Rhopalochernes catalinae, Marimon & Blanco & Harvey, 2022

Marimon, Karla, Blanco, Eduardo Villarreal & Harvey, Rk. S., 2022, Two new species of Rhopalochernes Beier, 1932 (Pseudoscorpiones: Chernetidae) from Colombia, Zootaxa 5150 (3), pp. 397-410 : 403-407

Rhopalochernes catalinae sp. nov.

Figs. 4A–F , 5A–G , 6A–G , 7B

ZooBank Registration: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:33CE2DF6-A490-4524-89DF-D6C5D5A884A7

Type material. female holotype: COLOMBIA, Atlántico, Municipio de Usiacurí, Reserva Campesina La Montaña (10°46’02,06” N, 75°02’34” W), 150m, 08.VI.2019, K. Marimon and E. Villarreal leg. (ICN-APs-843). Paratypes: 1 female and 3 males with the same data as the holotype (IAvH-I-3856 [2♂]; ICN-Aps-844 [1♂, 1♀]) ; 2 females and 2 males , Colombia, Atlántico, Municipio de Juan de Acosta, Corregimiento de Chorrera (10°47′48.34″ N, 75°00′45.37″ W), 270 masl. 09. VI.2018, K. Marimon, D. Tilano and E. Villarreal leg (IAvH-I-3846 [1♀]; ICN-Aps- 845 [1♀, 2♂]) ; 1 female, Colombia, Bolívar, Municipio de San Jacinto , Vereda La Flecha , Finca Amanecer Gaitero (9°51′9.74″ N; 75°10′32.32″ W), 250 masl. 11-12.IX.2019, K. Marimon & E. Villarreal leg. (ICN-APs-846) .

Etymology. This species is named for our colleague Catalina Romero-Ortiz, in appreciation of her research on Colombian pseudoscorpions.

Diagnosis: Rhopalochernes catalinae sp. nov. can be distinguished from other species of the genus by the following combination of characters: cheliceral hand with four setae ( Figs. 5E , 6E ); serrula exterior with 11-12 blades; eyeless ( Figs. 4C, 4F ); carapace with shallow transverse furrows (only visible in lateral view); nodus ramosus at the same level or slightly close to st ( Figs. 5G , 6G ); and trichobothria st midway between t and sb ( Figs. 5G , 6G ).

Differential diagnosis: Rhopalochernes catalinae sp. nov. can be differentiated from R. chamberlini , R. panamensis and R. ohausi by the lack of eyespots ( Figs. 4C, 4F ). It also differs from R. chamberlini by the thicker femur + patella of leg IV, 2.60‒2.89 versus 3.73 × longer than deep in R. chamberlini . It can be distinguished from R. panamensis and R. ohausi by the serrula exterior which has 11‒12 blades, but 14‒15 blades in R. panamensis and 16 blades in R. ohausi . It can also be distinguished from R. ohausi by having gaping chelal fingers (versus not gaping in R. ohausi , see Mahnert, 2001, Fig. 110).

Rhopalochernes catalinae sp. nov. most closely resembles R. insulanus and R. luiscarlosi sp. nov. in the absence of eyes ( Figs. 4C, 4F ), but can be differentiated from R. insulanus by the number of setae on the cheliceral hand, 6 in R. insulanus versus 4 in R. catalinae sp. nov. and R. luiscarlosi sp. nov., a trait also found in R. chamberlini and R. panamensis (see Heurtault, 1998, Figs. 4 and 9). Rhopalochernes catalinae sp. nov. can also be distinguished from R. luiscarlosi sp. nov. by the shape of the furrows on the surface of the carapace, which are shallow and inconspicuous in R. catalinae sp. nov. ( Figs. 4C, 4F ), but are deep and conspicuous in R. luiscarlosi sp. nov. ( Figs. 1C, 1F ). They also differ in other features such as: the shape of the spermathecae, with short and thicker ducts ( Fig. 7B ) versus elongated and narrow ducts in R. luiscarlosi sp. nov. ( Fig. 7A ); the shape of tarsus IV, which is robust (2.75–3.75 × longer than deep) while that of R. luiscarlosi sp. nov. is slender (4.00–4.25 × longer than deep).

