Lechytia depressidentata, Sun & Guo & Zhang, 2024

Sun, Jianzhou, Guo, Xiangbo & Zhang, Feng, 2024, Revision of the genus Lechytia Balzan, 1892 (Pseudoscorpiones, Chthoniidae) from China, with descriptions of two new species, Biodiversity Data Journal 12, pp. 122612-122612 : 122612

Lechytia depressidentata sp. nov.

Materials

Type status: Holotype. Occurrence: recordedBy: Xiangbo Guo, Bo Liu & Haibin Zhang; sex: male; lifeStage: adult; occurrenceID: D3736A6C-02E2-54FE-9B99-12FF869FC5AE; Taxon: scientificName: Lechytia depressidentata; Location: country: China; stateProvince: Xizang Autonomous Region; county: Jilong; locality: Jilong Town , Kongsang Bridge, under bark ; verbatimElevation: 2697 m; verbatimCoordinates: 28.384151°N, 85.353469°E; Identification: identifiedBy: Jianzhou Sun; Event: eventID: HBUARA#2023-885; year: 2023; month: August; day: 4; Record Level: institutionID: the Museum of Hebei University; institutionCode: Ps.-MHBU-XZ 2023080401 Type status: Paratype. Occurrence: recordedBy: Xiangbo Guo, Bo Liu & Haibin Zhang; sex: 2males, 6 females; lifeStage: adult; occurrenceID: 634D1277-955C-5E1E-A3C3-ABE60C6365A3; Taxon: scientificName: Lechytia depressidentata; Location: country: China; stateProvince: Xizang Autonomous Region; county: Jilong; locality: Jilong Town , Kongsang Bridge, under bark ; verbatimElevation: 2697 m; verbatimCoordinates: 28.384151°N, 85.353469°E; Identification: identifiedBy: Jianzhou Sun; Event: eventID: HBUARA#2023-885; year: 2023; month: August; day: 4; Record Level: institutionID: the Museum of Hebei University; institutionCode: 2 males (Ps.-MHBU-XZ2023080402-03) and 6 females (Ps.-MHBU-XZ2023080404-09)

Description

Males (holotype and paratypes) (Fig. 7 A, Fig. 8 A-J and Figs 9 , 10 ).

Cephalothorax (Fig. 8 D-F and Fig. 9 A): carapace nearly subquadrate, 0.91-1.09 times longer than broad; anterior margin denticulate; without epistome; two small corneate eyes; with 18 setae arranged 6: 4: 4: 2: 2, most setae heavy, long and gently curved; with four pairs of lyrifissures, first pair situated antero-medially, the second pair situated interno-underneath to the eyes, the third pair situated slightly interior to the sole pair of setae of the intermediate row and the fourth pair situated exterior to the sole pair of setae of the posterior row. Manducatory process with two acuminate distal setae, about equal in length, the distal setae terminally acuminate (Fig. 11 C); apex of coxa I with a triangular apical projection; coxal spines and intercoxal tubercle absent. Chaetotaxy of coxae: P 5, Ⅰ 7, II 7, III 7, IV 7.

Chelicera (Fig. 8 C and Fig. 9 B): 1.40-1.53 times longer than broad; five setae present on hand, all setae acuminate, ventrobasal setae shorter than others; movable finger with one medial seta. Cheliceral palm has moderate wrinkles on both ventral and dorsal sides. Fixed finger with one large tooth and two or three roughened ridges proximally; movable finger with an acute apical tooth and three or four pointed, conspicuous middle teeth; galea shaped like a tooth (Fig. 9 B). Serrula exterior with 17-18 blades, smooth surface and side creases (Fig. 11 B). Rallum with eight blades, subdistal blade strongly recumbent, others in straight row (Fig. 9 D).

