Neobisium (Neobisium) lulense Gardini, 1982

Gardini, Giulio, 2023, The troglomorphic pseudoscorpions of the genus Neobisium from Corsica, Sardinia and mainland Italy, with description of new species (Pseudoscorpiones: Neobisiidae), Zootaxa 5381 (1), pp. 1-67 : 14-18

Neobisium (Neobisium) lulense Gardini, 1982

( Figs 21–30 , 118 )

Neobisium (Ommatoblothrus) lulense Gardini, 1982: 89 , figs 1–9.

Type locality: Italy, Sardinia, Nuoro Province, Lula, Monte Albo, Grotta di Nurai 111 Sa/ NU (40°28’17,3”N 9°31’46,5”E) .

Distribution. Italy (Sardinia).

Diagnosis (♂ ♀). A subterranean, highly troglomorphic Neobisium from Sardinia (Monte Albo) that differs from other Mediterranean species of the genus in the following combination of characters: posterior margin of carapace with 6–8 setae, epistome triangular, anterior eyes with weakly convex lens, dark integument between anterior and posterior eyes absent; tergites I–IV: 6–9:6–7:6–7:5–7; cheliceral palm with 6 setae, rallum with 8–9 blades; fixed chelal finger homodentate, with contiguous teeth; fixed and movable chelal fingers with 161–187 and 146–164 teeth, respectively; pedipalpal femur 4.23–4.62 mm length (11.0–12.8 ×), patella 3.07–3.39 mm (7.21–7.80 ×), movable finger 2.93–3.32 mm; pedipalpal hand subcylindrical in shape, gradually widened towards the distal end, chelal fingers slightly curved in dorsal view, almost straight in lateral view and arranged at an obtuse angle (ca 150°) to the axis of the chelal hand; ratio between movable chelal finger and chelal hand with pedicel 0.95–1.03; ratio between pedipalpal femur and movable chelal finger 1.39–1.44; ratio between pedipalpal femur and carapace 2.68–2.86; trichobothrium ist nearer t than st, rarely halfway between t–st, and more than twice as distant from isb as from the finger tip.

Type material examined. ITALY — Sardinia: Nuoro Prov.: 1♀ (holotype), Lula, Monte Albo , Nurai , Grotta di Nurai 111 Sa / NU (40°28’17.3”N 9°31’46.5”E), 700 m a.s.l., 20.III.1976, M. Mucedda leg. ; 1 T (paratype) , Lula, Monte Albo, Turuddò , Grotta Conca ‘e Crapas 30 Sa / NU (40°27’41.4”N 9°31’17.8”E), 1040 m a.s.l., 21.III.1976, M. Mucedda leg.

Non-type material examined. ITALY — Sardinia: Nuoro Prov .: 1♀, Lula, Monte Albo, Montrecu Biancu , Inghiottitoio di Montrecu Biancu 2737 Sa / NU (40°29’05.3N 9°34’14.9”E), 653 m a.s.l., 7. VI.1997, R. Loru leg. ; 1♀, Lula, Monte Albo, Punta Listincu , Pozzo di Punta Listincu 2446 Sa / NU (40°28’32.3”N 9°34’25.5”E), 530 m a.s.l., 25. V.1996, A. Sale leg. ; 1♀, Lula, Monte Albo, Punta Nudorra , Voragine Sa Tumba ‘e Nudorredda 1614 Sa / NU (40°27’13.7”N 9°31’00.2”E), 925 m a.s.l., 8.III.1987, M. Mucedda leg. on the wall at - 80 m; 1♂, Lula, Monte Albo, Turuddò , Grotta Conca ‘e Crapas 30 Sa / NU (40°27’41.4”N 9°31’17.8”E), 1040 m a.s.l., 9. VI.1988, A. Casale & P.M. Giachino leg. ; 1♂ 4 T 8 D (the male preyed on a female of N. henroti ), Lula, Monte Albo, Grotta Sa Conca de Sos Omines Agrestes 68 Sa / NU (40°28’22”N 9°32’32”E), 880 m a.s.l., 14. VI.1980, S. Zoia leg. ; 1♂ 1♀, id., 3. V.1981, G. Cossu & M. Mucedda leg., 50 m from the entrance; 1♂ 1 T, id., 18. VI.1985, D. Baratelli leg. ; 4♂, id., 10. V.1988, M. Rampini leg. ( MHNG) ; 1♀, Lula, Monte Albo, slope NE Punta Su Enapru, Grotta di Su Santuariu 122 Sa / NU (40°29’09”N 9°35’13.8”E), 254 m a.s.l., 26. V.1996, A. Sale leg.

