  species Rafalskia  bulgarica  with Platybunus  strigosus  olympicus KULCZYNSKI, 1903 (described from NW  Asia  Minor, again based on one male specimen) as Rafalskia olympica (KULCZYNSKI, 1903). ROEWER (1923)  already  raised P.  strigosus  olympicus  on  species  rank  as Metaplatybunus  olympicus (KULCZYNSKI,  1903).  ST~GA  (1976) synonymized Metaplatybunus drenskii SILHA  W, 1965, known only on the basis  of a  female  specimen,  with R.  olympica.  He also  attributed characteristics of  M  drenskii to unknown females of  Rafalskia olympica. STA~GA  (1976, 1980) in addition to a nominate species also included in this  genus  Metaplatybunus  petrophila  MARTENS,  1965  and Metaplatybunus  creticus ROEWER,  1923  (synonymizing the  later one with Metaplatybunus rhodiensis ROEWER, 1924). By surveying the material collected in western Serbia and also  the specimens from Bulgaria and Asia Minor, I found that the description of M  drenskii could not be matched to females of  R. olympica. Furthermore, I  found stability within certain characters in the geographically widely separated populations of  western Serbia and different localities in Bulgaria. These data served as the basis for distinguishing the Balkan populations of this species from the specimens of  Asia Minor by separating them here into a separate subspecies: Rafalskia olympica bulgarica ST~GA,  1963. The detailed descriptions of the species given by SILHA  W  (1965) (as R. bulgarica) and ST~GA  (1976) are herein completed with certain new data. In the following description characteristics deemed important to define the species and to differentiate between the two subspecies are also mentioned. Rafalskia olympica olympica (KULCZYNSKI, 1903) Platybunus strigosus (?) olympicus - KULCZYNSKI 1903: 632,667-670. Metaplatybunus olympicus - ROEWER 1923: 852. Rafalskia olympica - STA~GA  1980: 525 (data from Turkey). Material examined: Turkey: Uludag (Olympus Bithynicus): 1 male (holotype), 1900, (leg. F.WERNER), NMW Inv.-Nr.  11.701;  1 male,  1 female,  11.06.1969,  (leg.  O.PAGET - E.KRITSCHER -KBILEK), NMW Inv.-Nr.  11.703. 63 a b c Fig. 1: dorsal body view: a-b Rafalskia olympica bulgarica STARI::GA,  1963 : a) male from Sargan (5,1  mm), Zlatibor Mt., Serbia b) female ibid. (6,7 mm) c) Rafalskia olympica olympica (KULCZYNSKI,  1903), male from Mt. Uludag, Turkey (4,1  mm). 64 o a  f e Fig. 2: a-e: R.  o.  bulgarica, Sargan, Zlatibor Mt., Serbia, male (5,1 mm): a) penis, dorsal and lateral view; b) glans of  penis; c) chelicerae, inner face; d) chelicerae frontal view; e) pedipalp, inner face. f-h: R.  o.  olympica,Mt. Uludag, Turkey, male (holotype): t) penis, dorsal view; g) glans of  penis; h) chelicerae, inner face. 65 a c b Fig. 3. R.  o.  bulgarica, Sargan, Zlatibor Mt., Serbia, female (6,7 mm): a) chelicerae, inner face; b) pedipalp, inner face; c) receptaculum seminis. Male: Body (3.8-5.3 mm) completely pale (yellowish) in type specimen while in the other pale yellowish, marbled yellowish brown (Fig.  lc). Penis (3.8-4.1  mm) yellowish with narrow glans penis (Figs. 2f-g). Chelicerae yellowish with characteristic secondary sexual characters (Fig. 2h).  Frontal humps of second article  distinct,  but smaller than in  ssp. bulgarica.  