Tyrannochthonius altus, Hou & Feng & Zhang, 2023

Hou, Yanmeng, Feng, Zegang & Zhang, Feng, 2023, Diversity of cave-dwelling pseudoscorpions from Guizhou in China, with the description of twenty-four new species of the genus Tyrannochthonius (Pseudoscorpiones, Chthoniidae), Zootaxa 5262 (1), pp. 1-158 : 13-19

Tyrannochthonius altus sp. nov. ‹ṘḾƟṁae›

Figs 7–11

Type material. Holotype ♂ (Ps.- MHBU-HBUARA#2022-493-01 ): China, Guizhou Province, Hezhang County, Shuitangbao Township, Caoziping Village , Shenren Cave , under stones and detritus in the deep zone (Temperature: 13°C, Humidity: 90%) [27°0′55.82″N, 104°40′36.98″E], 2042 m a.s.l., 31 July 2022, Yanmeng Hou, Lu Zhang, Jianzhou Sun & Wenlong Fan leg. Paratypes: 4 ♂ (Ps.- MHBU-HBUARA#2022-493-02 – HBUARA#2022-493-05 ), 7 ♀ (Ps.- MSWU-HBUARA#2022-493-06 – HBUARA#2022-493-12 ), all with the same data as the holotype .

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin word “ altus ”, meaning high, which refers to the species that live at high altitudes.

Diagnosis (J ♀). Moderately sized troglomorphic species with elongated appendages; carapace without eyes or eyespots; anterior margin of carapace thin, finely denticulated, epistome pointed and triangular; posterior margin of carapace with 2 setae; tergites I–II each with 4 setae. Pedipalps slender, femur 8.50–8.79 (♂), 8.06–8.44 (♀) times longer than broad; chela 8.25–8.57 (♂), 7.41–7.42 (♀) times longer than broad; both chelal fingers with intercalary teeth.

Description. Males (holotype and paratypes) ( Figs 7F , 8A , 9A–F , 10 , 11 ).

Colour: generally pale yellow, chelicerae, pedipalps and tergites slightly darker, soft parts pale.

Cephalothorax ( Figs 9C , 10A ): carapace 0.95–0.97 times longer than broad, gently narrowed posteriorly; surface smooth, without furrows; no traces of eyes; anterior margin slightly serrate; epistome pointed and triangular, with 2 setae flanking base; with 18 setae arranged s4s: 4: 4: 2: 2, most setae heavy, long and gently curved, anterolateral setae much shorter than others; with two pairs of lyrifissures, first pair situated middle to the setae of ocular row, the second situated exterior to the sole pair of setae of posterior row. Chaetotaxy of coxae: P 3, I 3, II 4, III 5, IV 5; manducatory process with two acuminate distal setae, anterior seta less than 1/2 length of medial seta; apex of coxa I with small, rounded anteromedial process; coxae II with 14–15 terminally indented coxal spines on each side, set as an oblique and arc row, longer spines present in the middle of the row, becoming shorter distally and proximally and incised for about half their length ( Fig. 10C ); intercoxal tubercle absent; without sub-oral seta.

Chelicera ( Figs 9D , 10B ): large, about as long as carapace, 2.48–2.63 times longer than broad; 5 setae and 2 lyrifissures (exterior condylar lyrifissure and exterior lyrifissure) present on hand, all setae acuminate, ventrobasal seta shorter than others; movable finger with one medial seta. Cheliceral palm with moderate hispid granulation on both ventral and dorsal sides. Both fingers well provided with teeth, fixed finger with 18–20 teeth, distal one largest; movable finger with 18–19 retrorse contiguous small teeth; galea completely vestigial. Serrula exterior with 21–22 and serrula interior with 14–15 blades. Rallum with 8 blades, the distal one longest and recumbent basally, with fine barbules and slightly set apart from the other blades, latter tightly grouped and with long pinnae, some of which are subdivided ( Fig. 10E ).

