Ephippiochthonius masoae, Zaragoza, Juan A., 2017

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 : 93-95

Ephippiochthonius masoae n. sp. ( Figs 161–164 )

Type locality. Spain, Catalonia, Tarragona province, Baix Ebre comarca, Tivenys , Avenc Solsona (40°55′26″N, 00°36′01″E; 624 m a.s.l.).

Distribution. Spain: Catalonia.

Etymology. Named after Dr Glòria Masó, arthropod curator at MCNB, for her helpful collaboration.

Diagnosis (♂). A microphthalmic, hypogean, medium-sized Ephippiochthonius species of the gibbus -group. Movable cheliceral finger with isolated subapical tooth (di) and with low and rounded spinneret in male, unknown for female; anterior pair of eyes with weakly convex lens, posterior eyes reduced to eye-spots, anterior margin of carapace with 1 preocular microseta on each side, posterior margin with 2 macrosetae; chelal hand strongly depressed at level of ib / isb, with a rounded hump distad of ib / isb and an abrupt slope between trichobothria ib / isb and eb; fixed chelal finger with 19 teeth; distal half of movable chelal finger with 11 pointed teeth with dental canals, proximal half without marginal lamina, with 5 vestigial teeth without dental canals; pedipalpal femur 6.3 times longer than broad, length 0.57 mm; chela (♂) 5.3 times longer than deep, length 0.78 mm; ratio movable chelal finger/chelal hand (♂) 1.5; all chelal lyrifissure patterns present, most with their standard complements, except that ma2 is absent.

Type material examined. ♂ holotype ( MCNB), Spain, Catalonia, Tarragona province, Baix Ebre comarca, Tivenys , Avenc Solsona (40°55′26″N, 00°36′01″E; 624 m a.s.l.), 01.V.1994, leg. F. Fadrique.

Description (♂; ♀ unknown). Medium-sized microphthalmic hypogean species. Integument weakly depigmented; marked hispid granulation on lateral surface of carapace, on cheliceral hand and on bases of chelal fingers.

Carapace ( Fig. 162 ) slightly longer than broad and weakly constricted posteriorly; medial part of anterior margin not prominent, strongly dentate ( Fig. 161 ); anterior eyes with weakly convex lens and reflecting tapetum, 0.0425 mm from anterior margin of carapace, the same length as their diameter, posterior eyes reduced to eyespots, 0.02 mm from anterior eyes, diameter 0.0375 mm. Chaetotaxy: 18 macrosetae and 1 preocular microseta on each side, formula m 4m:6:4:2:2, anteromedial seta 0.095 mm long; 4 lyrifissures anteriorly and 2 posteriorly.

Chelicera with 6 setae and 1 lateral microseta on hand, seta vb short 0.0325 mm long. Fixed finger with 11 teeth decreasing in size proximally, two distal tooth distinctly larger than others. Movable finger with an isolated subapical tooth (di), with 10 teeth decreasing in size proximally, two distal teeth larger than others; spinneret low and rounded ( Fig. 163 ). Rallum with 11 blades. Serrula exterior with 15 blades, serrula interior 13 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. Chaetotaxy of sternites 9:(3)8(3):(2)6(2):8:6:6:6:6:2T1T2:0:2, 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 0.09 mm long; coxa I 3 + 3 marginal microsetae, distal marginal seta 0.05 mm long; II 4 + 12 bipinnate coxal spines, III 5 + 5–6 bipinnate coxal spines and IV 6; intercoxal tubercle bisetose.

Pedipalp with femoral chaetotaxy 3:6:2:5:1. Chela ( Fig. 164 ) with hand strongly depressed at level of ib / isb, with a rounded hump distad of ib / isb and an abrupt slope between trichobothria ib / isb and eb; ventral intercondylar bow-like protuberance (ip) present; chaetotaxy 4:5:3, seta ph3 lacking, setae ih1, ih3 and ih4 approximately level with trichobothria ib / isb; distal end of hand and bases of chelal fingers with sclerotized condylar complex. Fixed finger with 19 triangular teeth, 1 distal tooth small, all with dental canals, dental row reaching up to proximad of sensilla pc, 2 microtubercles at base; tip of finger with an accessory tooth (td) on antiaxial face; tip of fixed chelal finger of male with a deep hollow on paraxial face and subdistal protuberance (sp); 5 teeth at level of est / it occupying 0.1 mm, distance between successive apices 0.021–0.025 mm; antiaxial sensory setae (as) as long as the distance between them and markedly shorter than the finger depth at base. Distal half of movable finger with 11 triangular teeth with dental canals, reaching proximad halfway between trichobothria st and sb, the three proximal teeth decreasing in size, distally with a small tooth; basal half without marginal lamina, with 5 vestigial teeth without dental canals, very flattened, reaching to sensilla pc level; basal apodeme long and apically indented; coupled sensilla pc between sb and b. Trichobothria as in Fig. 164 ; trichobothrium ist very slightly proximad of esb and well proximad of lyrifissure fb; distance between st and sb 1.9 times longer than that between sb and b. All chelal lyrifissure patterns present, most with their standard complements, except that ma2 is absent.

Measurements and ratios. Male holotype: Body 1.33. Carapace 0.41/0.38 (1.1). Chelicera 0.32/0.16 (2.1), movable finger 0.17. Pedipalp: femur 0.57/0.09 (6.3), patella 0.23/0.11 (2.0), chela 0.78/0.15 (5.3), hand 0.31 (2.1), movable finger 0.46; ratio movable finger/hand 1.5, femur/movable finger 1.2, femur/carapace 1.4, chela/carapace 1.9, chela/femur 1.4.

Remarks. Within the gibbus -group, E. masoae n. sp. shares with E. sevai n. sp. the following combination of characteristics: only 2 setae in posterior row of carapace, presence of an isolated subapical tooth on movable cheliceral finger, presence of preocular microsetae and at least anterior eyes with convex lens. The two species differ in the microphthalmic hypogean condition of E. masoae n. sp. with posterior ocular area reduced to eyespots, 4 eyes with convex lens in E. sevai ; lyrifissure fd3 present in E. masoae n. sp., absent in E. sevai n. sp.; spinneret prominent in male of E. masoae n. sp. and absent in E. sevai n. sp. Other differences between the species are provided by the pedipalp measurements and ratios, particularly femur and chela, which are more slender and longer in E. masoae n. sp. than in E. sevai n. sp., as compared in the key.

Figures

FIGURES 161 – 164. Ephippiochthonius masoae n. sp., male holotype. 161, anterior margin of carapace, partial view; 162, carapace; 163, fingers of left chelicera, partial view; 164, left chela, antiaxial view.