identifier	taxonID	type	CVterm	format	language	title	description	additionalInformationURL	UsageTerms	rights	Owner	contributor	creator	bibliographicCitation
224648ADC184520298AA8A057E795D23.text	224648ADC184520298AA8A057E795D23.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Karschia (Karschia) baii Chen & Fan & Zhang 2026	<div><p>Karschia (Karschia) baii sp. nov.</p><p>Figs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, Table 1</p><p>Material examined.</p><p>Holotype: • ♂ (MHBU -Sol-2025-164-1), China: Gansu Province, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=94.27184&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=39.436787" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 94.27184/lat 39.436787)">Jiuquan City</a>, Aksai Kazakh Autonomous County, 39.436788°N, 94.271840°E, altitude 2450.19 m, 15 May 2025, leg. Wenlong Fan, Haibin Zhang, and Chang Liu . Paratypes: • 9 ♂♂ (MHBU -Sol-2025-164-2), 6 ♀♀ (MHBU -Sol-2025-164-3), same data as holotype; • 2 ♀♀ (MHBU -Sol-2019-12-32), CHINA: Gansu Province, Jiuquan City, Subei Mongol Autonomous County, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=92.3392&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=39.2361" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 92.3392/lat 39.2361)">Annanba Nature Reserve, Wushikate</a>, 39.2361°N, 92.3392°E, altitude 2240 m, 17 July 2019, leg. Xinglong Bai ; • 1 ♀ (MHBU -Sol-2019-21), China: Gansu Province, Jiuquan City, Subei Mongol Autonomous County, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=95.1111&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=39.6572" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 95.1111/lat 39.6572)">Dangchengwan, along Road X 279</a>, 39.6572°N, 95.1111°E, altitude 2798 m, 14 July 2019, leg. Xinglong Bai ; • 1 ♀ (MHBU -Sol-2019-24), China: Gansu Province, Jiuquan City, Subei Mongol Autonomous County, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=94.7494&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=39.5775" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 94.7494/lat 39.5775)">Dangchengwan, Qingshandidao</a>, 39.5775°N, 94.7494°E, altitude 2072 m, 13 July 2019, leg. Xinglong Bai.</p><p>Etymology.</p><p>The species is named in honor of Dr Xinglong Bai (Museum of Hebei University), in gratitude for his generous contribution of numerous valuable specimens to this research.</p><p>Diagnosis.</p><p>The male of the new species possesses a coiled flagellum and lacks a horn-like process on the fixed finger, thus belonging to the subgenus Karschia (Karschia) . It differs from all other Karschia species except Karschia (Karschia) latuis in the special dorsal crest of the male cheliceral fixed finger, but differs from K. (K.) latuis by the following characters (Fan et al. 2024): the dorsal crest above the tip of the fixed finger is higher and has a relatively smaller apex angle, whereas in K. (K.) latuis it is lower with a broader, more bluntly rounded apex (Fig. 1 C); the flagellar complex subspiniform setae (fcs) are distinctly hook-shaped, while those of K. (K.) latuis are straighter and more gradually curved (Fig. 1 F); the flagellum is longer (Fig. 1 E); and the median longitudinal groove on the propeltidium is indistinct or weakly developed, contrasting with the prominent and deeply impressed groove in K. (K.) latuis (Fig. 1 D). The female of the new species differs from K. (K.) latuis as follows: genital operculum more complex: overall outline of two isosceles right-angled triangles with right-angle vertices projecting anteriorly; distinct boundary between genital plates; small opening between inner margins on both sides; and posterior margin with transverse thickened structure and a pair of ventrally directed rod-like structures (Fig. 2 G).</p><p>Description.</p><p>Adult male (holotype and paratypes) (Figs 1, 3–7).</p><p>Measurements. Metric data as shown in Table 1.</p><p>Coloration (Fig. 3 A, B). In specimens preserved in 95 % ethanol: propeltidium predominantly yellowish-brown, median sulcus inconspicuous, yellowish; ocular tubercle black, surrounded by brownish spots; cheliceral manus predominantly yellow, covered with long yellowish-brown setae; fingers reddish-brown, especially on teeth; meso- and metapeltidium yellow; opisthosoma generally yellowish-gray, dorsally densely clothed with yellow setae; dorsal and ventral sclerites darker, dorsal sclerites with two dark longitudinal bands; pedipalps and legs yellow to brown, darkening from base to apex (most pronounced in pedipalps and leg IV); malleoli whitish.</p><p>Propeltidium (Fig. 1 D). Propeltidium wider than long (ratio of PL / PW 0.75), with long spiniform setae and dense short, fine setae perpendicular to surface; median sulcus inconspicuous; ocular tubercle with spiniform setae on each side, showing signs of shedding; interocular distance slightly less than eye length; propeltidium with median eyes only on ocular tubercle; no vestigial lateral eyes or pigmented spots (Bernard 1894; Miether and Dunlop 2016).