Chthonius intemelius, Gardini, Giulio, 2013

Gardini, Giulio, 2013, A revision of the species of the pseudoscorpion subgenus Chthonius (Ephippiochthonius) (Arachnida, Pseudoscorpiones, Chthoniidae) from Italy and neighbouring areas, Zootaxa 3655 (1), pp. 1-151 : 59-61

Chthonius (E.) intemelius n. sp.

( Figs 112–120 , 293 )

Type locality: Italy, Liguria, Imperia Prov., Apricale, Mt Cianela (43°53ʹ45ʺN 7°40ʹ36ʺE).

Distribution. Italy: Liguria.

Diagnosis (Ƥ). A microphthalmic epigean Chthonius (Ephippiochthonius) from Ligurian pre-Alps that differs from other species of the C. fuscimanus group in the following combination of characters: movable cheliceral finger with isolated subapical tooth (di); spinneret absent or vestigial in males; pedipalpal hand (in lateral view) without a marked rounded hump distad of the trichobothria ib-isb, weakly depressed at level of ib-isb; fixed and movable chelal fingers respectively with 11–12 and 5–6 triangular teeth (proximal rounded teeth excepted); pedipalpal fixed finger at level of est-it with 5 teeth occupying 0.1 mm (distance between successive apices 0.021 mm); proximal half of movable chelal finger with thick and undulated marginal lamina; length of chela 0.51–0.53 (3), 0.56–0.55 (Ƥ) mm, length of movable finger 0.30–0.31 (3), 0.315–0.325 (Ƥ) mm; chela 5.2–5.4 (3), 4.6–4.75 (Ƥ) times as long as deep; ratio of pedipalpal femur/carapace 1.15–1.2 (3Ƥ).

Type material. ITALY— Liguria: Imperia Prov.— 1 3 (holotype), 22 3 18 Ƥ 8T (paratypes), Apricale, halfway between Baiardo and Apricale, Monte Cianela (43°53ʹ45ʺN 7°40ʹ36ʺE), ± 590 m a.s.l., 6.XI.1981, S. Zoia, G. Gardini & A. Boato leg., sieved in Quercus ilex wood on flysch (holotype deposited in MHNG, paratypes in G. Gardini coll., Genoa).

Derivatio nominis. The Intemelii were the inhabitants of Albium Intemelium (Strabo, Geography, IV 6, 1), the current Ventimiglia, in which the villages of Baiardo and Apricale are situated.

