Draculoides belalugosii is a species of schizomid arachnid (commonly known as a short-tailed whip-scorpion or spricket) in the family Hubbardiidae. It is endemic to Australia.
Taxonomy and Naming
The species was described in 2020 by Australian arachnologists Kym Abrams and Mark Harvey. The specific epithet belalugosii honors the Hungarian-American actor Bela Lugosi (1882–1956), who famously portrayed Count Dracula in the classic 1931 film Dracula. The genus name Draculoides itself references Dracula, creating a thematic link between the genus and the actor.
Description
Draculoides belalugosii is a small, yellowish-brown arthropod measuring approximately 3 mm in body length. Key morphological features include:
- A propeltidium with 2 + 1 apical setae arranged in a triangular formation on the anterior process.
- Presence of eye spots.
- Mesopeltidia that are widely separated.
- A partially divided metapeltidium.
- The fixed finger of the chelicerae bears 2 large teeth with 5 smaller teeth between them.
- The membranous area between the fixed and movable fingers has 3 large lanceolate setae with apical barbs.
Females can be distinguished from other Draculoides species by the structure of their genitalia.
Distribution and Habitat
The species occurs in the arid Pilbara region of North West Western Australia. The type locality is Buckland Hills, approximately 45 km south-south-east of the iron-ore mining town of Pannawonica, and about 1,400 km north of Perth. It is a troglobitic (cave-dwelling) species.
References
- Abrams, K. M.; Harvey, M. S.; Hillyer, M. J.; Didham, R. K.; Harvey, M. S. (2020). "A systematic revision of Draculoides (Schizomida: Hubbardiidae) of the Pilbara, Western Australia, Part I: the Western Pilbara". Zootaxa. 4864 (1): 1–75. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4864.1.1. PMID 33311416.
- "Species Draculoides belalugosii Abrams & Harvey, 2020". Australian Faunal Directory. Dept of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Australia. 2020-12-24.
