Catatemnus tibetanus, 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 tibetanus sp. nov.

Figs 16 , 17 (西藏猫伪蝎)

Type material.

Holotype: China • ♂; Xizang Autonomous Region (Tibet), Motuo County, Beibeng Township, Jiangxin Village; 29°14.199'N, 95°10.740'E; 850 m a.s.l.; 09 Aug. 2015; Yejie Lin leg.; Ps.-MHBU-XZ15080901.

Diagnosis (♂). This new species is characterized by: two distinct developed eyespots, 1.32 × longer than broad; palpal slightly stout, femur 2.44 ×, chela with pedicel 2.82 ×, chela without pedicel 2.62 × longer than broad; distance between ist and isb farther to distance between est and esb; retrolateral surface of trochanter, prolateral surface of patella, femur and hand and base of chelal fingers granular.

Description.

Adult male (female unknown) (Figs 16 , 17 ). Color: anterior half of carapace and pedipalps reddish brown, posterior half of carapace yellowish brown; tergites brown. Carapace (Figs 16B , 17A ): length distinctly longer than breadth (1.32 ×); anterior half darker than posterior half; surface smooth, but with a medial furrow; with two distinct eyespots situated near anterior margin of carapace; anterior margin with four setae, posterior margin with eight setae, 40 in total, each seta acicular and very slightly curved. Chelicera (Fig. 17B-D ): much smaller than carapace length; surface smooth; four setae (sbs absent; es shorter than others) and two lyrifissures (exterior condylar lyrifissure and exterior lyrifissure) present on hand; movable finger with one galeal seta; bs dentate apically, is and ls long and acute. Fixed finger with five large retrorse teeth and two or three small apical teeth, movable finger with a long broadly rounded subapical lobe; galea present, short and apically with five branchlets (Fig. 17C ). Serrula interior connected to fixed finger for entire length, proximally modified to form velum, serrula exterior with 27 lamellae, the basal one longest; lamina exterior present. Rallum comprising four blades, the basal two blades shorter than others, the distal one dentated anteriorly, remainder smooth (Fig. 17D ). Pedipalp (Figs 16C-E , 17E, F ): stout, trochanter 1.74 ×, femur 2.44 ×, patella 1.98 ×, chela with pedicel (without pedicel) 2.82 × (2.62 ×), hand without pedicel 1.50 × longer than broad; movable chelal finger 0.66 × longer than hand with pedicel. Setae generally long and acuminate. Retrolateral surface of trochanter, prolateral surface of patella, femur, and hand granular; trochanter with two well-developed conical tubercles. 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 midway between et and esb; it distal to est and proximal to et; ist situated very slightly distal to est; it closer to ist than to fingertip; distance between est and esb shorter to that of 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 midway between t and sb (Fig. 17F ). Venom apparatus only present in fixed chelal finger, venom ducts curved and short, terminating in inflated nodus ramosus between et and est. Both chelal fingers with a row of acute teeth, spaced contiguously along the margin, slightly rounded proximally: fixed chelal finger with 26 teeth; movable chelal finger with 32 teeth (nearly as large as teeth on fixed chelal finger); without accessory teeth (Fig. 17F ). Sense spots absent; femur without long tactile setae. Movable chelal finger straight in lateral view (Figs 16E , 17F ). Opisthosoma: typical, surface irregular grid decoration, all setae long and acuminate. Pleural membrane longitudinally striate, without setae. Tergites I-III and XI undivided, tergal chaetotaxy I-XI: 8: 7: 9: 6-6: 6-6: 6-5: 7-6: 6-7: 7-5: 7-6 + (2T): 12 (4T). Sternites divided, sternal chaetotaxy IV-XI: 6-5: 9-9: 8-7: 8-8: 7-7: 8-7: 8-7 + (4T): 12 + (4T). Anus (tergite XII and sternite XII) without raised rim. Anterior genital operculum with six setae on each side, posterior margin with four marginal setae on each side. Legs (Figs 16G-I , 17H, I ): typical, fairly smooth, slightly stout; junction between femora and patellae I and II oblique. Femoropatella of leg IV 2.67 × longer than deep; tibia 3.53 × longer than deep; with basal tactile setae on tarsal segment: tarsus 3.82 × longer than deep (TS= 0.11); subterminal tarsal setae arcuate and acute. Arolium slightly shorter than claws, not divided; claws smooth.

Dimensions (length/breadth or, in the case of the legs, length/depth in mm). Male: body length 3.34. Carapace 0.99/0.75. Pedipalp: trochanter 0.47/0.27, femur 0.83/0.34, patella 0.81/0.41, chela (with pedicel) 1.41/0.50, chela (without pedicel) 1.31/0.50, hand (with pedicel) 0.85/0.50, hand (without pedicel) 0.75/0.50, movable chelal finger length 0.56. Leg I: trochanter 0.20/0.16, femur 0.26/0.20, patella 0.42/0.19, tibia 0.44/0.13, tarsus 0.38/0.09. Leg IV: femoropatella 0.80/0.30, tibia 0.60/0.17, tarsus 0.42/0.11.

Remarks.

Catatemnus tibetanus sp. nov. can be distinguished from C. birmanicus by the smaller body size (♂) (e.g., body length 3.34 mm vs 4.27 mm; palpal femur length 0.83 mm vs 1.09 mm; movable chelal finger length 0.56 mm vs 0.78 mm) and the trait of eyespots (with two distinct eyespots vs with two faint eyespots); from C. concavus by the trait of eyespots (with two distinct eyespots vs with two faint eyespots) and the traits of pedipalps (the dorsal surfaces of femur and hand almost smooth vs with minute low granules everywhere except on fingers); from C. monitor by the trait of eyespots (with two distinct eyespots vs no eyespots visible) and the stouter pedipalps (♂) (e.g., palpal femur 2.44 × vs 2.25 × longer than broad, length 0.83 mm vs 1.01 mm); from C. nicobarensis by the trait of eyespots (with two distinct eyespots vs with two indistinct eyespots) and the traits of the palpal trochanter (anterior surface granular vs smooth or almost smooth); from C. thorelli by the trait of furrow on the carapace (distinctly curved vs almost straight) and the stouter pedipalps (e.g., palpal femur 2.44 × vs 2.82 × longer than broad, length 0.83 mm vs 0.96 mm; movable chelal finger teeth length 0.56 mm vs 0.70 mm) ( Thorell 1889; Balzan 1891; With 1906; Beier 1932).

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality.

Etymology.

Named after the type locality, Tibet (China).

Figures

Figure 16. Catatemnus tibetanus sp. nov., holotype male A habitus (dorsal view) B carapace (dorsal view) C left pedipalp (dorsal view) D left chela (lateral view) E left chela fingers (lateral view) F 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: 1.00 mm (A); 0.20 mm (B-I).

Figure 17. Catatemnus tibetanus sp. nov., holotype male A carapace (dorsal view) B left chelicera (dorsal view) C galea D rallum E left pedipalp (dorsal view) F left chelal fingers (lateral view), with details of trichobothrial pattern G genital area (ventral view) H left leg I (lateral view) I left leg IV (lateral view). Scale bars: 0.20 mm (A, E, G-I); 0.10 mm (B-D, F). 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.