Pseudochactidae Gromov, 1998

Prendini, Lorenzo, Ehrenthal, Valentin L. & Loria, Stephanie F., 2021, Systematics Of The Relictual Asian Scorpion Family Pseudochactidae Gromov, 1998, With A Review Of Cavernicolous, Troglobitic, And Troglomorphic Scorpions, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2021 (453), pp. 1-153 : 37-38

of Pseudochactidae Gromov, 1998

1. Tegument usually partially infuscate; carapace median and lateral ocelli present (figs. 10, 11); circumocular sutures complete, connected or disconnected posteriorly; pedipalps relatively robust, chela manus prolateral ventral carina complete, fixed and movable fingers (adult ♂) sinuous, sexually dimorphic (figs. 24, 25, 29, 30); legs III and IV, tibial spurs present (fig. 15A, B); telson vesicle lateral and ventral surfaces with granular carinae, subaculear tubercle obsolete (very small bump evident) (fig. 18) ............. 2 ( Pseudochactinae , Troglokhammouaninae )

– Tegument immaculate; carapace median and lateral ocelli absent (fig. 12); circumocular sutures partial (disconnected); pedipalps gracile, chela manus prolateral ventral carina absent or obsolete, fixed and movable fingers (adult ♂) sublinear, similar to adult ♀ (figs. 35, 36, 39, 43); legs III and IV, tibial spurs absent (fig. 15C, D); telson vesicle lateral surfaces smooth, ventral surfaces smooth or with sparsely granular (obsolete) carinae, subaculear tubercle absent (fig. 19)..............................................................4 ( Vietbocapinae )

2. Tegument brown; carapace anteromedian margin convex (procurved), protruding, posterolateral margins gently curved (fig. 11); circumocular sutures disconnected posteriorly; carapace and posttergites I–VI, surfaces granular; pedipalp patella prolateral surface, dorsoventral projection (“anterior process”) moderate (fig. 28E, G); pedipalp chela manus dorsomedian, dorsal secondary and subdigital carinae vestigial, retromedian and ventromedian carinae partial, secondary accessory and retroventral carinae incompletely fused, slight disjunction evident in proximal third (figs. 29, 30); legs I–IV basitarsi and telotarsi, spinules long (fig. 15B); sternum ventral surface shallowly concave, lateral margins recurved medially (fig. 13B, D); pectines with 12–16 median lamellae and 13–17 teeth (tables 3, 5, 7, 8); metasomal segments I–IV, dorsosubmedian and dorsolateral carinae, posterior granules markedly larger than preceding granules and spiniform (fig. 16C, D); segments III and IV, median lateral carinae complete (fig. 18C, D); telson vesicle elongate (fig. 20C, D) ........................... Troglokhammouanus steineri

– Tegument yellowish; carapace anteromedian margin sublinear, recessed, posterolateral margins angular, slanting (fig. 10); circumocular sutures connected posteriorly; carapace and posttergites I–VI, surfaces smooth or nearly so; pedipalp patella prolateral surface, dorsoventral projection (“anterior process”) pronounced (fig. 23E, G); pedipalp chela manus dorsomedian, dorsal secondary, subdigital and retromedian carinae absent, ventromedian carina vestigial, secondary accessory and retroventral carinae entirely fused (figs. 24, 25); legs I–IV basitarsi and telotarsi, spinules short (fig. 15A); sternum ventral surface flat/planar, lateral margins sublinear (fig. 13A, C); pectines with 8–12 median lamellae and 9–13 teeth (tables 3, 5, 6); metasomal segments I–IV, dorsosubmedian and dorsolateral carinae, posterior granules similar to preceding granules (fig. 16A, B); segments III and IV, median lateral carinae partial, becoming obsolete anteriorly on III, vestigial or absent on IV (fig. 18A, B); telson vesicle globose (fig. 20A, B) ..............................................................3 ( Pseudochactas )

3. Carapace, tergites, and legs yellowish, immaculate; pedipalp patella retrodorsal carina costate; pectines with 8 or 9 median lamellae and 9 or 10 teeth (tables 3, 5); metasomal segments, median lateral carinae complete on segment II, partial on V ................... ........................................ Pseudochactas mischi

– Carapace, tergites, and legs brownish, infuscate; pedipalp patella retrodorsal carina costate granular (fig. 23E, F); pectines with 9–12 median lamellae and 10–13 teeth (tables 3, 5, 6); metasomal segments, median lateral carinae partial, becoming obsolete anteriorly on II, absent or obsolete on V (fig. 18A, B) .............................. Pseudochactas ovchinnikovi

4. Carapace median ocular tubercle (demarcated by posterior margin of circumocular sulci) situated medially (fig. 12B, D, F); circumocular triangle parallel sided (U-shape), median ocular curvatures absent; anterolateral surfaces mostly smooth, sparsely granular near anterior carapace margin; posteromedian margin sublinear to shallowly convex (procurved); pedipalp chela manus elongate, prolateral dorsal carina (♂) absent or obsolete (fig. 43); fixed and movable fingers, median denticle rows comprising seven or eight subrows (tables 3, 4, 10); trichobothrium Et 1 situated distally on manus, aligned with or proximal to movable finger condyle, esb 2 in proximal third of fixed finger, between first and second most proximal retrolateral denticles of median denticle row (fig. 43B); pectines with 5–8 median lamellae and 6–10 teeth (tables 3, 5, 10); metasomal segments, median lateral carinae complete on I, partial, becoming obsolete anteriorly on II (fig. 19D, E) ........... .................................................. Vietbocap canhi

– Carapace median ocular tubercle (demarcated by posterior margin of circumocular sulci) situated anteromedially (fig. 12A, C, E); circumocular triangle subtriangular (broad V-shape), median ocular curvatures present; anterolateral surfaces mostly granular; posteromedian margin shallowly concave (recurved); pedipalp chela manus globose, prolateral dorsal carina (♂) complete (figs. 35, 36, 39); fixed and movable fingers, median denticle rows usually comprising 10 subrows (tables 3, 4, 9, 10); trichobothrium Et 1 situated on fixed finger, slightly distal to movable finger condyle, esb 2 situated approximately midway on fixed finger, between second and third most proximal retrolateral denticles of median denticle row (figs. 35B, 36B, 39B); pectines with 11–14 lamellae and 12–15 teeth (tables 3, 5, 9, 10); metasomal segments I and II, median lateral carinae complete (fig. 19A–C) ..........................................................5 ( Aemngvantom )

5. Carapace mediolateral and posteromedian surfaces granular (fig. 12A, C); posttergites I–VI, surfaces smooth or nearly so; pedipalp segments proportionally longer and narrower and metasomal segments proportionally longer and broader (figs. 17A, B, 19A, B, 21A, B, 34–36; table 9); metasomal segments II–IV, ventrosubmedian carinae, distinct (fig. 21A, B); segment V, dorsolateral and ventromedian carinae distinct, median lateral carinae complete (figs. 17A, B, 21A, B) ............... ............................................. Aemngvantom lao

– Carapace mediolateral and posteromedian surfaces smooth (fig. 12E); posttergites I–VI, surfaces granular; pedipalp segments proportionally shorter and broader and metasomal segments proportionally shorter and narrower (figs. 17C, 19C, 21C, 38, 39; table 10); metasomal segments II–IV, ventrosubmedian carinae, absent or obsolete (fig. 21C); segment V, dorsolateral carinae obsolete, median lateral and ventromedian carinae absent or obsolete (figs. 17C, 21C) ................ Aemngvantom thamnongpaseuam