Occidenchthonius felgueraorum, 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 : 152-154

Occidenchthonius felgueraorum n. sp. ( Figs 239–244 )

Type locality. Spain, Andalusia, Málaga province, Antequera, Cueva del Yeso III (36°57′22″N, 04°47′56″W; 454 m a.s.l.).

Distribution. Spain: Andalusia.

Etymology. At the suggestion of Toni Pérez (G.E.V.), I am pleased to dedicate this species to the speleological members of the Felguera family (Campillo, Málaga province, Spain), for their contributions to the study of the subterranean environment of Málaga province.

Diagnosis (♂ ♀). A moderately large, hypogean, strongly troglomorphic Occidenchthonius species. Chelicera with 6 setae on hand, movable cheliceral finger with isolated subapical tooth (di) and with prominent spinneret in female, reduced in male; lyrifissure ldb absent; without eyes or eye-spots, anterior margin of carapace without preocular microsetae, posterior margin with 2 macrosetae; chelal hand strongly depressed at level of ib / isb, with distinct, short and weakly conical, hump distad of ib / isb and gentle slope between trichobothria ib / isb and eb; trichobothrium ist distad of lyrifissure fb; fixed chelal finger with 22–27 teeth; distal two-thirds of movable chelal finger with 17–22 pointed teeth with dental canals, basal third with 5–7 rounded teeth, most also with canals on weak lamina; pedipalpal femur (♂) 7.5, (♀) 7.5–7.7 times longer than broad, length (♂) 0.82 mm, (♀) 0.93–1.00 mm; chela (♂) 6.4, (♀) 5.9 times longer than deep, length (♂) 1.15 mm, (♀) 1.27–1.37 mm; ratio movable chelal finger/chelal hand (♂) 1.5, (♀) 1.4–1.5; lacking lyrifissures ma1 and ma2, all other chelal lyrifissure patterns present with their standard complements.

Type material examined. ♂ holotype ( DEUA), Spain, Andalusia, Málaga province, Antequera, Cueva del Yeso III (36°57′22″N, 04°47′56″W; 454 m a.s.l.), 28.IX.2008, leg. G.E.V.; same type locality : 2 ♀ paratypes (MNCN, MCNB), 29.III.2008, 1 ♀ paratype (DEUA), 24.IX.2009, leg. G.E.V.

Description (♂ ♀). Moderately large, hypogean, strongly troglomorphic species. Integument depigmented; very weak hispid granulation on lateral surfaces of carapace, on cheliceral hand and on bases of chelal fingers.

Carapace ( Fig. 240 ) distinctly longer than broad, constricted posteriorly; medial part of anterior margin strongly prominent, in some females forming true epistome, and strongly dentate ( Fig. 239 ). Without eyes or eyespots. Chaetotaxy: 18 setae, without preocular microsetae, 2 setae in posterior row, formula 4:6:4:2:2, anteromedial setae 0.12–0.14 mm long, sublateral ocular setae 0.11–0.13 mm; 4 lyrifissures anteriorly and 2 posteriorly.

Chelicera ( Figs 241, 242, 244 ) with 6 setae and usually 1 (rarely 2) lateral microseta on hand, seta vb short (0.06–0.07 mm long), microsetae 0.03–0.04 mm; hand with 4 dorsal and 1 ventral lyrifissure, lyrifissure ldb absent. Fixed finger with 8–10 teeth decreasing in size proximally, two distal teeth distinctly larger than others, 0–2 proximal microtubercles. Movable finger with an isolated subapical tooth (di), with 6–9 teeth decreasing in size proximally and 0–2 proximal microtubercles, the distal tooth larger than others; spinneret prominent and apically rounded in female ( Fig. 244 ), reduced in male ( Fig. 242 ); seta gl 0.54–0.56 from base of movable finger. Rallum with 11 blades. Serrula exterior with 15–16 blades, serrula interior 13–16 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 (0.25 and 0.29–0.33 mm long, respectively). Chaetotaxy of sternites 9–10:(3)7–8(3):(2)6–7(2):7– 8:6:6:6:6:2T1T2:0:2, lateral setae on sternite III macrosetal in size, sternite X with 2 submedial tactile setae; in addition, genital notch of male flanked by 8 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 0.12–0.13 mm long; coxa I 3 + 3 marginal microsetae, distal marginal seta 0.08–0.09 mm long; II 4 + 7–9 bipinnate coxal spines, III 5 + 4–5 bipinnate coxal spines and IV 6; intercoxal tubercle bisetose.