Description of adults (♂ ♀). Carapace, chelicerae, pedipalps and palpal coxae brown pale; pedipalps smooth, pleural membrane granular. Carapace 1.44–1.60 (♂ ♀) times as long as broad, with four eyes without tapetum ( Fig. 21 ), the anterior ones with weakly convex lens (diameter 0.11–0.13 mm), the posterior ones reduced to a white spot; distance from anterior eyes to anterior margin of carapace 0.14–0.15 mm; distance from anterior to posterior eyes about 0.05 mm, dark integument between anterior and posterior eyes absent; anterior margin with prominent triangular epistome, apically rounded ( Fig. 21 ); chaetotaxy of carapace variable: 19 to 25 macrosetae, besides 1 (rarely 2) preocular seta on each side; anterior and posterior rows with 4 and 6–8 macrosetae, respectively. Chaetotaxy of tergites I–X (♂ ♀): 6–9:6–7:6–7:5–7:6–9:6–9:6–8:6–9:6–8:7–8 (probable standard chaetotaxy 8:6:6:6:6:6:6:6:8:7). Chaetotaxy of sternites II–X (♂): 25:(4)47–50(4):(3)20–23(3):16–17:15–18:14–17:14–16:13– 14:14–16, genital atrium with 7+7 setae; median genital sac reaching the middle of sternite V; chaetotaxy of sternites II–X (♀): 14:(4)34(4):(3)20(3):18–20:17–18:16–18:15:17:17. Chelicera ( Fig. 22 ) 2.01–2.08 (♂ ♀) times as long as broad, palm with 6 setae; fixed finger with 15– 17 teeth (the 9–13 proximal teeth spaced and pointed, the distal ones contiguous and flattened), movable finger with 13–15 teeth, some of which prominent at the level of gs; gs ratio 0.75–0.77, spinneret absent in male ( Fig. 22 ), broadly prominent in females ( Gardini 1982, figs 3–4), with long hyaline sickle-shaped cap; rallum with 8 or 9 blades, the distal one laterally serrate and isolated on a prominence, the second one (rarely also the third) serrate, the successive ones smooth, the proximal shorter; serrulae interior and exterior with about 40 and 45 blades, respectively. Manducatory process with 5 setae. Coxal setae: pedipalp 11–14, I 8–13, II 9–11, III 6–9, IV 13–15; anterolateral process of coxa I squat, rarely pointed ( Fig. 23 ). Pedipalp ( Figs 24–26 ): trochanter 2.86–3.32 (♂) or 2.72–3.08 (♀) times as long as broad, with 3–4 weak button-like tubercles (with lyrifissure) on antiaxial face; femur 11.0–12.8 (♂ ♀) times as long as broad, slightly enlarged distally; patella 7.67– 7.80 (♂) or 7.21–7.40 (♀) times as long as broad, club gradually and slightly enlarged distally, ratio between club and pedicel 2.9–3.1 (♂ ♀), ratio X/Y = 0.16–0.17 (♂ ♀), base of pedicel dorsally with 12–15 glandular pores; chela with pedicel 11.0–13.7 (♂ ♀) times as long as broad; hand of chela with pedicel 5.58–6.77 (♂ ♀) times as long as broad, subcylindrical in shape, gradually widened towards the distal end ( Figs 25–26 ); chelal fingers slightly curved in dorsal view, almost straight in lateral view and arranged at an obtuse angle (ca 150°) to the axis of the chelal hand ( Fig. 26 ); fixed chelal finger homodentate ( Fig. 26 ), with 161–187 (♂ ♀) pointed contiguous teeth, nodus ramosus subterminal; movable chelal finger with 146–164 (♂ ♀) contiguous teeth ( Fig. 26 ), gradually cuspidate in the distal third of the finger; all teeth with dental canals; sensillum not seen; trichobothria as in figs 25–26, relative position of trichobothria along chelal axis (♂ ♀): it 0.08–0.10/ et 0.10–0.115/ est 0.12 –0.15/ ist 0.24–0.27/ isb 0.87–0.88/ ib 0.91–0.93/ esb 0.95–0.97/ eb 0.96–0.98/ t 0.15–0.17/ st 0.38–0.46/ sb 0.77–0.78/ b 0.91–0.92; trichobothrium est just distal t; trichobothrium ist nearer t than st, rarely halfway between t–st, and more than twice as distant from isb as from the finger tip; trichobothrium isb proximal sb; ratio between movable chelal finger and hand of chela with pedicel 0.95–1.03 (♂ ♀); ratio between pedipalpal femur and movable chelal finger 1.39–1.44 (♂ ♀); ratio between pedipalpal femur and carapace 2.68–2.86 (♂ ♀). Leg IV ( Fig. 27 ): trochanter 3.33–3.35 (♂) or 3.05–3.25 (♀) times as long as deep, femur + patella 9.21–9.47 (♂) or 8.51–9.68 (♀) times as long as deep, tibia 14.44–16.46 (♂ ♀) times [TS = 0.28 (♂ ♀)], basitarsus 9.16–9.93 (♂) or 8.40–9.09 (♀) times [TS = 0.11–0.15 (♂ ♀)], telotarsus 12.8–15.2 (♂) or 12.3–12.5 (♀) times as long as deep [TS = 0.43–0.47 (♂ ♀)], ratio between basitarsus and telotarsus (♂ ♀) 0.71–0.85, subterminal seta furcate, claws with a very small dorsal tooth.

