Neobisium (Neobisium) oenotricum Callaini, 1987

Gardini, Giulio, 2023, The troglomorphic pseudoscorpions of the genus Neobisium from Corsica, Sardinia and mainland Italy, with description of new species (Pseudoscorpiones: Neobisiidae), Zootaxa 5381 (1), pp. 1-67 : 38-40

Neobisium (Neobisium) oenotricum Callaini, 1987

( Figs 71–77 , 119 )

Neobisium (Ommatoblothrus) oenotricum Callaini, 1987: 73 , figs 2a–g.

Type locality: Italy, Basilicata, Potenza Province, Trecchina, Grotta di Sant’Angelo 40 B/PZ (40°00’49”N 15°48’17”E) .

Distribution. Italy (Basilicata and Campania).

Diagnosis (♂ ♀). A subterranean, slightly troglomorphic Neobisium from South Italy (Cilento, between Basilicata and Campania) that differs from other Mediterranean species of the genus in the following combination of characters: posterior margin of carapace with 6 (rarely 5) setae, epistome triangular, anterior eyes with weak lens, dark integument between anterior and posterior eyes present; tergites I–IV: 6–7:7–9:8–10:8–11; cheliceral palm with 7 (rarely 8) setae, rallum with 7–8 blades; fixed chelal finger heterodentate, with contiguous teeth; fixed and movable chelal fingers with 104–129 and 83–100 teeth, respectively; pedipalpal femur 1.42–1.58 mm length (5.91–6.36 ×), patella 1.03–1.13 mm (3.53–3.92 ×), movable finger 1.73–1.93 mm; pedipalpal hand with oval profile and its greatest width in the proximal third; fingers curved in dorsal view and slightly curved in antiaxial view; ratio between movable chelal finger and hand of chela with pedicel 1.66–1.77; ratio between pedipalpal femur and movable chelal finger 0.82–0.85; ratio between pedipalpal femur and carapace 1.51–1.56; trichobothrium ist distal st, closer to the finger tip than to isb.

Type material examined. None.

Non-type material examined. ITALY — Basilicata: Potenza Prov.: 3♂ 3♀, Trecchina, Grotta Sant’Angelo 40 B/PZ, 492 m a.s.l., 22.IX.1991, R. Sciaky leg. Campania: Salerno Prov.: 1♀, Casaletto Spartano, Grotta di Mariolomeo 1226 Cp / SA (40°09’13.45”N 15°41’12.16”E), 740 m a.s.l., 4.VI.2019, P. Magrini leg.