Pedipalp (Fig. 8 A-B, I, Fig. 9 E, Fig. 10 A and B): trochanter 1.20-1.78, femur 3.45-3.60, patella 1.75-1.83, chela 3.56-3.73, hand 1.56-1.67 times longer than broad; femur 1.64-1.81 times longer than patella; movable chelal finger 1.36-1.38 times longer than hand and 0.59-0.63 times longer than chela. Setae generally long and acuminate. Fixed chelal finger and hand with eight trichobothria, ib, isb, eb and esb on dorsum of hand, ib and isb basally, esb submedially, eb closer to ib and isb than to esb; ist situated basally on fixed finger, est and it situated submedially and medially on fixed finger, et and dx distally; movable chelal finger with four trichobothria, b closer to sb than to t, sb closer b than to st; b and sb situated less than one areolar diameter apart (Fig. 8 A and Fig. 10 A); sensilla absent. Both chelal fingers with a row of teeth: fixed finger with 42-44 developed retrorse, pointed teeth; movable finger with 13-14 small, pointed teeth at distal end, followed proximally by 18-22 flattened teeth.

Opisthosoma: tergites and sternites undivided; setae acuminate. Tergal chaetotaxy I-Ⅻ: 6: 6: 6: 6: 6: 6: 6: 6: 6: 4: T2T: 0. Sternal chaetotaxy Ⅱ-Ⅻ: 10: 14-16: 11-14: 10-12: 10: 8-10: 6-8: 6: -: 2. Genital region: partial setaes bifurcate (Fig. 11 F).

Legs (Fig. 8 G, H, Fig. 10 C and D): leg Ⅰ: femur 1.67-1.82 times longer than patella; tarsus 1.92 times longer than tibia. Leg Ⅳ: femoropatella 2.19-2.40 times longer than deep; tibia 3.71-4.17 times longer than deep; with subbasal tactile setae on basitarsal segments. Arolium slightly shorter than the claws, not divided; claws simple.

Adult female (paratypes) (Fig. 7 B and Fig. 8 K). Mostly same as males, but a little larger on average; tergal chaetotaxy Ⅰ-Ⅻ: 6: 6: 6: 6: 6: 6: 6: 6: 6: 4: T2T: 0; sternal chaetotaxy Ⅱ-Ⅻ: 8: 12: 14: 12: 10: 10: 8: 6-8: 6: -: 2. Genital area weakly sclerotised with U-shaped frame.

Dimensions (length/breadth or, in the case of the legs, length/depth in mm; ratios in parentheses). Males: body length 1.36-1.41. Pedipalps: trochanter 0.12-0.16/0.09-0.10 (1.40-1.53), femur 0.36-0.38/0.10-0.11 (3.45-3.60), patella 0.21-0.22/0.12 (1.75-1.83), chela 0.56-0.57/0.15-0.16 (3.56-3.73), hand 0.24-0.25/0.15-0.16 (1.56-1.67), movable chelal finger length 0.33-0.35. Chelicera 0.21-0.23/0.15 (1.40-1.53), movable finger length 0.12. Carapace 0.32-0.35/0.32-0.35 (0.91-1.09). Leg I: trochanter 0.09-0.10/0.06-0.08 (1.13-1.50), femur 0.20/0.05 (4.00), patella 0.11-0.12/0.04-0.05 (2.20-2.75), tibia 0.12/0.04 (3.00), tarsus 0.23/0.03 (7.67). Leg Ⅳ: trochanter 0.12-0.14/0.10 (1.20-1.40), femoropatella 0.35-0.36/0.15-0.16 (2.19-2.40), tibia 0.23-0.26/0.06-0.07 (3.71-4.17), basitarsus 0.12-0.13/0.05 (2.40-2.60), telotarsus 0.19-0.20/0.03-0.04 (4.75-6.67).