Measurements. Body length 6.3–6.6 (♂ ♀). Carapace 1.50–1.54 × 0.96–1.04 anteriorly (♂) or 1.62–1.72 × 1.10–1.19 anteriorly (♀). Chelicera 0.98–1.04 × 0.485–0.50 (♂) or 1.10–1.11 × 0.54–0.55 (♀); movable finger length 0.61–0.65 (♂) or 0.69–0.71 (♀). Pedipalp: trochanter 1.09–1.18 × 0.355–0.38 (♂) or 1.20–1.31 × 0.425–0.44 (♀); femur 4.23–4.30 × 0.335–0.38 (♂) or 4.50–4.62 × 0.39–0.42 (♀); patella 3.07–3.12 × 0.40 (♂) or 3.33–3.39 × 0.45–0.47 (♀); chela with pedicel 6.07–6.19 × 0.45–0.55 (depth 0.445–0.47) (♂) or 6.18–6.34 × 0.53 (depth 0.50–0.51) (♀); hand with pedicel length 3.05–3.07 (♂) or 3.21–3.30 (♀); movable finger length 2.93–3.07 (♂) or 3.15–3.32 (♀). Leg IV: trochanter 1.04–1.10 × 0.31–0.33 (♂) or 1.07–1.14 × 0.35 (♀); femur + patella 3.41 × 0.36–0.37 (♂) or 3.66–3.68 × 0.38–0.43 (♀); tibia 3.23–3.25 × 0.20–0.225 (♂) or 3.54–3.57 × 0.215–0.24 (♀); basitarsus 1.42–1.49 × 0.15–0.155 (♂) or 1.47–1.50 × 0.165 –0.175 (♀); telotarsus 1.74–1.98 × 0.13–0.135 (♂) or 1.85–1.94 × 0.15–0.155 (♀).

