Ephippiochthonius fadriquei, 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 : 71-73

Ephippiochthonius fadriquei n. sp. ( Figs 124–129 )

Type locality. Spain, Catalonia, Tarragona province , Baix Ebre comarca, Benifallet, Cova de les Meravelles (40°56′54″N, 00°30′48″E; 142 m a.s.l.).

Distribution. Spain: Catalonia.

Etymology. Named after the biospeleologist Floren Fadrique (BIOSP), who collected the type series, to honour his intensive work for more than 40 years collecting and studying the cave-dwelling fauna.

Diagnosis (♂ ♀). A moderately large, hypogean Ephippiochthonius species of the tetrachelatus -group. Movable cheliceral finger without isolated subapical tooth (di) and spinneret strongly reduced in male, prominent in female, lyrifissure ldb present; no eyes or eye-spots, 1 preocular microsetae on each side, posterior margin of carapace with 2 macrosetae; pedipalp with femoral chaetotaxy 3:6:3:5:1; chelal hand depressed at level of ib / isb, with short and low hump distad of ib / isb and very gentle slope between trichobothria ib / isb and eb; fixed chelal finger with 23–26 teeth; movable chelal finger with 18–20 teeth, without marginal lamina; pedipalpal femur (♂) 7.6, (♀) 7.8–8.0 times longer than broad, length (♂) 0.89 mm, (♀) 1.01/ 0.13 mm; chela (♂) 6.4, (♀) 6.1–6.3 times longer than deep, length (♂) 1.16 mm (♂), (♀) 1.32 mm; ratio movable chelal finger/chelal hand (♂) 1.6, (♀) 1.4– 1.5; all chelal lyrifissure patterns present with their standard complements.

Type material examined. ♂ holotype ( MCNB), Spain, Catalonia, Tarragona province, Baix Ebre comarca, Benifallet , Cova de les Meravelles (40°56′54″N, 00°30′48″E; 142 m a.s.l.), 14.VIII.1999, leg. F. Fadrique ; Cova Aumicliella Gran, 1 ♀ paratype (MCNB), 14.VIII.1999, leg. F. Fadrique; 1 ♀ paratype ( DEUA), Cova Dos , 24.VII.1999, leg. F. Fadrique. These three caves are close to each other and form a group named “ Les Coves de Benifallet”, with the Cova Aumicliella Gran and Cova Dos being internally connected.

Description (♂ ♀). Moderately large, hypogean, troglomorphic species. Integument depigmented; weakly hispid granulation on lateral surfaces of carapace, on cheliceral hand and on bases of chelal fingers.

Carapace ( Fig. 125 ) distinctly longer than broad and posteriorly constricted; medial part of anterior margin prominent, without a well-defined epistome, and strongly dentate ( Fig. 124 ); without eyes or eye-spots. Chaetotaxy: 18 macrosetae and 2 preocular microsetae, formula m 4m:6:4:2:2, anteromedial setae 0.13–0.16 mm long, sublateral ocular setae 0.10 mm long; 4 lyrifissures anteriorly and 2 posteriorly.

Chelicera ( Figs 126–127, 129 ) with 6 setae and 1 lateral microseta on hand, seta vb short (0.06 mm long); hand with 5 dorsal and 1 ventral lyrifissure, lyrifissure ldb present. Fixed finger with 10–12 teeth decreasing in size proximally, two distal teeth distinctly larger than others. Movable finger without an isolated subapical tooth (di), with 12 teeth decreasing in size proximally, the distal tooth larger than others; spinneret prominent in female ( Fig. 129 ), strongly reduced in male ( Fig. 127 ); seta gl 0.55–0.56 from base of movable finger. Rallum with 11 blades. Serrula exterior with 15 blades, serrula interior 13 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 10:(3)8–9(3):(2)7–8(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 6–10 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 0.12–0.14 mm long; coxa I 3 + 3 marginal microsetae, distal marginal seta 0.10–0.11 mm long; II 4 + 13–16 bipinnate coxal spines, III 5 + 5–10 bipinnate coxal spines and IV 6; intercoxal tubercle bisetose.

