Ephippiochthonius henderickxi, 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 : 81-83

Ephippiochthonius henderickxi n. sp. ( Figs 144–148 )

Type locality. Spain, Catalonia, Girona province, Alt Empordà comarca, Rosas , Cala Montjoi (42°15′07″N, 03°13′44″W; 7 m a.s.l.).

Distribution. Spain: Catalonia.

Etymology. The species name honours the memory of its collector, the late Hans Henderickx (University of Antwerp), for his great contribution to the knowledge of pseudoscorpions, particularly from Spain.

Diagnosis (♂ ♀). A small, epigean Ephippiochthonius species of the gibbus- group. Movable cheliceral finger with isolated subapical tooth (di) and with prominent spinneret in both sexes, lyrifissure ldb present; two pairs of eyes with lenses, anterior margin of carapace with 2 preocular microsetae on each side, posterior margin with 2 medial macrosetae and 2 lateral microsetae; chelal hand depressed at level of ib / isb, with a strong and rounded hump distad of ib / isb and an abrupt slope between trichobothria ib / isb and eb; fixed chelal finger with 14–15 teeth; movable chelal finger with 11–12 teeth with dental canals, proximally without marginal lamina; pedipalpal femur (♂) 4.9–5.1, (♀) 4.7 times longer than broad, length (♂) 0.34–0.36 mm, (♀) 0.40 mm; chela (♂) 4.6, (♀) 3.9 times longer than deep, length (♂) 0.48–0.51 mm, (♀) 0.57 mm; ratio movable chelal finger/chelal hand (♂) 1.3–1.4, (♀) 1.3; all chelal lyrifissure patterns present, most with their standard complements, except that ma2 is absent.

Type material examined. ♂ holotype (DEUA), 2 ♂ paratypes ( DEUA, MCNB), Spain, Catalonia, Girona province, Alt Empordà comarca, Rosas , Cala Montjoi (42°15′07″N, 03°13′44″W; 7 m a.s.l.), 06.XI.2005 ; 1 ♂ paratype (MNCN), 03.XI.2005. Cala Murtra (42°14′22″N, 03°13′29″W; 10 m a.s.l.), 1 ♂ (MHNG), 1 ♀ paratypes (DEUA), 02.XII. 002. Cala Rostella (42°14′32″N, 03°13′35″W; 14 m a.s.l.), 1 ♂ paratype (MHNG), 06.XI.2005. All leg. H. Henderickx.

Description (♂ ♀). Small, epigean species. Integument pigmented; marked hispid granulation on lateral surfaces of carapace, on cheliceral hand and on bases of chelal fingers.

Carapace ( Fig. 145 ) slightly longer than broad and very weakly constricted posteriorly, maximum width at median part; anterior margin very weakly prominent medially, without epistome, and strongly dentate ( Fig. 144 ); anterior eyes with strongly convex lens (diameter 0.025–0.033 mm), 0.025–0.035 mm from anterior margin of carapace, posterior eyes with weaker convex lens than anterior pair, 0.020–0.025 mm from anterior eyes, diameter 0.023–0.030 mm; both pairs of eyes with reflecting tapetum. Chaetotaxy: 20 setae and 2 preocular microsetae on each side, posterior margin with 2 medial macrosetae and 2 lateral short setae, microsetal in size but thicker, setal formula mm 4mm:6:4:2:4, anteromedial setae 0.075–0.085 mm long, sublateral ocular setae 0.038–0.053 mm; 4 lyrifissures anteriorly and 2 posteriorly.