Tips  of chelae  fingers  elongated,  strongly  pointed  and characteristically decussated, less so than in spp.  bulgarica (Fig. 2d). Pedipalps yellowish with conical elongated apophysis at base of femur (refer to Fig. 2e) and ventrobasal projection of  tibia. Legs yellowish, articles cylindrical. Tibia with somewhat flattened sides, almost pentagonal in cross section. Femur 11:  6.4-6.5 mm. 66 Female: Body (5.4 mm) yellowish with yellowish brown marbled dorsal pattern. Receptacula seminis in rings 5-7 of  ovipositor, subsidiary ampulla present but not clearly visible, no significant differences when compared with spp. bulgarica (Fig. 3c). Chelicerae yellowish, without frontal apophysis and with normally shaped chelae. Pedipalps yellowish, without strong spines. Femora  and tibiae short compared with males. Conical apophysis on femur basis less distinct than in males. Patella and tibia with distinct medial apophyses (refer to Fig. 3b). Legs yellowish as in males. Femur II: 6.0 mm. Distribution: known so far from Uludag Mt., NW Asia Minor. Rafalskia olympica bulgarica STAREGA, 1963 novo stat. Paropilio (Rafalskia) bulgaricus - STAREGA 1963: 289-292. Rafalskia bulgarica - SILHA  vY 1965: 397-400. Rafalskia olympica - STAREGA 1976: 393-396. Rafalskia olympica - STAREGA 1980: 525 (data from Bulgaria). Material examined: Bulgaria:  1 female,  1 male,  East Rhodopi Mts.,  Gugutka 250-300 m,  23.04.1995,  leg. B.PETROV &  B.BUREV; 4 males, Rila Mt., Suchoto ezero,  1900-2460 m,  pitfall traps, 11.1993-11.1994,  leg.  S.TONKOV;  1 female,  1  male,  W.  Rhodope  Mts.,  Smolyan, Zagrazhden,  1050-1100  m,  11.06.1985,  leg.  P.MITOV;  2 females,  W.  Rhodope  Mts., Smolyan Distr., Banite, 720 rn, 18.04. 1993, leg. P.MITOV; 1 male, Rhodope Mts., Smolyan Distr. above Banite, 1100 m,  03.05.1991, leg P.MITOV;  1 female,  Rhodope Mts.,above Smolyan, "Soskovche", 1550 m, 09.06.1995, leg. P.MITOV; 1 female, W. Rhodope Mts., Hvoyna,  1992,  leg.  P.MITOV;  1 male,  Strandzha Mt.,  Res.  Vitanovo, 26.05.1995, leg. P.MITOV Serbia: Zlatibor Mt.: 7 males Tomik, 1300 m., 08.07.1995, leg. LKARAMAN; 4 females, 7 males 3 subad. Tomik, 09.06.1996, leg. LKARAMAN; 1 fema1eSargan, 14.06.1991, leg. B.TALOSI &  LKARAMAN; 2 males,  Sargan,  7.07.1995, leg.  LKARAMAN;  2 males, Sargan, 08.06.1996, leg.  I.KARAMAN Diagnosis: R. o. bulgarica differs from the nominative subspecies in having a stronger apophysis on the male chelicerae, a longer penis truncus, the colour of  body and appendages colour, and a distinct dorsal pattern. 67 Male: Body (4.9-6.3 mm) light yellowish to light brown with more or less distinct dark brown (to almost black) dorsal saddle-like pattern and body sides (Fig. la). In specimens with completely dark brown dorsal side no saddle-like pattern. Penis with light brown to dark brown truncus and yellow glans. Truncus 4.5-5.6 mm long (Figs. 2a, b) Chelicerae (Fig.  2c) yellowish marbled with brown to  completely dark brown. Distinct frontal apophysis on second article (Fig. 2d). Chelae with strongly elongated and pointed fingers, characteristically decussated (Fig. 2d). Pedipalps (Fig. 2e) yellowish with marbled brown parts to completely dark brown articles. No other differential characteristics except coloration when compared with ssp.  olympica. Legs with cylindrical articles. Tibia with somewhat flattened sides, almost pentagonal in cross section.  Femur II:  7.3-9.5 mm.  