Occidenchthonius espanyoli ( Zaragoza & Pérez, 2013 ) Zaragoza & Perez, 2013

Zaragoza, Juan A., 2017, Revision of the Ephippiochthonius complex in the Iberian Peninsula, Balearic Islands and Macaronesia, with proposed changes to the status of the Chthonius subgenera (Pseudoscorpiones, Chthoniidae), Zootaxa 4246 (1), pp. 1-221 : 149-152

Occidenchthonius espanyoli ( Zaragoza & Pérez, 2013) , n. comb.

( Fig. 237)

Chthonius (Ephippiochthonius) espanyoli Zaragoza & Pérez 2013: 207 –210, figs 3, 6–12. Chthonius (Ephippiochthonius) espanyoli: Zaragoza 2013a: 66 .

Type locality. Spain, Andalusia, Jaén province, Cazorla, Cueva Secreta del Poyo Manquillo (37°53′18″N, 02°52′13″W; 1383 m a.s.l.).

Distribution. Spain: Andalusia.

Diagnosis (♂ ♀). A moderately large, hypogean, strongly troglomorphic Occidenchthonius species of the verai -group. Movable cheliceral finger without isolated subapical tooth (di) and spinneret prominent in female, almost absent in male, lyrifissure ldb absent; without eyes or eye-spots, anterior margin of carapace without preocular microsetae, posterior margin with 2 macrosetae; chelal hand markedly depressed at level of ib / isb, with a short hump distad of ib / isb, more or less prominent, and moderate slope between trichobothria ib / isb and eb; trichobothrium ist proximad of lyrifissure fb; fixed chelal finger with 21–27 teeth; distal half of movable chelal finger with 14–19 pointed teeth with dental canals, basal half of movable chelal finger with 8–13 rounded, partially fused, vestigial teeth, without canals, on weakly raised lamina; pedipalpal femur (♂) 7.6–8.1, (♀) 6.5–7.2 times longer than broad, length (♂) 0.99–1.03 mm, (♀) 0.91–0.94 mm; chela (♂) 6.6–7.0, (♀) 5.8–6.5 times longer than deep, length (♂) 1.37–1.44 mm, (♀) 1.27–1.29 mm; ratio movable chelal finger/chelal hand (♂) 1.6, (♀) 1.5; lacking lyrifissures ma1, ma2 and hp, all other chelal lyrifissure patterns present, most with their standard complements.

Type material examined. ♂ holotype (DEUA), 1 ♂ paratype ( MCNB), Spain, Andalusia, Jaén province: Cazorla, Cueva Secreta del Poyo Manquillo (37°53′18″N, 02°52′13″W; 1383 m a.s.l.), 21.IX.2008, leg. G.E.V. ; 1 ♀ paratype (DEUA), 13.X.2007, 4 ♀, 2 tritonymph paratypes (2 ♀, 2 T DEUA, 1 ♀ MCNB, 1 ♀ MNCN), 26.VIII.2010, 1 ♀ paratype (DEUA), 04.XII.2011, Peal de Becerro, Complejo del Arroyo de la Rambla (PB-4) (37°48′01″N, 02°53′37″W; 1028 m a.s.l.); 1 ♀ paratype ( DEUA), Hornos del Segura, Sima Jesusín (38°10′32″N, 02°46′58″W; 782 m a.s.l.), 11.VII.2010. All leg. G.E.V.

Description (♂ ♀). Moderately large, hypogean species of strongly troglomorphic facies. Integument depigmented; weak hispid granulation on lateral surfaces of carapace, on cheliceral hand and on bases of chelal fingers.

Carapace as long as or slightly longer than broad, distinctly constricted posteriorly; medial part of anterior margin strongly prominent, without a well-defined epistome, and strongly dentate. Without eyes or eye-spots.

Chaetotaxy: 18–19 setae, without preocular microsetae, 2 setae in posterior row, formula 4:6:4:2–3:2, anteromedial setae 0.12–0.13 mm long; 4 lyrifissures anteriorly and 2 posteriorly.