Description of adult: Colour: Carapace reddish brown towards the anterior margin and lighter towards posterior margin, pedipalps reddish brown. Tergites and legs yellowish brown ( Fig. 4 ).

Carapace: heavily granulated; 1.24‒1.41 (♂) 1.24‒1.37 (♀) × longer than broad, eyes or eye‒spot absent; with 2 inconspicuous transverse furrows slightly visible on lateral view, posterior furrow closer to posterior margin than anterior furrow; posterior margin of carapace slightly v shaped; anterior margin with 6 setae (♂, ♀), posterior margin with 8‒9 setae (♂, ♀). ( Fig. 4C, F )

Chelicera: 1.43‒2.00 (♂), 1.33‒1.80 (♀) × longer than broad; hand with 4 setae (sbs absent) and 1 distal seta (gs) on movable finger, is, bs and es short and acuminate, ls longer and broad ( Figs. 5E , 6E ), galea with 4 rami (♀) or simple (♂) ( Figs. 5C , 6D ); rallum with 3 blades ( Figs. 5D , 6C ), anterior blade with several ramifications while others smooth; serrula exterior with 11‒12 blades (♂, ♀), lamina exterior present.

Pedipalp: trochanter, femur, patella and hand heavily granulated, with short, feathered and acuminate setae ( Figs. 5F , 6F ), chelal fingers smooth; trochanter 1.20‒1.57 (♂), 1.20‒1.64 (♀), femur 2.07‒2.77 (♂), 2.43‒3.08 (♀), patella 1.62‒2.36 (♂), 1.93‒2.43 (♀), chela (with pedicel) 2.94‒3.27 (♂), 2.89‒3.24 (♀), chela (without pedicel) 2.40‒2.53 (♂), 2.45‒2.63 (♀). Hand 1.24‒1.40 (♂), 1.25‒1.41 (♀) × longer than broad, movable finger 1.10‒1.24 (♂), 1.09‒1.27 (♀) × longer than hand. All marginal teeth rounded except the terminal ones, which are pointed, accessory teeth not visible. Fixed chelal finger with 8 trichobothria. movable chelal finger with 4 trichobothria: eb, esb and est in the first half of fixed finger, esb closer to eb than est, which is closer to the midpoint of the finger, et distal and close to the fingertip; ib at the same level of eb, ist slightly aligned to esb, isb at the same level as st, close to est, it closer to et than isb; b and sb grouped basally, st and t in the middle of the movable finger, st slightly closer to t than sb, t much closer to st than tip of the finger. Venom apparatus present only in movable chelal finger with nodus ramosus at the same level or slightly close to st ( Figs. 5G , 6G ).

Coxal region: maxillae smooth except for the antero-lateral region, coxae smooth, manducatory process triangular in shape with 2-3 apical setae, 1 prolateral suboral seta and 14-15 (♂), 11 (♀) additional setae on maxilla. Median maxillary lyrifissure rounded and situated submedially. Chaetotaxy of coxae I-IV, ♂, 7-8: 8-10: 8: 12; ♀, 9: 9: 12: 24.

Legs: granulate, feathered setae on retrolateral margin and dentate setae on prolateral margins. Femur + patella of leg IV 2.25‒2.70 (♂), 2.60‒2.89 (♀) × longer than depth, as well as tibia and tarsus 2.71‒3.33 (♂), 3.17‒3.67 (♀) and 2.75‒3.75 (♂), 3.25‒3.75 (♀) × longer than broad, respectively. Tarsi III and IV with tactile seta, located subdistally. Arolium undivided, slightly shorter than claws, claws slender and simple, not modified ( Figs. 5A‒B , 6A‒B ).

Abdomen: tergites I-X and sternites IV-X with a clear medial suture line ( Fig. 7D ). Tergal chaetotaxy: ♂, 12: 11-12: 11-13:15-16: 14-15: 15-16: 15-16: 14-16: 13-14: 12-13: 9-10: 2, ♀, 12: 14: 13: 16: 17: 18: 19: 16: 16: 13: 9: 2. Sternal chaetotaxy: ♂, (1) 4-6 (1): (1) 7-9 (1): 13-14: 12-13: 13: 13: 12: 10: 4-6: 2, ♀, 20: (1) 5 (1): (1) 15 (1): 15: 15: 14: 14: 14: 9: 16: 2. Tergites with setae acuminate, sternites with setae leaf-like shape. Pleural membrane striated and without setae.

