Roncocreagris cavernicola ( Vachon, 1946 )

Reboleira, Ana Sofia P. S., Zaragoza, Juan A., Gonçalves, Fernando & Oromí, Pedro, 2013, On hypogean Roncocreagris (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones: Neobisiidae) from Portugal, with descriptions of three new species, Zootaxa 3670 (2), pp. 283-299 : 284-285

Roncocreagris cavernicola ( Vachon, 1946)

Microcreagris cavernicola Vachon 1946: 333 –334, figs 1–6. Roncocreagris cavernicola (Vachon) : Mahnert 1976: 212.

Material. We have not examined the type specimens described by Vachon (1946) from Portugal, district of Leiria, Abiúl, Algar sul das Corujeiras (male) and Santiago da Guarda, Algar da Lapa (female), but Dr Mark Judson ( MNHN), at our request, has kindly checked the most important diagnostic characters of the species, mentioned below. Recent searches for R. cavernicola at the type localities have been unsuccessful. In the case of the Algar da Lapa locality, the cave can no longer be found and the cave entrance was probably destroyed by building construction in the area (Grupo Protecção Sicó, pers. com.).

Diagnosis. No eyes or eye-spots. Strong troglomorphic adaptations. Carapace with 18 setae, of which 4 on posterior margin. Tergite I 4 setae. Galea short in both sexes, simple in male and with tiny apical rami in female. Pedipalp: femur ratio 5.9 in male and 6.9 in female, femur distinctly shorter than the chelal movable finger; chela+ ratio about 6.0 in male and 7.0 in female; ratio movable finger/hand+ 1.7 in both sexes; ratio trichobothria ib–ist / ist–it 1.1–1.3, ratio isb–ist / ib–isb 0.5–0.7.

Remarks. The following data are based on Vachon’s original description (1946) with additions or modifications from examination of the syntypes (3 MNHN Ps620-291, on 3 slides, Ƥ MNHN Ps620-292 on 2 slides).

Male, female in square brackets. Carapace with 4 posterior setae in both sexes. Chaetotaxy of tergites I–IV: 4:7:7:7 [4:6:6:7]. Manducatory process with 3 setae on each side in both sexes. Trichobothrial ratio ib–ist / ist–it 1.1 [1.3]; ratio isb–ist / ib–isb 0.5 [0.7]. Pedipalp measurements: femur 1.42/0.24 (5.9) [1.59/0.24 (6.9)]; patella 1.40/ 0.29 (4.9) [1.62/0.27 (6.0)], pedicel 0.36 [0.41], club 1.04/0.29 (3.6) [1.21/0.27 (4.5)], ratio club/pedicel 2.9 [3.0]; chela+ 2.45/0.42 (5.8) [2.76/0.40 (6.9)]; hand+ 0.94 (2.2) [1.05/0.4 (2.6)]; movable finger 1.59 [1.77]; ratio movable finger/hand+ 1.7 [1.7]; finger/femur 1.1 [1.1]; femur/patella 1.0 [1.0]; patella/hand+ 1.5 [1.5].

Vachon’s (1946) description stated that in R. cavernicola the manducatory process bears only 2 setae, which would be quite exceptional in the family Neobisidae ( Harvey & Volschenk 2007). Zaragoza (2000, 2002) also used this character for taxonomic comparisons. However, Vachon’s observation is incorrect because 3 setae are present on the manducatory process of both of the type specimens (M. Judson, in litt.).