Catatemnus huae, Hou & Zhao & Zhang, 2023

Hou, Yanmeng, Zhao, Lingchen & Zhang, Feng, 2023, First record of the genus Catatemnus Beier, 1932 from China, with the description of six new species (Pseudoscorpiones, Atemnidae), ZooKeys 1168, pp. 295-327 : 295

Catatemnus huae sp. nov.

Figs 1 , 2 , 3 (胡氏猫伪蝎)

Type material.

Holotype: China • ♂; Hainan Province, Lingshui County, Xincun Town, Tonghai Village; 18°26.084'N, 110°0.495'E; 10 m a.s.l.; 19 May. 2011; Junfang Hu leg.; Ps.-MHBU-HA11051901. Paratype: • 1♀; same data as the holotype; Ps.-MSWU-HA11051902.

Diagnosis (♂♀).

This new species is characterized by carapace smooth but with a faint medial furrow; with two faint eyespots situated near anterior margin of carapace. Palpal stout, femur (♂) 2.48 ×, (♀) 2.52 ×, chela with pedicel (♂) 3.05 ×, (♀) 2.93 ×, without pedicel (♂) 2.81 ×, (♀) 2.74 × longer than broad; the retrolateral surface of trochanter, the prolateral surface of femur, patella and hand granular; male genitalia: the hooked branch (br) relatively small.

Description.

Adult male (Figs 1A , 2A-E, G-I , 3A-H, J-L ). Color: anterior half of carapace yellowish brown, paler in posterior half; pedipalps reddish brown, paler in female; tergites brown, paler in legs; remainder yellow. Carapace (Figs 2A , 3A ): anterior half slightly darker than posterior half; surface smooth, but with a faint medial furrow; with two faint eyespots situated near anterior margin of carapace; anterior margin with six setae, posterior margin with seven setae, 47 in total, each seta acicular and very slightly curved; with a pair of lyrifissures on anterior margin and posterior margin, respectively. Chelicera (Fig. 3B, C, E ): much smaller than carapace length; surface smooth; four setae (sbs absent; bs shorter than others) and two lyrifissures (exterior condylar lyrifissure and exterior lyrifissure) present on hand; movable finger with one galeal seta; bs and es dentate apically, is and ls long and acute. Fixed finger with six large retrorse teeth and three small apical teeth, movable finger with a long broadly rounded subapical lobe; galea present, slender, apically with five branchlets (Fig. 3C ). Serrula interior connected to fixed finger for entire length, proximally modified to form velum, serrula exterior with 26 lamellae, the basal one longest; lamina exterior present. Rallum composed of four blades, the basal two blades shorter than others, the distal one dentated anteriorly, remainder smooth (Fig. 3E ). Pedipalp (Figs 2B-D , 3F, H ): stout, trochanter 1.85 ×, femur 2.48 ×, patella 2.14 ×, chela with pedicel (without pedicel) 3.05 × (2.81 ×), hand with pedicel (without pedicel) 1.79 × (1.55 ×) longer than broad; movable chelal finger 0.71 × (0.82 ×) longer than hand with pedicel (without pedicel). Setae generally long and acuminate. Retrolateral surface of trochanter, the prolateral surface of femur, patella, and hand granular; trochanter with a rounded ventral tubercle and a well-developed conical dorsal tubercle. Fixed chelal finger with eight trichobothria, movable chelal finger with four trichobothria: eb and esb situated at base of fixed finger on retrolateral face, esb slightly distal to eb; ib and isb situated at base of fixed finger on prolateral face, isb slightly distal to ib; est in the middle of fixed finger; et near sub-distal of fixed finger; est closer to et than to esb; it slightly distal to est and proximal to et; ist situated proximal to est and distal to isb; it closer to ist than to fingertip; distance between est and esb farther to that of ist and isb, distance between it and fingertip nearly shorter to distance between ist and isb; b and sb situated at base of movable finger on retrolateral face; t in the middle of movable finger and at same level as est; sb closer to b than to st; st closer to t than to sb (Fig. 3H ). Venom apparatus only present in fixed chelal finger, venom ducts curved and short, terminating in inflated nodus ramosus between et and est and closer to est. Both chelal fingers with a row of acute teeth, spaced contiguously along the margin, slightly rounded proximally: fixed chelal finger with 28 teeth; movable chelal finger with 35 teeth (nearly as large as teeth on fixed chelal finger); without accessory teeth (Fig. 3H ). Sense spots absent; femur without long tactile setae. Movable chelal finger slightly curved in lateral view (Figs 2C , 3H ). Opisthosoma: generally typical, all setae long and acuminate, pleural membrane longitudinally striate, without setae. Tergites I and XI undivided and other tergites incompletely divided, tergal chaetotaxy I-XI: 9: 9: 4-4: 7-7: 9-8: 7-8: 7-8: 8-7: 8-6: 7-7+ (2T): 13 + (4T), arranged in two rows on tergites IV-XI. Sternites XI undivided and other sternites divided, sternal chaetotaxy IV-XI: 6-6: 8-7:8-8: 8-8: 6-7: 7-7: 7-7 (4T): 13 + (4T). Anus (tergite XII and sternite XII) without raised rim. Anterior genital operculum with seven setae on each side, posterior margin with four setae on each side and with one or two lyrifissures. Male genitalia (Figs 2E , 3J, L ): the distal part (l) of lateral apodemes with a distinctive inner ridge curved into semicircle; the hooked branch (br) bowed distally and terminated in a plate-like tip; the proximal part with a distinct dark sclerotized bar (c), shorter and incurved; the longitudinal fold of medial diverticula (d) with a projection midway along its length, forming a lobe bulge; the ejaculatory canal atrium (e) not well-developed, curved distally; the lateral rods (f) long and diverging proximally; the tip of dorsal apodeme (g) completely joined; the ventral diverticulum (h) bilobed; genital atrium without genital setae. Legs (Figs 2G-I , 3G, K ): typical, fairly smooth, slightly stout; junction between femora and patellae I and II oblique. Femoropatella of leg IV 3.13 × longer than deep; tibia 3.93 × longer than deep; with basal tactile setae on tarsal segment: tarsus 4.50 × longer than deep (TS = 0.09-0.11); subterminal tarsal setae arcuate and acute. Arolium slightly shorter than claws, not divided; claws smooth.

