Neobisium (Blothrus) georgecastriotae Ćurčić, Dimitrijević & Rađa, 2006

Gardini, Giulio, 2018, Subterranean Neobisium (Pseudoscorpiones: Neobisiidae) from Albania, Revue suisse de Zoologie 125 (1), pp. 189-200 : 189-192

Neobisium (Blothrus) georgecastriotae Ćurčić, Dimitrijević & Rađa, 2006

Figs 1-10

Neobisium georgecastriotae Ćurčić, Dimitrijević & Rađa , in Ćurčić et al., 2006b: 101, figs 1-8.

Neobisium albanorum Ćurčić, Dimitrijević, Rađa & Vujčić-Karlo, 2006: 3, figs 1-30. New synonym

Material examined: CGG; 1 male; Albania, Gjirokastër County, Tepelenë, Progonat, Shterra ë Cikes (40°13’19”N, 19°51’43”E), 800 m a.s.l.; 3.VIII.1994; F. Didonna leg. ‒ CGG; 1 tritonymph; Progonat, Shpella ë Kasarit (40°12’38”N, 19°57’24”E), 1100 m a.s.l.; 2.VIII.1994; F Didonna leg.

Diagnosis (male, female): A subterranean troglomorphic Neobisium that differs from other Balkan species of the genus in the following combination of characters: no eyes or eye-spots; carapace with 4 setae in posterior row, epistome triangular; standard chaetotaxy of tergites I-II 4:4; pedipalps smooth; chelal fingers homodentate, teeth small and contiguous; pedipalpal femur slightly longer than movable finger; ratio between movable finger and hand of chela with pedicel 1.42-1.54; ratio between club and pedicel of patella 2.4-2.6; chela with pedicel length 5.20- 5.80 mm, 7.8-8.5 times as long as broad; trichobothrium ist just proximal to est, the latter midway between ist -it or closer to it; trichobothrium et at level of it; trichobothrium st closer to t than to sb; anterolateral process of coxa I squat, apically obtuse.

Description of adults (male, female): Carapace, chelicera, pedipalps and palpal coxae red-brown; pedipalps smooth, pleural membrane granular. Carapace 1.3- 1.4 times as long as broad, without eyes or eye-spots, anterior margin with prominent triangular epistome, apically rounded, rarely acuminate ( Fig. 1 ); 20 macrosetae, anterior and posterior rows each with 4 macrosetae, besides 1 or 3 “preocular” setae on each side. Chaetotaxy of tergites I-X 4:4:4-6:4- 6:6:6-7:6-7:7-8:7-8:7-8; II and V rarely with 5 setae. Chaetotaxy of sternites II-X (male): 18-30:38-47(15- 20 of them situated along posterior margin of genital opening):20-21:15-16:14-15:15-17:14-17:15-16:11-13, setae of genital atrium and median genital sac not seen; chaetotaxy of sternites II-X (female) 12-21:29-31:16- 18:13-16:11-15:11-14:12-14:13-14:12-13; sternites III and IV (male, female) each with 2-4 (mostly 3) microsetae in front of each stigma; anal cone with 2 + 2 setae. Chelicera ( Fig. 2 ) 2.0-2.15 (male, female) times as long as broad, palm with 6 setae; fixed finger with 12 subequal teeth proximally decreasing in size; movable finger with a prominent tooth at level of gs; gs ratio 0.70, spinneret absent or slightly prominent, with 7 silk ducts; rallum with 7-8 blades, the two distal ones dentate; serrulae interior and exterior with 35 and 38 blades, respectively. Manducatory process with 5 setae. Coxal setae: pedipalp 11, I 10, II 9, III 8, IV 13-14; anterolateral process of coxa I squat, apically obtuse. Pedipalp ( Figs 3-6 ): trochanter 2.85 (male) times as long as broad, with a weak button-like tubercle on antiaxial face; femur 8.45-9.0 (male) or 7.7-9.3 (female) times as long as broad, smooth, weakly enlarged distally; patella 6.5-6.9 (male) or 6.6-8.1 (female) times as long as broad, club-shaped, ratio between club and pedicel 2.2-2.5 (male) or 2.6 (female); chela with pedicel 7.8-8.5 (male) or 7.8-7.85 (female) times as long as broad; hand of chela with pedicel 3.2-3.5 (male) or 3.1-3.17 (female) times as long as broad, oval, gradually narrowing towards pedicel; fixed chelal finger with 158- 171 (male, female) small contiguous teeth with dental canals ( Figs 5-6 ), venom duct short, nodus ramosus subterminal ( Fig. 6 ); movable chelal finger with 130- 138 (male, female) small contiguous teeth with dental canals ( Figs 5-6 ) reaching back near b; trichobothria as in Figs 4-5 , ist just proximal to est, the latter midway between it and ist or closer to it; st closer to t than sb; relative position of trichobothria along chelal axis (male from Shterra ë Cikes): it 0.085/ et 0.09/ est 0.125/ ist 0.17/ isb 0.80/ ib 0.91/ esb 0.97/ eb 0.975/ t 0.15/ st 0.30/ sb 0.68/ b 0.90; ratio between movable finger and hand of chela with pedicel 1.42-1.52 (male) or 1.47- 1.54 (female); ratio between pedipalpal femur and movable finger 1.01-1.05 (male, female); ratio between pedipalpal femur and carapace 2.1-2.3 (male, female). Leg I (male from Shterra ë Cikes): trochanter 1.6 times as long as deep, femur 8.5 times as long as deep and 1.5 times longer than patella, the latter 6.3 times as long as deep, tibia 9.9 times, basitarsus 7.2, telotarsus 9.3 times as long as deep, ratio between basitarsus and telotarsus 0.88, subterminal seta dentate, claws with small dorsal tooth; leg IV (male, female) ( Figs 7-8 ): trochanter 3.1- 3.55 times as long as deep, femur + patella 7.7-8.25 times as long as deep, tibia 12.1-13.95 times, basitarsus 6.7-7.05 times, telotarsus 9.3-11.6 as long as deep, ratio between basitarsus and telotarsus 0.75-0.82, subterminal seta dentate, claws with small dorsal tooth ( Fig. 8 ).