Pedipalp ( Figs 9A, B, E , 10D , 11A, B ): long and slender, trochanter 1.21–1.22, femur 8.50–8.79, patella 2.14– 2.30, chela 8.25–8.57, hand 2.95–2.96 times longer than broad; femur 2.67–2.89 times longer than patella; movable chelal finger 1.69–1.79 times longer than hand and 0.61–0.62 times longer than chela. Setae generally long and acuminate; 1 distal lyrifissure present on patella ( Figs 9E , 10D ). Chelal palm not constricted towards fingers, apodeme complex of movable chelal finger only slightly sclerotized, with weak granulation dorsally at base of fixed chelal finger. Fixed chelal finger and hand with 8 trichobothria, movable chelal finger with 4 trichobothria, ib and isb situated close together, submedially on dorsum of chelal hand; eb, esb and ist forming a nearly straight oblique row at base of fixed chelal finger; it slightly distal to est, situated subdistally; et slightly near to tip of fixed chelal finger, very close to chelal teeth; dx situated distal to et; sb midway between st and b; b and t situated subdistally, t slightly situated distal to b; est situated distal to t ( Fig. 11A ). A tiny antiaxial lyrifissure present at base of fixed chelal finger (situated distal to ist). Both chelal fingers with a row of teeth, heterodentate, spaced regularly along the margin, larger and well-spaced teeth present in the middle of the row, becoming smaller and closer distally and proximally: fixed chelal finger with 24–26 macrodenticles, long and pointed, plus 15– 16 intercalary microdenticles, 39–42 in total; movable chelal finger with 34–35 macrodenticles (markedly smaller than teeth on fixed chelal finger), slightly retrorse and pointed, plus 10– 11 intercalary microdenticles, 44–46 in total ( Fig. 11A ). Chelal fingers straight in dorsal view; microsetae (chemosensory setae) present on dorsum of chelal hand ( Figs 9B , 11B ).

Opisthosoma: generally typical, pleural membrane finely granulated. Tergites and sternites undivided; setae uniseriate and acuminate. Tergal chaetotaxy I–XII: 4: 4: 2–4: 4: 3–4: 4: 4: 4: 5: 4–5: T2T: 0; tergites IX and Ⅹ each with an unpaired median seta. Sternal chaetotaxy III–XII: 16: 12–14: 8–9: 7–9: 8: 8–9: 8–9: 7–8: 0: 2. Anterior genital operculum with 11–12 setae, genital opening slit-like, with 7–12 marginal setae on each side, 27–35 in total ( Fig. 9F ).

Legs ( Fig. 11C, D ): generally typical, long and slender. Fine granulation present on anterodorsal faces of femur IV and patella IV. Femur of leg I 1.90–1.92 times longer than patella and with 1 lyrifissure at the base of femur; tarsus 2.32–2.47 times longer than tibia. Femoropatella of leg IV 5.18–5.20 times longer than deep; tibia 6.80–6.91 times longer than deep; with basal tactile setae on both tarsal segments: metatarsus 3.50–4.38 times longer than deep (TS= 0.29–0.32), tarsus 13.83–16.33 times longer than deep and 2.80–2.96 times longer than metatarsus (TS= 0.24–0.27). Arolium slightly shorter than the claws, not divided; claws simple.

Adult females (paratypes) ( Figs 8B , 9G ). Mostly same as males, but a little larger; with same coxal chaetotaxy as males; tergal chaetotaxy I–XII: 4: 4: 3–4: 4: 4: 4: 4: 4: 4–5: 4: T2T: 0; sternal chaetotaxy IV–XII: 13: 9–10: 9: 7–10: 8–9: 8–9: 6–7: 0: 2; anterior genital operculum with 10–11 setae, posterior margin with 14–15 marginal setae, 25 in total; leg IV with a long tactile seta on both tarsal segments: metatarsus 3.88–4.13 times longer than deep (TS= 0.29–0.30), tarsus 14.67–15.67 times longer than deep and 2.67–3.03 times longer than metatarsus (TS= 0.25–0.30).

Dimensions (length/breadth or, in the case of the legs, length/depth in mm; ratios in parentheses). Males: body length 2.36–2.37. Pedipalps: trochanter 0.22–0.23/0.18–0.19 (1.21–1.22), femur 1.23–1.36/0.14–0.16 (8.50–8.79), patella 0.46–0.47/0.20–0.22 (2.14–2.30), chela 1.80–1.98/0.21–0.24 (8.25–8.57), hand 0.62–0.71/0.21–0.24 (2.95– 2.96), movable chelal finger length 1.11–1.20. Chelicera 0.72–0.79/0.29–0.30 (2.48–2.63), movable finger length 0.40–0.43. Carapace 0.59–0.65/0.62–0.67 (0.95–0.97). Leg I: trochanter 0.17–0.19/0.15–0.18 (1.06–1.13), femur 0.71–0.80/0.09 (7.89–8.89), patella 0.37–0.42/0.08 (4.63–5.25), tibia 0.32–0.37/0.06–0.07 (5.29–5.33), tarsus 0.79– 0.86/0.06 (13.17–14.33). Leg IV: trochanter 0.27–0.30/0.16–0.18 (1.67–1.69), femoropatella 1.04–1.14/0.20–0.22 (5.18–5.20), tibia 0.68–0.76/0.10–0.11 (6.80–6.91), metatarsus 0.28–0.35/0.08 (3.50–4.38), tarsus 0.83–0.98/0.06 (13.83–16.33).

