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Simplified representation of only known whip spider from Eocene amber, Paracharonopsis cambayensis, Tad 456 (based on Engel and Grimaldi 2014)
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Whip spiders (Amblypygi), as their name suggests, resemble spiders (Araneae) in some aspects, but differ from them by their heart-shaped (prosomal) dorsal shield, their prominent grasping pedipalps, and their subsequent elongate pair of feeler appendages. The oldest possible occurrences of whip spiders, represented by cuticle fragments, date back t...
Citations
... nov. Paracharonopsis cambayensis Engel andGrimaldi, 2014, the Early Eocene amber fossil from Gujarat, India, is hereby removed from Paracharontidae for the following reasons: As noted by Haug and Haug (2021), the pedipalp orientation of P. cambayensis appears to be more horizontal than vertical (Engel and Grimaldi, 2014: 5, fig. 1) like Euamblypygi and unlike Paracharontidae. Furthermore, several other characters suggest that P. cambayensis is more closely related to Euamblypygi than to Paracharontidae. ...
... Unlike Weygoldt (1996), Garwood et al., (2017) scored Paracharon for the presence of lateral ocelli. Subsequently, Haug and Haug (2021) criticized some interpretations of Garwood et al. (2017), suggesting that other whip spider taxa (e.g., Charinus desirade Teruel and Questel, 2015) and arachnid orders (e.g., Thelyphonida) exhibit a projection of the anterior carapace margin similar to that observed in Paracharontidae, a putative synapomorphy of Paleoamblypygi, and further suggesting that the pedipalps of Paracharonopsis appear almost horizontally rather than vertically oriented. ...
... Another controversial character (Haug and Haug, 2021) is the projection of the anterior carapace margin, proposed as a synapomorphy for Paleoamblypygi by Weygoldt (1996) and Garwood et al. (2017). Although superficially similar in shape among some Euamblypygi, e.g., Charinus desidare and Sarax seychellarum (Kraepelin, 1898), the anterior carapace projection does not cover the cheliceral bases in these taxa, unlike in Graeophonus, Paracharon, and Jorottui. ...
The ancient, enigmatic whip spider family Paracharontidae Weygoldt, 1996, representing the basalmost lineage of the arachnid order Amblypygi Thorell, 1883, is revised. The monotypic West African genus Paracharon Hansen, 1921, from Guinea Bissau, is redescribed, based on a reexamina-tion and reinterpretation of the newly designated lectotype. A new troglobitic whip spider, Jorottui ipuanai, gen. et sp. nov., is described from a cave system in the upper basin of the Camarones River in the La Guajira Department of northeastern Colombia. This new taxon is the second extant representative of Paracharontidae and the first outside Africa. It is unambiguously assigned to the family based on several characters shared with Paracharon caecus Hansen, 1921, notably a projection of the anterior carapace margin, the tritosternum not projecting anteriorly, similar pedipalp spination, a reduced number of trichobothria on the tibia of leg IV, and cushionlike female gonopods. A detailed examination confirmed the absence of ocelli in both genera and the presence of three (Paracharon) vs. four (Jorottui, gen. nov.) prolateral teeth on the basal segment of the chelicera, the dorsalmost tooth bicuspid in both genera. The male gonopods of Paracharontidae are described for the first time. Paracharonopsis cambayensis Engel and Grimaldi, 2014, is removed from Paracharontidae and placed incertae sedis in Euamblypygi Weygoldt, 1996; amended, comparative diagnoses are presented for
... Not fictitious at all, amblypygids (sometimes called whip spiders because of their elongate antenniform legs) are nocturnal predators that can be found throughout the tropics and subtropics, with some species also inhabiting more temperate and desert zones (Weygoldt 2000;Chapin and Hebets 2016). These remarkable animals have changed little over evolutionary time, with complete fossils dating back to the Carboniferous (300 mya) and fossil fragments dating back 385 mya, to the Devonian (Dunlop 2010;Haug and Haug 2021). The order is monophyletic (Ban et al. 2022) and not particularly diverse in comparison to other arachnid orders, with just 255 currently described species compared to the spider Order Araneae with more than 50,300 currently described species (World Spider Catalog accessed 8 September 2022). ...
From both comparative biology and translational research perspectives, there is escalating interest in understanding how animals navigate their environments. Considerable work is being directed towards understanding the sensory transduction and neural processing of environmental stimuli that guide animals to, for example, food and shelter. While much has been learned about the spatial orientation behavior, sensory cues, and neurophysiology of champion navigators such as bees and ants, many other, often overlooked animal species possess extraordinary sensory and spatial capabilities that can broaden our understanding of the behavioral and neural mechanisms of animal navigation. For example, arachnids are predators that often return to retreats after hunting excursions. Many of these arachnid central-place foragers are large and highly conducive to scientific investigation. In this review we highlight research on three orders within the Class Arachnida: Amblypygi (whip spiders), Araneae (spiders), and Scorpiones (scorpions). For each, we describe (I) their natural history and spatial navigation, (II) how they sense the world, (III) what information they use to navigate, and (IV) how they process information for navigation. We discuss similarities and differences among the groups and highlight potential avenues for future research.