Description of tritonymphs. Carapace, chelicerae, pedipalps and palpal coxae red-brown pale. Pedipalps smooth, pleural membrane granular. Carapace 1.38–1.48 times as long as broad, with four eyes without tapetum ( Fig. 28 ), the anterior ones with weakly convex lens (diameter 0.10 mm), the posterior ones reduced to a white spot; distance from anterior eyes to anterior margin of carapace 0.135 mm; anterior margin of carapace with a triangular epistome, apically blunt ( Fig. 28 ); 22–24 macrosetae, besides 1 preocular seta on each side, anterior and posterior rows with 4 and 6–8 macrosetae, respectively. Chaetotaxy of tergites I–X: 6–8:6:6:6–8:6–7:6–8:7–8:6–8:8:7. Chaetotaxy of sternites II–X: 2–3:(2–3)14(2–3):(2)12–14(2):15:15:15–17:14–15:14–15:14. Chelicera 1.93–2.06 times as long as broad, palm with 5–6 setae, fixed finger with 19 teeth (the 6–10 proximal teeth spaced and pointed, the 9-13 distal ones contiguous and flattened), movable finger with about 10–13 teeth, one of which prominent at level of gs; gs ratio 0.70–0.72, spinneret weakly prominent, with long hyaline sickle-shaped cap; rallum with 7 blades, the distal one laterally pinnate and isolated on a prominence, the second one serrate, the successive ones smooth, the proximal shorter; serrulae interior and exterior with about 21–27 and 29–30 blades, respectively. Manducatory process with 4 setae. Coxal setae: pedipalp 8–10, I 7–10, II 6–10, III 5–6, IV 9–11; anterolateral process of coxa I squat, apically pointed, anteromedial process prominent and rounded. Pedipalp: trochanter 2.56–3.07 times as long as broad, antiaxial side with three weak tubercles, each with lyrifissure; femur 9.51–9.84 times as long as broad, weakly enlarged distally, with many dorsal glandular pores; patella 6.03–6.17 times as long as broad, weakly and gradually enlarged distally, club 3.0 times longer than pedicel, ratio X/Y = 0.23, base of pedicel dorsally with many glandular pores; chela with pedicel 10.25–10.54 times as long as broad; hand of chela with pedicel 5.17–5.25 times as long as broad, cylindrical in shape, gradually widened towards the distal end; fixed chelal finger homodentate, with 113–135 pointed contiguous teeth, nodus ramosus subterminal; movable chelal finger with 108–110 low, flattened contiguous teeth, apart from the last 40–45 distal ones which are cuspidate; all teeth with dental canals; sensillum just distal trichobothrium b; relative position of trichobothria along chelal axis: it 0.11–0.12/ et 0.15/ est 0.19 / ist 0.28–0.32/ ib 0.86–0.90/ esb 0.91–0.94/ eb 0.94–0.95/ t 0.20–0.21/ st 0.50–0.62/ b 0.90; ratio between movable chelal finger and hand of chela with pedicel 1.03; ratio between pedipalpal femur and movable chelal finger 1.31–1.36; ratio between pedipalpal femur and carapace 2.20–2.45. Leg IV: trochanter 2.88–2.97 times as long as deep, femur + patella 7.74–8.10 times as long as deep, tibia 11.68–12.93 times (TS = 0.31), basitarsus 6.20–6.39 times (TS = 0.13), telotarsus 7.0–8.0 times as long as deep (TS = 0.51), ratio between basitarsus and telotarsus 0.73–0.74, subterminal seta furcate, claws with a very small dorsal tooth.

Measurements. Body length 4.8–5.1. Carapace 1.14–1.19 × 0.79–0.86 anteriorly. Chelicera 0.765–0.81 × 0.37– 0.42, movable finger length 0.45–0.49. Pedipalp: trochanter 0.80–0.82 × 0.26–0.32; femur 2.56–2.95 × 0.26–0.31; patella 1.87–2.1 × 0.31–0.34; chela with pedicel 3.85–4.10 × 0.365–0.40 (depth 0.375–0.39); hand with pedicel length 1.89–2.1; movable finger length 1.95–2.16. Leg IV: trochanter 0.67–0.75 × 0.26; femur + patella 2.09–2.35 × 0.27–0.29; tibia 1.87–2.07 × 0.16; basitarsus 0.775 –0.895 × 0.125–0.14; telotarsus 1.05–1.20 × 0.15.

