Ephippiochthonius benimaquia, 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 : 53-55

Ephippiochthonius benimaquia n. sp. ( Figs 90–94 )

Type locality. Spain, Valencian Community, Alicante province , Marina Alta comarca , Denia, La Xara, Alt de Benimaquia , Cova de la Punta de Benimaquia (38°49′19″N, 00°03′50″E; 42 m a.s.l.).

Distribution. Spain: Valencian Community.

Etymology. Noun in apposition from the type locality.

Diagnosis (♀). A medium-sized, hypogean Ephippiochthonius species of the tetrachelatus -group. Movable cheliceral finger without isolated subapical tooth (di) and with prominent spinneret, lyrifissure ldb present; no eyes or eye-spots, 1–2 preocular microsetae on each side, posterior margin of carapace with 2 macrosetae; pedipalp with femoral chaetotaxy 3:6:3:5:1; hand of chela with weak depression at level of trichobothria ib / isb, low hump distad of ib / isb and gentle slope between trichobothria ib / isb and eb; fixed chelal finger with 22–24 teeth; movable chelal finger with 15–20 teeth with dental canals, without marginal lamina; pedipalpal femur (♀) 7.0–7.4 times longer than broad, length (♀) 0.75–0.84 mm; chela (♀) 5.9–6.5 times longer than deep, length (♀) 1.00– 1.10 mm; ratio movable chelal finger/chelal hand (♀) 1.4; all chelal lyrifissure patterns present with their standard complements.

Type material examined. ♀ holotype ( DEUA), Valencian Community, Alicante province, Marina Alta comarca , Denia, La Xara , Alt de Benimaquia , Cova de la Punta de Benimaquia (38°49′19″N, 00°03′50″E; 42 m a.s.l.), 13.VIII.2004, leg. A. Sendra et al. ; 1 ♀ paratype (MCNB), 01.VII.1984, leg. J.A. Zaragoza; 1 ♀ paratype (DEUA), 28.IX.2003, leg. V. Ortuño & J.A. Zaragoza; 1 tritonymph paratype (DEUA), 22.II.1987, leg. U. Capdepón & M.F. Esteve.

Description (♀; ♂ unknown). Medium-sized, hypogean, troglomorphic species. Integument depigmented; weakly hispid granulation on lateral surfaces of carapace, on cheliceral hand and on bases of chelal fingers.

Carapace ( Fig. 91 ) distinctly longer than broad and posteriorly constricted; medial part of anterior margin weakly prominent, without epistome, and strongly dentate ( Fig. 90 ); without eyes or eye-spots. Chaetotaxy: 18 macrosetae and 1‒2 preocular microsetae on each side, macrosetal formula 4:6:4:2:2, anteromedial setae 0.11– 0.115 mm long, sublateral ocular setae very short 0.03–0.05 mm long; 3–4 lyrifissures anteriorly and 2 posteriorly.

Chelicera ( Figs 92, 93 ) with 6 setae and 1 lateral microseta on hand, seta vb short (0.035 mm long), microseta 0.023–0.0275 mm long; hand with 5 dorsal and 1 ventral lyrifissure, lyrifissure ldb present. Fixed finger with 9–10 teeth decreasing in size proximally and 1–4 proximal microtubercles, 2 distal teeth distinctly larger than others. Movable finger without an isolated subapical tooth (di), with 6–7 teeth decreasing in size proximally and 1–4 proximal microtubercles, the distal tooth larger than others; spinneret prominent; seta gl 0.50–0.54 from base of movable finger. Rallum with 11 blades. Serrula exterior with 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 (0.20–0.21 and 0.25 mm long, respectively). Chaetotaxy of sternites 10–11:(3)8(3):(2)5–7(2):8:6:6:6:6:2T1T2:0:2, sublateral setae on sternite III macrosetal in size, sternite X with 2 submedial tactile setae (0.175–0.185 mm long).

Pedipalpal coxa with 5 setae (including 2 on manducatory process), distal marginal seta of disk 0.09–0.105 mm long; coxa I 3 + 3 marginal microsetae, distal marginal seta 0.07 mm long; II 4 + 11–15 bipinnate coxal spines, III 5 + 5–8 bipinnate coxal spines and IV 6; intercoxal tubercle bisetose.

Pedipalp with femoral chaetotaxy 3:6:3:5:1. Chela ( Fig. 94 ) with hand weakly depressed at level of ib / isb, with low and rounded hump distad of ib / isb and gentle slope between trichobothria ib / isb and eb; dorsal-antiaxial 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 22–24 teeth, most pointed, the 2 distal ones tiny, 7–9 proximal teeth progressively decreasing in size and becoming rounded, all with dental canals, dental row reaching to level of sensilla pc, 1–4 proximal microtubercles; tip of finger with an accessory tooth (td) on antiaxial face; one pair of long antiaxial sensory setae (as) at the finger base, 0.035–0.05 mm long, distance between them 0.035–0.05 mm, finger depth at the base 0.053–0.055 mm; 3–4 teeth at level of est / it occupying 0.1 mm, distance between successive apices 0.0275–0.035 mm. Movable finger with 15–20 teeth with dental canal, the distalmost one tiny and the subdistal small, most pointed, dental row reaching to trichobothrium sb or sensilla pc level, of these the 6– 9 proximal teeth progressively decreasing in size and becoming rounded, without marginal lamina, 1–3 proximal

microtubercles; basal apodeme long and apically indented; coupled sensilla pc between sb and b, slightly closer to sb. Trichobothria as in Fig. 94 ; trichobothrium ist slightly distad of esb and well proximad of lyrifissure fb; distance between ib / isb and esb 1.1 times longer than that between ib / isb and the base of the hand; distance between st and sb 1.7–2.1 times longer than that between sb and b. All chelal lyrifissure patterns present with their standard complements.