Cheliceral hand with 6–7 setae and 1 lateral microseta, seta vb short (length 0.050 mm), microseta 0.035 mm; hand with 4 dorsal and 1 ventral lyrifissure, lyrifissure ldb absent. Fixed finger with 11–16 teeth decreasing in size proximally, two distal teeth distinctly larger than others. Movable finger without an isolated subapical tooth (di), with 9–12 teeth decreasing in size proximally, the distal tooth larger than others; spinneret strongly reduced in male, almost absent, prominent and apically rounded in female; seta gl 0.55–0.56 from base of movable finger. Rallum with 11 blades. Serrula exterior with 16–18 blades, serrula interior 13–14 blades.

Chaetotaxy of tergites 4:4:4:4:6:6:6:6:1T2T1:4:1T2T1:0, tergites IX and XI each with 2 sublateral tactile setae (0.20 and 0.33 mm long, respectively). Chaetotaxy of sternites 9:(3)7–9(3):(2)6–7(2):6–8:6:6:6:6:1–2T1T2:0:2, lateral setae on sternite III macrosetal in size, sternite X with 2 submedial tactile setae; in addition, genital notch of male flanked by 8 setae on each side and 4+4 internal glandular setae.

Pedipalpal coxa with 5 setae (including 2 on manducatory process), distal marginal seta of disk 0.11 mm long; coxa I 3 + 3 marginal microsetae, distal marginal seta 0.08–0.10 mm long; II 4 + 9–11 bipinnate coxal spines, III 5 + 5–7 bipinnate coxal spines and IV 6; intercoxal tubercle bisetose.

Pedipalp with femoral chaetotaxy 3:6–7:3:5–6:1. Chela ( Fig. 237) with hand strongly depressed at level of ib / isb, with a short hump distad of ib / isb, more or less prominent, and moderate slope between trichobothria ib / isb and eb; distinct hollow before base of movable finger with thicker cuticle; width slightly shorter than depth, maximum width proximad of ib / isb; chaetotaxy 4:5:4, seta ph3 present; distal end of hand and bases of chelal fingers with sclerotized condylar complex. Fixed finger with 21–27 pointed teeth and with dental canals, first two distal teeth small, third tooth of normal row (mt) of fixed finger distinctly modified in shape and deviated in orientation with respect to the others, dental row reaching up to proximad of trichobothrium sb, 4–5 microtubercles at base; tip of fixed finger with an accessory tooth (td) on antiaxial face; tip of fixed chelal finger of male with a weak hollow on paraxial face, without subdistal protuberance (sp); one pair of long antiaxial sensory setae (as) at the base, one level with and other well distad of lyrifissure fb, 0.045–0.055 mm long, distance between them 0.070–0.087 mm, fixed finger depth at the base 0.063–0.068 mm; 4 teeth at level of est / it occupying 0.1 mm, distance between successive apices 0.025–0.030 mm. Distal half of movable finger with 14–19 pointed teeth with dental canals that reach up to halfway between trichobothria st and sb or slightly proximad, 2 proximal teeth slightly decreasing in size and rounded, 2 distal teeth tiny; basal half of movable chelal finger with 8–13 rounded, partially fused, vestigial teeth, without canals, on weakly raised lamina; dental row reaching up to halfway between trichobothria sb and b, usually level with sensilla pc, 3 microtubercles at base; basal apodeme long and apically indented; coupled sensilla pc halfway between sb and b, slightly closer to sb. Trichobothria as in Fig. 237; trichobothrium ist well distad of esb and slightly proximad of lyrifissure fb; distance between ib / isb and esb 1.1 longer than that between ib / isb and the base of the hand; distance between st and sb 1.8–2.3 times longer than that between sb and b; lacking lyrifissures ma1, ma2 and hp, all other chelal lyrifissure patterns present, most with their standard complements.

