Occidenchthonius ortunoi, Zaragoza, Juan A., 2017

Zaragoza, Juan A., 2017, Revision of the Ephippiochthonius complex in the Iberian Peninsula, Balearic Islands and Macaronesia, with proposed changes to the status of the Chthonius subgenera (Pseudoscorpiones, Chthoniidae), Zootaxa 4246 (1), pp. 1-221 : 186-189

Occidenchthonius ortunoi n. sp. ( Figs 296–301 )

Type locality. Spain, Valencian Community, Alicante province, Marina Alta, l’Atzúvia, Serra de l’Almirant, Cova del Almirant (38°50′06″N, 00°10′05″W; 404 m a.s.l.).

Distribution. Spain: Valencian Community.

Etymology. Species named after Dr Vicente Ortuño (University of Alcalá) in recognition of his generous collaboration in donating pseudoscorpion samples to my collection and to honour his important work on the subterranean fauna of the Iberian Peninsula, particularly on Carabidae (Coleoptera) .

Diagnosis (♂ ♀). A large, hypogean, strongly troglomorphic Occidenchthonius species. Movable cheliceral finger with isolated subapical tooth (di), spinneret prominent in female and absent in male, lyrifissure ldb absent; without eyes or eye-spots, anterior margin of carapace without preocular microsetae, posterior margin with 2 macrosetae; chelal hand very weakly depressed at level of ib / isb, with short and flattened hump distad of ib / isb and extremely gentle slope between trichobothria ib / isb and eb; fixed chelal finger with 27–31 teeth; distal half of movable chelal finger with 20–25 pointed teeth with dental canals, basal half of movable chelal finger with 10–17 rounded, partially fused, vestigial teeth, without canals, on raised lamina; pedipalpal femur (♂) 8.5–9.1, (♀) 8.7– 8.8 times longer than broad, length (♂) 1.15–1.20 mm, (♀) 1.28–1.30 mm; chela (♂) 7.9–8.3, (♀) 7.5–7.9 times longer than deep, length (♂) 1.62–1.70 mm, (♀) 1.72–1.82 mm; ratio movable chelal finger/chelal hand (♂ ♀) 1.7– 1.8; lacking lyrifissures ma1 and ma2, 4–5 lyrifissures fd (fd4 and fd5 present), 3 mv lyrifissures (mv3 present), all other chelal lyrifissure patterns present with their standard complements.

Type material examined. ♂ holotype (DEUA), 2 ♂, 3 ♀ (1 ♂, 2 ♀ DEUA, 1 ♀ MCNB, 1 ♂ MNCN), 3 tritonymph paratypes ( DEUA), Spain, Valencian Community, Alicante province, Marina Alta comarca , l’Atzúvia, Serra de l’Almirant , Cova de l’Almirant (38°50′06″N, 00°10′05″W; 404 m a.s.l.), 27.IX.2003, leg. V. Ortuño & J.A. Zaragoza ; 2 ♂, 1 ♀ paratypes (DEUA), 14.VI.2003, leg. V. Ortuño, A. Sendra & J.A. Zaragoza.

Description (♂ ♀). Large, hypogean, strongly troglomorphic species, with integument depigmented; weak hispid granulation on lateral surfaces of carapace, on cheliceral hand and even weaker on bases of chelal fingers.

Carapace ( Fig. 297 ) as long as or slightly longer than broad, constricted posteriorly; medial part of anterior margin strongly prominent, without a well-defined epistome, and strongly dentate ( Fig. 296 ). Without eyes or eyespots. Chaetotaxy: 18 setae, without preocular microsetae, 2 setae in posterior row, formula 4:6:4:2:2, anteromedial setae 0.17–0.18 mm long, sublateral ocular setae 0.09–0.13 mm; 4 lyrifissures anteriorly and 2 posteriorly.

Chelicera ( Figs 298, 299, 301 ) with 6–7 setae and 2 lateral microsetae on hand, seta vb short (0.06–0.07 mm long), microsetae 0.03–0.05 mm; hand with 4 dorsal and 1 ventral lyrifissure, lyrifissure ldb absent. Fixed finger with 9–13 teeth decreasing in size proximally, two distal teeth distinctly larger than others, 3–5 proximal microtubercles. Movable finger without an isolated subapical tooth (di), with 6–10 teeth decreasing in size proximally and 2–7 proximal microtubercles, the distal tooth larger than others; spinneret prominent in female ( Fig. 301 ), apically rounded, absent or reduced to an indistinct tubercle in male ( Fig. 299 ); seta gl 0.56–0.58 from base of movable finger. Rallum with 11 blades. Serrula exterior with 18–20 blades, serrula interior 15–17 blades.