Pedipalp with femoral chaetotaxy 3:6:3:5:1. Chela ( Fig. 128 ) with hand depressed at level of ib / isb, with short and low hump distad of ib / isb and very gentle 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 equal to 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 23–26 teeth, most pointed and with dental canals, decreasing in size in proximal third, 1–2 distal ones tiny, 1–2 proximal teeth rounded and the last one without dental canal, dental row reaching distad of trichobothrium b, 2–3 microtubercles at base; tip of finger with a rounded and weakly sclerotized accessory tooth (td) on antiaxial face; tip of fixed chelal finger of male with a deep hollow on paraxial face and subdistal protuberance (sp); one pair of long antiaxial sensory setae (as) at the finger base, distance between them longer than finger depth at base; 4 teeth at level of est / it occupying 0.1 mm, distance between successive apices 0.030 mm. Movable finger with 18–20 teeth, most with dental canals, the distal one on low protuberance and tiny, also may be absent, up to distad of trichobothrium sb are pointed and well developed, decreasing in size proximally and becoming rounded, all with dental canals except the 2 most proximal teeth in male holotype, dental row reaching up to distad of trichobothrium b; basal apodeme long and apically indented; coupled sensilla pc halfway between sb and b. Trichobothria as in Fig. 128 ; trichobothrium ist slightly distad of esb and well proximad of lyrifissure fb; distance between ib / isb and esb 1.2 times longer than between ib / isb and the base of the hand; distance between st and sb 1.7–1.8 times longer than that between sb and b. All chelal lyrifissure patterns present with their standard complements.

Measurements and ratios. Male holotype: Body 1.54. Carapace 0.52/0.49 (1.1). Chelicera 0.48/0.21 (2.3), movable finger 0.24. Pedipalp: femur 0.89/0.12 (7.6), patella 0.34/0.14 (2.5), chela 1.16/0.18 (6.4), hand 0.45 (2.5), movable finger 0.70; ratio movable finger/hand 1.6, femur/movable finger 1.3, femur/carapace 1.7, chela/carapace 2.2, chela/femur 1.3. Female paratypes: Body 2.10. Carapace 0.57–0.62/0.53–0.55 (1.1). Chelicera 0.54–0.57/ 0.24–0.25 (2.3), movable finger 0.27–0.28. Pedipalp: femur 1.01/0.13 (7.8–8.0), patella 0.38–0.39/0.16 (2.4–2.5), chela 1.32/0.21–0.22 (6.1–6.3), hand 0.52–0.53 (2.4–2.5), movable finger 0.76–0.78; ratio movable finger/hand 1.4–1.5, femur/movable finger 1.3, femur/carapace 1.6–1.8, chela/carapace 2.1–2.3, chela/femur 1.3.

Remarks. Within the species of the tetrachelatus -group, E. fadriquei n. sp. shares with E. benimaquia n. sp., E. comasi n. sp. and E. mahnerti the following combination of characteristics: anophthalmic, hypogean, with 1–2 preocular microsetae, only 2 setae in posterior row of carapace, without isolated subapical tooth on movable cheliceral finger, movable chelal finger with 15–21 teeth with dental canals, pedipalpal femur longer than 0.80 mm and its chaetotaxy 3:6:3:5:1. Comparisons with E. benimaquia n. sp. and E. comasi n. sp. are made in the remarks under those species and in the key. Compared to E. mahnerti , the new species has a stouter and shorter pedipalp [chela (♂) 6.4, (♀) 6.1–6.3 times longer than deep, length (♂) 1.16 mm, (♀) 1.32 mm versus chela (♂) 7.0–7.3, (♀) 6.8 times longer than deep, length (♂) 1.54–1.57, (♀) 1.51–1.60 mm].

Figures

FIGURES 124 – 129. Ephippiochthonius fadriquei n. sp., male holotype (124 – 128) and female paratype (129). 124, anterior margin of carapace, partial view; 125, carapace; 126, right chelicera; 127, fingers of right chelicera, partial view; 128, right chela, antiaxial view; 129, movable cheliceral finger, partial view.