Ephippiochthonius tarraconensis, Zaragoza, Juan A., 2017

Zaragoza, Juan A., 2017, Revision of the Ephippiochthonius complex in the Iberian Peninsula, Balearic Islands and Macaronesia, with proposed changes to the status of the Chthonius subgenera (Pseudoscorpiones, Chthoniidae), Zootaxa 4246 (1), pp. 1-221 : 117-119

Ephippiochthonius tarraconensis n. sp. ( Figs 196–202 )

Type locality. Spain, Catalonia, Tarragona province , Ribera d’Ebre comarca, Torre de l’Espanyol, Mina Horts no. 1 (41°10′59″N, 00°38′12″E; 256 m a.s.l.).

Distribution. Spain: Catalonia.

Etymology. Latin adjective derived from the old Roman name (Tarraco) for the province in which the type locality is situated.

Diagnosis (♂ ♀). A medium-sized, epigean Ephippiochthonius species of the tetrachelatus -group. Movable cheliceral finger without isolated subapical tooth (di) and with prominent spinneret in female, distinctly reduced in male; lyrifissure ldb present; two pairs of eyes with lenses, anterior margin of carapace with 1 preocular microseta on each side, posterior margin with 2 macrosetae; pedipalp with femoral chaetotaxy 3:6:2:5:1; chelal hand weakly depressed at level of ib / isb, with long and low hump distad of ib / isb and moderate slope between trichobothria ib / isb and eb; fixed chelal finger with 22–24 teeth; movable chelal finger with 7–9 teeth pointed teeth at the distal half with dental canals, basal half without marginal lamina, almost smooth, only 1–2 vestigial teeth without dental canals; pedipalpal femur (♂ ♀) 6.4 times longer than broad, length (♂) 0.75–0.77 mm, (♀) 0.72 mm; chela (♂) 5.4, (♀) 4.9 times longer than deep, length (♂) 1.02–1.04 mm, (♀) 0.97 mm; ratio movable chelal finger/chelal hand (♂) 1.4, (♀) 1.3; all chelal lyrifissure patterns present with their standard complements.

Type material examined. ♂ holotype (MCNB), 1 ♂ paratype ( DEUA), Spain, Catalonia, Tarragona province, Ribera d’Ebre comarca, Torre de l’Espanyol , Mina Horts no. 1 (41°10′59″N, 00°38′12″E; 256 m a.s.l.), 12.VII.1998, leg. F. Fadrique ; 1 ♀ paratype (MCNB), same type locality, 24.VI.1998, leg. F. Fadrique.

Description (♂ ♀). Medium-sized epigean species. Integument pigmented; marked hispid granulation on lateral surface of carapace and on cheliceral hand, more weakly on bases of chelal fingers.

Carapace ( Fig. 197 ) slightly longer than broad and weakly constricted posteriorly; anterior margin not prominent, medially dentate ( Fig. 196 ); two pairs of well developed eyes with lenses and reflecting tapeta, anterior eyes strongly convex, 0.04 mm from anterior margin of carapace, diameter 0.04–0.045 mm, posterior eyes with weakly convex lens, 0.043–0.050 mm from anterior eyes, diameter 0.055 mm. Chaetotaxy: 18 macrosetae and 1 preocular microseta on each side, formula m 4m:6:4:2:2, anteromedial setae 0.11–0.13 mm long, sublateral ocular setae 0.07–0.08 mm long; 4 lyrifissures anteriorly and 2 posteriorly.

Chelicera ( Figs 198, 199, 202 ) with 6 setae and 2 lateral microsetae on hand, seta vb 0.043–0.054 mm long; hand with 5 dorsal and 1 ventral lyrifissure, lyrifissure ldb present. Fixed finger with 6 teeth decreasing in size proximally and 3–4 proximal microtubercles, two distal teeth distinctly larger than others. Movable finger without an isolated subapical tooth (di), with 6–8 teeth decreasing in size proximally and 4 proximal microtubercles, distal tooth larger than others; spinneret prominent and apically rounded in female ( Fig. 202 ), distinctly reduced in male ( Fig. 199 ); seta gl 0.59–0.60 from base of movable finger. Rallum with 11 blades. Serrula exterior with 15 blades, serrula interior with 12 blades.

Chaetotaxy of tergites 4:4:4:4:6:6:6:6:1T2T1:4:1T2T1:0; tergites IX and XI each with 2 sublateral tactile setae. Chaetotaxy of sternites 9–10:(3)8–10(3):(2)7(2):8:6:6:6:6:2T1T2:0:2, lateral setae on sternite III microsetal in size, sternite X with 2 submedial tactile setae; in addition, genital notch of male flanked by 7–8 setae on each side and 4+4 internal glandular setae.

