Ephippiochthonius caceresi, 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 : 59-61

Ephippiochthonius caceresi n. sp. ( Figs 100–104 )

Type locality. Spain, Extremadura, Cáceres province, Mesas de Ibor, Río Ibor (39°48′12″N, 05°33′48″W; 372 m a.s.l.).

Distribution. Spain: Extremadura.

Etymology. Latin noun derived from the name of the province in which the type locality is situated.

Diagnosis (♂ ♀). A small, endogean Ephippiochthonius species of the gibbus- group. Movable cheliceral finger without isolated subapical tooth (di) and with prominent spinneret in female, strongly reduced in male, lyrifissure ldb present; two pairs of eyes with lenses, anterior margin of carapace with 1 preocular microseta on each side, posterior margin with 2 macrosetae; chelal hand distinctly depressed at level of ib / isb, with strong and rounded hump distad of ib / isb and an abrupt slope between trichobothria ib / isb and eb; fixed chelal finger with 16–18 teeth; distal half of movable chelal finger with 7–9 pointed teeth with dental canals, proximal half without marginal lamina, with 4–9 low vestigial teeth without dental canals; pedipalpal femur (♂) 5.3–5.4, (♀) 4.8 times longer than broad, length (♂) 0.40 mm, (♀) 0.43 mm; chela (♂) 4.6–4.8, (♀) 4.3 times longer than deep, length (♂) 0.55–0.56 mm, (♀) 0.65 mm; ratio movable chelal finger/chelal hand (♂ ♀) 1.4; all chelal lyrifissure patterns present, most with their standard complements, except that ma2 is absent.

Type material examined. ♂ holotype (DEUA), 1 ♂ paratype ( MNCN), Spain, Extremadura, Cáceres province, Mesas de Ibor, Río Ibor (39°48′12″N, 05°33′48″W; 372 m a.s.l.), 07.IV.2011, leg. J.P. Zaballos & S. Pérez ; 1 ♀ paratype ( DEUA), Valdecañas de Tajo, Garganta de Cuernacabras (39°42′31″N, 05°35′45″W; 606 m a.s.l.), 07.IV.2011, leg. J.P. Zaballos & S. Pérez ( DEUA).

Description (♂ ♀). Small, endogean species. Integument pigmented; marked hispid granulation on lateral surfaces of carapace, on cheliceral hand and on bases of chelal fingers.

Carapace ( Fig. 101 ) slightly longer than broad and constricted posteriorly; medial part of anterior margin very weakly prominent, without epistome, and strongly dentate ( Fig. 100 ); anterior eyes with convex lens (diameter 0.035–0.04 mm), 0.03–0.04 mm from anterior margin of carapace, posterior eyes more weakly convex lens than anterior pair, 0.015–0.025 mm from anterior eyes, diameter 0.03–0.04 mm; both pairs of eyes with reflecting tapeta. Chaetotaxy: 18 macrosetae and 1 preocular microseta on each side, formula m 4m:6:4:2:2, anteromedial setae 0.075–0.085 mm long, sublateral ocular setae 0.055–0.065 mm; 4 lyrifissures anteriorly and 2 posteriorly.

Chelicera ( Fig. 103 ) with 6 setae and 1 lateral microseta on hand, seta vb short (0.023–0.03 mm long), microseta length 0.015–0.023 mm; hand with 5 dorsal and 1 ventral lyrifissure, lyrifissure ldb present. Fixed finger with 6–10 teeth decreasing in size proximally, two distal teeth distinctly larger than others, with 2–5 proximal microtubercles. Movable finger without an isolated subapical tooth (di), with 5–8 teeth decreasing in size proximally and 1–2 proximal microtubercles, the distal tooth larger than others; spinneret prominent in female and strongly reduced, almost absent in male; seta gl 0.52–0.57 from base of movable finger. Rallum with 11 blades. Serrula exterior with 14–15 blades, serrula interior 13 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. Chaetotaxy of sternites 10:(3)10(3):(2)7– 8(2):8–9:6:6:6:6:2T1T2:0:2, lateral setae on sternite III microsetal in size, sternite X with 2 submedial tactile setae; in addition, genital notch of male flanked by 6–10 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 0.07–0.08 mm long; coxa I 3 + 3 marginal microsetae, distal marginal seta 0.04–0.05 mm long; II 4 + 5–8 bipinnate coxal spines, III 5 + 3–4 bipinnate coxal spines and IV 6; intercoxal tubercle bisetose.

