Acanthocreagris cf. foghesa Gardini, 2018

Gardini, Giulio, 2022, Two new species of Acanthocreagris from Corsica and mainland France, and notes on some congeneric species (Pseudoscorpiones: Neobisiidae), Fragmenta entomologica (Frag. Entomol., Roma) 54 (1), pp. 119-132 : 122-124

Acanthocreagris cf. foghesa Gardini, 2018

Acanthocreagris sardoa : Gardini 2018: 20 (in part:Armungia, Grotta Su Pittiolu de Gospuru)

Material examined. ITALY: Sardinia: Nuoro Prov.: 2♂ 5♀, Baunei, Baccu Istirzili , Grotta Stirzili 50 Sa / NU, 17 Feb 2013, C. Onnis leg. Sardinia: Cagliari Prov.: 1 ♂ (damaged specimen with broken chelae), Cagliari Prov., Armungia , Baccu Gospuru , Grotta Su Pittiolu de Gospuru 1865 Sa / CA (39°31’59.65”N 9°26’04.41”E), 121 m, 4 Jun 2003, J. De Waele leg.

Description of adults (♂ ♀) from Sardinia, Baunei, Grotta Stirzili. Carapace, chelicera, pedipalps and palpal coxae red-brown. Carapace 1.6 (♂) 1.67 (♀) times as long as broad, without eyes or eye-spots, anterior margin slightly prominent in the middle, with a weak epistome

(Fig. 9); 22 macrosetae, anterior and posterior rows with 4 and 6 macrosetae, respectively. Chaetotaxy of tergites I–XI (♂ ♀) 6:6:6–7:8–9:8–9:9:11:11:11:10–11:8. Chaetotaxy of sternites II–X (♂): 18:9:8:12:13:12:12:12:6; median genital sac not seen; chaetotaxy of sternites II–X (♀) 14:12:6:12:12:12:12:12:10; sternites III and IV (♂ ♀) each with 3 (rarely 2) microsetae in front on each stigma, sternites VI –VIII with 2 discal setae; anal cone with 2+2 setae. Chelicera 1.9 (♂ ♀) times as long as broad, palm with 6 setae; fixed finger with about 17 worned out teeth; movable finger with 15 teeth, 2–3 of which prominent just distad of gs; gs ratio 0.70 (♂ ♀), galea squat, rounded or slightly square apically (Figs 10–11); rallum with 8 blades, the three distal ones laterally pinnate, the median one serrate, the four proximal ones apparently smooth, the first proximal blade shorter; serrulae interior and exterior respectively with about 20 and 25 blades. Manducatory process with 3 setae. Coxal setae: pedipalp 7, I 4, II 5–7, III 5, IV 6–7; anterolateral process of coxa I sharp, apically pointed (Fig. 12). Pedipalp (Figs 13–15): trochanter with granular surface, 2.9 (♂) or 2.95 (♀) times as long as broad, with 3–5 spiniform setae (also in the same specimen) with simple and acuminate tips; femur gradually widened in the proximal third, then parallel in the distal two thirds, 4.65 (♂) or 4.6 (♀) times as long as broad, with granular surface as in fig.13; patella 3.5 (♂) or 3.15 (♀) times as long as broad, club elongate and granular on dorsal and paraxial face, pedicel granular, ratio between club and pedicel 1.9 (♂) or 1.93 (♀), ratio X/Y = 0.28 (♂) or 0.31 (♀); chela with pedicel 4.6 (♂) or 3.8 (♀) times as long as broad; hand of chela elongated oval in dorsal view, with a slightly convex paraxial profile, 2.1 (♂) or 1.86 (♀) times as long as broad (with pedicel), with granular surface as in figs 14–15; fixed chelal finger with 80–81 contiguous teeth with dental canals (Figs 15–17), venom duct short, nodus ramosus subterminal, subterminal sensillum as in fig. 17; movable chelal finger with 75–79 contiguous, rounded teeth with dental canals (Figs 15–17); movable chelal finger with four sensilla, two of which subterminal (Fig. 17), the others both just distal to trichobothrium sb (Fig. 16); trichobothria as in Figs 14–15, relative position of trichobothria along chelal axis (♂): et 0.12/ it 0.23/ est 0.29/ ist 0.37/ isb 0.67/ ib 0.82/ esb 0.90/ eb 0.95/ t 0.25/ st 0.40/ sb 0.65/ b 0.87; ratio between movable finger and hand of chela with pedicel 1.34 (♂) or 1.21 (♀); ratio between pedipalpal femur and movable finger 0.94 (♂) or 1.0 (♀); ratio between pedipalpal femur and carapace 1.19 (♂) or 1.13–1.22 (♀). Leg IV: trochanter 2.35 (♂) or 2.3 (♀) times as long as deep, femur + patella 3.3 (♂) or 3.4 (♀) times, tibia 4.8 (♂) or 5.2 (♀) times, basitarsus 2.8 (♂) or 2.7 (♀) times, telotarsus 5.7 (♂) or 5.65 (♀) times as long as deep, tactile seta proximal the middle (TS = 0.31–0.36), ratio between basitarsus and telotarsus 0.55 (♂) or 0.65 (♀), subterminal seta furcate, slightly dentate, claws with a small dorsal tooth .

