Ephippiochthonius tetrachelatus ( Preyssler, 1790 )

Novák, János, 2024, An updated checklist for the pseudoscorpion fauna of Hungary (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones), Zootaxa 5433 (1), pp. 51-95 : 57-58

Ephippiochthonius tetrachelatus ( Preyssler, 1790)

Scorpio tetrachelatus Preyssler, 1790: 56 .

Chthonius trombidioides (Latreille) : Tömösváry 1882a: 238–239; Horváth 1884: 2 (misidentification).

Chthonius tetrachelatus : Daday 1889a: 134; Pillich 1914: 153; Daday 1918: 2; Szalay 1932: 17; Loksa 1960: 258; Loksa 1966: 392; Szalay 1968: 37; Murányi & Kontschán 2002: 191; Novák 2011: 68; Novák 2014a: 29.

Chthonius (Ephippiochthonius) tetrachelatus : Beier 1939a: 7; Szent-Ivány 1941: 86–87; Mahnert 1983: 361; Mahnert 1990: 683; Kárpáthegyi 2007: 83; Christophoryová et al. 2011b: 36; Novák 2012: 60; Harvey 2013; Novák 2013: 123; Novák 2015: 154; Novák 2016: 4; Novák 2018: 99; Červená et al. 2020a: 221.

Ephippiochthonius tetrachelatus : Červená et al. 2020a: 221; WPC 2023.

Occurrence: Africa, Australia, Europe, Middle-East, North-Africa, North-America, South-America (WPC 2023).

Known localities in Hungary: Budapest: Békásmegyer ( Tömösváry 1882a). Sátoraljaújhely ( Daday 1889a). Simontornya ( Pillich 1914). Aggtelek: entrance of the Aggtelek Cave ( Szalay 1932). Budapest: Gellért Hill ( Szent-Ivány 1941). Bakony Mts; Balaton Uplands; Börzsöny Mts: Szent Mihály Mount; Buda Mts; Mecsek Mts; Bükk Mts; Gerecse Mts; Keszthely Mts; Pilis Mts; Vértes Mts; Villányi Mts; Visegrád Mts ( Loksa, 1966). Püspökladány: Ágota-puszta ( Mahnert 1983). Bátorliget Swamp ( Mahnert 1990). Sopron: Szárhalmierdõ; Halászi: Derék-erdõ; Lébény: Lébényi-tölgyes ( Murányi & Kontschán 2002). Tihany; Zalaszántó: Kovács Hill; Baracska; Blatonfüred: Koloska Valley; Zánka; Agárd ( Kárpáthegyi 2007). Zirc ( Novák 2011; Novák 2015). Eger: Sík Hill; Misolc: Lillafüred ( Novák 2012). Nagyrécse ( Novák 2013a). Simontornya (Novák 2014). Budapest: Hármashatár Hill, János Hill ( Novák 2016). Monok: Csörgő Hill (Novák 2018).