Colour varies from yellowish marbled with light brown to dark brown. Female: Body 4.9-7.9 mm. Somewhat lighter coloured than male, dorsal saddle-like pattern less distinct than in males (Fig. 1  b). Position of  receptacula seminis (Fig. 3c) variable: in surveyed specimens in rings 5-7, 6-8, 6-9 and 7-11. Legs as in males, yellowish marbled with brown to light brown. Femur II:  6-7.2 mm. Distribution: Extended range in the Bulgarian mountains, i.e. in southeastern, south, and southwestern Bulgaria and in west Serbia on Mt. Zlatibor. No detailed data on localities in Greece (ST~GA  1976, 1980). I presume its occurrence in northern Greece too. Ecology: On the Mt. Zlatibor, specimens were collected exclusively from conifer trunks and branches (Pinus,  Picea),  females by shaking branches only, therefore indicating the true arboricoulous nature of the species. At the same sites and times a greater number of specimens of  Ri/aena serbica serbica KARAMAN, 1992 were found on bushes and denser herbaceous 68 vegetation while the species Platybunus bucephalus (C.L. KOCH, 1835) was less commonly present. REMARKS The structure of  pedipalps would be a shared feature and the main inclusion criterion  of the  species  included  by  STA~GA  (1980)  in the  genus Rafalskia. In these species the pedipalps (especially femora) are not armed with larger spines, the femora possess a more or less distinct conical apo-physis at the basis, while the tibia in males has a characteristic more or less distinct ventrobasal widening.  This  shape of the male tibia is  possibly correlated  with  a  specific  mode  of immobilization  of females  during copulation. In these species, eye tubercles are mostly of "normal" size. I believe that there is possibly also similarity in the organization of the female receptacula seminis, with an additional spherical-lobate accessory ampulla at the basis of  the main ampulla. The  characteristics  cited  above  are  also  applicable  to  the  species Platybunoides argaea SILRA  W, 1955, known on the basis of one male specimen only,  and representing a monotypic genus.  I assume that the species ofthe genus Rafalskia cited by STA~GA  (1980) andP. argea are closely related and that they probably belong to the same genus. In  that case the genus Rafalskia would be a junior synonym ofthe genusPlatybunoides. Knowledge of the female of  P.  argea would be needed for a definitive conclusion. Close to the above cited species, primarily in certain characteristics of pedipalp shape, is Metaplatybunus strigosus (L.  KOCH, 1867) and also close  to  it  and  far  less  known  is  Stankiella  montana HADZI,  1973 (Stankiella pretneri RADZI, 1973 is a synonym of  M  strigosus (KARA-MAN 1995)). The organization of  the receptacula seminis ofR. olympica resembles that of  M  strigosus. Some misinterpretation occurred in consequence of  the synonymization of the  species M  drenskii (described after one  female  from  Bulgaria) (STA~GA,  1976). Following this interpretation and the overlooking ofa less  well  known paper by SILHA  VY  (1974)  wherein the  species M  drenskii was recorded from western Serbia (Kablar Mt.) (again based only on female specimens), I described the species Rilaena serbica from the Serbian region (with two subspecies) (KARAMAN 1992). The features 69 characterizing M  drenskii correspond in large part to those of females of R.  serbica, indicating possible conspecifity. At least~ M  drenskii is very close to R. serbica, furthermore to R. buresi ( SILHA  VY, 1965). Following the present diagnosis of the genus, M  drenskii probably belongs to the genus Rilaena. To solve the problem, M  drenskii males are needed. On the basis of  sporadically collected material from some mountains in northern Montenegro, western, southern, and eastern Serbia, and a mountain from western Macedonia, as well as on the basis of  the material from some Bulgarian mountains (MITOV pers. comm.), it could be concluded that there is a Rilaena species or subspecies complex in the Balkan mountains. This complex includes R.  buresi and R. serbica (or M  drenskii, or both). The  populations  from  certain  mountains  show  specific  characteristics whose status is not easy to defme on the basis of  our incomplete knowledge of this  complex.  