Genitalia: female: spermathecae paired, with short ducts ending in oval sacs ( Fig. 7A ). Male: genital opercula containing 18 setae on the anterior operculum and 4 in distal margin of posterior operculum.

Dimensions: holotype female (ICN APs-843), with a range of 5 females paratype in parentheses: Body length 1.4 (1.04‒1.50). Pedipalps: trochanter 0.21/0.14 (0.21‒0.23/0.13‒0.15), femur 0.33/0.13 (0.33‒0.37/0.12‒0.14), patella 0.27/0.14 (0.27‒0.34/0.14‒0.15), chela (with pedicel) 0.51/0.16 (0.51‒0.55/0.16‒0.18), chela (without pedicel) 0.47 (0.46‒0.50), hand (without pedicel) length 0.2 (0.20‒0.24), movable finger length 0.25 (0.25‒0.28). Carapace 0.45/0.36 (0.45‒0.49/0.36‒0.39). Leg IV: femur + patella 0.25/0.09 (0.25‒0.27/0.09‒0.1), tibia 0.19/0.06 (0.19‒ 0.22/0.06), tarsus 0.14/0.04 (0.13‒0.15/0.04).

Paratype male (ICN APs-844), with a range of 7 male in parentheses: Body length 1.34 (1.11‒1.35). Pedipalps: trochanter 0.21/0.14 (0.18‒0.22/0.14‒0.15), femur 0.36/0.13 (0.29‒0.38/0.13‒0.16), patella 0.33/0.15 (0.21‒ 0.34/0.13‒0.16), chela (with pedicel) 0.51/0.17 (0.48‒0.55/0.15‒0.18), chela (without pedicel) 0.46 (0.43‒0.49), hand (without pedicel) length 0.21 (0.21‒0.23), movable finger length 0.26 (0.23‒0.27). Carapace 0.47/0.35 (0.46‒ 0.48/0.34‒0.37). Leg IV: femur + patella 0.26/0.11 (0.25‒0.27/0.10‒0.12), tibia 0.19/0.07 (0.17‒0.22/0.06‒0.07), tarsus 0.14/0.04 (0.11‒0.15/0.04).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Rhopalochernes luiscarlosi sp. nov. A–C. Holotype female, habitus (ICN-Aps-841). A. Dorsal view. B. Ventral view. C. Carapace. D–F. Paratype male, habitus (ICN-Aps-842). D. Dorsal view. D. Ventral view. E. Carapace. Scale bars A–B, D–F = 0.05 mm. C, E= 0.25 mm.

FIGURE 4. Rhopalochernes catalinae sp. nov., A–C. Holotype female, habitus (ICN-Aps-843). A. Dorsal view. B. Ventral view. C. Carapace. D–F. Paratype male, habitus (ICN-Aps-844). D. Dorsal view. D. Ventral view. E. Carapace. Scale bars A–B, D–E = 0.05 mm. C, F= 0.25 mm

FIGURE 5. Rhopalochernes catalinae sp. nov., female holotype. A. Left leg I. B. Left leg IV. C. Galea. D. Rallum. E. Left chelicera. F. Left pedipalp. G. Left chela. Scale bar A–B: 0.1 mm, C, D, F,G= 0.02 mm, E= 0.05 mm.

FIGURE 6. Rhopalochernes catalinae sp. nov., male paratype. A. Left leg I. B. Left leg IV. C. Rallum. D. Galea. E. Left chelicera. F. Left pedipalp. G. Left chela. Scale bar A–B: 0.1 mm, C, D, F, G= 0.02 mm, E= 0.05 mm.

FIGURE 7. Schematic drawing of spermathecae A. Rhopalochernes luiscarlosi sp. nov. B. Rhopalochernes catalinae sp. nov. Vestitural setae on tergites C. Rhopalochernes luiscarlosi sp. nov. D. Rhopalochernes catalinae sp. nov. Scale bar A–B: 0.05 mm, C–D= 0.1 mm.