Measurements: Body length 4.3-5.9 (male, female). Carapace 1.47-1.54 × 0.98-1.13 (male) or 1.51-1.59 × 1.06-1.22 (female). Chelicera 0.94-0.99 × 0.44-0.49 (male) or 1.0-1.02 × 0.48-0.51 (female); movable finger length 0.59-0.64 (male) or 0.65-0.66 (female). Pedipalp: trochanter length 1.06-1.13 (male) or 1.08-1.13 (female); femur 3.23-3.45 × 0.36-0.40 (male) or 3.43-3.54 × 0.37- 0.46 (female); patella 2.66-3.02 × 0.41-0.44 (male) or 2.77-3.48 × 0.42-0.43 (female); chela with pedicel 5.20-5.66 × 0.61-0.72 (male) or 5.36-5.80 × 0.68-0.74 (female); hand with pedicel length 2.06-2.32 (male) or 2.11-2.35 (female); movable finger length 3.14-3.38 (male) or 3.25-3.45 (female). Leg I (male from Shterra ë Cikes): trochanter 1.05 x 0.30; femur 1.28 × 0.35; patella 1.59 × 0.325; tibia 2.72 × 0.20; basitarsus 1.15 × 0.17; telotarsus 1.40 × 0.13. Leg IV: trochanter 1.01-1.05 x 0.29-0.33 (male) or 1.01-1.06 x 0.285 -0.315 (female); femur + patella 2.84-2.97 × 0.35-0.37 (male) or 2.86-2.91 × 0.37-0.38 (female); tibia 2.66-2.83 × 0.20-0.22 (male) or 2.71-2.76 × 0.21-0.22 (female); basitarsus 1.13-1.16 × 0.16-0.17 (male) or 1.10-1.14 × 0.16-0.17 (female); telotarsus 1.40-1.51 × 0.13-0.15 (male) or 1.40-1.52 × 0.14-0.15 (female).

Short description of tritonymph: Carapace 1.3 times as long as broad, without eyes or eye-spots, anterior margin with a triangular epistome; anterior row with 4, posterior row with 4 (5) setae. Chaetotaxy of tergites I-X 4:4 or 5:4:4 or 7:6 or 7:6:6:6:6 or 7:7. Chelicera 1.9 times as long as broad, palm with 6 setae, fixed finger with subequal teeth, movable finger with a prominent tooth in distal third; spinneret largely rounded, weakly prominent, with 6-7 silk ducts. Anterolateral process of coxa I squat, apically obtuse. Pedipalp ( Figs 9-10 ): femur 7.9-8.2 times as long as broad, weakly enlarged distally; patella 5.4-5.7 times as long as broad, weakly and gradually enlarged distally, club 2.5 times longer than pedicel; chela with pedicel 7.05-7.3 times as long as broad; hand of chela with pedicel 2.7-2.8 times as long as broad; fixed and movable chelal fingers homodentate, with 118-121 and 98 small and contiguous teeth with dental canals, respectively; trichobothria as in Figs 9-10 ; relative position of trichobothria along chelal axis (tritonymph from Shterra ë Cikes): it 0.10/ et 0.11/ est 0.16/ ist 0.24/ ib 0.90/ esb 0.94/ eb 0.96/ t 0.17/ st 0.50/ b 0.88; ratio between movable finger and hand of chela with pedicel 1.6; ratio between pedipalpal femur and movable finger 0.98-0.99; ratio between pedipalpal femur and carapace 1.9-2.1.