Pedipalp with femoral chaetotaxy 3:6:2:5:1. Chela ( Fig. 104 ) with hand distinctly depressed at level of ib / isb, with strong and rounded hump distad of ib / isb and an abrupt slope between trichobothria ib / isb and eb; dorsalantiaxial surface of the chelal hand between the hump and trichobothria eb / esb flattened, limited by a marked edge; ventral intercondylar bow-like protuberance (ip) present; width shorter than depth; chaetotaxy 4:5:3, seta ph3 lacking, setae ih1, ih3 and ih4 approximately level with trichobothria ib / isb; distal end of hand and bases of chelal fingers with sclerotized condylar complex. Fixed finger with 16–18 teeth, mostly pointed, 1–2 proximal teeth rounded and reduced in size, all with dental canals, dental row reaching slightly proximad of sensilla pc, 2–4 microtubercles at base; tip of finger with an accessory tooth (td) on antiaxial face; tip of fixed chelal finger of male with a deep hollow on paraxial face and subdistal protuberance (sp) ( Fig. 102 ); one pair of short antiaxial sensory setae (as) at the base, 0.020–0.023 mm long, distance between them 0.018–0.020 mm, fixed finger depth at the base 0.041–0.046 mm; 7 teeth (♂), 5 (♀) at level of est / it occupying 0.1 mm, distance between successive apices 0.015–0.018 mm (♂), 0.020–0.025 mm (♀). Distal half of movable finger with 7–10 pointed teeth with dental canals, the distal one tiny or very small; proximal half without marginal lamina, with 4–9 low vestigial teeth, dental row reaching trichobothrium sb or sensilla pc, without dental canals; basal apodeme long and apically indented; coupled sensilla pc between sb and b, slightly closer to b. Trichobothria as in Fig. 104 ; trichobothrium ist level with or slightly proximad of esb and well proximad of lyrifissure fb; distance between ib / isb and base of hand 1.1 times longer than that between ib / isb and esb; distance between st and sb 1.9–2.3 times longer than that between sb and b. All chelal lyrifissure patterns present, most with their standard complements, except that ma2 is absent.

Measurements and ratios. Male holotype, followed by male paratype in square brackets: Body 1.14 [1.17]. Carapace 0.35/0.31 (1.1) [0.32/0.32 (1.0)]. Chelicera 0.26/0.13 (1.9) [0.27/0.13 (2.0)], movable finger 0.14 [0.15]. Pedipalp: femur 0.40/0.08 (5.3) [0.40/0.07 (5.4)], patella 0.18/0.09 (2.0) [0.17/0.09 (1.9)], chela 0.56/0.12 (4.8) [0.55/0.12 (4.6)], hand 0.23 (1.9), movable finger 0.33 [0.31]; ratio movable finger/hand 1.4, femur/movable finger 1.2 [1.3], femur/carapace 1.1 [1.2], chela/carapace 1.6 [1.7], chela/femur 1.4. Female paratype: Body 1.47. Carapace 0.40/0.38 (1.1). Chelicera 0.32/0.15 (2.1), movable finger 0.17. Pedipalp: femur 0.43/0.09 (4.8), patella 0.20/0.11 (1.8), chela 0.65/0.15 (4.3), hand 0.28 (1.8), movable finger 0.37; ratio movable finger/hand 1.4, femur/ movable finger 1.2, femur/carapace 1.1, chela/carapace 1.6, chela/femur 1.5.

Remarks. Within the gibbus -group, E. caceresi n. sp. shares with E. galcerani n. sp. and E. amatei the following characteristics: movable cheliceral finger without isolated subapical tooth (di), without spinneret in male, only 2 setae in posterior row of carapace, anterior eyes with well developed eyes, distal half of chelal hand with a short row of pointed teeth reaching distad of halfway between trichobothria st and sb. It can be distinguished from E. galcerani n. sp. by the stronger development of the posterior eyes (weakly convex lens versus eye-spots), the ratio st–sb / sb–b (1.9–2.3 versus 3.6) and the position of coupled sensilla pc (well proximad of sb, versus distad), and from E. amatei by the pedipalpal femur chaetotaxy (3:6:2:5:1 versus 3:6:3:5:1) and stouter, shorter pedipalp, as detailed in the discussion under E. amatei description and in the key.

Figures

FIGURES 100 – 104. Ephippiochthonius caceresi n. sp., male holotype. 100, anterior margin of carapace, partial view; 101, carapace; 102, tip of fixed chelal finger, dorsal view; 103, left chelicera; 104, left chela, antiaxial view.