Description of adults (♂ ♀). Carapace, chelicerae, pedipalps and palpal coxae brown; pedipalps smooth, pleural membrane granular. Carapace 1.31–1.36 (♂ ♀) times as long as broad, with four vestigial eyes without tapetum, with dark integument between the eyes; anterior eyes with weakly convex lens (diameter 0.08–0.10 mm), the posterior ones reduced to a small white spot; distance from anterior eyes to anterior margin of carapace 0.09–0.10 mm; anterior margin of carapace with triangular, apically pointed or rounded epistome ( Fig. 71 ); 24 macrosetae, anterior and posterior rows with 4 and 6 (rarely 5) macrosetae, respectively, besides 1 preocular seta on each side. Chaetotaxy of tergites I–X (♂ ♀): 6–7:7–9:8–10:8–11:9–11:9–12:9–11:9–11:9–12:8–11, tergite I mostly with 6 setae. Chaetotaxy of sternites II–X (♂): 13–15:(2–3)25–34(2–3):(2–3)11–14(3):15–16:14:15:15:15:15, median genital sac pyriform, reaching sternite V, genital atrium with 3+3 setae; chaetotaxy of sternites II–X (♀): 13–20:(2– 4)23–26(3–4):(3)11–15(3):14–16:13–16:15:14–16:14–15:13–16. Chelicera ( Fig. 72 ) 1.9–2.0 (♂ ♀) times as long as broad, palm with 7 (rarely 8) setae; fixed finger with 10–11 subequal, mostly worn teeth; movable finger with about 10 subequal teeth and a prominent tooth distally gs; gs ratio 0.55–0.57, spinneret largely prominent, hemispheric in both sexes; rallum with 7 or 8 blades, the distal one laterally pinnate and isolated on a prominence, the second one serrate, the successive ones smooth, the proximal shorter; serrulae interior and exterior with about 28 and 30 blades, respectively. Manducatory process with 5 (rarely 4) setae. Coxal setae (♂ ♀): pedipalp 10–15, I 9–13, II 6–10, III 6–7, IV 10–14; anterolateral process of coxa I squat, apically pointed, anteromedial process prominent and apically rounded, with small pointed processes ( Fig. 73 ). Pedipalp ( Figs 74–76 ): trochanter 2.52–2.85 (♂ ♀) times as long as broad, with 2–3 weak button-like tubercles (with lyrifissure) on antiaxial face; femur 5.91–6.33 (♂) or 6.13–6.36 (♀) times as long as broad, weakly enlarged distally; patella 3.53–3.92 (♂) or 3.54–3.76 (♀) times as long as broad, club gradually enlarged distally, ratio between club and pedicel 1.9–2.0 (♂) or 1.8–2.0 (♀), ratio X/Y = 0.53–0.60 (♂ ♀); chela with pedicel 4.84–5.01 (♂) or 4.89–5.27 (♀) times as long as broad; hand of chela with pedicel 1.88– 1.94 (♂) or 1.92–2.05 (♀) times as long as broad, with oval profile and its greatest width in the proximal third; fingers curved in dorsal view and slightly curved in antiaxial view ( Figs 75–76 ); fixed chelal finger irregularly heterodentate ( Fig. 76 ), with 104–129 (♂ ♀) pointed contiguous teeth, nodus ramosus subterminal; movable chelal finger with 83–100 (♂ ♀) low, flattened contiguous teeth ( Fig. 76 ), apart from those from the trichobothrium t to the apex of the finger, which are cuspidate; all teeth with dental canals; sensillum closer to st than to sb; trichobothria as in figs 75–76, relative position of trichobothria along chelal axis (♂ ♀): it 0.12–0.14/ et 0.15–0.16/ est 0.19 –0.21/ ist 0.29–0.34/ isb 0.79–0.84/ ib 0.85–0.89/ esb 0.93–0.95/ eb 0.94–0.97/ t 0.14–0.21/ st 0.35–0.41/ sb 0.70–0.76/ b 0.87– 0.89; trichobothrium est proximal t, rarely just distal t; trichobothrium ist distal st, closer to the finger tip than to isb; trichobothrium isb proximal sb; ratio between movable finger and hand of chela with pedicel 1.68–1.77 (♂) or 1.66–1.71 (♀); ratio between pedipalpal femur and movable finger 0.82–0.85 (♂ ♀); ratio between pedipalpal femur and carapace 1.53–1.56 (♂) or 1.51–1.53 (♀). Leg IV ( Fig. 77 ): trochanter 2.88–3.06 (♂) or 2.75–3.07 (♀) times as long as deep, femur + patella 5.35–5.79 (♂) or 5.51–5.79 (♀) times as long as deep, tibia 8.80–9.10 (♂) or 9.07–9.65 (♀) times [TS = 0.32–0.42 (♂ ♀)], basitarsus 4.95–5.55 (♂) or 4.90–5.52 (♀) times [TS = 0.12–0.17 (♂ ♀)], telotarsus 7.44–8.27 (♂) or 6.52–8.11 (♀) times as long as deep [TS = 0.48–0.50 (♂ ♀)], ratio between basitarsus and telotarsus 0.69–0.79 (♂ ♀), subterminal seta indented, not furcate ( Fig. 77 ; Callaini 1987: 75, fig. 2e), claws with evident dorsal tooth.