... Whip spiders (Amblypygi) are terrestrial euchelicerates consisting of ca. 220 species (Weygoldt 2000a(Weygoldt , 2002aHarvey 2003;Miranda et al. 2016Miranda et al. , 2018aHaug & Haug 2021). Amblypygids are tropical and subtropical organisms (Harvey 2003) that have dorso-ventrally flattened exoskeletons and inhabit gaps between rocks and gaps in trees (Weygoldt 2000a(Weygoldt , 2002a. ...
... Further, coxa of antenniform legs are not aligned with coxae of adjacent appendages. This species may therefore be the only extant example of a whip spider with nearly complete horizontally articulated pedipalps (Garwood et al. 2017;Haug & Haug 2021). Such a morphology was more common in some extinct groups ( fig. 3 in Garwood et al. 2017;Haug & Haug 2021). ...
... This species may therefore be the only extant example of a whip spider with nearly complete horizontally articulated pedipalps (Garwood et al. 2017;Haug & Haug 2021). Such a morphology was more common in some extinct groups ( fig. 3 in Garwood et al. 2017;Haug & Haug 2021). Thus, kinematic analyses of the joints of extant taxa exhibiting this trochanteral organization could enhance our understanding of joint morpho-functionality across amblypygid groups. ...
Amblypygi are tropical and subtropical ambush predators that use elongated, raptorial pedipalps for different activities. Although pedipalps use for predation and courtship has been explored in videography in-vivo analyses, kinematic ex-vivo examination of these appendages has not been conducted yet. Here, we rectify this lack of data by using micro-CT scans to 3D-kinematically model the appendage morphology and the range of motion (ROM) of the joints for Damon medius and Heterophrynus elaphus. We illustrate the successful application of this technique to terrestrial euarthropods in determining the maximum ROM values for each pedipalp joint. We also note that in life, these values would be lower due to motion restricting structures like tendons, arthrodial membranes and muscles. We further compare our maximum values obtained here with data from video-based motion analyses. The ROM of each joint shows the greatest flexibility in the femur-tibia joint (140–150°), the lowest in the basitarsus-claw joint (35–40°). ROM in the tibia-basitarsus joint is markedly distinct (D. medius: 44°; H. elaphus: 105°). This disparity reflects how H. elaphus uses the joint in the capture basket, while D. medius uses femur-tibia joint to form the capture basket. We further illustrate notable vertical motion of H. elaphus´ pedipalp compared to D. medius. This difference reflects the retro-ventral trochanter apophysis of H. elaphus. Our study opens the possibility to further whip spiders kinematic understanding. Examination of other taxa using this approach will result in a more comprehensive understanding of the ecological significance and ethological implications of this unique arachnid group.
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This is a supplement to the Burmese (Myanmar) amber checklist and bibliography covering taxa described or recorded during 2021, plus a few earlier records that were missed previously. Up to the end of 2021, 2,198 species were recorded from Kachin amber of which 337 were named in 2021. Five species were named or recorded from older Hkamti amber.
Like other arthropods, whip spiders of the arachnid order Amblypygi Thorell, 1883 protect themselves against external environmental influences. In addition to the epicuticle, the outermost layer of the exoskeleton, an additional cement layer, i.e., the cerotegument, is deposited as superhydrophic globules over certain body parts in this taxon. Due to the high level of interspecific variation, the cerotegument structure and the morphology of its associated gland openings, have been suggested to be informative for whip spider systematics and taxonomy. The first comparative study of the cerotegument is presented herein, based on a survey across four families, 16 genera and 62 species of Euamblypygi Weygoldt, 1996, the suborder comprising all extant whip spiders except the rare monotypic family Paracharontidae Weygoldt, 1996. Results confirmed that the morphology of the colloidal particles and their assembly on globules differ considerably among taxa, but that the level of variation differs among lineages. Interspecific variation in cerotegument ultrastructure was highest among species of Neoamblypygi Weygoldt, 1996, making it an informative character in this clade. Evolutionary trends and interspecific variation in the structure of the amblypygid cerotegument are briefly discussed. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
This taxonomic list is a supplement to Ross (2021). It includes taxa described or recorded from the beginning of January 2021 up to the end of May 2021, plus 3 species that were named in 2020 which were missed.