Description of adults (Ƥ). Integument weakly pigmented; carapace, tergites, chelicerae and pedipalps pale yellow-brown; marked hispid granulation on lateral surface of carapace and on cheliceral palm. Carapace 1.0–1.1 times longer than broad, subquadrate, posteriorly slightly constricted; anterior margin (figs 112–114) strongly dentate between median macrosetae, sometimes with small epistome; ocular area as in fig. 115, anterior eyes with tapetum and weak convex lens (diameter 0.025–0.028 mm), posterior eyes absent, reduced to a pale cuticular area with hispid granulation; distance from anterior eyes to anterior margin of carapace 0.02–0.03 mm; chaetotaxy mm 4mm:6:4:2:2 (18), macrosetae thick; length of anteromedian macrosetae 0.070–0075 mm. Chaetotaxy tergites I–X 4:4:4:4:6:6:6:6:6:4. Chaetotaxy sternites II–X 10:(3)8(3):(2)7(2):8:6:6:6:6:7; sternite III rarely with (3)10(3) setae; genital opening of males flanked by 5 or 6 (rarely 8) setae on each side. Chelicerae (figs 116–118) 2.0–2.1 times as long as broad, palm with 6 setae and 2 microsetae laterally; fixed finger with 6–7 teeth proximally reduced in size and 5–10 proximal microtubercles; movable finger with a large isolated subapical tooth (di), 5 teeth proximally reduced in size and 4–7 proximal microtubercles; gl ratio 0.56–0.62; spinneret mostly absent in males (rarely weakly raised), prominent and apically rounded in females; rallum with 11 blades; serrulae interior and exterior respectively with 12 and 14 blades. Coxal setae: pedipalp 5 (including 2 on manducatory process), I 3 + 3 marginal microsetae, II 4, III 5, IV 6; coxa II with 6–8 (rarely 5) coxal spines, coxa III with 4–5 (rarely 3) coxal spines; intercoxal tubercle bisetose. Pedipalp: femur 5.1–5.3 (3Ƥ) times as long as broad, with laterobasal hispid granulation; chela (figs 119–120) 5.2–5.4 (3), 4.6–4.75 (Ƥ) times as long as deep; hand of chela 2.15–2.2 (3), 2.0 (Ƥ) times as long as deep, depressed at level of ib-isb, in males with dorsal straight profile between the base and ibisb; ventrodistal surface of chelal hand with weak hispid granulation; fixed chelal finger with 11–12 (rarely 13) triangular teeth, weakly reclined, with dental canals: the first 2–3 distal teeth reduced in size, the proximal one tooth with rounded tip; base of fixed finger with 6–9 microtubercles; tip of fixed finger with a modified accessory tooth (td) on antiaxial face; fixed chelal finger at level of est-it with 5 teeth occupying 0.1 mm (distance between successive apices 0.021 mm); distal half of movable chelal finger with 6 (rarely 5) upright, triangular teeth, with dental canals; proximal half of movable chelal finger with 1–3 vestigial teeth, marginal lamina thick, undulated; coupled sensilla pc mostly at level of sb; trichobothria as in figs 119–120, eb-esb-ist placed in a straight line; basal apodeme of movable finger strongly sclerotized, subrectangular, apically triangular; ratio of movable finger/hand of chela 1.4–1.5 (3), 1.2–1.35 (Ƥ); ratio of pedipalpal femur/movable finger 1.2 (3Ƥ); ratio of pedipalpal femur/ carapace 1.15–1.2 (3Ƥ).

Measurements (in mm). Body length 1.0–1.05 (3), 1.05–1.1 (Ƥ). Carapace 0.31–0.32 × 0.28–0.30 (0.24–0.26 anteriorly) (3), 0.315–0.33 × 0.32–0.33 (0.28–0.29 anteriorly) (Ƥ). Chelicerae 0.23–0.245 × 0.11–0.115 (3), 0.26– 0.27 × 0.125–0.13 (Ƥ), movable finger length 0.115–0.12 (3), 0.125–0.13 (Ƥ). Pedipalp: femur 0.36–0.37 × 0.07 (3), 0.37–0.39 × 0.07–0.08 (Ƥ); chela 0.51–0.53 × 0.095–0.10 (3), 0.56–0.57 × 0.12 (Ƥ); hand length 0.205–0.22 (3), 0.24 (Ƥ); movable finger length 0.30–0.31 (3), 0.315–0.325 (Ƥ).

Description of tritonymph. Integument with weak pigmentation and weak cuticular hispid granulation. Carapace 1.1 times longer than broad, anterior margin dentate, without epistome; anterior eyes with tapetum and weak convex lens, posterior eyes absent; chaetotaxy m 4m:6:4:2:2 (18), length of anteromedian macrosetae 0.05– 0.06 mm. Chaetotaxy of tergites as in adults. Chaetotaxy of sternites II–IX 5:(2)6(2):(1)6(1):7:6:6:6:6. Chelicerae 2.0 times as long as broad, palm with 5 setae and 1 lateral microseta; fixed finger with 5–6 teeth, movable finger with an isolated subapical tooth (di) and 5 teeth; spinneret as in females; rallum with 9 blades; serrula interior with 10, exterior with 12 blades; gl ratio 0.61. Coxal setae: pedipalp 5 (including 2 on manducatory process), I 3 + 2 marginal microsetae, II 4, III 5, IV 5; coxa II with 5–8 coxal spines, coxa III with 3–5 coxal spines; intercoxal tubercle. Pedipalp: femur 5.1–5.2 times as long as broad; chela 5.0–5.2 times as long as deep; hand of chela 2.1– 2.25 times as long as deep; fixed finger with 11 triangular teeth, the first two proximal apically rounded; base of fixed finger with microtubercles; tip of fixed finger with a modified accessory tooth (td) on antiaxial face; distal half of movable finger with 5–6 triangular teeth and 2–3 vestigial teeth, marginal lamina weakly undulated; coupled sensilla pc mostly nearer to b than sb; ratio of movable finger/hand of chela 1.3–1.4; ratio of pedipalpal femur/movable finger 1.15–1.2; ratio of pedipalpal femur/carapace 1.0.