Measurements. Body length 3.5–3.7 (♂) or 3.6–3.9 (♀). Carapace 0.92–0.97 × 0.70–0.71 anteriorly (♂) or 1.03–1.04 × 0.77 anteriorly (♀). Chelicera 0.64–0.71 × 0.33–0.36 (♂) or 0.70–0.74 × 0.35–0.39 (♀); movable finger length 0.42–0.47 (♂) or 0.47–0.495 (♀). Pedipalp: trochanter 0.66–0.72 × 0.24–0.29 (♂) or 0.70–0.73 × 0.245–0.29 (♀); femur 1.42–1.56 × 0.24–0.25 (♂) or 1.53–1.58 × 0.245 –0.255 (♀); patella 1.03–1.13 × 0.285–0.30 (♂) or 1.10–1.105 × 0.29–0.31 (♀); chela with pedicel 2.57–2.80 × 0.53–0.565 (depth 0.51–0.55) (♂) or 2.74–2.85 × 0.54–0.56 (depth 0.53–0.57) (♀); hand with pedicel length 1.03–1.06 (♂) or 1.07–1.15 (♀); movable finger length 1.73–1.88 (♂) or 1.78–1.93 (♀). Leg IV: trochanter 0.52–0.61 × 0.18–0.20 (♂) or 0.55–0.60 × 0.195–0.21 (♀); femur + patella 1.32–1.45 × 0.24–0.27 (♂) or 1.39–1.42 × 0.24–0.255 (♀); tibia 1.10–1.21 × 0.125–0.13 (♂) or 1.17–1.20 × 0.12–0.13 (♀); basitarsus 0.51–0.56 × 0.10–0.105 (♂) or 0.54–0.58 × 0.105–0.11 (♀); telotarsus 0.67–0.81 × 0.09–0.10 (♂) or 0.72–0.75 × 0.09–0.11 (♀).

Remarks. Among the subterranean species of Neobisium from peninsular Italy, N.oenotricum is the southernmost species and is also the one showing the lowest levels of troglomorphism. It is related to the complex of populations of the Matese, Partenio and Picentini Mountains (Campania) referred to Neobisium petruzzielloi n. sp.

Neobisium oenotricum shares with N. petruzzielloi n. sp. the presence of dark integument between the eyes, the fixed chelal finger always heterodentate and the pedipalpal hand with oval profile and its greatest width in the proximal third. N. oenotricum also shares with the population of N. petruzzielloi n. sp. from Grotta del Caprone 56 Cp/AV the number of setae on the cheliceral palm: 7 (rarely 8) in N. oenotricum , 7 (rarely 6) in the latter.

Neobisium oenotricum differs from N. petruzzielloi n. sp. in having a lower degree of troglomorphism, evidenced by the smaller size and the lower elongation of the appendages: pedipalpal femur length 1.42–1.58 mm, 5.91–6.36 times as long as broad in N. oenotricum , 1.61–2.18 mm, 6.66–7.94 × in N. petruzzielloi n. sp.; pedipalpal patella length 1.03–1.10 mm, 3.29–3.76 times as long as broad in N. oenotricum , 1.16–1.61 mm, 4.20– 5.00 × in N. petruzzielloi n. sp.; pedipalpal chela 4.84–5.27 times as long as broad in N. oenotricum , 5.73–7.12 × in N. petruzzielloi n. sp.; pedipalpal hand 1.88–2.05 times as long as broad in N. oenotricum , 2.17–2.73 × in N. petruzzielloi n. sp.; ratio between pedipalpal femur and carapace 1.51–1.56 in N. oenotricum , 1.75–2.19 in N. petruzzielloi n. sp.; ratio between the diameter of the distal opening of the patella (X) and the length of the inner margin of the patella (Y) = 0.53–0.60 in N. oenotricum , = 0.37–0.44 in N. petruzzielloi n. sp.

Neobisium oenotricum is morphologically similar to the population of N. petruzzielloi n. sp. from Grotta del Caprone 56 Cp/AV, which differs in having a more evident troglomorphism, although with dimensional values close to those of N. oenotricum : pedipalpal femur length 1.61–1.79 mm, 6.66–7.00 times as long as broad; pedipalpal patella 1.16–1.28 mm, 4.20–4.41 ×, ratio X/Y = 0.39–0.44; pedipalpal chela 2.79–3.04 mm, 5.73–6.56 ×; ratio between pedipalpal femur and carapace 1.77–1.85.

The above redescription of N. oenotricum partially incorporates the original one of Callaini (1987).

Figures

FIGURE 119. Map depicting known distribution of Neobisum species with troglomorphic facies from central and southern Italy.

FIGURES 71–77. Neobisium (N.) oenotricum Callaini, 1987, female, Grotta Sant’Angelo, 22.IX.1991 (Trecchina, Basilicata). 71, epistome of carapace and left ocular area; 72, right chelicera, dorsal view; 73, anterior processes of right coxa I; 74, trochanter, femur and patella of right pedipalp, dorsal view; 75, right pedipalpal chela, dorsal view; 76, same, antiaxial view, with magnified detail of teeth; 77, right leg IV, antiaxial view, with magnified detail of subterminal seta of telotarsus.