Measurements and ratios. Female holotype, followed, when different, by female paratypes in square brackets: Body 1.77 [1.59–1.76]. Carapace 0.56/0.46 (1.2) [0.47–0.49/0.41–0.44 (1.1)]. Chelicera 0.45/0.20 (2.3) [0.40– 0.41/0.18 (2.3)], movable finger 0.23 [0.20–0.21]. Pedipalp: femur 0.84/0.12 (7.0) [0.75–0.78/0.10–0.11 (7.2– 7.4)], patella 0.32/0.14 (2.3) [0.28–0.29/0.12–0.13 (2.2–2.3)], chela 1.10/0.19 (5.9) [1.00–1.01/0.16–0.17 (6.1– 6.5)], hand 0.47 (2.5) [0.41 (2.5–2.6)], movable finger 0.63 [0.58–0.59]; ratio movable finger/hand 1.4, femur/ movable finger 1.3, femur/carapace 1.5 [1.6], chela/carapace 2.0 [2.0–2.1], chela/femur 1.3.

Tritonymph. Carapace slightly longer than broad; medial part of anterior margin straight and strongly dentate; without eyes; chaetotaxy: m 4m:6:4:2:2, anteromedial setae 0.09 mm long, sublateral ocular setae 0.02 mm long. Chelicera with 5 setae and 1 lateral microseta on hand; lyrifissures as in adults; fixed finger with 9 teeth, 2 distal teeth larger than others; movable finger without an isolated subapical tooth (di), with 8 teeth, the distal one larger than others; spinneret prominent; seta gl 0.53 from base of movable finger. Chaetotaxy of tergites as in adults, that of sternites 5:(2)6(2):(1)6(1):7:6:6:6:6:2T1T2:0:2. Pedipalpal coxa 5 setae (including 2 on manducatory process), distal marginal seta of disk 0.075 mm long; coxa I 3 + 3 marginal microsetae, distal marginal seta 0.04 mm long; II 4 + 9 bipinnate coxal spines, III 5 + 5 bipinnate coxal spines and IV 6; intercoxal tubercle bisetose. Pedipalp with femoral chaetotaxy 3:5:2:4:1; chelal hand chaetotaxy 4:5:3; trichobothrium ist level esb; ventral intercondylar bow-like protuberance (ip) present; fixed finger with 18 teeth, movable finger with 16 teeth; fixed finger with an single antiaxial sensory setae (as) at finger base, slightly distad of lyrifissure fb; coupled sensilla pc between trichobothrium b and ma1; lyrifissures fd3 and ma2 lacking.

Measurements and ratios. Body 1.10. Carapace 0.38/0.31 (1.2). Chelicera 0.31/0.14 (2.3), movable finger 0.16. Pedipalp: femur 0.55/0.09 (6.5), patella 0.21/0.10 (2.0), chela 0.75/0.12 (6.1), hand 0.29 (2.4), movable finger 0.44; ratio movable finger/hand 1.5, femur/movable finger 1.3, femur/carapace 1.4, chela/carapace 2.0, chela/ femur 1.4.

Remarks. Within the tetrachelatus -group, E. benimaquia n. sp. shares with E. comasi n. sp., E. fadriquei n. sp. and E. mahnerti the following combination of characteristics: hypogean, eyeless, with 1–2 preocular microsetae, only 2 setae in posterior row of carapace, without isolated subapical tooth on movable cheliceral finger, movable chelal finger with 15–21 teeth with dental canals, pedipalpal femur longer than 0.80 mm and with chaetotaxy 3:6:3:5:1. E. benimaquia n. sp. differs from E. comasi n. sp. and E. mahnerti by the position of coupled sensilla pc, halfway between trichobothria sb and b (close to sb in the other two); it is distinguishable from E. fadriquei n. sp. in having a stouter and smaller pedipalp [femur (♀) 7.0–7.4 times longer than broad, length 0.75– 0.84 mm; chela (♀) 5.9–6.5 times longer than deep, length 1.00– 1.10 mm] than E. fadriquei n. sp. [(♀) 7.8–8.0 times longer than broad, length 1.01 mm; chela (♀) 6.1–6.3 times longer than deep, length 1.32 mm].

Figures

FIGURES 90 – 94. Ephippiochthonius benimaquia n. sp., female holotype. 90, anterior margin of carapace, partial view; 91, carapace; 92, left chelicera; 93, fingers of left chelicera, partial view; 94, right chela, antiaxial view.