Chthonius

Gardini, Giulio, 2013, A revision of the species of the pseudoscorpion subgenus Chthonius (Ephippiochthonius) (Arachnida, Pseudoscorpiones, Chthoniidae) from Italy and neighbouring areas, Zootaxa 3655 (1), pp. 1-151 : 123-126

Chthonius (E.) thaleri Gardini, 2009

( Figs 235–241 , 286 )

Chthonius (Ephippiochthonius) thaleri Gardini 2009a: 546 , figs 1–7.

Type locality: Italy, Veneto, Padua Prov., Arquà Petrarca, Mt Ventolone (45°17ʹ0 1.8ʺN 11°42ʹ27.8ʺE).

Distribution. Italy: Venezia Giulia, Veneto.

Diagnosis (Ƥ). An anophthalmic endogean Chthonius (Ephippiochthonius) from northeastern Italy that differs from other species of the C. fuscimanus group in the following combination of characters: movable chelal finger with isolated subapical tooth (di); posterior margin of carapace with 2 macrosetae, ocular series with 4 macrosetae and 2 microsetae; chelal hand (in lateral view) with a rounded hump distad of trichobothria ib-isb and a marked hollow just before base of movable finger; proximal half of movable chelal finger with thick marginal lamina with rounded vestigial teeth on high base at level of trichobothrium sb.

Type material examined. ITALY — Veneto: Padua Prov.— 1 3 (holotype), Arquà Petrarca, N slope Monte Ventolone, 196 m a.s.l., 8.IV.1996, E. Piva leg., digging in a valley; 1 Ƥ (paratype), id., 19.IV.1996; 3 Ƥ (paratypes), id., 22.X.1995, G. Peretto & E. Piva leg. (1 Ƥ EPV).

Other material examined. ITALY — Venezia Giulia: Trieste Prov.— 1 3 (remains) 1T, Duino-Aurisina, Grotta delle Radici 256 VG/TS, 213 m a.s.l., 29.V.1988, F. Gasparo leg. Veneto: Padua Prov.— 1 3 1 Ƥ, Arquà Petrarca, N slope of Monte Ventolone, 196 m a.s.l., 20.VII.2008, D. Bianco & E. Piva leg., digging in upper valley; 1 3, id., 14.VI.2009, E. Piva leg., digging in a valley.

Description of adults (Ƥ). Weak troglomorphic facies. Integument depigmented, yellowish-brown pale. Lateral surface of carapace, cheliceral palm and chelal hand with slight hispid granulation. Carapace 1.0–1.1 times longer than broad, posteriorly slightly constricted; anterior margin (figs 235–236) medially a little prominent and dentate, with a small epistome in female; no eyes or eye-spots (fig. 237); chaetotaxy mm 4mm:m 4m:4:2:2(16) rarely one preocular microseta on each side; length of anteromedian macrosetae 0.10 mm. Chaetotaxy of tergites I– X 4:4:4:4:6:6:6:6:6:4. Chaetotaxy of sternites II–X 10:(3)6–8(3):(2)6–8(2):8:6:6:6:6:6; genital opening of males flanked by 6–7 setae on each side. Chelicerae (figs 238–239) 2.1–2.3 times as long as broad, palm with 5 setae and 5 (rarely 6) microsetae laterally; fixed finger with 7–9 teeth proximally reduced in size and with few proximal microtubercles; movable finger with an isolated subapical tooth (di), slightly proximal with respect to spinneret, and 7–9 teeth proximally reduced in size; gl ratio 0.54–0.57; spinneret prominent, apically rounded, larger in females; rallum with 11 blades. Coxal setae: pedipalp 5 (including 2 on manducatory process), I 3 + 3 marginal microsetae, II 4, III 5, IV 6; coxa II with 8–9 coxal spines, coxa III with 4–5 coxal spines; intercoxal tubercle bisetose. Pedipalp: femur 6.3–6.8 (3), 6.1–6.5 (Ƥ) times as long as broad; chela (figs 240–241) 6.0 (3) 5.5 (Ƥ) times as long as deep; hand of chela 2.2–2.3 (3), 2.0–2.1 (Ƥ) times as long as deep, with a rounded hump distad of trichobothria ib-isb and a marked ventral hollow just before the base of the movable chelal finger; fixed chelal finger with 14–16 triangular teeth with dental canals—the two distal ones small and without dental canals—and 2– 3 rounded teeth at level of sb; the third tooth from tip is a little wider and with curved sides; base of fixed finger with a few microtubercles; tip of fixed chelal finger with a modified accessory tooth (td) on antiaxial face; fixed chelal finger at level of est-it with 4–5 teeth occupying 0.1 mm (distance between successive apices 0.024–0.025 mm); distal half of movable chelal finger with 7–10 large, triangular, upright teeth with dental canals, proximal half of movable finger with 6–11 rounded vestigial teeth without dental canals; marginal lamina raised at level of sb, with a few microtubercles between sb and b; coupled sensilla pc at level of sb or a little distad of sb; trichobothria as in figs 240–241; basal apodeme of movable chelal finger long, rectangular, apically indented; ratio of movable finger/hand of chela 1.6–1.7 (3Ƥ); ratio of pedipalpal femur/movable finger 1.2 (3Ƥ); ratio of pedipalpal femur/ carapace 1.5 (3), 1.3–1.4 (Ƥ).

Measurements (in mm). Body length 1.30–1.35 (3), 1.40–1.55 (Ƥ). Carapace 0.38 × 0.365 (3), 0.43–0.44 × 0.40–0.43 (Ƥ). Chelicerae 0.325 × 0.145 (3), 0.365–0.37 × 0.16–0.17 (Ƥ), movable finger length 0.16 (3), 0.185– 0.19 (Ƥ). Pedipalp: femur 0.565–0.575 × 0.085–0.09 (3), 0.59–0.62 × 0.095–0.10 (Ƥ); chela 0.78 × 0.13 (3), 0.82–0.86 × 0.15–0.155 (Ƥ); hand length 0.29–0.30 (3), 0.31–0.33 (Ƥ); movable finger length 0.47–0.485 (3), 0.50–0.52 (Ƥ).

Remarks. Among the species of the C. fuscimanus group, C. thaleri is closely related to C. parmensis , an epigean species widespread in the same geographical area. For a comparison between the two species, see Remarks under C. parmensis .

Figures

FIGURES 235 – 239. Chthonius (E.) thaleri Gardini, 2009. 235, male holotype, anterior margin of carapace; 236, female paratype, id; 237, male holotype, anterolateral portion of carapace; 238, id., right chelicera; 239, female paratype, id. (redrawn after Gardini 2009).

FIGURES 240 – 241. Chthonius (E.) thaleri Gardini, 2009. 240, male holotype, right chela, lateral view; 241, female paratype, id. (redrawn after Gardini 2009). (Scale bar 0.1 mm).

FIGURES 286 – 289. Distribution maps for the Italian species of the Chthonius fuscimanus group. 286, Chthonius (E.) berninii Callaini, 1983, C. (E.) cassolai Beier, 1973, C. (E.) parmensis Beier, 1963 and C. (E.) thaleri Gardini, 2009; 287, Chthonius (E.) nanus Beier, 1953; 288, Chthonius (E.) tyrrhenicus n. sp; 289, Chthonius (E.) fuscimanus Simon, 1900.