Haasia jalzici Antić and Dražina, 2015

Haasia jalzici Antić and Dražina , sp.n.

Figs 19–29 View FIGURES 19 – 22 View FIGURES 23 – 26 View FIGURES 27 – 29

Material examined. Holotype male: Ponor Sušik Cave, Drežničko Polje, village of Drežnica, near Ogulin, Gorski Kotar, Croatia, 45°8'43.00"N, 15°5'35.00"E, 09.VI.2007, leg. N. Raguž ( CBSS, DIP 416). Paratype male: same data as for holotype (IZB ANG HM 100–1).

Etymology. The new species is named after Branko Jalžić, renowned Croatian biospeleologist, a man who has led and is still leading numerous speleological, biospeleological, and paleontological explorations of Ponor Sušik Cave.

Diagnosis. Differs from all other Haasia species in the presence of a biramous medial sternal process on the posterior gonopods ( Fig. 29 View FIGURES 27 – 29 ).

Description. Body with 30 segments (including telson).

Measurements: Holotype male 11.5 mm long, vertical diameter of its largest pleurotergite 1 mm; paratype male 11 mm long, vertical diameter of its largest pleurotergite 1 mm.

Coloration: Pigmentless, yellowish white.

Head ( holotype ♂): With slightly convex frontal side. Labrum with three medial labral teeth, and with 4+4 outer, less distinct teeth. With 4+4 labral and 2+2 supralabral setae. Promentum triangular, without setae; lingual plates with 6+6 setae in two rows (5+5 setae in the outer row and 1+ 1 in the inner row); stipites with 20+20 setae. Antennae elongated, 2.4 mm long. Length of antennomeres: I (0.12), II (0.27), III (0.59), IV (0.4), V (0.57), VI (0.21), VII (0.22), and VIII (0.02), respectively. Length/breadth ratios of antennomeres I-VII: I (1), II (2), III (4.5), IV (3), V (4), VI (1.5), and VII (2.2). Antennomeres II, IV, and V slightly clavate. Antennomeres II, IV, V, VI, and VII with one, three, one, four and one sensillum (sensilla), respectively. Blind.

Collum: Narrower than head, with six macrochaetae. Anterior side semicircular, posterior side slightly concave.

Body segments: Prozonites with hexagonal tiles ( Fig. 19 View FIGURES 19 – 22 ). Metazonites with scale-like structures ( Fig. 21 View FIGURES 19 – 22 ). Dorso-medial areas of metazonites smooth ( Fig. 19 View FIGURES 19 – 22 ). Edge of metazonites with longitudinal outgrowths which communicate with some denticles of the limbus ( Figs 20 and 21 View FIGURES 19 – 22 ). Lateral keels developed, but absent from pleurotergites XXVIII and XXIX. Macrochaetae medium-sized on anterior pleurotergites, on knobs; fallen off from the other pleurotergites. Macrochaetal index CIX (pleurotergite 15) ~ 0.45; median index MIX (pleurotergite 15) ~ 1.30; paratergal index PIX (pleurotergite 15) ~ 0.40; macrochaetal angle MA (pleurotergite 15) ~120° ( Fig. 20 View FIGURES 19 – 22 ).

Telson: Epiproct with a pair of spinnerets and six setae arranged in two rows (2+2 marginal trichoid setae and 1+1 paramedial bacilliform seta). Hypoproct with two apical trichoid setae. Paraprocts with 3+3 marginal trichoid setae.

Walking legs: Elongated. Leg pairs 1 and 2 with tarsal combs, prefemora with several long and robust setae, femora and postfemora with numerous long and robust setae.

Male sexual characters: Leg pairs 3–7 slightly enlarged. Leg pair 7 with saber-like tarsi. Without other peculiarities on leg pairs 3–7. Leg pairs 10 and 11 with coxal glands, without other peculiarities.

Anterior gonopods ( Figs 23–28 View FIGURES 23 – 26 View FIGURES 27 – 29 ): Constructed according to the type in other species of the genus Haasia . Oral side with a transverse basal sternal plate ( sp), while caudal side includes two medially connected arches ( ar). The most dominant and highest structures are the anterior shield-like coxal processes ( a) [= telopodites sensu Verhoeff (1930) and Strasser (1935, 1940, 1966a, 1966b, 1971b) or the anterior coxal stem sensu Mršić (1992)], which are very broad in the basal part, gradually tapering towards the top (distally). These parts are clearly separated from each other and are laterally connected with the syncoxite ( sco). At the widest part of the shield-like process, there are two short horns, an outer larger one ( h1) and an inner smaller one ( h2); also present are apical posterior denticles ( d) and postero-mesal protrusions ( p). Syncoxite almost the same width as both shield-like processes; consisting of a triangulum ( t) and two bristle apparatuses on each side: inner ( b1) and posterior ( b2) one. The medial part of the syncoxite is horizontal and covered with very short barely visible hairs; it represents the top of the trianglum, which is connected with the highest, antero-mesally curved, lateral parts of the syncoxite ( lp), also covered with minute hairs. Extremely laterally on each side of the syncoxite there is one horn ( h3).

Posterior gonopods ( Fig. 29 View FIGURES 27 – 29 ): Medial sternal process ( m) [= medianen Aufsatz sensu Verhoeff (1930), Mittelfortsatz/Mittelaufsatz sensu Strasser (1935, 1940, 1966a, 1966b), or medial sternite process sensu Mršić (1992)] is divided into two long, orally curved horns. In situ these horns touch the medial area of the syncoxite (top of the triangulum). Lateral coxal processes ( lcp) [= gonopodialen Fortsätze sensu Verhoeff (1930) and Strasser (1935, 1966b), Seitenteile sensu Strasser (1940, 1966b), or lateral sternite processes sensu Mršić (1992)] are well developed, wide, and shield-like in lateral view. Both anterior and posterior sides strongly denticulated. Posterior side with the greater number of denticles. Anterior side with a few denticles, of which the basal one is the largest.

Habitat. Ponor Sušik Cave is a branching cave with an underground stream in the main channel. This cave functions as a periodic sinkhole. It is still being investigated speleologically and for now there are over 1.5 km of known channels. In one fossil channel numerous skeletal remains of cave bear ( Ursus spelaeus ) and so-called “bear polishes” were found ( Malez et al. 1988).