Amblypygids of Timor-Leste: first records of the order from the country with the description of a remarkable new species of Sarax (Arachnida, Amblypygi, Charinidae)

Abstract

The whip spider genus Sarax Simon, 1892 is widely distributed throughout Southeast Asia and part of the Indo-Malayan region. The genus is recorded from several Indonesian islands, but no species are known from inside the area that comprises the biogeographical region of Wallacea, despite being recorded from both sides of the area. An expedition to survey the biology of caves in Timor-Leste (formerly East-Timor) discovered populations of amblypygids living underground and including a remarkable new species of Sarax, S. timorensis sp. n., the first Amblypygi known from the island of Timor. The new species is here described bears the unique character state of two pairs of lateral eyes, instead of three or none as in all other living species of Amblypygi, and expands the biogeographic range of the genus. New records of amblypygids are given for two caves in Timor-Leste. A detailed description and a discussion of its distribution and the species characters are also provided.