Pedipalp with femoral chaetotaxy 3:6:3:5:1. Chela ( Fig. 243 ) with hand strongly depressed at level of ib / isb, with distinct, short and weakly conical, hump distad of ib / isb and gentle slope between trichobothria ib / isb and eb; weak hollow before base of movable finger with thicker cuticle; width slightly shorter than depth, maximum width slightly proximad of ib / isb; chaetotaxy 4:5:4, seta ph3 present, setae dh2 and dh3 removed to halfway between the distal and the intermediate setal rows; distal end of hand and bases of chelal fingers with sclerotized condylar complex. Fixed finger with 22–27 pointed teeth and with dental canals, first two distal teeth small, third tooth of normal row (mt) distinctly modified in shape and deviated in orientation with respect to the others, dental row reaching to level of or distad of sensilla pc, about 15 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, 0.050–0.070 mm long, distance between them 0.060–0.075 mm, fixed finger depth at the base 0.063–0.080 mm; 4–5 teeth at level of est / it occupying 0.1 mm, distance between successive apices 0.020–0.028 mm. Distal two-thirds of movable finger with 17–22 pointed teeth with dental canals, reaching proximad of halfway between trichobothria st and sb, two distal teeth small; basal third of movable chelal finger with 5–7 small teeth, apically rounded, apparently not fused, mostly with dental canals except 1–2 proximal, on weak lamina; dental row reaching up to halfway between trichobothria sb and b, 3–8 proximal microtubercles; basal apodeme long and apically indented; coupled sensilla pc halfway between sb and b, slightly closer to b. Trichobothria as in Fig. 243 ; trichobothrium ist well distad of esb and also slightly distad of lyrifissure fb; distance between ib / isb and base of hand approximately equal to that between ib / isb and esb; distance between st and sb 1.8–1.9 times longer than that between sb and b; one teratological female lacking est and it on one chela; lacking lyrifissures ma1 and ma2, all other chelal lyrifissure patterns present with their standard complements, one teratological female with duplicated lyrifissures hd and hp on one chela.

Measurements and ratios. Male holotype: Body 1.74. Carapace 0.50/0.47 (1.1). Chelicera 0.45/0.20 (2.3), movable finger 0.24. Pedipalp: femur 0.82/0.11 (7.5), patella 0.31/0.14 (2.2), chela 1.15/0.18 (6.4), hand 0.46 (2.6), movable finger 0.68; ratio movable finger/hand 1.5, femur/movable finger 1.2, femur/carapace 1.6, chela/carapace 2.3, chela/femur 1.4. Female paratypes: Body 1.69–1.97. Carapace 0.57–0.59/0.49–0.50 (1.1–1.2). Chelicera 0.48– 0.55/0.22–0.25 (2.2–2.3). Pedipalp: femur 0.93–1.00/0.12–0.13 (7.5–7.7), patella 0.36–0.39/0.16–0.17 (2.2–2.4), chela 1.27–1.37/0.21–0.23 (5.9), hand 0.50–0.54 (2.3–2.4), movable finger 0.76–0.82; ratio movable finger/hand 1.4–1.5, femur/movable finger 1.2–1.3, femur/carapace 1.6–1.7, chela/carapace 2.3, chela/femur 1.4.

Remarks. Occidenchthonius felgueraorum n. sp. does not belong to either of the recognized species-groups within the genus. It shares with O. ambrosiae , O. bullonorum n. sp. and O. villacarrillo the lack of eyes, presence of an isolated subapical tooth, absence of preocular microsetae, presence of chelal hand lyrifissure hp and the position of trichobothrium ist (well distad of esb and distad of lyrifissure fb). Differences from O. ambrosiae and O. bullonorum n. sp. are discussed in the remarks under those species. O. villacarrillo is markedly smaller and stouter than O. felgueraorum n. sp., as compared in the key.

Figures

FIGURES 239 – 244. Occidenchthonius felgueraorum n. sp., male holotype (239 – 243) and female paratype (244). 239, anterior margin of carapace, partial view; 240, carapace; 241, left chelicera; 242, fingers of left chelicera, partial view; 243, left chela, antiaxial view; 244, movable finger of left chelicera, partial view.