Chelicera ( Fig. 146 ) with 6 setae and 1 lateral microseta on hand, seta vb short (0.016–0.023 mm long), microseta 0.011–0.015 mm; hand with 5 dorsal and 1 ventral lyrifissure, lyrifissure ldb present. Fixed finger with 5–7 teeth decreasing in size proximally, two distal teeth distinctly larger than others, with 3 proximal microtubercles. Movable finger with an isolated subapical tooth (di), with 5–7 teeth decreasing in size proximally, the distal tooth larger than others; spinneret prominent in both sexes, slightly larger in female; seta gl 0.52–0.54 from base of movable finger. Rallum with 11 blades. Serrula exterior with 14 blades, serrula interior 11–12 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 (0.13–0.16 and 0.20–0.24 mm long, respectively). Chaetotaxy of sternites 10:(3)9–10(3):(2)6–7(2):7– 8:6:6:6:6:2T1T2:0:2, lateral setae on sternite III microsetal in size, sternite X with 2 submedial tactile setae (0.12– 0.16 mm long); in addition, genital notch of male flanked by 6–7 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 0.05–0.07 mm long; coxa I 3 + 3 marginal microsetae, distal marginal seta 0.04–0.05 mm long; II 4 + 5–8 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. 148 ) with hand depressed at level of ib / isb, with a strong and rounded hump distad of ib / isb and an abrupt 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 weak edge; ventral intercondylar bow-like protuberance (ip) present; width 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 14–15 teeth with dental canals, mostly pointed, 1–2 proximal teeth rounded and reduced in size, dental row reaching slightly proximad of trichobothrium sb; 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 subdistal protuberance (sp) ( Fig. 147 ); one pair of short antiaxial sensory setae (as) at the base, on either side of lyrifissure fb, 0.013–0.018 mm long, distance between them 0.015–0.020 mm, fixed finger depth at the base 0.040– 0.045 mm; 5–6 teeth at level of est / it occupying 0.1 mm, distance between successive apices 0.015–0.025 mm. Movable finger with 11–12 mostly pointed teeth, all with dental canals, the distal one tiny or very small; proximal half without marginal lamina, with 4–5 proximal teeth decreasing in size and rounded, dental row reaching trichobothrium sb or sensilla pc; basal apodeme long and apically indented; coupled sensilla pc between sb and b, slightly closer to b. Trichobothria as in Fig. 148 ; trichobothrium ist level with or slightly proximad of esb and well proximad of lyrifissure fb; distance between ib / isb and base of hand 1.1–1.2 times that between ib / isb and esb in male, equidistant in female; distance between st and sb 2.1–2.4 times longer than that between sb and b. All chelal lyrifissure patterns present, most with their standard complements, except that ma2 is absent.

Measurements and ratios. Male holotype, followed, when different, by male paratypes in square brackets: Body 1.00 [0.94–1.02]. Carapace 0.33/0.30 (1.1) [0.30/0.31 (1.1)]. Chelicera 0.24/0.12 (2.0) [0.23–0.24/0.11–0.12 (2.0)], movable finger 0.12. Pedipalp: femur 0.36/0.07 (5.1) [0.34–0.35/0.07 (4.9–5.0)], patella 0.16/0.09 (1.8) [0.15/0.08 (1.8–1.9)], chela 0.51/0.11 (4.6) [0.48–0.49/0.11 (4.6)], hand 0.21 (1.9) [0.21 (2.0–2.1)], movable finger 0.30 [0.27–0.29]; ratio movable finger/hand 1.4 [1.3–1.4], femur/movable finger 1.2 [1.2–1.3], femur/carapace 1.1, chela/carapace 1.5 [1.5–1.6], chela/femur 1.4. Female paratype: Body 0.96. Carapace 0.36/0.33 (1.1). Chelicera 0.28/0.14 (2.1), movable finger 0.15. Pedipalp: femur 0.40/0.09 (4.7), patella 0.17/0.10 (1.7), chela 0.57/0.15 (3.9), hand 0.25 (1.7), movable finger 0.33; ratio movable finger/hand 1.3, femur/movable finger 1.2, femur/carapace 1.1, chela/carapace 1.6, chela/femur 1.4.

Remarks. Within the gibbus -group, E. henderickxi n. sp. and E. catalonicus share the presence of 4 setae in the posterior row of the carapace and an isolated subapical tooth (di) on the movable cheliceral finger. However, they clearly differ in the pedipalpal ratios and size. Detailed comparisons are made in the key and in the remarks under E. catalonicus .

Figures

FIGURES 144 – 148. Ephippiochthonius henderickxi n. sp., male holotype. 144, anterior margin of carapace, partial view; 145, carapace; 146, left chelicera; 147, tip of fixed chelal finger, dorsal view; 148, left chela, antiaxial view.