Molecular and morphological characterization of new species of hypogean Paradraculoides (Schizomida: Flubbardiidae) from the arid Pilbara bioregion of Western Australia

The Australian schizomid fauna consists of eight genera distributed across the northern half of the country, and are mostly restricted to rainforest or subterranean ecosystems. Several schizomid species have been previously described from the arid Pilbara bioregion of Western Australia, occurring in subterranean cavities that are accessible only by troglofauna sampling. We document the schizomids from subterranean habitats on the western edge of the Hamersley Range using morphological characters and sequence data from the genes COI, ITS2 rRNA, 12S rRNA and 28S rRNA. Several genetic clades were found to cluster geographically, consistent with the geomorphology of the region. Adult males were available for four clades (Paradraculoides affinis sp. nov., P. cochranus sp. nov., P. confusus sp. nov. and P. trinity sp. nov.), females only were present for two clades (P. catho sp. nov. and P. ohrutus sp. nov.), and only a single juvenile was available for another Glade (P. celatus sp. nov.). We hypothesize that each of these clades represent distinct species which are here named and described.