Females: body length 1.50-1.57. Pedipalps: trochanter 0.16/0.09 (1.78), femur 0.38-0.39/0.12 (3.17-3.25), patella 0.22-0.23/0.13 (1.69-1.77), chela 0.59-0.60/0.17-0.18 (3.33-3.47), hand 0.26-0.27/0.17-0.18 (1.50-1.53), movable chelal finger length 0.35-0.36. Chelicera 0.22/0.16-0.17 (1.29-1.38), movable finger length 0.13. Carapace 0.38-0.40/0.37-0.38 (1.03-1.05). Leg I: trochanter 0.09/0.07-0.09 (1.00-1.29), femur 0.19-0.22/0.05-0.06 (3.67-3.80), patella 0.11-0.12/0.06 (1.83-2.00), tibia 0.12-0.13/0.04 (3.00-3.25), tarsus 0.23-0.24/0.03 (7.67-8.00). Leg Ⅳ: trochanter 0.14-0.15/0.09-0.12 (1.25-1.56), femoropatella 0.36-0.37/0.15-0.16 (2.31-2.40), tibia 0.26-0.28/0.08 (3.25-3.50), basitarsus 0.13/0.06 (2.17), telotarsus 0.20-0.21/0.03 (6.67-7.00).

Diagnosis

The new species belongs to the Lechytia hoffi species-group and is characterised by the following combination of characteristics: trichobothria b and sb situated less than one areolar diameter apart; movable chelal finger with more than half of flattened teeth; chela 3.33-3.47 (♀), 3.56-3.73 (♂) and chelal hand 1.50-1.53 (♀), 1.56-1.67 (♂) longer than broad; chelal femur 0.38-0.39 mm (♀), 0.36-0.38 mm (♂), chelal hand 0.26-0.27 mm (♀), 0.24-0.25 mm (♂) and chelal movable finger 0.35-0.36 mm (♀), 0.33-0.35 mm (♂) long.

Lechytia depressidentata sp. nov. differs from all other species of the Lechytia hoffi species-group by trichobothria b and sb situated less than one areolar diameter apart.

Etymology

The specific name is derived from a combination of the Latin words " depressus " and " dentatus ", meaning flat and toothed, respectively, which refers to the teeth of movable finger including flat teeth.

Distribution

China (Xizang Autonomous Region).

Ecology

The specimens of Lechytia depressidentata sp. nov. were collected under bark in dense woods (Fig. 12 ).

Biology

No silk nest was found in the place where they were collected. Of course, this may be the result of inadequate sampling.

Figures

Figure 7. Lechytia depressidentata sp. nov. A. Holotype male (dorsal view); B Paratype female (dorsal view). Scale bars: 0.50 mm.

Figure 8. Lechytia depressidentata sp. nov., holotype male (A-J), paratype female (K): A Left chela (lateral view); B Left chela (dorsal view); C Left chelicera (dorsal view); D Coxal area and manducatory process (ventral view); E Carapace (dorsal view); F Apex of coxa I; G Leg Ⅰ (lateral view); H Leg Ⅳ (lateral view); I Left pedipalp (minus chela, dorsal view); J Male genital area (ventral view); K Female genital area (ventral view). Scale bars: 0.20 mm (A, B, I); 0.10 mm (C-H, J, K).

Figure 9. Lechytia depressidentata sp. nov., holotype male: A Carapace (dorsal view); B Left chelicera (dorsal view), with details of teeth; C Chaetotaxy of genital area (sternites II-III) (male); D Rallum; E Left pedipalp (minus chela, dorsal view). Scale bars: 0.10 mm (A-C, I); 0.05 mm (D); 0.20 mm (E).

Figure 10. Lechytia depressidentata sp. nov., holotype female (A-D), paratype male (E, F): A Left chela (lateral view), with details of teeth and trichobothrial pattern; B Left chela (dorsal view); C Leg I (lateral view); D Leg IV (lateral view). Scale bars: 0.20 mm (A, B); 0.10 mm (C, D).

Figure 11. Lechytia depressidentata sp. nov., paratype male: A Rallum; B Serrula exterior; C Manducatory process (ventral view); D Coxal area (ventral view); E Male genital area (ventral view).

Figure 12. Type locality of Lechytia depressidentata sp. nov., A-C The habitat where specimens were collected.