A  definitive picture and a judgment of the  status  of populations of this complex is  only possible on the basis of a detailed knowledge of the populations of extensive mountainous regions of the central  and  eastern  Balkan Peninsula.  This  task  is  made additionally difficult by a frequent, evidently local occurrence of populations of this complex, as well as by the minor taxonomical usefulness of  females. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Beitrag zur Kenntnis der Art Rafalskia olympica (KULCZYNSKI, 1903) (Opiliones, Phalangiidae, Phalangiinae) Die Populationen der Balkanhalbinsel von Rafalskia olympica werden zu einer gesonderten Unterart R.  olympica bulgarica gestellt.  Einige neue Details der Morphologie des Weibchens vonR. olympicawerden dargestellt. Metaplatybunus drenskii ist  kein Synonym von R.  olympica. Ac!<nowledgements: The author is grateful to Dr. J. Gruber (Naturhistorisches Museum, Wien) and Dr. P.  Mitov (Faculty of Biology, Sofia) for providing the material used in preparing the manuscript. 70 REFERENCES KARAMAN, I. (1992):  One new species of genus Rilaena,  Silhavy,  1965  (Opiliones, Phalangiidae) from Serbia. - Bull. Mus. Hist. Nat. Belgrade B 47:  131-137 KARAMAN, I. (1995):  Fauna opiliona (Arachnida,  Opiliones)  durmitorskog  podrucja. - M.  Sc. thesis. University of  Novi Sad: 73pp. KULCZYNSKI, V. (1903): Arachnoidea in Asia Minore et ad Constantinopolim a Dre. F. Wemer collecta. - SB Akad. Wiss., math.-naturw. Cl. I, Wien,  112: 627-680 MARTENS, J. (1965): Uber siidagaische Weberknechte der Inseln Karpathos, Rhodos und Kos (Arachnoidea, Opiliones). - Senck. bioI., Frankfurt a.  M., 46:61-79 STAR~GA,  W. (1963): Ein neuer Weberknecht,Paropilio (Rafalskia) bulgaricus subgen. n., sp. n.  (Opiliones). - Bull. Acad. pal. Sci., CLlI, 11,6: 289-292 ST~GA,  W. (1976): Die Weberknechte (Opiliones, excl. Sironidae) Bulgariens. - Ann. zool., Warszava, 33: 287-433 ST~GA,  W. (1980): Uber Platybunus strigosus (L. Koch, 1867), nebst Bemerkungen iiber andere Arten der Platybuninae (Opiliones: Phalangiidae). - Bull. Acad. pal. Sci., Cl.II,28, 8-9: 521-525 SILHAVY,  V.  (1965):  Die  Weberknechte  der  Unterordnung  Eupnoi  aus  Bulgarien; zugleich eine Revision europaischer Gattungen der Unterfamilien Oligolophinae und Phalanginae (Arachnoidea, Opilionidea). Ergebnise der zoologischen Expedition der Tschechoslowakischen Akademie der Wissenschaften nach Bulgarien im Jahre 1957 (Teil V.). - Acta ent. bohemoslov., Praha, 62: 369-406 SILHA  VY,  V.  (1974):  Nekolik sekacu z  Jugoslavie a Mongolska (Arach.,  Opiliones). - Zpravy Ceskoslov. spol. entomol., CSA  V, Praha, 10: 75-76 Ivo M. KARAMAN, Institute of  Biology and Ecology, University of  No  vi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovica 2, YU-21000 Novi Sad, Yugoslavia e-mail:  karaman@im.ns.ac.yu 71 

Arachnoidea in Asia Minore et ad Constantinopolim a Dre.

A contribution to the knowledge of the species Rafalskia olympica (KULCZYNSKI, 1903) (Opiliones, Phalangiidae, Phalangiinae)

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