Measurements: Body length 3.6-4.3. Carapace 1.05-1.19 x 0.80-0.94. Chelicera 0.72-0.75 x 0.38-0.39, movable finger length 0.46-0.49. Pedipalp: femur 2.21-2.33 x 0.28-0.285; patella 1.71 x 0.30-0.315; chela with pedicel 3.66-3.81 x 0.50-0.54; hand with pedicel length 1.40- 1.47; movable finger length 2.24-2.34.

Remarks: Neobisium georgecastriotae was described on the basis of a single male from the cave Pusi I Kerpajt Pit near Progonat, Gjirokastër County (southern Albania). The species was compared to N. albanicum ( Müller, 1931) , redescribed from a female topotype from the cave Vrima e Dragoit near Paftal, Berat ( Beier, 1939, reproduced in Beier, 1963).

Soon afterwards, N. albanorum was described on the basis of two males, two females and a tritonymph from two caves near Gjirokastër and Kurvelesh, Gjirokastër County. That nominal species was also compared again to N. albanicum and to N. georgecastriotae .

However, the diagnostic differences between N. albanorum with N. georgecastriotae mentioned by Ćurčić and co-workers are based on errors or on a tenuous evaluation of characters: chaetotaxy of tergites I-II is 4: 4 in both species (not 6:6 as given for N. georgecastriotae ), and the proposed differences in size and ratios between the two nominal species (carapace breadth, male pedipalpal length and pedipalpal femur and chela length to breadth ratio, total length of leg IV, femur + patella of leg IV length to breadth ratio) are insubstantial in the light of a well-known high variability in subterranean populations of pseudoscorpions.

In spite of the fact that type specimens of N. albanorum and N. georgecastriotae (repeatedly requested by e-mail from the Institute of Zoology, University of Belgrade) seem to be currently unavailable for study, a careful comparison of descriptions, measurements and figures from the literature, together with the observation of the close proximity of both type localities (about 20 km apart) and the examination of the male and tritonymph from Progonat, allow the following synonymy to be proposed: Neobisium albanorum is a junior subjective synonym of Neobisium georgecastriotae . The name “ georgecastriotae ” was published earlier in 2006 and therefore has priority.

Neobisium georgecastriotae is probably closely related to N. albanicum . Two syntypes (sex not stated) of N. albanicum , glued to card mounts, are stored in the Museo civico di Storia naturale, Trieste. They are labelled: “ Obis. ( Blothrus ) / albanicum m. / det. J. Müller” “Vrima e Dragoi / Paftali, Berat / Ravasini 7.22” and “ Blothrus / albanicus m. / det. J. Müller” “Cotypus” “Vrima e Dragoi / Paftali, Berat / Ravasini 7.22”. Thanks to the courtesy of Dr A. Colla (MCST) and F. Gasparo (Trieste), I acquired photographs, basic measurements of pedipalps and position of trichobothria which supplement the description of N. albanicum by Beier (1939, 1963). Neobisium georgecastriotae differs from N. albanicum in size (pedipalpal femur 3.23-3.54 mm vs. 2.74-2.87 mm; patella 2.66-3.48 mm vs. 2.25-2.32 mm; chela 5.20- 5.80 mm vs. 4.40-4.55 mm), in ratio between finger and hand of chela (1.42-1.54 vs. 1.62-1.73), in chaetotaxy of tergites I-II (4:4 vs. 6:6) and in position of pedipalpal trichobothria (ist slightly proximal to est vs. ist slightly proximal to st; et at level or closer to it than to est vs. et halfway between est and it).

The above redescription of N. georgecastriotae incorporates data (chaetotaxy and measurements) from the original description and data proposed by Ćurčić et al. (2006c).

Figures

Figs 1-10. Neobisium (Blothrus) georgecastriotae Ćurčić, Dimitrijević & Rađa, 2006, male from Shterra ë Cikes (unless otherwise stated).(1) Epistome of carapace. (2) Right chelicera, dorsal view. (3) Trochanter, femur and patella of right pedipalp, dorsal view. (4) Right pedipalpal chela, dorsal view. (5) Same (teeth omitted), antiaxial view, with details of teeth. (6) Apex of chelal fingers, antiaxial view.(7) Right leg IV, antiaxial view.(8) Apex of telotarsus of leg IV, antiaxial view. (9) Tritonymph from Shpella ë Kasarit: trochanter, femur and patella of right pedipalp, dorsal view. (10) Same, right pedipalpal chela (teeth omitted), antiaxial view, with details of teeth. Scale lines: 0.2 mm (1-2, 6, 8); 0.5 mm (3-5, 7, 9-10).