Ernstmayria apostolostrichasi Ćurčić and Dimitrijević, 2006

Ćurčić, Božidar P. M., Dimitrijević, Rajko N., Trichas, Apostolos, Tomić, Vladimir T. & Ćurčić, Srećko B., 2007, A new neobisiid pseudoscorpion species from Crete (Greece), with notes on its morphology, distribution, evolution, and phylogeny, Journal of Natural History 41 (13 - 16), pp. 751-769 : 758-764

Ernstmayria apostolostrichasi Ćurčić and Dimitrijević, 2006

( Figures 8–42 ; Table I; Map 1 )

Material examined

One female and one male, Chrysi Isl., Crete, Greece, 15 June 1992, collected by Dr. Apostolos Trichas; one female and one male, Keratidi, Crete, Greece, 15 November 1990, same collector; one female and one tritonymph, Omalos, Crete, Greece, 27 June 1990, same collector ( Map 1 ) .

The biotope of this species includes supralittoral as well as some macchia and woody areas up to 1400 m a.s.l.; all specimens were collected by the use of Barber traps. The carbonate substrate is characterized by diverse vegetation, consisting of different species of Quercus , Tamarix smyrnensis Bunge , Tamarix parυiflora DC., Tamarix dalmatica Baum , Sarcopoterium spinosum (L.) Spach, and a few representatives of some Poaceae .

The specimens analysed are housed in the collections of the Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Belgrade, Serbia ( IZB 1004–1009 ) .

Supplementary description

The carapace is somewhat longer than broad or broader than long ( Table I; Figures 12 , 19 , 24 , 34 , 41 ). The epistome is triangular and apically rounded ( Figures 10 , 18 , 23 , 33 , 40 ). With four eyes ( Figures 12 , 19 , 24 , 34 , 41 ). The carapacal setal formulae are: 7+6+6+10529, and 4+6+6+9525 setae (males; Figures 12 , 24 ), 6+6+6+12530, 4+6+ 6+11527, and 4+6+6+10526 setae (females, Figures 19 , 34 ), and 4+6+6+8524 setae (tritonymph; Figure 41 ).

The number of setae borne on tergites I–X is variable: 9-11-12-14-15-14-14-12-12-11, 9-12-13-13-14-14-14-13-13-12 (males), 9-13-14-16-16-14-14-13-12-11 (female) and 8- 12-12-13-13-12-11-11-11-10 (tritonymph).

In the male, sternite II carries 16–18 setae, and 13 and two setae are borne in the female and tritonymph, respectively. Sternite III has 27–29 setae and three or four suprastigmatic microsetae on either side (male), 17 setae and four or five microsetae along each stigma (females), and eight setae and two small setae along each of the stigma ( Figures 13 , 25 ). Sternite IV with 15–19 setae and three or four suprastigmatic microsetae along each of the stigma (males), 14–17 setae and three or four tiny suprastigmatic setae on either side (females; Figures 17 , 29 , 35 ), and 10 setae and two small setae on either side (tritonymph). Sternites V–X each with 19-21-17-18-15-14, 18-15-14-14-13-12 (males), 19-18-19-17-14-13, 20-18-18-17-15-14, 21-18-17-18-14-13 (females) and 13- 13-14-13-13-12 setae (tritonymph). Of these, two median setae on each of the sternites are slightly anterior—at a distance of 2.00–3.20 diameters of their bases—to other posterior setae.

The movable and fixed cheliceral fingers carry 8–12 (males), 9–11 (females), and nine small teeth, apically rounded (worn or lamellar in some ‘old’ specimens), and 12–17 (males), 13–16 (females) and 14 such teeth (tritonymph). On the movable finger, these end well below the galeal seta (gl) ( Figures 14 , 26 , 36 , 42 ). A single chaeta is borne on the movable cheliceral finger (adults, tritonymph), and six to seven (males), and six such setae are carried by males and tritonymph, respectively.

Flagellum seven- or eight- (males), eight- (females), and eight-bladed (tritonymph), characteristic of the genus.