Chaetotaxy of tergites 4:4:4:4:6:6:6:6:1T2T1:4:1T2T1:0, tergites IX and XI each with 2 sublateral tactile setae (0.28–0.32 and 0.29–0.40 mm long, respectively). Chaetotaxy of sternites 9–10:(3)7–8(3):(2)6– 7(2):8:6:6:6:6:2T1T2:0:2, lateral setae on sternite III macrosetal in size, sternite X with 2 submedial tactile setae (0.19–0.27 mm long); in addition, genital notch of male flanked by 8–12 setae on each side and 4+4 internal glandular setae.

Pedipalpal coxa with 5 setae (including 2 on manducatory process), distal marginal seta of disk 0.15–0.17 mm long; coxa I 3–4 + 3 marginal microsetae, distal marginal seta 0.08–0.09 mm long; II 4–5 + 9–14 bipinnate coxal spines, III 5–6 + 4–7 bipinnate coxal spines and IV 6; intercoxal tubercle bisetose.

Pedipalp with femoral chaetotaxy 3:7:3:6–8:1. Chela ( Fig. 300 ) with hand very weakly depressed at level of ib / isb, with short and flattened hump distad of ib / isb and extremely gentle slope between trichobothria ib / isb and eb; weak hollow before base of movable finger with thicker cuticle; width equal to or slightly shorter than depth, maximum width proximad of ib / isb; chaetotaxy 4:5:4 (one male paratype 4:6:5), seta ph3 present; distal end of hand and bases of chelal fingers with sclerotized condylar complex. Fixed finger with 27–31 pointed teeth and with dental canals, first two distal teeth small, third tooth of normal row (mt) of fixed finger distinctly modified in shape and deviated in orientation with respect to the others, dental row reaching up to approximately level with sensilla pc; about 10–12 proximal microtubercles; tip of fixed finger with an accessory tooth (td) on antiaxial face; tip of fixed chelal finger of male with a weak hollow on paraxial face, without subdistal protuberance (sp); one pair of long antiaxial sensory setae (as) at the base, both distad of lyrifissure fb, 0.053–0.065 mm long, distance between them 0.050–0.090 mm, fixed finger depth at the base 0.080–0.085 mm; 3–4 teeth at level of est / it occupying 0.1 mm, distance between successive apices 0.025–0.035 mm. Distal half of movable finger with 20–25 pointed teeth with dental canals that reach up to approximately halfway between trichobothria st and sb, distal tooth tiny, subdistal tooth small; basal half of movable chelal finger with 10–17 rounded, partially fused, vestigial teeth, without canals, on raised lamina; dental row reaching up to proximad of sensilla pc, 6 proximal microtubercles; basal apodeme long and apically indented; coupled sensilla pc halfway between sb and b, slightly closer to sb. Trichobothria as in Fig. 300 ; trichobothrium ist well distad of esb and proximad of lyrifissure fb; distance between ib / isb and base of hand 1.1 longer than that between ib / isb and esb; distance between st and sb 1.4–2.2 times longer than that between sb and b; lacking lyrifissures ma1 and ma2, 4–5 lyrifissures fd (fd4 and fd5 present), 3 mv lyrifissures (mv3 present), male holotype with tripled lyrifissure hd, all other chelal lyrifissure patterns present with their standard complements.