</p><p>Cheliceral dentition and processes (Fig. 5 A). Fixed finger with median teeth series comprising three well-developed primary teeth (FP, FM and FD), graded as FM&gt; FD&gt; FP, plus two secondary FSM teeth and one secondary FSD tooth; secondary teeth distinctly smaller than primary teeth; fondal series consisting of profondal teeth series with five teeth (PFM, PFP, PFSM, two PFSP) and retrofondal teeth series with seven teeth (two RFA, RFM, RFP, three RFSP); fixed finger mucron bearing a specialized triangular dorsal crest (above the FT), apex slightly curved, hook-shaped, lacking subterminal (FST) tooth; movable finger with median teeth series bearing well-developed MM and MP teeth, subequal in size, and two secondary MSM teeth smaller than MM; no subproximal (MSP) or subterminal (MST) teeth present.</p><p>Cheliceral setose areas and stridulatory plate (Fig. 1 A, B). Retrolateral and dorsal surfaces of the manus with large, apically bifurcated setae (rlm series); retrolateral and dorsal surfaces of the fixed finger with simple apical setae of varying sizes (rlf series); rlm and rlf setae typically straight and stiff. Prolateral surface with an array of setal types: proventral distal setae (pvd) consisting of two rows of plumose setae extending to the level of the PFM tooth; proventral subdistal setae align in a single row, developing a well-defined comb-like structure (pvsd comb); promedial setae (pm series) short, brush-like, simple-tipped filiform setae covering carpet-like area; proximal prodorsal area with five long, thick, simple-tipped, unbarbed setae (pdp). Stridulatory plate extends longer than high, occupying most of the prolateral surface, bearing several pdp setae along dorsal margin; stridulatory ridge indistinct; movable finger prolateral surface bristles with dense setation; movable finger prodorsal setae (mpd) series as a slightly staggered row of plumose setae; adjacent movable finger promedial (mpm) and proventral (mpv) setal series tightly packed with fine, non-plumose setae.</p><p>Cheliceral flagellar complex (Fig. 1 B, E, F). The flagellar complex consists of flagellum, flagellar complex plumose (fcp) setae, and flagellar complex subspiniform (fcs) setae. Flagellum composite, rotatable, long, coiled, lacking lateral apophysis (defined here as a small protrusion on the proximal lateral side of the flagellum); attached to prodorsal surface of fixed finger via short stalk situated in deep alveolus. Flagellar complex plumose (fcp) setae (i. e., modified pvd) broadened and elongated, extending beyond distal tip of fixed finger. Flagellar complex subspiniform (fcs) setae, comprising two setae: one robust, gradually tapering; the other slender, basally swollen, abruptly narrowing to filiform, extending ventrally.</p><p>Opisthosoma (Fig. 1 G, H). Entire surface covered with nearly adpressed fine setae and numerous long, curved, bifurcate setae; tergites densely setose; ctenidia present on sternites III and IV (spiracular sternite III and post-spiracular sternite IV); sternite III with symmetric groups of needle-like ctenidia gradually increasing in size towards the posterior margin; sternite IV with single row of 13 slender, elongate ctenidia.</p><p>Pedipalps (Fig. 6). All segments covered with short, fine setae and several long, thick setae; tarsus ventrally with seven short, strong spiniform setae arranged asymmetrically; no dorsal or lateral spines; metatarsus with eight ventral spiniform setae, 1 / 1 / 2 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 pattern (from distal to proximal); papillae dense, central region incomplete due to shedding during preservation.</p><p>Legs. Covered with numerous elongate setae and short, soft setae; elongate setae especially abundant on metatarsi; leg I lacking spiniform setae, with two small terminal claws; tibiae of legs II and III each with 3 ventral distal spiniform setae, while tibia of leg IV with 5; metatarsus with 9 (leg II), 10 (leg III), and 8 (leg IV) spiniform setae, respectively; tarsi anterior surfaces densely setose with short spiniform setae.</p><p>Intraspecific variation in male fixed-finger morphology (Fig. 7). Observed in eight males of K. (K.) baii sp. nov., including holotype and paratypes; the overall shape and dentition of male cheliceral fixed finger consistent across all specimens; all individuals possess a distinct dorsal apical process, confirming stable diagnostic value; minor variation in length, extension, and apical angle of dorsal apical process, as well as in apex shape (ranging from acute to blunt) and contour of dorsal margin; apical angle ranges from 70 ° to 100 °; process height (perpendicular distance from apex to dorsal margin of fixed finger) ranges from 0.16 to 0.22 mm; variation shows no correlation with collection locality or body size, indicative of non-genetic phenotypic plasticity, potentially ontogenetic or environmental in origin; all specimens share core diagnostic characters, supporting conspecificity.</p><p>Adult female (paratypes) (Figs 2, 5, 8–10).</p><p>Measurements. Metric data as shown in Table 1.</p><p>Coloration (Fig. 8). In 95 % ethanol, female similar to male in overall coloration; prosoma darker and opisthosoma paler, differences possibly reflecting variation in preservation conditions rather than intrinsic pigmentation.