Neobisium (Blothrus) brevipes ( Frivaldszky, 1865 )

Novák, János, 2014, Notes on two species of the cavernicolous subgenus Neobisium (Blothrus) Schiödte, 1847 (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones) from Transylvania (Romania), with a key to the species of the Carpathian Mountains, Zootaxa 3796 (2), pp. 394-400 : 398

Neobisium (Blothrus) brevipes ( Frivaldszky, 1865)

( Figs 1 F–I)

Material examined. HNHM Pseud-1391 (female): 2339/1931 Tamsay Cave (Transylvania, Romania); HNHM Pseud-1392 (male): 1282/1812 Rézbányai Cave, Bihar County (Transylvania, Romania), leg. Dr Elemér Bokor, 1912.

Description. Medium-sized pseudoscorpions with troglomorphic habitus. Carapace, chelicerae and pedipalps reddish brown, opisthosoma and legs yellowish. Measurements and ratios of the new specimens as in Table 1.

Carapace ( Fig. 1 F) somewhat longer than broad. Epistome triangular and pointed. Eyes or eyespots absent. A pair of ocular protuberances present, each bearing one seta. Preocular setae absent. Chaetotaxy of carapace: 4:6:6:6 (22).

Coxal area. Manducatory process with 3–5 setae; rest of pedipalpal coxa with 9–11 setae; pedal coxa I with 5–8 setae; II: 7–8; III: 6–7; IV: 7–9. Anterolateral process of coxa I long, triangular and apically pointed; medial process prominent, with denticles.

Opisthosoma with granulostriate pleural membrane. Chaetotaxy of tergites I–X: 6:6:7:8:8:8:9:8:8:8. Segment XI with 12 setae, at least 2 of them tactile. Anal cone with 2 ventral and 2 dorsal setae. Male genital region: sternite II with 11 setae, sternite III with 17 small setae, 8 of them along posterior margin. Female genital region: sternite II with 6 small setae, sternite III with 12 small setae in a row. Chaetotaxy of sternites IV–X: 13–15:8–12:11:10–14:8–13:11–13:8–12.

Chelicera ( Fig. 1 G) with 6 setae on hand, subgaleal seta 0.65× from base of movable finger. Spinneret a flattened hyaline tubercle with 4–6 silk ducts. Fixed finger with 8–9 small and medium sized teeth, the apical denticles could not be investigated due to the poor condition of the material. Movable finger with 5 apical denticles and one large tooth in middle, other teeth not clearly visible. Rallum with 8 blades, two distalmost blades unilaterally pinnate on anterior face and placed on dilated base, separate from the others. Serrula exterior with 22–25 blades, serrula interior with 23 blades.

Pedipalp ( Fig. 1 H). Surfaces of articles smooth, but femur bears some small tubercles. Trochanter with a small tubercle near distal end. Femur and patella elongated. Chelal fingers 1.61–1.75 times longer than hand with pedicel. Fixed finger with 145–150 close set, equally long teeth. Movable finger 130–140 teeth, those in distal third similar to those of fixed finger, teeth in proximal two thirds flattened. Dental line on movable finger ending somewhat distal to trichobothrium b. Trichobothria on chelal fingers distributed as in Figure 1 I. Distance between trichobothria ib and ist more than two and a half times longer (2.67) than that between ist and it.

Legs distinctly elongated, with smooth surfaces. Claws smooth and simple, arolia shorter than claws on all legs. Subterminal seta of telotarsus IV with three rami, the two longer ones serrate, the shortest smooth. Basitarsus IV with one, telotarsus IV with two long tactile setae.

Remarks. Frivaldszky (1865) mentioned Oncsásza Cave (now Pesterea Zemeilor din Onceasa, near the village of Beius, Romania) as the type locality, but gave no data about where the type material was deposited. Later, Tömösváry (1882) reported further localities (Caves at Fericse, Pestere, Mehadia and Szelistye villages) and referred to the HNHM as the place of deposition. In addition, Beier reported the species from the Tatarczy Cave at Herkulesbad ( Beier, 1928) and from caves near the village of Vascau ( Beier, 1939). Unfortunately, neither the type material nor any other identified specimens of this species could be found in the collection of the HNHM, having probably been lost or destroyed when the Department of Zoology burnt down in 1956. Examination of the two N. (B.) brevipes specimens studied here revealed two important characteristics not previously mentioned in the literature. As in N. (B.) minutum , the carapace bears two ocular protuberances. Furthermore, a few small tubercles are present on the pedipalpal femora. The same characteristics were also found in the specimens identified by Beier and deposited at the Natural History Museum Vienna (Inventory numbers 27067 and 27102).

Considering the important differences between N. (B.) brevipes brevipes and N. (B.) brevipes montanum in the measurements and ratios of the pedipalps, and the arrangement of the trichobothria of the fixed chelal finger, it is warranted to elevate N. (B.) brevipes montanum to full species rank. Consequently, the author of this paper proposes using the names Neobisium (Blothrus) brevipes ( Frivaldszky, 1865) and N. (B.) montanum Beier, 1939 in the future.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Neobisium (Blothrus) minutum and N. (B.) brevipes. A: Carapace of N. (B.) minutum (male, HNHM Pseud- 1389); B: Left chelicera of N. (B.) minutum with seven setae (male, HNHM Pseud- 1388); C: Left chelicera of N. (B.) minutum with six setae (male, HNHM Pseud- 1390); D: Right pedipalp of N. (B.) minutum (male, HNHM Pseud- 1389); E: Right chela of N. (B.) minutum (male, HNHM Pseud- 1388); F: Carapace of N. (B.) brevipes (male, HNHM Pseud- 1392); G: Left chelicera of N. (B.) brevipes (female, HNHM Pseud- 1391); H: Left pedipalp of N. (B.) brevipes (male, HNHM Pseud- 1392); I: Right chela of N. (B.) brevipes (male, HNHM Pseud- 1392).