Measurements (in mm). Body length 0.80. Carapace 0.26–0.29 × 0.23–0.25 (0.20–0.22 anteriorly). Chelicerae 0.18–0.20 × 0.09–0.10, movable finger length 0.09–0.10. Pedipalp: femur 0.26–0.28 × 0.05–0.055; chela 0.39– 0.425 × 0.075–0.085; hand length 0.17–0.18; movable finger length 0.22–0.245.

Remarks. Among the species of the Chthonius fuscimanus group, C. intemelius n. sp. is closely related to C. nanus , a common and widespread epigean species also present in the environs of Baiardo. It is difficult to verbally describe the differences between the two species, which are nevertheless recognizable at first sight: C. intemelius differs from C. nanus in the shape of pedipalpal hand (less elongate and more depressed at level of ib-isb and, in lateral view, with a more square profile in C. intemelius ), in the reduction of the eyes (anterior ones with weak lens, posterior absent in C. intemelius ), in the shape of spinneret (absent or rarely vestigial in males of C. intemelius ) and in a smaller average size [length of chela 0.51–0.53 mm (3) 0.56–0.57 mm (Ƥ) in C. intemelius , 0.52–0.65 mm (3), 0.56–0.73 mm (Ƥ) in C. nanus ]. It differs from C. tyrrhenicus (which seems to be absent from the Province of Imperia) in the shape of the pedipalpal hand (with a less square profile in C. intemelius ), the reduction of the eyes and the shape of the spinneret in males. C. intemelius differs from the epigean C. ligur , from Baiardo, chiefly in the presence of an isolated subapical tooth (di) on the movable cheliceral finger (absent in C. ligur ). For comparisons of C. intemelius with C. aeneae from eastern Liguria, see Remarks under the latter species.

Figures

FIGURES 112 – 118. Chthonius (E.) intemelius n. sp. 112, male holotype, anterior margin of carapace; 113, female paratype, id.; 114, female paratype, id.; 115, male holotype, anterolateral portion of carapace; 116, id., right chelicera; 117, male paratype, fingers of right chelicera; 118, female paratype, right chelicera.

FIGURES 119 – 120. Chthonius (E.) intemelius n. sp. 119, male holotype, right chela, lateral view; 120, female paratype, id. (Scale bar 0.1 mm).

FIGURES 290 – 293. Distribution maps for the Italian species of the Chthonius fuscimanus group. 290, Chthonius (E.) boldorii Beier, 1934; 291, Chthonius (E.) genuensis Gardini, 1990, C. (E.) gestroi Simon, 1896, C. (E.) monguzzii n. sp., C. (E.) pieltaini Beier, 1930, C. (E.) troglophilus Beier, 1930 and C. (E.) zoiai Gardini, 1990; 292, Chthonius (E.) etruscus n. sp., C. (E.) latellai n. sp., C. (E.) magrinii n. sp. and C. (E.) sulphureus n. sp.; 293, Chthonius (E.) aeneae n. sp., C. (E.) gallii n. sp., C. (E.) intemelius n. sp. and C. (E.) ligur n. sp.