Neobisium (Blothrus) minutum ( Tömösváry, 1882 ), Tomosvary, 1882

Novák, János, 2014, Notes on two species of the cavernicolous subgenus Neobisium (Blothrus) Schiödte, 1847 (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones) from Transylvania (Romania), with a key to the species of the Carpathian Mountains, Zootaxa 3796 (2), pp. 394-400 : 395-397

Neobisium (Blothrus) minutum ( Tömösváry, 1882)

( Figs 1 A–E)

Type material examined. HNHM Pseud-0051: syntype (male), 604/1881 Blothrus minutus Tömösváry, Mehádia, 1881 , leg. János Pável.

Other material examined. HNHM Pseud-1388 (male), HNHM Pseud-1389 (male): Tatarczy Cave (Transylvania, Romania), leg. Ottó Mihók, 1931; HNHM Pseud-1390 (female): Imre Cave (Transylvania, Romania), leg. Ottó Mihók, 1931.

Description. Medium-sized pseudoscorpion with troglomorphic habitus. Carapace, chelicerae and pedipalps reddish brown, opisthosoma and legs yellowish. Measurements and ratios of the studied specimens as in Table 1.

Carapace ( Fig. 1 A) longer than broad, surface smooth. Epistome triangular. Eyes or eyespots absent. A pair of ocular protuberances present, each bearing one seta. Preocular setae absent. Chaetotaxy of posterior half of carapace very variable, setal formulae: HNHM Pseud-0051: 4:6:7:4 (21); HNHM Pseud-1388: 4:6:10:5 (25); HNHM Pseud-1389: 4:6:6:4 (20); HNHM Pseud-1390: 4:6:6:6 (22).

Coxal area. Manducatory process with 4 setae, rest of pedipalpal coxa with 9–10 setae; pedal coxa I with 5–7 setae; II: 5–8; III: 4–6; IV: 7–8. Anterolateral process of coxa I long, triangular and apically pointed; medial process prominent, with denticles.

Opisthosoma with granulostriate pleural membrane. Chaetotaxy of tergites I–X: 6:6–7:8:9–10:8–10:8–10:8–10:8–10:10:9–10. Segment XI with 12 setae, 6 of them tactile. Anal cone with 2 ventral and 2 dorsal setae. Male genital region: sternite II with 14–15 small setae, sternite III with 28–30 setae, of which 8–12 along posterior margin. Female genital region: sternite II with 24 small setae, sternite III with 15 small setae in a row. Chaetotaxy of sternites IV–X: 9–14:11–13:12:12–13:11:10–12:10–12.

Chelicera ( Figs 1 B, 1C) with 6–7 setae on hand, is and ls longer than others. Subgaleal seta 0.64–0.68× from base of movable finger. Spinneret a flattened hyaline tubercle with 5–7 silk ducts. Fixed finger with 5–7 apical denticles and 6–13 small and medium-sized teeth, movable finger with 5–7 apical denticles and 4–7 small and medium-sized teeth, and one large tooth in middle. Rallum with 8 blades, two distalmost blades unilaterally pinnate on anterior face, placed on elevation and slightly separate from the others. Serrula exterior with 19–27 blades, serrula interior with 24–26 blades.

Pedipalp ( Fig. 1 D) surfaces smooth. Trochanter with some small tubercles. Femur 5.80–5.84, patella 3.96–4.22 times as long as broad. Chelal fingers one third longer than hand with pedicel. Fixed chelal finger with 100–115 close-set teeth of equal length. Movable chelal finger with 86–95 flattened teeth, dental line ending somewhat distal to trichobothrium b. Trichobothria of chelal fingers distributed as in Figure 1 E. Distance between trichobothria ib and ist approximately twice (1.88–2.12) that between ist and it.

Legs distinctly elongated, with smooth surfaces. Claws smooth and simple, arolia shorter than claws on all legs. Subterminal seta of telotarsus IV with two short, smooth rami and one longer, serrate ramus. Basitarsus IV with one, telotarsus IV with two long tactile setae.

Remarks. Tömösváry (1882) described the species from two specimens, one of which (HNHM Pseud-0051) is deposited at the HNHM and the other is lost. In addition to this syntype, three previously unidentified specimens (HNHM Pseud- 1388–1390) of N. (B.) minutum (HNHM) were investigated in detail here. Studying the syntype of N. (B.) minutum deposited at the HNHM, I found only four setae on the posterior margin of the carapace, in contrast to Beier’s (1963) description, which mentions 6. However, N. (B.) minutum shows a great variability in the setation of the carapace, including that of the posterior margin (HNHM Pseud-0051: 4:6:7:4; HNHM Pseud-1388: 4:6:10:5; HNHM Pseud-1389: 4:6:6:4; HNHM Pseud-1390: 4:6:6:6). Similarly variation has been observed in other species, such as Neobisium (Blothrus) mirkaci Ćurčić & Rađa 2010 , N. (B.) dalmatinum Beier, 1928 , N. (B.)

mosorense Ćurčić et al. 2010 ( Ćurčić et al. 2010a, 2010b) and N. (B.) reimoseri (Beier, 1929) ( Mahnert 1974) . The setation of the cheliceral palm of N. (B.) minutum also showed variation, sometimes differing between the two chelicerae of a single individual (HNHM Pseud-0051; HNHM Pseud-1389; HNHM Pseud-1390). One of the specimens (HNHM Pseud-1389) does not have the single large tooth on its movable cheliceral finger.

Neobisium (B.) minutum N eobisium (B.) brevipes Male Female Male Female Measurements Ratio Measurements Ratio Measurements Ratio Measurements Ratio

Body 2.41–3.50 3.25 2.75 3.44

Figures

FIGURE 1. Neobisium (Blothrus) minutum and N. (B.) brevipes. A: Carapace of N. (B.) minutum (male, HNHM Pseud- 1389); B: Left chelicera of N. (B.) minutum with seven setae (male, HNHM Pseud- 1388); C: Left chelicera of N. (B.) minutum with six setae (male, HNHM Pseud- 1390); D: Right pedipalp of N. (B.) minutum (male, HNHM Pseud- 1389); E: Right chela of N. (B.) minutum (male, HNHM Pseud- 1388); F: Carapace of N. (B.) brevipes (male, HNHM Pseud- 1392); G: Left chelicera of N. (B.) brevipes (female, HNHM Pseud- 1391); H: Left pedipalp of N. (B.) brevipes (male, HNHM Pseud- 1392); I: Right chela of N. (B.) brevipes (male, HNHM Pseud- 1392).