Females: body length 2.61–2.95. Pedipalps: trochanter 0.22–0.23/0.18–0.19 (1.21–1.22), femur 1.35– 1.37/0.16–0.17 (8.06–8.44), patella 0.51/0.21 (2.43), chela 1.93–2.00/0.26–0.27 (7.41–7.42), hand 0.69–0.71/0.26– 0.27 (2.63–2.65), movable chelal finger length 1.19–1.22. Chelicera 0.79–0.82/0.31–0.32 (2.55–2.56), movable finger length 0.44. Carapace 0.67–0.68/0.68–0.70 (0.97–0.99). Leg I: trochanter 0.19/0.16–0.17 (1.12–1.19), femur 0.78–0.79/0.09–0.10 (7.90–8.67), patella 0.41–0.43/0.08–0.09 (4.78–5.13), tibia 0.34–0.36/0.06 (5.67–6.00), tarsus 0.83–0.84/0.06–0.07 (12.00–13.83). Leg IV: trochanter 0.29/0.16 (1.81), femoropatella 1.10–1.14/0.21–0.22 (5.18–5.24), tibia 0.74–0.76/0.11–0.12 (6.33–6.73), metatarsus 0.31–0.33/0.08 (3.88–4.13), tarsus 0.88–0.94/0.06 (14.67–15.67).

Remarks. Tyrannochthonius altus sp. nov. is similar to T. babaowanensis sp. nov. in having intercalary teeth on both chelal fingers and a pointed, triangular epistome, but differs by the presence of a slender chela (chela 8.25–8.57 (♂) vs. 7.27 (♂) times longer than board), the number of setae on tergite Ⅹ (4–5 vs. 2) and the number of blades of coxal spines (14–15 vs. 8–9).

Tyrannochthonius altus sp. nov. can be distinguished from T. akaelus , T. ganshuanensis and T. harveyi by the number of setae on the tergites I–II (4 vs. 2), from

T. chixing and T. zhai by the number of setae at the anterior margin of the carapace (6 vs. 4), a larger body size (body length min. 2.36 mm vs. max. 1.64 mm) and the presence of intercalary teeth on both chelal fingers, from T. antridraconis by the relative position of trichobothrium sb (sb midway between b and st vs. nearer b than st) and the presence of a slender chela (chela 8.25–8.57 (♂) vs. 7.90–8.00 (♂) times longer than board)( Mahnert 2009; Gao et al. 2018, 2020).

Distribution. Known only from the type locality.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Shenren Cave, type locality of Tyrannochthonius altus sp. nov., A. Cave location (red arrow); B. Entrance; C. Inside the cave entrance; D–E. Areas where T. altus sp. nov. specimens were collected; F. Live male of T. altus sp. nov. in its natural environment.

FIGURE 8. Tyrannochthonius altus sp. nov., A. Holotype male, habitus (dorsal view); B. Paratype female, habitus (dorsal view).

FIGURE 9. Tyrannochthonius altus sp. nov., holotype male (A–F), paratype female (G): A. Left chela (lateral view); B. Left chela (dorsal view); C. Carapace (dorsal view); D. Left chelicera (dorsal view); E. Left pedipalp (minus chela, dorsal view); F. Male genital area (ventral view); G. Female genital area (ventral view).

FIGURE 10. Tyrannochthonius altus sp. nov., holotype male: A. Carapace (dorsal view); B. Left chelicera (dorsal view), with details of teeth; C. Coxal spines on coxae II (ventral view); D. Left pedipalp (minus chela, dorsal view); E. Rallum. Scale bars: 0.20 mm (A–B, D); 0.10 mm (C, E).

FIGURE 11. Tyrannochthonius altus sp. nov., holotype male: A. Left chela (lateral view), with details of teeth and with trichobothrial pattern; B. Left chela (dorsal view); C. Leg I (lateral view); D. Leg IV (lateral view). Scale bars: 0.20 mm.