Microcreagris gigas Balzan, 1892

Xiangbo, Guo & Zhang, Feng, 2016, Notes on two species of the genus Microcreagris Balzan, 1892 (Pseudoscorpiones: Neobisiidae) from China, Ecologica Montenegrina 7, pp. 394-404 : 395-400

Microcreagris gigas Balzan, 1892 ( Figs. 1–3 ) ( Table 1)

Microcreagris Balzan, 1892: 543 .

For full synonymy see Harvey (2013).

Material examined. One male and two females (Ps.- MHBU-GZ13092901–03 ) from China, Guizhou Province, Tongren City, Fanjing Mountain (27°54′N, 108°42′E), alt. 2214 m, 29.ix.2013, Luyu Wang leg ; one male (Ps.- MHBU-GZ14101201 ), same locality as mentioned above, 12.x.2014, Zhizhong Gao leg ; one male and one female (Ps.- MHBU-GZ14101301–02 ), same locality as mentioned above, 13.x.2014, Zhizhong Gao leg.

Diagnosis. Carapace with four well developed eyes; chelicera with 11 setae on the palm; rallum consisting of eight blades of nearly equal size; galea divided into four branches in both male and female; pedipalpal femur, patella and chela with granulations; male pedipalpal femur 3.89–3.93 (length 1.77–1.83), patella 2.38 (length 1.52), chela (with pedicel) 3.27–3.28 (length 2.95–3.01) times longer than broad; female pedipalpal femur 3.96–4.08 (length 1.94–2.00), patella 2.35–2.52 (length 1.64–1.67), chela (with pedicel) 3.06–3.27 (length 3.18–3.24) times longer than broad; the characters of male genital area.

Description. Male ( Fig. 1a ). Carapace, chelicerae and pedipalps dark brown; abdomen and legs yellowish.

Carapace ( Figs. 2a , 3a ). Smooth, 1.13–1.18 times longer than broad, with a total of 47–49 setae, including six on anterior margin and 12 on posterior margin; four eyes, well developed; epistome triangular and apically rounded.

Chelicera ( Figs. 2b , 3b ). Palm with 11 setae, movable finger with one sub-medial seta; fixed finger with 11–12 teeth; movable finger with 11 teeth; serrula exterior with 45–48 lamellae; serrula interior with 31–33 lamellae. Galea ( Fig. 3d ) divided into two main branches, each branch is secondarily divided into two terminal branches. Rallum ( Fig. 3c ) consisting of eight blades of nearly equal size, all with anteriorlydirected spinules.

Pedipalps ( Figs. 2c, 2d , 3e, 3f ). Apex of coxa rounded, with five long setae. Femur and patella with granulations on medial face, chela with granulations on medial and lateral face; chelal fingers longer than hand. Trochanter 1.61–1.64, femur 3.89–3.93, patella 2.38, chela (with pedicel) 3.27–3.28, chela (without pedicel) 3.03–3.06 times longer than broad, movable finger 1.29–1.33 times longer than hand (without pedicel). Fixed chelal finger with eight trichobothria, movable finger with four; eb and esb on lateral margin of hand; ib, isb and ist on basal half, est, et and it on distal half of fixed finger, est closer to it than to ist; t and st near the middle of movable finger, sb and b on basal half. Venom apparatus present only in fixed chelal finger, short. Fixed chelal finger with 77 pointed teeth, movable finger with 12–13 pointed teeth distally and 54–58 rounded teeth.

Abdomen. Pleural membrane granulated. Tergal chaetotaxy: 13: 17–20: 17–19: 19: 17–20: 21: 22: 20– 23: 20: 15–16: 11; sternal chaetotaxy (IV–XI): 21–23: 27: 27: 25–28: 26–28: 26–27: 21–23: 13–14; stigmata with eight setae around; sternites VI and VII with two anterior discal setae; anal cone with two dorsal and two ventral setae. Male genital area ( Figs. 2e , 3g ): sternite II with 74–79 scattered setae; sternite III with a transverse row of 9–10 setae behind the male genital opening, and a central group of 40–43 dense and small setae in the middle of the row of 46–47 posterior setae.

Legs. Leg I ( Figs. 2g , 3i ) and Leg IV ( Figs. 2h , 3j ) typical. Basitarsus IV with one basal tactile seta (TS=0.15–0.17), telotarsus IV with one sub-medial tactile seta (TS=0.49–0.54). Subterminal tarsal seta bifurcate; arolium not divided, shorter than the slender and simple claws.

Female ( Fig. 1b ). As in male except where noted.

Chelicera. Fixed finger with 10–11 teeth; movable finger with 9–10 teeth. Galea divided into two main branches, each branch is secondarily divided into two terminal branches. Serrula exterior with 44–46 lamellae; serrula interior with 27–31 lamellae.

Pedipalps. Trochanter 1.67–1.69, femur 3.96–4.08, patella 2.35–2.52, chela (with pedicel) 3.06–3.27, chela (without pedicel) 2.85–3.05 times longer than broad, movable finger 1.25–1.35 times longer than hand (without pedicel). Fixed chelal finger with 82–86 pointed teeth, movable finger with 10 pointed teeth distally and 63–67 rounded teeth.

Abdomen. Tergal chaetotaxy: 14: 17: 17–18: 19: 19: 19: 21: 19–21: 20: 15–16: 11. Chaetotaxy of sternites (IV–XI): 24: 25–28: 25–26: 25: 23–25: 24: 22: 15. Sternites VI and VII with two anterior discal setae. Female genital area ( Figs. 2f , 3h ): sternite II with seven or eight setae on each side; sternite III with a row of 44–45 setae on the posterior margin.

Distribution. This species has been found in China. Balzan (1892), Mahnert (1974,1979) and Ćurčić (2001) repeated the undefined type locality, Song (1996) considered the type locality is Qinling Mountains in Shaanxi Province; Schawaller 1995: Hunan, Zhejiang and Sichuan Provinces; this paper: Guizhou Province.

Remarks. Based on the morphological characters of rallum, galea, pedipalp and genital area, we believe the material from Fanjing Mountain belongs to M. gigas , which matches the descriptions provided by Mahnert (1979) and Ćurčić (2001).

Figures

Figure 1. Microcreagris gigas, a. male, dorsal view; b, female, dorsal view.

Figure 2. Microcreagris gigas, male (a–e, g, h), female (f): a, carapace, dorsal view; b, right chelicera, dorsal view; c. right chelal, lateral view; d. right pedipalp, dorsal view; e. genital area of male; f. genital area of female; g. right leg I, lateral view; h. right leg IV, lateral view.

Figure 3. Microcreagris gigas, male (a–g, i, j), female (h): a. carapace, dorsal view; b. right chelicera, dorsal view; c. rallum; d. galea; e. right chelal, lateral view, showing trichobothriotaxy and teeth; f. right pedipalp, dorsal view (trochanter, femur and patella); g. genital area of male; h. genital area of female; i. right leg I, lateral view; j. right leg IV, lateral view. Scale bars: 0.1mm (c, d), 0.2mm (g, h), 0.5mm (b), 1mm (a, e, f, i, j).