Measurements and ratios. Male holotype, followed, when different, by male paratypes in brackets: Body 2.18 [2.22]. Carapace 0.62/0.61 (1.0) [0.62–0.66/0.62–0.63 (1.0–1.1)]. Chelicera 0.64/0.28 (2.2) [0.61–0.62/0.27–0.28 (2.2–2.3)], movable finger 0.32 [0.32–0.33]. Pedipalp: femur 1.19/0.14 (8.5) [1.15–1.20/0.13 (8.8–9.1)], patella 0.47/0.18 (2.6) [0.46–0.48/0.18 (2.5–2.6)], chela 1.68/0.21 (8.1) [1.62–1.70/0.21 (7.9–8.3)], hand 0.59 (2.9) [0.58– 0.59 (2.8–2.9)], movable finger 1.05 [1.02–1.05]; ratio movable finger/hand 1.8 [1.7–1.8], femur/movable finger 1.1, femur/carapace 1.9 [1.7–1.9], chela/carapace 2.7 [2.5–2.7], chela/femur 1.4. Female paratypes: Body 2.19– 2.52. Carapace 0.65–0.70/0.62–0.63 (1.0–1.1). Chelicera 0.70–0.71/0.30–0.31 (2.3–2.4), movable finger 0.36. Pedipalp: femur 1.28–1.30/0.15 (8.7–8.8), patella 0.52–0.53/0.20 (2.6), chela 1.72–1.82/0.23 (7.5–7.9), hand 0.63– 0.64 (2.8), movable finger 1.04–1.14; ratio movable finger/hand 1.7–1.8, femur/movable finger 1.1–1.2, femur/ carapace 1.9–2.0, chela/carapace 2.6, chela/femur 1.3–1.4.

Tritonymph. Carapace as long as broad; medial part of anterior margin weakly prominent and strongly dentate; without eyes; chaetotaxy as in adult. Cheliceral hand with 5 setae and 1 lateral microseta; fixed finger with 11 teeth, two distal teeth larger than others; movable finger without an isolated subapical tooth (di), with 6–9 teeth, the distal one larger than others; spinneret prominent, as in adult female; seta gl 0.60 from base of movable finger. Chaetotaxy of tergites as in adults; sternites 5:(2)6(2):(1)6(1):7:6:6:6:6:1–2T1T2:0:2. Pedipalpal coxa 5 setae (including 2 on manducatory process), distal marginal seta of disk 0.11–0.12 mm long; coxa I 3 + 2 marginal microsetae, distal marginal seta 0.060–0.070 mm long; II 4 + 8–11 bipinnate coxal spines, III 5 + 4 bipinnate coxal spines and IV 5–6; intercoxal tubercle bisetose. Pedipalp: femoral chaetotaxy 3:5:2:5:1; chelal hand chaetotaxy 4:5:4; fixed finger with 23–25 pointed teeth with dental canals, first two distal teeth small, third tooth of normal row modified (mt); fixed finger with a single antiaxial sensory setae (as) at the finger base; distal half of movable finger with 16–17 mostly pointed teeth with dental canals, of these the 2–3 proximal ones without canals, proximal half of finger with slightly raised lamina with 10–11 rounded, vestigial teeth; coupled sensilla pc distad of trichobothrium b; lyrifissures: standard number of 3 fd and 2 mv, lacking hp, ma1 and ma2.

Measurements and ratios. Body 1.64–1.84. Carapace 0.47–0.53/0.49–0.54 (1.0). Chelicera 0.47–0.50/0.21– 0.23 (2.2), movable finger 0.24–0.25. Pedipalp: femur 0.76–0.81/0.11–0.12 (6.5–6.7), patella 0.32–0.33/0.15 (2.2– 2.3), chela 1.10–1.18/0.16 (7.0–7.4), hand 0.41–0.44 (2.6–2.8), movable finger 0.66–0.72; ratio movable finger/ hand 1.6, femur/movable finger 1.1–1.2, femur/carapace 1.5–1.6, chela/carapace 2.2–2.3, chela/femur 1.4–1.5.

Remarks. Occidenchthonius ortunoi n. sp. is one of four species of the genus Occidenchthonius that are not assigned to any species-group and that lack an isolated subapical tooth (di) on the movable cheliceral finger. It is easily distinguishable from O. cardosoi by the number of setae on the posterior margin of the carapace (2 versus 4); from O. pinai and O. serranoi n. sp. by the size and proportions of the pedipalps [very slender and longer, chela (♀) 7.5–7.9 (♀) times longer than broad, length 1.72–1.82, in O. ortunoi n. sp., versus stouter and shorter, chela ♀ 5.7–5.9 (♀) times longer than broad, length 0.98–1.05 mm in O. pinai and chela (♀) 3.7–3.9 times longer than broad, length 0.61 mm in O. serranoi n. sp.].

Figures

FIGURES 296 – 301. Occidenchthonius ortunoi n. sp., male holotype (296 – 300) and female paratype (301). 296, anterior margin of carapace, partial view; 297, carapace; 298, left chelicera; 299, fingers of left chelicera, partial view; 300, left chela, antiaxial view; 301, movable finger of left chelicera, partial view.