Manducatory process with five (adults) and four long setae (tritonymph). Pedipalpal articles ( Figures 9 , 16 , 21 , 28 , 32 , 38 ) as in the type specimens ( Ćurčić et al. 2006). The movable chelal finger with 63–66 (males), 60–63 (females), and 48 small teeth (tritonymph). Trichobothriotaxy as in type specimens ( Figures 8 , 15 , 20 , 27 , 30 , 37 ) ( Ćurčić et al. 2006). Fixed chelal finger with 63–68 (males), 63–66 (females) and 53 small and close-set teeth (tritonymph).

The pedipalpal femur is 3.79–4.40 (males), 3.66–4.07 (females), and 2.95–3.60 times as long as broad (tritonymphs) ( Table I). The pedipalpal patella is 2.43–2.56 (males), 2.275– 2.44 (females), and 2.18–2.36 (tritonymphs) times longer than its breadth (tritonymphs). The pedipalpal chela length to breadth ratio is 2.74–3.51 (males), 3.21–3.76 (females) and 3.36–3.60 (tritonymph). Chelal fingers of the same length or slightly longer than chelal palm ( Figures 8 , 15 , 20 , 27 , 30 , 37 ; Table I).

Tibia IV and metatarsus IV each carry a single long tactile seta, but tarsus IV bears two such setae ( Figures 11 , 22 , 31 , 39 ; Table I).

The measurements of different body structures and morphometric ratios are presented in Table I.

Generally, the additional examples analysed conform to the original description of E. apostolostrichasi . Some minor distinctions are due to the intra- and interpopulation variability of this taxon from different localities.

Distribution

This taxon is an endemic and palaeorelict inhabitant of different ecosystems (ranging from supralittoral to mountainous areas) in Crete, Greece.

Figures

Map 1. Distribution of Ernstmayria υenizelosi n. sp. (1) and E. apostolostrichasi Ćurčić and Dimitrijević (2) on the island of Crete, Greece.

Figures 8–14. Ernstmayria apostolostrichasi Ćurčić and Dimitrijević, 2006, male, from Chrysi Isl., Crete, Greece. (8) Pedipalpal chela. (9) Pedipalp. (10) Epistome. (11) Leg IV. (12) Carapace. (13) Genital area. (14) Chelicera. Scale bars: 0.50 mm (8, 9, 11–13); 0.25 mm (10, 14).

Figures 15–19. Ernstmayria apostolostrichasi Ćurčić and Dimitrijević, 2006, female, from Chrysi Isl., Crete, Greece. (15) Pedipalpal chela. (16) Pedipalp. (17) Genital area. (18) Epistome. (19) Carapace. Scale bars: 0.50 mm (15–17, 19); 0.25 mm (18).

Figures 20–26. Ernstmayria apostolostrichasi Ćurčić and Dimitrijević, 2006, male, from Keratidi, Crete, Greece. (20) Pedipalpal chela. (21) Pedipalp. (22) Leg IV. (23) Epistome. (24) Carapace. (25) Genital area. (26) Chelicera. Scale bars: 0.50 mm (20–22, 24); 0.25 mm (23, 25, 26).

Figures 27–29. Ernstmayria apostolostrichasi Ćurčić and Dimitrijević, 2006, female, from Keratidi, Crete, Greece. (27) Pedipalpal chela. (28) Pedipalp. (29) Genital area. Scale bars: 0.50 mm.

Figures 30–36. Ernstmayria apostolostrichasi Ćurčić and Dimitrijević, 2006, female, from Omalos, Crete, Greece. (30) Pedipalpal chela. (31) Leg IV. (32) Pedipalp. (33) Epistome. (34) Carapace. (35) Genital area. (36) Chelicera. Scale bars: 0.50 mm (30–32, 34); 0.25 mm (33, 35, 36).

Figures 37–42. Ernstmayria apostolostrichasi Ćurčić and Dimitrijević, 2006, tritonymph, from Omalos, Crete, Greece. (37) Pedipalpal chela. (38) Pedipalp. (39) Leg IV. (40) Epistome. (41) Carapace. (42) Chelicera. Scale bars: 0.50 mm (37–39, 41); 0.25 mm (40, 42).