Adult Female (Figs 1B , 2F , 3D, I ): mostly same as the male, but a little larger in body size; anterior half of carapace yellowish brown, paler in posterior half; pedipalps reddish brown; tergites yellowish brown, paler in legs; remainder yellow. Carapace: anterior margin with two setae, posterior margin with eight setae, 46 in total. Chelicera: hand with four setae, bs and es dentate apically, is and ls long and acute; fixed finger with six large retrorse teeth and three small apical teeth, movable finger with two long broadly rounded subapical lobes; galea with six branchlets (Fig. 3D ); serrula exterior with 21 lamellae; rallum with four blades. Pedipalp: stout, the retrolateral surface of trochanter, the prolateral surface of femur, patella and base of chelal fingers granular; trochanter with two distinct conical dorsal tubercles; trochanter 1.88 ×, femur 2.52 ×, patella 2.20 ×, chela (with pedicel) 2.93 ×, chela (without pedicel) 2.74 ×, hand (without pedicel) 1.58 × longer than broad, movable chelal finger 0.67 × (0.75 ×) longer than hand with pedicel (without pedicel). Opisthosoma: tergites I, II, and XI undivided, tergites III and IV incompletely divided and other tergites completely divided; tergal chaetotaxy (I-XI): 8: 11: 6-6: 8-7: 7-8: 9-8: 9-9: 8-8: 8-8: 14+ (2T): 10+ (4T); sternites XI undivided and other sternites divided, sternal chaetotaxy (IV-XI): 6-6: 8-8:8-9: 7-5: 8-6: 8-8: 8-9 (4T): 9 + (4T); genital structure (Figs 2F , 3I ) simple, spermathecae provided with separated median cribriform plates.

Dimensions (length/breadth or, in the case of the legs, length/depth in mm). Male (female in parentheses): body length 3.19 (3.21). Carapace 0.87/0.66 (0.87/0.69). Pedipalp: trochanter 0.48/0.26 (0.49/0.26), femur 0.72/0.29 (0.78/0.31), patella 0.77/0.36 (0.77/0.35), chela (with pedicel) 1.28/0.42 (1.35/0.46), chela (without pedicel) 1.18 (1.26), hand (with pedicel) 0.75 (0.82), hand (without pedicel) 0.65 (0.73), movable finger length 0.53 (0.55). Leg I: trochanter 0.17/0.14 (0.16/0.15), femur 0.28/0.18 (0.27/0.19), patella 0.40/0.16 (0.40/0.16), tibia 0.40/0.12 (0.42/0.12), tarsus 0.38/0.08 (0.41/0.09). Leg IV: trochanter 0.30/0.16 (0.30/0.17), femoropatella 0.75/0.24 (0.79/0.25), tibia 0.59/0.15 (0.62/0.16), tarsus 0.45/0.10 (0.48/0.11).

