Pseudoblothrus infernus, Mahnert & Ch-, 2011

Mahnert, Volker, 2011, Pseudoblothrus infernus sp. n. (Pseudoscorpiones, Syarinidae) from the Hölloch cave (Schwyz, Switzerland), with new records of Pseudoblothrus strinatii Vachon from Switzerland and France, Revue suisse de Zoologie 118 (1), pp. 11-15 : 12-15

Pseudoblothrus infernus sp. n.

Figs 1-9

SPECIMEN EXAMINED: MHNG; holotype 1 ♂; Switzerland, canton of Schwyz, Muotathal, Hölloch ( Strinati, 1966: SZ 1), carstic corridor named “ Konsummeile ”, (“substrats de sable et limon, mouillé”), near waste of old bivouac (“près d’un dépôt de dechets (20 m) d’un bivouac”: U. Jörin, in litt.), 1500 m from entrance, 200 m depth; 27.12.2009, leg. U. Jörin & M. Pulfer.

DIAGNOSIS: The presence, in the male, of ventral glands on sternite VI and the smooth pedipalpal femur and hand places P. infernus sp. n. close to P. strinatii . The new species differs by the morphology of the ventral glands (only two patches of glandular setae vs three in strinatii ), the number of setae on anterior margin of cephalothorax (4 vs 6 in strinatii ) and by the more slender pedipalpal chela (6.4 times longer than broad vs 5.5-5.9 times in strinatii ). Ventral glands are absent in P. thiebaudi Vachon.

DESCRIPTION: Cephalothorax and pedipalps reddish brown, tergites I and II large, brown, the following narrower, yelowish.

Cephalothorax (Fig. 1) 1.6 times longer than broad, without eyes or eyespots, with two distinct tranverse furrows, the subbasal one narrower; middle of anterior margin broadly rounded: 33 setae (4 at anterior, 6 at posterior margin). Chaetotaxy of tergites I-XI: 5-9-10-10-13-12-13-13-8(2 lateral, 2 sublateral tactile setae)-7(4 tactile setae); manducatory lobe with 1(right) or 2(left) setae, pedipalpal coxa smooth, 7-8 setae, coxa I 5, II 7-8, III 2-3, IV 7-8; anterior genital operculum with 16 setae (6 median marginal setae) (Fig. 2), genital chamber with 2 unmodified setae, sternite III: 12 + 6 median discal setae + 4 suprastigmal setae, IV 12 + 7 median discal setae + 4 suprastigmal setae, V 15 + 6 median discal setae (one lateral seta abnormal, T-shaped: Fig. 3; a similar teratology was described for a sternophorid pseudoscorpion from Dominican amber: Judson, 1998), VI 16 + ventral gland + 2 median discal setae, VII 16, VIII 16, IX 14, X 14, XI 12 (4 tactile setae); anal cone 2+2 setae; ventral gland (Fig. 4) in a round central depression on sternite VI, with two patches of glandular tubules (17/8).

Chelicera (Fig. 5) with 5 long setae on hand, fixed finger with 13 pointed teeth, the distal ones smaller, movable finger with 10 pointed teeth of varying length, sub - galeal seta reaching tip of finger, spinneret absent, serrula exterior with 23, serrula interior with 16 lamellae, rallum composed of six setae, apparently only the distal one finely dentate.

Pedipalps (Figs 6-8) smooth, trochanter 3.0 times longer than broad, with a tiny button-like ventral tubercle, femur indistinctly club-shaped, 6.4 times, patella 4.5 times longer than broad, pedicel short, hand cylindrical, with pedicel 2.5 times longer than broad, chela with pedicel 6.4 times, without pedicel 6.1 times longer than broad; finger 1.6 times longer than hand with pedicel, fixed finger with 94 small pointed teeth, movable finger with about 88 small teeth, only the 15 distal ones pointed, distalmost tooth of row large and more lateral, venom duct in fixed finger very short. Tricho - bothrial pattern similar to that of P. strinatii and P. thiebaudi , ib slightly basal to eb, esb slightly nearer to isb than to eb, the four distal trichobothria equidistant from each other; a small sensillum distal of b.

Leg I: femur 5.6 times longer than deep and 1.8 times longer than patella, the latter 3.3 times longer than deep, tibia 6.4 times, basitarsus 4.1 times, telotarsus 6.0 times longer than deep and 1.3 times longer than basitarsus; leg IV (Fig. 9): femur+ patella 6.0 times longer than deep, tibia 7.5 times, basitarsus 4.3 times, telotarsus 3.9 times longer than deep and 1.1 times longer than basitarsus; no distinct tactile setae present; subterminal seta finely dentate, arolia undivided and distinctly shorter than the thin and smooth claws.

Measurements (length/depth in mm): total length 2.4; cephalothorax 0.87/0.53; pedipalps: trochanter 0.55/0.18, femur 1.10/0.17, patella 0.98/0.22, pedicel 0.24, hand with pedicel 0.71/0.29, pedicel 0.07, finger length 1.15, chela length with pedicel 1.82; leg I: femur 0.58/0.10, patella 0.32/0.10, tibia 0.46/0.07, basitarsus 0.27/0.07, telotarsus 0.34/0.06; leg IV: femur+patella 0.92/0.15, tibia 0.74/0.10, basitarsus 0.36/0.08, telotarsus 0.41/0.10.

ETYMOLOGIE: The species epithet is a Latin adjective, meaning belonging to (or coming from) the underworld.