Measurements and ratios. Male holotype, followed, when different, by male paratype in square brackets: Body 1.78 [1.88]. Carapace 0.54/0.55 (1.0) [0.59/0.53 (1.1)]. Chelicera 0.56/0.25 (2.2) [0.55/0.25 (2.2)], movable finger 0.28 [0.29]. Pedipalp: femur 0.99/0.13 (7.6) [1.03/0.13 (8.1)], patella 0.40/0.16 (2.4) [0.41/0.17 (2.5)], chela 1.37/ 0.21 (6.6) [1.44/0.21 (7.0)], hand 0.54 (2.6) [0.55 (2.6)], movable finger 0.84 [0.88]; ratio movable finger/hand 1.6, femur/movable finger 1.2, femur/carapace 1.3, chela/carapace 1.8 [1.7]. Female paratypes from Complejo del Arroyo de la Rambla (PB-4): Body 1.74–1.94. Carapace 0.57–0.59/0.52–0.55 (1.1). Chelicera 0.53–0.55/0.23–0.25 (2.2–2.3), movable finger 0.27. Pedipalp: femur 0.91–0.94/0.13–0.14 (6.5–7.2), patella 0.37–0.40/0.15–0.17 (2.4), chela 1.27–1.29/0.20–0.22 (5.8–6.5), hand 0.50–0.51 (2.3–2.5), movable finger 0.76–0.78; ratio movable finger/ hand 1.5; femur/movable finger 1.2; femur/carapace 1.5–1.7; ratio chela/carapace 2.2.

Tritonymph. Carapace slightly longer than broad; medial part of anterior margin weakly prominent and strongly dentate; without eyes; chaetotaxy as in adult. Cheliceral hand with 5 setae and 1 lateral microseta; fixed finger with 9–10 teeth, two distal teeth larger than others; movable finger without an isolated subapical tooth (di), with 6–8 teeth, the distal one larger than others; spinneret prominent as in adult females; seta gl 0.55–0.58 from base of movable finger. Chaetotaxy of tergites as in adults; sternites 4–5:(2)6(2):(1)6(1):6–7:6:6:6:6:1T2T1:0:2. Pedipalpal coxa 5 setae (including 2 on manducatory process), distal marginal seta of disk 0.070–0.085 mm long; coxa I 3 + 2 marginal microsetae, distal marginal seta 0.050–0.060 mm long; II 4 + 8–10 bipinnate coxal spines, III 5 + 4–5 bipinnate coxal spines and IV 5; intercoxal tubercle bisetose. Pedipalp with femoral chaetotaxy 3:5:2:4:1; chelal hand chaetotaxy 4:5:4; trichobothrium ist slightly distad of esb; fixed finger with 17–19 pointed teeth with dental canals, first two distal teeth small, third tooth of normal row modified (mt); fixed finger with a single antiaxial sensory setae (as) at the finger base, slightly distad of lyrifissure fb; distal half of movable finger with 11– 12 pointed teeth with dental canals, two tiny distal ones; proximal half of finger with slightly raised lamina with 8– 9 rounded, vestigial teeth; coupled sensilla pc distad of trichobothrium b; lacking lyrifissures fd3, hp, ma1 and ma2.

Measurements and ratios. Body 1.32–1.45. Carapace 0.41–042/0.39–0.40 (1.1). Chelicera 0.38/0.18 (2.1), movable finger 0.19–0.20. Pedipalp: femur 0.58/0.10 (5.8), patella 0.25/0.12 (2.1–2.2), chela 0.82/0.14 (5.9), hand 0.30–0.31 (2.1–2.2), movable finger 0.49–0.50; ratio movable finger/hand 1.6, femur/movable finger 1.2, femur/ carapace 1.4, chela/carapace 2.0, chela/femur 1.4.

Remarks. Within the verai -group, O. espanyoli resembles O. perezi ( Carabajal Márquez, García Carrillo & Rodríguez Fernández, 2011) , O. ventalloi and O. verai (Zaragoza, 1985) in having about 10 rounded vestigial teeth in the basal half of movable chelal finger and 2 larger distal teeth on the fixed cheliceral finger. O. espanyoli has a more slender and longer pedipalp than O. perezi . It resembles O. ventalloi in having the spinneret strongly reduced in the male (prominent in male of O. verai ), but differs in having a longer pedipalp and in lacking cheliceral lyrifissure ldb. The above description incorporates in part that of Zaragoza & Pérez (2013).