Remarks.

Prior to this study, 13 species of Catatemnus have been recorded around the world, of which five come from Asia, but none have been recorded in China. The medial furrow on the carapace of Catatemnus huae sp. nov. was a little faint (but still visible) probably due to the pale body color.

Catatemnus huae sp. nov. can be distinguished from C. birmanicus (Thorell, 1889) by the stouter pedipalps (e.g., palpal femur (♀) 2.52 × vs 2.36 × longer than broad, length 0.78 mm vs 0.92 mm) and the traits of pedipalps (distinctly granular vs minutely granular); from C. concavus (With, 1906) by the stouter pedipalps (♀) (e.g., palpal femur 2.52 × vs 2.29 × longer than broad, length 0.78 mm vs 0.90 mm), the trait of galea (galea well-developed and with six branchlets vs galea undeveloped and partly lost) and the color of the tergites (pale yellow vs darker brown); from C. monitor (With, 1906) by stouter pedipalps (e.g., palpal femur (♂) 2.48 × vs 2.25 ×, (♀) 2.52 × vs 2.27 × longer than broad, length (♂) 0.72 mm vs 1.01 mm, (♀) 0.78 mm vs 0.95 mm), the trait of eyespots (with two faint eyespots vs no eyespots visible) and the color of the dorsal surface of the body (pale yellow vs dark brown); from C. nicobarensis (With, 1906) by the stouter pedipalps (♂) (e.g., palpal femur 2.48 × vs 2.14 × longer than broad, length 0.72 mm vs 0.97 mm) and the traits of the palpal trochanter (anterior surface granular vs smooth or almost smooth); from C. thorelli (Balzan, 1892) by the trait of eyespots (with two faint eyespots vs with two distinct eyespots) and the traits of pedipalps (surface of all segments (except chelal fingers) granular vs surface of palps smooth) ( Thorell 1889; Balzan 1891; With 1906; Beier 1932).

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality.

Etymology.

The new species is named after Junfang Hu, who collected the specimen for this study.

Figures

Figure 1. Catatemnus huae sp. nov. A holotype male, habitus (minus left pedipalp, left legs I and IV, dorsal view) B paratype female, habitus (minus left pedipalp, left legs I and III, right leg IV, dorsal view). Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figure 2. Catatemnus huae sp. nov., holotype male (A-E, G-I), paratype female (F) A carapace (dorsal view) B left chela (lateral view) C left chelal fingers (lateral view) D left pedipalp (dorsal view) E male genital area (ventral view) F female genital area (ventral view) G tarsus of left leg IV (lateral view) H left leg I (lateral view) I left leg IV (lateral view). Scale bars: 0.20 mm (B, D, H, I); 0.10 mm (A, C, E-G).

Figure 3. Catatemnus huae sp. nov., holotype male (A-C, E-H, J-L), paratype female (D, I) A carapace (dorsal view) B left chelicera (dorsal view) C male galea D female galea E rallum F left pedipalp (dorsal view) G left leg I (lateral view) H left chelal fingers (lateral view), with details of trichobothrial pattern I female genital area (ventral view) J male genital area (ventral view) K left leg IV (lateral view) L male genital organ. Scale bars: 0.20 mm (F, G, K); 0.10 mm (A-E, H-J, L). Abbreviations: b = basal; sb = sub-basal; st = sub-terminal; t = terminal; ib = interior basal; isb = interior sub-basal; ist = interior sub-terminal; it = interior terminal; eb = exterior basal; esb = exterior sub-basal; est = exterior sub-terminal; et = exterior terminal; a = lateral apodeme; br = hooked branch; c = sclerotized bar; d = longitudinal fold of medial diverticulum; e = ejaculatory canal atrium; f = lateral rods; g = dorsal apodeme; h = ventral diverticulum; l = lateral lip of lateral apodeme.