Measurements (mm). Body length 2.4 (♂) or 2.6 (♀). Carapace 0.74 × 0.46 anteriorly (♂) or 0.87 × 0.52 anteriorly (♀). Chelicera 0.405 × 0.215 (♂) or 0.465 × 0.24 (♀); movable finger length 0.265 (♂) or 0.315 (♀). Pedipalp: trochanter 0.505 × 0.175 (♂) or 0.504–0.56 × 0.184–0.19 (♀); femur 0.885 × 0.19 (♂) or 0.87–0.99 × 0.20–0.215 (♀); patella 0.755 × 0.215 (♂) or 0.74–0.82 × 0.235–0.26 (♀); chela with pedicel 1.54 × 0.335 (depth 0.31) (♂) or 1.48–1.66 × 0.385 –0.435 (depth 0.35–0.415) (♀); hand with pedicel length 0.70 (♂) or 0.72–0.81 (♀); movable finger length 0.94 (♂) or 0.90–0.98 (♀). Leg IV: trochanter 0.315 × 0.135 (♂) or 0.33 × 0.145 (♀); femur + patella 0.69 × 0.21 (♂) or 0.765 × 0.225 (♀); tibia 0.60 × 0.125 (♂) or 0.675 × 0.13 (♀); basitarsus 0.225 × 0.08 (♂) or 0.27 × 0.10 (♀); telotarsus 0.40 × 0.07 (♂) or 0.425 × 0.075 (♀).

Short description of adult (♂) from Sardinia, Armungia, Grotta Su Pittiolu de Gospuru [according to Gardini (2018)]. Specimen in poor condition, with contracted opisthosoma and pedipalpal chelae partly broken. Carapace 1.55 times as long as broad, without eyes or eye-spots, anterior margin with slightly prominent epistome, apically rounded; 22 macrosetae, anterior and posterior rows with 4 and 6 macrosetae, respectively. Chaetotaxy of tergites I–X 6:8:10:9:10:10:10:10:10:9. Chaetotaxy of sternites II–X 22:?:8:12:12:12:12:13:11; sternites III and IV each with 2–3 microsetae in front on each stigma, sternites VI-VIII with 2 discal setae; anal cone with 2+2 setae. Chelicera 1.85 times as long as broad, palm with 6 setae; fixed finger with 15 subequal teeth and 6 distal denticles; movable finger with 12 teeth and a prominent tooth at level of gs; gs ratio 0.65, galea squat, broadly rounded, with 3 or 4 silk ducts; rallum with 7 blades. Manducatory process with 3 setae. Coxal setae: pedipalp 7, I 4, II 6, III 4, IV 6–7; anterolateral process of coxa I sharp, apically pointed. Pedipalp: trochanter with granular surface, 2.75 times as long as broad, with 4 spiniform setae with simple and acuminate tips; femur gradually widened in the proximal third, then parallel in the distal two thirds, 4.5 times as long as broad, with granular surface; patella 3.25 times as long as broad, club elongate and slightly granular on paraxial face, ratio between club and pedicel 2.1; chela with pedicel about 5.35 times as long as broad; chelal hands broken; fixed chelal finger with about 70, movable chelal finger with 68 small and contiguous teeth with dental canals; movable chelal finger with four sensilla, two of which subterminal, the others just distad to trichobothrium sb, respectively; relative position of trichobothria along chelal axis: et 0.12/ it 0.25/ est 0.315/ ist 0.395/ isb 0.69/ ib 0.84/ esb 0.90/ eb 0.94/ t 0.24/ st 0.395/ sb 0.65/ b 0.865; ratio between pedipalpal femur and movable finger 0.97; ratio between pedipalpal femur and carapace 1.28

Measurements (mm). Body length about 2.0. Carapace 0.63 × 0.405 anteriorly. Chelicera 0.37 × 0.20; movable finger length 0.255 (♀). Pedipalp: trochanter 0.44 × 0.16; femur 0.81 × 0.18; patella 0.70 × 0.215; chela with pedicel about 1.5 × 0.28; movable finger length 0.83.

Remarks. Acanthocreagris foghesa was described by Gardini (2018) on the basis of two females from the Grotta Su Fenugu near Perdasdefogu, southeastern Sardinia. The above-described specimens from Grotta Stirzili near Baunei are dubitatively attributed to A. foghesa as they have, compared to this, a less marked troglomorphic facies (comparisons among females): length of pedipalpal femur 0.87–0.99 mm (4.35–4.6 times as long as broad) in A. cf. foghesa , 1.14–1.28 mm (5.06–5.33 ×) in A. foghesa ; length of patella 0.74–0.82 mm (3.15 ×) in A. cf. foghesa , 1.0– 1.1 mm (3.84–3.93 ×) in A. foghesa ; ratio between club and pedicel 1.89–1.93 in A. cf. foghesa , 1.7–1.8 in A. foghesa ; length of chela with pedicel 1.48–1.66 mm (3.8–3.85 ×) in A. cf. foghesa , 1.93–2.22 mm (4.76– 5.04 ×) in A. foghesa ; ratio between pedipalpal femur and carapace 1.13–1.22 in A. cf. foghesa , 1.32–1.45 in A. foghesa . The differences in the structure of the rallum [see Gardini (2018) and the above description] are not considered as differential characters since, as already pointed out by Mahnert (1974), this is often variable even in the same population.

For comments concerning the male from the Grotta Su Pittiolu de Gospuru near Armungia, described above, see Remarks under Acanthocreagris sardoa ( Beier, 1959) .

The Grotta Su Fenugu near Perdasdefogu, type locality of A. foghesa , is about 42 km from the Grotta Stirzili near Baunei, and about 18 km from the Grotta Su Pittiolu de Gospuru near Armungia, each in karst complexes independent from each other (G. Grafitti, in litt.: January 19, 2022). The taxonomic status of the populations attributed to Acanthocreagris cf. foghesa from the caves near Baunei and near Armungia can be defined by examining further material both from the type locality of A. foghesa and from the cave near Armungia.