Nelima pontica Charitonov, 1941

Modebadze, Naia, Martens, Jochen, Snegovaya, Nataly & Barjadze, Shalva, 2023, An annotated list of the Georgian harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones), Caucasiana 2, pp. 211-230 : 211

25. Nelima pontica Charitonov, 1941

Nelima pontica Charitonov, 1941: 169 (figs 5-6, original description, distribution)

Nelima pontica - Birstein, 1950: 356 (mention)

Nelima longipedata Mkheidze, 1952b: 615 (fig. 3, original description)

Nelima longipedata - Mkheidze, 1959: 114 (mention)

Nelima longipedata - Mkheidze, 1962: 185 (mention)

Nelima longipedata - Mkheidze, 1964: 122 (mention)

Nelima pontica - Ljovuschkin and Starobogatov, 1963: 49-50 (fig. 6, discussion)

Nelima pontica - Staręga, 1966: 406 (fig. 22, mention; locality data)

Nelima pontica - Martens, 1969: 412 (figs 53-54, 57, relationships)

Nelima pontica - Staręga, 1978: 209 (mention)

Nelima pontica - Snegovaya and Chumachenko, 2011: 124 (mention)

Nelima pontica - Snegovaya, 2013: 185 (mention)

Nelima pontica - Snegovaya, Pkhakadze, Intskirveli, 2014: 199 (mention; locality data from historical collection of the Georgian National Museum)

Type locality.

Georgia, Abkhazia, Gulripshi Municipality, Tsebelda karst massif, Kelasuri Cave.

Occurrence data in Georgia.

Abkhazia • Pehu Valley, Sukhumi Municipality; leg. K.A. Satunin, August 1913 (Snegovaya et al. 2014). • Kelasuri Cave, Gudauta Municipality; leg. A. Osterloff, 6 August 1940 ( Charitonov 1941). • Bagrati Mountain, Sokhumi Municipality; leg. B. Pisarski, 11 November 1963 ( Staręga 1966). • Kelasuri, Sokhumi Municipality; leg. B. Pisarski, 13 November 1963 ( Staręga 1966). • Gumista River (Second bridge), Sokhumi Municipality; leg. B. Pisarski, 21 November 1963 ( Staręga 1966). Adjara • Batumi; leg. T. Mkheidze, 2 July 1965 (Snegovaya et al. 2014). • Batumi Botanical Garden; leg. T. Mkheidze, 19 July 1965 (Snegovaya et al. 2014). Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti • 25 km N of Jvari, Tsalenjikha Municipality; 600 m a.s.l.; leg. J. and B. Martens, 20 July 2019; damp broad-leaved forest on a steep slope, overgrown rock face, ground moss covered (CJM). Guria • Lanchkhuti; leg. T. Mkheidze, 10 July 1939 ( Mkheidze 1952b). • Chokhatauri; leg. T. Mkheidze, 1 October 1970 (Snegovaya et al. 2014). • Shua Surebi, Chokhatauri Municipality; leg. not mentioned, August 1988 (Snegovaya et al. 2014). Imereti • Sairme, Baghdati Municipality; leg. T. Mkheidze, 9 July 1946 ( Mkheidze 1952b). • Sairme, Baghdati Municipality; leg. T. Mkheidze, 1 October 1946 (Snegovaya et al. 2014). Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti • Dolabistavi Cave, Racha karst massif, Ambrolauri Municipality; leg. A.G. Dzhanashvili, 15 December 1956 (Snegovaya et al. 2014). • Kvedi II Cave, 1.8 km SE of Kvedi, Oni Municipality; leg. J. Grego and R. Straub, 14 October 2021 (CJM).

Global distribution.

Endemic to the Caucasian ecoregion. Georgia, the Caucasian part of Russia ( Staręga 1978; Snegovaya 2013).

Remarks.

Though N. pontica was often found in caves or at cave entrances, it is not a troglobiont species, and it lacks troglomorphic adaptations. Overgrown cliffs in ravines are accepted habitats as well (see above).