Sarax sarawakensis

Remarks: Sarax sarawakensis was first described by Thorell (1888) in the genus Charon based on a single female from Sarawak. The species was later transferred to Sarax by Simon (1892) when the genus was established. The type species, Sarax brachydactylus Simon 1892, was found in the Philippines from caves situated near Antipolo, San-Mateo and Calapnitan (Simon 1892). Delle Cave (1986) provided additional information on the holotype of S. sarawakensis, which she compared with a Sarax specimen from Singapore in the collection of the British Museum. She noted differences between the holotype and specimen from Singapore, where the pedipalpal patella possessed only one spine between P 1 and the distal margin instead of two. Gravely (1911) reported this species from Singapore which he named Sarax sarawakensis singaporae which was later elevated to species level and moved to the genus Phrynichosarax (Gravely 1915), forming the combination P. singaporae. The genus Phrynichosarax was based on the presence of three basitibial segments of leg IV (Gravely 1915), but Weygoldt (2000) synonymised it with Sarax. A single female specimen of Sarax sp. from Bacangan, Palawan Island, was found in the FMNH collection. It has small setiferous tubercles and one spine between spine P 1 and the distal margin of the pedipalpal patella, and 17 trichobothria on tibia of leg IV which conforms to S. sarawakensis (Fig. 20). Fage (1946) compared the pedipalp spination of three species, S. davidovi Fage, 1946, S. brachydactylus and S. sarawakensis. Among them, S. brachydactylus can be distinguished from other congeners by the presence of two spines between P 1 and the distal margin, five major spines on the pedipalpal patella and four major spines on the pedipalpal femur (see Fage 1946, fig. 3). Sarax sarawakensis has four major spines on the pedipalpal patella (Fig. 17) and three major spines on the pedipalpal femur with additional distal minor spines. The specimen from Raja Basa (southern Sumatra) shows similar pedipalp spination. Although the number and arrangement of trichobothria on leg IV in the type of S. brachydactylus is unknown, the specimen of Sarax from Palawan is clearly similar to S. brachydactylus based on the spination of the pedipalpal patella and femur as specified in the identification key by Kraepelin (1899) and the figure by Fage (1949).

Distribution: Sarax sarawakensis is known from Andaman Island, Peninsular Malaysia (Selangor), Java, Sumatra [new record] (Indonesia), and Borneo (Sarawak) (Fig. 41).

Material examined: Female holotype (MCSG), MALAYSIA: Sarawak: (labeled “ Sarax saravakensis Thor. Sarawak, Viag Doria and Beccari ”). 1 female (MNHN. Am. 17), INDONESIA: Java: labeled “ Sarax saravakensis Thor., Kraepelin det. 1900, Java, Raffray 1005.77, 1877 ”. 1 female (MZB. Ambl. 149), INDONESIA: Lampung: Kalianda, Raja Basa, GPS coordinates 5 ° 46.896´S, 105 ° 37.687´E, altitude 1255 m. asl., 15 August 2004, A. Riedel.