</p><p>Propeltidium (Fig. 2 E). Mostly like male, but female eyes smaller, and spiniform setae around ocular tubercle fewer in number and less robust than those of male.</p><p>Cheliceral dentition and processes (Figs 2 C, 2 D, 5 B, 9). Fixed finger with median teeth series comprising three well-developed primary teeth (FP, FM and FD); FD smaller, FM and FP similarly sized; plus three secondary teeth: one FSD and two FSM; all secondary teeth smaller than primary teeth. Fondal series comprising profondal teeth series with six teeth (PFM, PFP, PFSM, three PFSP), and retrofondal teeth series with nine teeth (RFA, RFM, RFP, RFSM, five RFSP). Mucron of fixed finger without subterminal (FST) teeth. Movable finger with median teeth series comprising two primary teeth (MM and MP), both similar in size; plus four MST, three MSM, four MSP; all secondary teeth upright and triangular in shape.</p><p>Cheliceral setose areas (Fig. 2 A, B). Generally similar to male, setose areas more slender and less developed in female; proventral distal setae (pvd) with single row of plumose setae; lacking flagellar complex.</p><p>Opisthosoma (Fig. 2 F, G). Entire surface covered with fine, soft setae and numerous dense, long setae; genital operculum triangular, with distinct demarcation between plates and a pair of clavate structures beneath posterior margin; genital opening situated beneath medial margin; sternite IV with single row of 17 slender, columnar ctenidia extending onto succeeding sternite.</p><p>Pedipalps. All segments covered with short, fine setae and long, thick setae; tarsus and metatarsus lack spiniform setae.</p><p>Legs. Same as in the male.</p><p>Intraspecific variation in female genital operculum.</p><p>(Fig. 10) Female paratypes exhibit a consistent genital operculum structure: an overall triangular outline, genital plates clearly demarcated with the right-angle vertex projecting anteriorly, and a transverse thickened ridge along the posterior margin. Minor intraspecific variation appears in the size and shape of the genital opening, ranging from slit-like to slightly elliptical; the width and contour of the posterior margin; the dimensions and contour of the genital plates, with measurements from mature specimens (excluding distinctly smaller juveniles) yielding lateral margins of 1.39 to 1.88 mm, inner margins of 1.16 to 1.38 mm, and posterior margins of 1.00 to 1.41 mm; and localized epidermal damage around the genital opening in some specimens. Erdek (2020) attributed such injuries and deformities to the female abdomen and genital region to contact with male tarsal setae and chelicerae during prey capture, coercive pre-copulatory behavior, and copulation. Observed differences likely result from male – female mating interactions. All variants fall within the diagnostic character range. This confirms the species as taxonomically stable.</p><p>Distribution and habitat.</p><p>(Figs 11 A, 11 B, 12) Karschia (K.) baii sp. nov. is currently known from Aksay Kazakh Autonomous County, Dangchengwan Town in Subei Mongol Autonomous County, and Wushikate in the Annanba Protected Area, all located in Jiuquan City, Gansu Province, China. Specimens were collected at elevations ranging from 2072 to 2798 m, with the lowest record from Qingshandidao near Dangchengwan (2072 m), the highest from along Road X 279 near Dangchengwan (2798 m; paratype), and the holotype locality (Aksai County) at 2450.19 m.</p><p>All specimens were collected in sparsely vegetated sandy or sandy-gravelly habitats, commonly found on the surface or among low vegetation in open desert areas. The region is characterized by an arid climate with low precipitation, and the ground is covered primarily with coarse sand and gravel. Vegetation is sparse, composed of low, drought-tolerant desert plants, and occurs in scattered patches.</p><p>The elevational distribution of this species indicates that it inhabits mid- to high-elevation arid ecosystems in northwestern China. Notably, the genus Karschia exhibits an exceptionally broad altitudinal range in China, extending from approximately 1300 m in northwestern desert regions ( Karschia (Rhinokarschia) liui) to as high as 4200 m in the alpine zones of the Tibetan Plateau ( Karschia (Karschia) trisetalis). Karschia (Karschia) baii sp. nov. occupies the upper-middle segment of this elevational gradient and occurs at distinctly higher elevations than its congener species K. (K.) latuis . Together with its distinct morphological characters, this elevational differentiation provides additional support for recognizing K. (K.) baii sp. nov. as a valid new species.</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/224648ADC184520298AA8A057E795D23	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Pensoft via Plazi	Chen, Aidie;Fan, Wenlong;Zhang, Feng	Chen, Aidie, Fan, Wenlong, Zhang, Feng (2026): A new species of the genus Karschia Walter, 1889 (Solifugae, Karschiidae) from China. ZooKeys 1269: 181-197, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1269.180913
