Taxonomy of the thelyphonid genus Typopeltis Pocock, 1894, including homology proposals for the male gonopod structures (Arachnida, Thelyphonida, Typopeltinae)

Abstract

The genus Typopeltis Pocock, 1894 is poorly known regarding its systematics, natural history, and distribution, despite important taxonomic advances during the 1990s. Currently, only 13 species are known from East Asia, including areas in south China, Japan, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Taiwan. In this work, we describe and illustrate a new species of Typopeltis from Vietnam and provide a new description for the male of T. guangxiensis Haupt & Song, 1996. Additionally, we describe and illustrate the female gonopod of T. guangxiensis for the first time and propose a new homology hypothesis for the male gonopod parts. The male of T. laurentianus sp. n. is characterized by the unique patellar apophysis that presents a smooth texture and no spines. Typopeltis laurentianus sp. n. is the third species of this genus to be described from Vietnam.