Description of deutonymphs. Integuments pale. Pedipalps smooth, pleural membrane granular. Carapace 1.32–1.41 times as long as broad, anterior eyes with flat lens (diameter about 0.07 mm) without tapetum, the posterior ones not visible ( Fig. 29 ); distance from anterior eyes to anterior margin of carapace about 0.10 mm; anterior margin of carapace with a prominent, broadly rounded epistome ( Fig. 29 ); carapace with 20 macrosetae, without preocular setae, chaetotaxy 4–6–4–6 or 4–4–4–8. Chaetotaxy of tergites I–X 6:6–8:6:6:6:6–7:7–8:6–9:8:8. Chaetotaxy of sternites II-X: 0:(2)2–4(2):(2)7–8(2):10–11:10:10:10:10:10. Chelicera 1.93 times as long as broad, palm with 5 setae (rarely 4 and 5), fixed finger with 16–18 teeth, pointed and spaced except the distal ones, which are contiguous and progressively reduced; movable finger with 12–16 teeth, one of which prominent at level of gs; gs ratio 0.71–0.72; spinneret largely prominent, hemispheric; rallum with 6 blades, the distal one laterally pinnate and isolated on a prominence, the second one serrate, the successive ones smooth, the proximal shorter; serrula exterior with about 26 blades. Manducatory process with 3 setae. Coxal setae: pedipalp 5, I 5–6, II 5, III 4, IV 5; anterolateral process of coxa I squat, apically pointed. Pedipalp: trochanter 2.17–2.39 times as long as broad; femur 7.16–7.44 times as long as broad; patella 4.45–4.53 times as long as broad, weakly and gradually enlarged distally, club 2.4–2.5 times longer than pedicel, ratio X/Y = 0.30–0.32; chela with pedicel 7.37–7.83 times as long as broad; hand of chela with pedicel 3.70–3.93 times as long as broad, cylindrical in shape, gradually widened towards the distal end; chelal fingers straight; fixed chelal finger homodentate ( Fig. 30 ), with 80–81 pointed contiguous teeth, nodus ramosus subterminal; movable chelal finger with 68–71 low, flattened contiguous teeth, apart from the last 20–22 distal which are cuspidate; all teeth with dental canals; sensillum at level of trichobothrium b; relative position of trichobothria along chelal axis: it 0.17–0.175/ et 0.19–0.21/ est 0.26 –0.27/ ist 0.34–0.40/ ib 0.87–0.90/ eb 0.93–0.94/ t 0.30–0.32/ b 0.83–0.86; ratio between movable chelal finger and hand of chela with pedicel 1.07–1.12; ratio between pedipalpal femur and movable chelal finger 1.19–1.25; ratio between pedipalpal femur and carapace 1.90–1.95. Leg IV: trochanter 2.25–2.44 times as long as deep, femur + patella 6.39 times as long as deep, tibia 9.13–9.65 times (TS = 0.29–0.30), basitarsus 4.8–4.95 times (TS = 0.15–0.16), telotarsus 6.27–6.54 times as long as deep (TS = 0.47–0.50), ratio between basitarsus and telotarsus 0.68–0.69, subterminal seta furcate, claws with a very small dorsal tooth.

Measurements. Body length 3.5–3.8. Carapace 0.81–0.82 × 0.58–0.61 anteriorly. Chelicera 0.56 × 0.29, movable finger length 0.34. Pedipalp: trochanter 0.51–0.55 × 0.23–0.235; femur 1.54–1.60 × 0.215; patella 1.07–1.11 × 0.24–0.245; chela with pedicel 2.25–2.39 × 0.305 (depth 0.305); hand with pedicel length 1.13–1.20; movable finger length 1.27–1.29. Leg IV: trochanter 0.405 –0.415 × 0.17–0.18; femur + patella 1.31 × 0.205; tibia 1.05–1.11 × 0.115; basitarsus 0.48–0.495 × 0.10; telotarsus 0.69–0.72 × 0.11.