Pedipalpal coxa with 5 setae (including 2 on manducatory process), distal marginal seta of disk 0.11 mm long; coxa I 3 + 3 marginal microsetae, distal marginal seta 0.06–0.07 mm long; II 4 + 8–9 bipinnate coxal spines, III 5 + 3–5 bipinnate coxal spines and IV 6; intercoxal tubercle bisetose.

Pedipalp with femoral chaetotaxy 3:6:2:5:1. Chela ( Fig. 201 ) with hand weakly depressed at level of ib / isb, with long and low hump distad of ib / isb and moderate slope between trichobothria ib / isb and eb; dorsal-antiaxial surface of the chelal hand between the hump and trichobothria eb / esb flattened, limited by a marked edge; ventral intercondylar bow-like protuberance (ip) present; width slightly shorter than depth; chaetotaxy 4:5:3, seta ph3 lacking, setae ih1, ih3 and ih4 approximately level with trichobothria ib / isb; distal end of hand and bases of chelal fingers with sclerotized condylar complex. Fixed finger with 22–24 mostly pointed teeth, decreasing in size proximally, of these the 2–3 proximal teeth rounded, all with dental canals except 1–2 more proximal teeth, 3–4 microtubercles at base; dental row slightly distad of trichobothrium b; tip of finger with an accessory tooth (td) on antiaxial face; tip of fixed chelal finger of male with a deep hollow on paraxial face and a pronounced subdistal protuberance (sp) ( Fig. 200 ); 4 teeth at level of est / it occupying 0.1 mm, distance between successive apices 0.025– 0.030 mm; one pair of short antiaxial sensory setae (as), 0.015–0.025 mm long, distance between them 0.038– 0.043 mm, finger depth at the base 1.3 times longer than distance between both setae. Distal half of movable finger with 7–9 triangular teeth, all with dental canals; proximal half without marginal lamina, almost smooth with only 1–2 vestigial teeth without dental canals, dental row reaching halfway between trichobothria st and sb; basal apodeme long and apically indented; coupled sensilla pc slightly proximad of sb. Trichobothria as in Fig. 201 ; ist slightly distad of esb, almost level and well proximad of lyrifissure fb; distance between ib / isb and esb equal to that between ib / isb and the base of the hand; distance between st and sb 1.8–2.0 times longer than that between sb and b. All chelal lyrifissure patterns present with their standard complements.

Measurements and ratios. Male holotype, followed, when different, by male paratype in square brackets: Body 1.85 [1.78]. Carapace 0.51/0.47 (1.1) [0.52/0.45 (1.2)]. Chelicera 0.43/0.20 (2.2) [0.41/0.20 (2.1)], movable finger 0.22. Pedipalp: femur 0.77/0.12 (6.4) [0.75/0.12 (6.4)], patella 0.30/0.15 (2.1) [0.31/0.14 (2.2)], chela 1.04/0.19 (5.4) [1.02/0.19 (5.4)], hand 0.40 (2.1) [0.42 (2.2)], movable finger 0.60 [0.58]; ratio movable finger/hand 1.4, femur/movable finger 1.3, femur/carapace 1.5 [1.4], chela/carapace 2.0, chela/femur 1.4. Female paratype: Body 1.83. Carapace 0.49/0.46 (1.1). Chelicera 0.41/0.20 (2.1), movable finger 0.21. Pedipalp: femur 0.72/0.11 (6.4), patella 0.30/0.15 (2.0), chela 0.97/0.20 (4.9), hand 0.42 (2.1), movable finger 0.54; ratio movable finger/hand 1.3, femur/movable finger 1.3, femur/carapace 1.5, chela/carapace 2.0, chela/femur 1.3.

Remarks. Within the tetrachelatus -group, E. tarraconensis n. sp., shares with E. ponsi and E. tetrachelatus the presence of well developed eyes, no microsetae in the posterior row of the carapace and the absence of an isolated subapical tooth on movable cheliceral finger. Differences between E. tarraconensis n. sp. and E. ponsi are noted in the remarks under the latter and those separating it from E. tetrachelatus are given in the key.

Figures

FIGURES 196 – 202. Ephippiochthonius tarraconensis n. sp., male holotype (196 – 201) and female paratype (202). 196, anterior margin of carapace, partial view; 197, carapace; 198, left chelicera; 199, fingers of left chelicera, partial view; 20 0, tip of fixed chelal finger, dorsal view; 201, left chela, antiaxial view; 202, movable finger of left chelicera, partial view.