Rhacochelifer pinicola ( Nonídez, 1917 )

Hernández-Corral, Jesús, Zaragoza, Juan A. & Micó, Estefanía, 2018, New species of Pseudoscorpiones (Arachnida) from tree hollows in a Mediterranean oak forest in Spain, Zootaxa 4497 (2), pp. 201-225 : 217-218

Rhacochelifer pinicola ( Nonídez, 1917)

Type locality. Spain, Región de Murcia, Caravaca de la Cruz [38°06′16″N, 01°51′40″W].

Diagnosis (Ƌ, ♀). Relatively small species of Rhacochelifer , without coarser granules on carapace and pedipalps and without elongated keels on posterolateral corners of carapace and tergites in males. Most hemitergites, in addition to the postero-marginal setae, with one lateral and one discal setae in anterior position, lacking a medial seta. Anterior genital operculum with some forked setae. Pedipalpal femur (♂) 3.1‒3.2, (♀) 3.0 times longer than broad, length (♂) 0.56–0.64 mm, (♀) 0.62–0.66 mm; patella (♂) 2.4–2.5, (♀) 2.2–2.3 times longer than broad, length (♂) 0.51–0.56 mm, (♀) 0.55–0.56 mm; chela+ (♂) 3.3‒3.4, (♀) 3.4‒3.5 times longer than broad, length (♂) chela+ 1.00 mm, (♀) 1.03‒1.06 mm. Tarsus leg I of male with dorsal and distal margins slightly concave, dorso-distally rounded, without projection, 2.8 times longer than deep.

Type material examined. 2 ♀ syntypes ( MNCN 20.02 /9725), Spain, Murcia Region, Caravaca de la Cruz, leg. J. Fernández Nonídez.

Non-type material examined. 1 ♂ ( MNCN 20.02 /14419), Spain, Canary Islands, Tenerife, Agua García , VIII.1927, leg. Cabrera.

Description (Ƌ, ♀). Because dissection of the syntypes was not allowed by the strict rules of MNCN, appendages were measured in situ. The opisthosoma of both female syntypes is in bad condition and the chaetotaxy of the tergites, sternites and genital area was difficult to observe, hence most observations were limited to the pedipalp articles.

Male from Tenerife, with data for female syntypes in square brackets, when determinable and different. Carapace slightly longer than broad, granulate, without coarser granules; two transverse furrows, posterolateral corners without elongated keels. Setae short, clavate and apically dentate, chaetotaxy 36:15:9(60), anterior margin with 4 setae, metazone without medial setae. One pair of well developed eyes, diameter 0.06 mm, distance to anterior margin 0.05 mm. Cheliceral galea with 5 apical rami in females and male. Tergites I‒X and sternites IV‒X divided. Tergites without elongated lateral keels on posterolateral corners. In addition to the marginal setae, some tergites with anterior setae, hemitergites V‒X with one lateral and one discal seta; chaetotaxy of hemitergites 5‒ 6:5:5:5:5:4‒5:5:4‒5:5:4, setae tergite XI 8 (2 long tactile setae, apically acuminate, length 0.15 mm), XII 2 [syntypes with 4 or 5 setae on each hemitergite] Anterior genital operculum with 16 acuminate medial setae and 19 marginal setae, latter acuminate apart from 4 that are forked (2 bifid and 2 trifid), sternite III with 8 setae, hemisternites IV‒X 5:6:4‒5:5‒6:5:5:5(2 long tactile setae, length 0.15 mm), sternite XI with 8 setae, XII with 2. Posterior genital sternite of male with 1 bifid and 1 trifid internal seta on each side. Statumen convolutum similar to that of R. peculiaris .

Pedipalpal coxa with 4 setae on manducatory process (including suboral seta) and 11‒12 setae on the disk, leg coxa I 5, II 7, III 11‒13, IV 26‒31.

Pedipalps with granulation, more pronounced paraxially, without coarser granules. Trochanter with prominent, rounded, antiaxial hump, femur distinctly pedicellate, maximum width at middle. Fixed chelal finger with 26 teeth, dental row reaching slightly proximad of trichobothrium ist, movable finger with 29 teeth, reaching slightly distad of trichobothrium sb. Trichobothrium it very slightly distad of ist, separated by no more than one areolar diameter, level with est (as in syntypes).

Leg I tarsus of male with dorsal and distal margins slightly concave, dorso-distally rounded, without projection, claws asymmetric, length of claws 0.15 mm, 1.7 times longer than tarsus width. Leg IV tarsus without tactile seta. All legs with dentate subterminal setae on tarsi.

Measurements (mm) and ratios. Female syntypes: Body 2.10‒2.99. Carapace 0.71‒0.78/0.68‒0.72 (1.0‒1.1). Pedipalp: femur 0.62‒0.66/0.21‒0.22 (3.0), patella 0.55‒0.56/0.25 (2.2‒2.3), hand+ 0.58‒0.62/0.30‒0.31 (1.9‒2.0), hand - 0.51‒0.54 (1.7‒1.8), movable finger 0.46‒0.47, chela+ 1.03‒1.06/0.30‒0.31 (3.4‒3.5), chela - 0.96‒0.98 (3.1‒ 3.2); ratio hand+/movable finger 1.2‒1.3, femur/movable finger 1.3‒1.4, femur/carapace 0.8‒0.9, femur/patella 1.1‒1.2, hand+/patella 1.0‒1.1, chela+/carapace 1.4‒1.5, chela+/femur 1.6‒1.7. Male from Tenerife: Body 1.97. Carapace 0.65/0.2 (1.0). Pedipalp: trochanter 0.34/0.20 (1.7), femur 0.64/0.20 (3.2), patella 0.56/0.22 (2.5), hand+ 0.59/0.29 (2.0), hand - 0.52 (1.8), movable finger 0.46, chela+ 1.00/0.29 (3.4), chela - 0.93 (3.2); ratio hand+/movable finger 1.3, femur/movable finger 1.4, femur/carapace 1.0, femur/patella 1.1, hand+/patella 1.0, chela+/carapace 1.5, chela+/femur 1.6. Leg I: femur+patella 0.39/0.14 (2.7), femur 0.25/0.14 (1.8), patella 0.30/0.10 (3.0), tibia 0.28/ 0.12 (2.3), tarsus 0.26/0.09 (2.9).

Remarks. The original description of R. pinicola by Nonídez (1917), based on specimens from the Murcia region of Spain, was augmented by Mahnert (1980), who gave a detailed description of a male from Tenerife Island. Since then, other specimens from the Canarian islands of Hierro and La Gomera have been assigned to this species by Mahnert (1997).