Remarks. This extraordinary troglobite, endemic to Monte Albo in eastern Sardinia, differs from all other Italian subterranean Neobisium not only by its very large size (pedipalpal femur length 4.23–4.62, patella 3.07–3.39, chela 6.07–6.34 mm), but also for having the posterior margin of carapace with 6–8 setae and above all for the shape of the chela, which has a subcylindrical hand―gradually widened towards the distal end―as long as the fingers (ratio between movable chelal finger and chelal hand with pedicel 0.95–1.03). This particular shape of the pedipalpal chela is present in some species of subterranean Neobisiidae , both in the Iberian and in the Balkan area, e. g. Neobisium (B.) breuili (Bolivar, 1924) ( Spain, Navarra), N. (B.) vasconicum (Nonidez, 1925) ( Spain, País Vasco), N. (B.) jeanneli (Ellingsen, 1912) ( Spain, Asturias), N. (N.) piquerae Carabajal Márquez, García Carrillo & Rodríguez Fernández, 2001 ( Spain, Andalucía), N. (N.) tinauti Carabajal Márquez, García Carrillo & Rodríguez Fernández, 2011 ( Spain, Andalucía) and N. (B.) biocovense (Müller, 1931) ( Croatia, Dalmatia) ( Beier 1963, Ćurčić 1988).

Neobisium lulense shows many similarities with N. piquerae and N. tinauti , both from Andalusia. It differs from these species in the following main characters: posterior margin of carapace with 6–8 setae (11 setae in N. piquerae ), pedipalpal femur length 4.23–4.62 mm, 11.0–12.8 × (3.45–4.0 mm, 11.50–13.33 × in N. piquerae ; 2.93–3.10 mm, 9.08–9.23 × in N. tinauti ), pedipalpal patella length 3.07–3.39 mm, 7.21–7.80 × (2.85–3.30 mm, 8.14–8.86 × in N. piquerae ; 2.41–2.60 mm, 6.70–6.84 × in N. tinauti ), pedipalpal chela length 6.07–6.34 mm, 11.0–13.7 × (4.65–5.37 mm, 10.94–11.94 × in N. piquerae ; 4.67–4.91 mm, 9.64–9.83 × in N. tinauti ), movable chelal finger length 2.93– 3.32 mm (2.40–2.74 mm in N. piquerae ; 2.67–2.80 mm in N. tinauti ), trichobothrium isb just distal b (isb just distal sb in N. piquerae , isb just proximal sb in N. tinauti ). Beyond the morphological similarities, the true affinities of N. lulense remain to be ascertained.

Figures

FIGURE 118. Map depicting known distribution of Neobisum species with troglomorphic facies from Sardinia (A), Ligurian Alps and Corsica (B).

FIGURES 21–27. Neobisium (N.) lulense Gardini, 1982, Grotta Sa Conca de Sos Omines Agrestes, 14.VI.1980 (Lula, Sardinia) (unless otherwise stated). 21, epistome of carapace and right ocular area (dorso-lateral view); 22, right chelicera, dorsal view; 23, male, Grotta Conca ‘e Crapas, 13.VI.1985 (Lula, Sardinia): anterior processes of right coxa I; 24, trochanter, femur and patella of right pedipalp, dorsal view; 25, right pedipalpal chela, dorsal view; 26, same, antiaxial view, with magnified details of teeth; 27, right leg IV, antiaxial view.

FIGURES 28–30. Neobisium (N.) lulense Gardini, 1982, Grotta Sa Conca de Sos Omines Agrestes, 14.VI.1980 (Lula, Sardinia). 28, tritonymph, epistome of carapace and left ocular area; 29, deutonymph, id.; 30, same, detail of teeth at level of trichobothrium t.