Pselaphochernes scorpioides ( Hermann, 1804 )

Novák, János, 2024, An updated checklist for the pseudoscorpion fauna of Hungary (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones), Zootaxa 5433 (1), pp. 51-95 : 79-80

Pselaphochernes scorpioides ( Hermann, 1804)

Chelifer scorpioides Hermann, 1804: 116–117 Chernes (Trachychernes) scorpioides : Tömösváry 1882a: 192. Chernes (Chernes) scorpioides : Daday, 1889a: 116. Chernes scorpioides : Daday 1889b: 25. Chernes scorpioides bertalanii Daday 1889b: 26–27 ; Novák & Dányi 2018: 319. Pselaphochernes scorpioides : Szalay 1968: 54–55; Mahnert 1983: 362; Mahnert 1990: 683; Harvey 1991: 627–629; Murányi & Kontschán 2002: 191 Kárpáthegyi 2007: 87; Christophoryová 2010: 7; Christophoryová et al. 2011b: 37; Novák 2011: 69; Novák 2012: 63; Harvey 2013; Novák 2013a: 127; Novák 2014a: 29; Novák 2015: 156; Novák 2016: 7; Novák 2018:104; Červená et al. 2020a: 223; WPC 2023.

Occurrence: Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Turkey, United Kingdom, USA, Ukraine, Uzbekistan (WPC 2023).

Known localities in Hungary: Visz ( Daday 1889b). Egyek: Ohati Forest; Újszentmargita: Margitai Forest ( Mahnert 1983). Bátorliget Swamp ( Mahnert 1990). Csorna: Lócsi Canal; Sopron: Szárhalmi Forest ( Murányi & Kontschán 2002). Budapest: Hűvösvölgy, Virág Valley; Baracska; Kajászó: Gyűrűsi Forest; Tótszentgyörgy ( Kárpáthegyi 2007). Tés ( Novák 2011). Bükkszentkereszt; Cserépváralja: Karud Hillside ( Novák 2012). Dunaszentpál; Nagyrécse; Osli: Király Lake; Szentdomonkos: Simon-tó-tető ( Novák 2013a). Simontornya (Novák 2014). Zánka: Pál Hill (Novák 2015). Budapest: Kamaraerdő ( Novák 2016). Szögliget: Ménes Valley (Novák 2018).

New data: Bátorliget: Fényi Forest , 10.05.1990, leg. OM (HNHM pseud-1816: 9 adults) ; Swamp , 01.08.1990, leg. OM (HNHM Pseud-1829: 7 aduts) ; Cserépfalu : Hór Valley, oak forest, 13.06.1984, leg. OM (HNHM Pseud-1837: 9 adults) ; Dunasziget : willow and poplar groove, 18.10.1989, leg. OM (HNHM Pseud-1826: 2 adults) ;

Kunfehértó: Városerdő , 10.05– 19.06.1979, leg. LT (HNHM Pseud-1823: 1♀) ; Makád : 30.04.1988, leg. OM (HNHM Pseud-1749: 3♂; HNHM Pseud-1819: 2 adults) ; Nagykőrös : Kereszt Forest, black pine forest, stack of logs, 10.04.2008, leg. OM (HNHM Pseud-1839: 10 adults) ; Ócsa : Madárvárta, 213.05.15, leg. JN (HNHM Pseud-1835: 1 adult) ; leaf litter under an old alder tree, 2013.05.15, leg. NJ (HNHM Pseud-1838: 1 adult); Pestszentlőrinc : from compost, 19.03.2015, leg. GS (HNHM Pseud-1825: 1♂, 1♀) ; Pilismarót : river bank of the Danube, garbage dump, 05.07.1988, leg. IF (HNHM Pseud-1499) ; Tahitótfalu : Ábrahám-bükk, beech forest, 18.01.1990, leg. OM (HNHM Pseud-1502: 2♂, 1♀) ; Újrónafő : Dombosházi Forest, hardwood groove, 29.03.1999, leg. OM (HNHM Pseud-1833: 1♂) .

Habitat preference: this species prefers heaps of decomposing material ( Beier 1963a; Kaňuchová et al. 2015), but Legg & Jones (1988) also recorded it from leaf litter, dead wood, and from nests of the red ant Formica rufa . It has also been reported from under dead wood bark in Lithuania ( Krajčovičová et al. 2018). In Slovakia it was reported from oak-hornbeam forests ( Christophoryová 2013), from ant nests ( Červená et al. 2020b), from rotten hay, garden waste and compost ( Krajčovičová et al. 2012), from compost heaps ( Christophoryová et al. 2017a), from dead wood and from tree hollows ( Christophoryová et al. 2017c). Furthermore, it has also been reported from maple-beech mountain forest, and from beech and fir flowery forest and birch forest ( Jászayová & Jászay 2022), from bird nests ( Christophoryová 2011d; Christophoryová et al. 2017b), and from mammal nests ( Christophoryová et al. 2017b). It was reported from decomposed organic material in Albania ( Červená et al. 2021a). In Hungary it has been found under bark of oak trees ( Novák 2011), from oak and beech forests ( Novák 2012, 2013a, 2016), from hardwood groves, from poplar forest ( Novák 2013a), and from alder forest (Novák 2018). During the present study it was found in oak forests, willow and poplar groves, in stack of logs in black pine forest, leaf litter under an old alder tree, from compost, from a riverbank garbage dump, beech forest, and a hardwood grove.

Remarks: Pselapochernes scorpioides is the most common species of the family Chernetidae in Hungary, where it is widely distributed.