New data: Bátorliget: 27.03.1990, leg. SM (HNHM Pseud-1719: 1♀; HNHM Pseud-1720: 1♀); linden forest, 8 – 9.11.1989, leg. DS (HNHM Pseud-1722: 1♀) ; Fényi Forest , sifted from litter, 18.05.2011, leg. JN (HNHM Pseud-1582: 1♀) ; 27.06.1990, leg. AD (HNHM Pseud-1713: 1♀) ; 26.10.1990, leg. DS (HNHM Pseud-1714: 1♂) ; Bélapátfalva: Felső Forest , beech forest, 14.04.1984, leg. OM (HNHM Pseud-1887: 1♂) ; Budapest: Rózsadomb , from house, phoresy on the leg of a fly (not specified), 1974. leg: GSZ (HNHM Pseud-1099); Cserkút: bushy-forest, sifted from litter,, 17.05.2013, leg. JN (HNHM Pseud-1774: 1 adult; HNHM Pseud-1775: 4 adults); Darány: Nagyberek, Barcs Juniper Forest , 08.10.1984, leg. OM (HNHM Pseud-1653: 1♀) ; Fertőrákos: 1982, leg. IL (HNHM Pseud-1588: 1♂, 2♀; HNHM Pseud-1604: 1♀); Gerla: Fácános Forest , 13.11.1982, leg. ÁL (HNHM Pseud-1758: 2♀; HNHM Pseud-1761: 2♀); Isaszeg: Mártonberki Forest , 22.11.2011, leg. TN (HNHM Pseud: 1548: 3♂) ; Kőszeg: 01.11.1938, leg. AV (HNHM Pseud-1751: 1♀) ; Lábatlan: Piszince, oak-hornbeam forest, 14.04.1990, leg. OM (HNHM Pseud-1692: 1♂, 2♀) ; Kaposvár: 1940.09.26, leg. IL (HNHM Pseud-1677: 1♂, 5♀) ; Kemence Brook Valley ( Börzsöny Mts ): 26.04.1940, leg. IL (HNHM Pseud-1763: 1♂) ; Kunfehértó: Városerdő, 10.05– 13.06.1970, leg. LT (HNHM Pseud-1754: 1♂, 3♀; HNHM Pseud-1756: 3♀; HNHM Pseud-1892: 1♂, 1♀); Lórév: willow wood, under tree bark, 03.05.1987, leg. OM (HNHM Pseud-1733: 1♀) ; Nadap: Meleg Hill, leaf litter, 15.10.1951, leg. ZKA (HNHM Pseud-1748: 11♂, 7♀) ; Pákozd: Bella Valley , 09.10.1959, ZKA (HNHM Pseud-1738: 1♀; HNHM Pseud-1745: 2♀); Pilisszántó: MTA research area, oak hornbeam forest, sifted from litter , 02.06.2015, leg. JN (HNHM pseud-1854: 1♂) ; Révfülöp: 04.08.1937, leg. LS (HNHM Pseud-1735: 4♂, 5♀) ; Salgóbánya: beech forest, 20.09.2002, leg. LD (HNHM Pseud-1687: 1 adult) ; Sarud: 04.09.1988, leg. ZKO (HNHM Pseud-1762: 4♂, 1♀) ; Sopron: Felsőlővér street 42, cellar , 20.06.1944, leg. ED (HNHM Pseud-1651: 2♀) ; Felsőlővér street 44, 15.07.1946, leg. ED (HNHM Pseud-1662: 4♂, 6♀) ; Tardosbánya: beech forest, 06.05.1990, leg. OM (HNHM Pseud-1518: 1♂) ; Valkó: Gödöllői TK, 24. forest part, 26.05.1991, OM (HNHM Pseud-1525: 1♂, 2♀) ; Tata: 18.03.1960, leg. IL (HNHM Pseud-1637: 1♂) ; Tatabánya: 14.06.1960, leg. IL (HNHM Pseud-1627: 2♀; HNHM Pseud-1628: 2♂, 2♀); Tenkes Hill : 19.05.1960, leg. IL (HNHM Pseud-1642: 1♀) ; stone moss, 09.12.1960, leg. IL (HNHM Pseud-1623: 1♂) ; 09.12.1960, leg. IL (HNHM Pseud-1624: 1♂, 1♀, 3 juv.; HNHM Pseud-1638: 1♀; HNHM Pseud-1639: 1♂, 1♀; HNHM Pseud-1640: 1♀; HNHM Pseud-1647: 4♂, 2♀); Tubes : 30.09.1960, leg. IL (HNHM Pseud-1632: 2 adults) ; moss from tree, 08.12.1960, leg. IL (HNHM Pseud-1635: 2 adults; HNHM Pseud-1644: 2 adults) .

Habitat preference: According to Beier (1963a), this species prefers less humid microhabitats. It has been reported from leaf litter, under stones, plant debris and from anthropogenic habitats ( Beier 1963a; Legg & Jones 1988, Kaňuchová et al. 2015). In Slovakia, Krajčovičová et al. (2012) collected it by sifting organic material, including rotten hay, garden waste and compost. It has also been reported from Slovakia from oak-hornbeam forests ( Christophoryová 2013), from bird nests ( Christophoryová et al. 2017b), from ant nests ( Christophoryová et al. 2017b; Červená et al. 2020b), from heaps of decomposing material ( Kaňuchová et al. 2015), compost heaps ( Christophoryová et al. 2017a), under tree bark and in tree hollows ( Christophoryová et al. 2017c). Jászayová & Jászay (2022) reported it from floodplain alder forest with beech and grey alder. From Hungary, it has been reported from beech and oak forests ( Novák 2013a, 2016). During the present study it has been found in the leaf litter of oak forest, linden forest, beech forest, swamp forest, oak hornbeam forest, and from moss, plant debris and under tree bark. In one case, phoretic behaviour was observed, when it was found on the leg of a fly (not specified by the collector) caught in a house, Budapest (HNHM Pseud-1099).

Remarks: Ephippiochthonius tetrachelatus is widespread across Hungary, and it was mostly found in forest habitats.