Atemnus politus (Simon, 1878)

Hu, Jun-fang & Zhang, Feng, 2012, Notes on two species of the genus Atemnus Canestrini (Pseudoscorpiones: Atemnidae) from China, Journal of Threatened Taxa 4 (11), pp. 3059-3066 : 3060-3062

Atemnus politus (Simon, 1878)

( Image 1 , Fig. 1 )

For synonymies see Harvey (2011).

Material examined: 02.viii.2010, five males (Ps.- MHBU-SX10080201–10080205 ) and five females (Ps.- MHBU-SX10080206–10080210 ) from China, Shanxi Province, Licheng City, Huangyadong Forest Park (36.800 N & 113.450 E), 757m, coll. Sheng-tao Guo leg.

Diagnosis: Atemnus politus is characterized by the granulate medial face of the pedipalpal femur and patella, the presence of a round dorsal tubercle on the trochanter, and the relatively small size of chela with pedicel (male 1.15–1.33 mm, female 1.30–1.35 mm).

Description: Pedipalps and the anterior half of carapace deep brown, tergites yellow ( Image 1 ). Setae on body and legs apically dentate.

Carapace smooth ( Fig. 1A ), without furrow and longer than broad (1.12 × in male and 1.04–1.07 × in female); with distinct eyespots; 38–42 setae in total, of which 6 on anterior margin and 6–8 on posterior margin; the anterior half darker than the posterior half.

Abdomen tergites IV–X incompletely divided, half-tergites with 4–6 marginal setae. Tergal chaetotaxy: 6–8: 6–8: 8: 10–12: 10–11: 10–11: 11–12: 12: 12: 10–12 (4T): 8 (2T): 2; sternites IV–VIII divided, half-sternites with 5–8 setae, sternal chaetotaxy (IV–XI): 9–11: 11–14: 12–13: 12–14: 12–14: 12–15: 10–12 (4T): 8–10 (4T): 2. Anterior genital operculum of male ( Fig. 1J ) with 9–10 setae on each side and 10 on posterior margin; that of female ( Fig. 1H ) with 10–12 setae on anterior genital operculum and 2–3 lyrifissures, and with 9–10 setae on posterior margin. Male genital structure ( Fig. 1K ): the distal part (l) of lateral apodemes is relatively smaller, and the hooked branch (b) is bowed distally and terminates in a plate-like tip, the proximal part has a distinct dark sclerotized bar (c); the longitudinal fold of medial diverticula (d) has a projection midway along its length; the ejaculatory canal atrium (e) not well-developed; the lateral rods (f) long and diverging proximally; the tip of dorsal apodeme (g) completely joined; the ventral diverticulum (h) bilobed. Female genital structure ( Fig. 1D ) simple, spermathecae provided with separated median cribriform plates.

Cheliceral hand with four setae, bs and es short and finely dentate, and is and ls long and acute, fixed finger with four retrorse teeth and three small apical teeth, movable finger with a long, tooth-like subapical lobe, male galea ( Fig. 1B ) relatively short and with six branchelets and female galea ( Fig. 1C ) long and with 5–6 distinct branchelets, of which the basal one rebranched, serrula exterior 21–25 lamellae, rallum of four setae, only the distal one dentate anteriorly.

Pedipalp: trochanter 1.72–1.74, femur 2.50–2.67, patella 2.19–2.23, chela with pedicel 3.03–3.09, chela without pedicel 2.82–2.91, hand without pedicel 1.68–1.70 × longer than broad, and movable finger 0.59–0.71 × longer than hand (female trochanter 1.43–1.50, femur 2.67–2.86, patella 1.97–2.09, chela with pedicel 2.70–2.77, chela without pedicel 2.46– 2.55, hand without pedicel 1.50–1.55 × longer than broad, and movable finger 0.75–0.77 × longer than hand). The prolateral face of pedipalpal femur and patella strongly granulate ( Figs. 1E–F ); trochanter with distinct round dorsal protuberance, fixed finger ( Fig. 1G ) with 29–30 cusped marginal teeth, movable finger with 35 marginal teeth, venom duct short, ramosus nodus between trichobothria et and it, but near et. Trichobothrial pattern: st on movable finger nearly between t than sb; on fixed finger distance of est removed from esb same as ist and isb, it from finger tip nearly equals to distance between ist and isb.

Legs fairly stout, without granular, claws simple and longer than arolia, subterminal seta acute and curved. Tactile seta on tarsus IV ( Fig. 2I ) situated near the base (TS = 0.12).

Dimensions (length/breadth or depth, in mm): Male. Body length: 2.55–2.61. Carapace 0.75–0.84 / 0.67–0.75 (1.12); pedipalp: trochanter 0.40–0.43 / 0.23–0.25 (1.72–1.74), femur 0.70–0.80 / 0.28–0.30 (2.50–2.67), patella 0.70–0.78 / 0.32–0.35 (2.19–2.23), chela with pedicel 1.15–1.33 / 0.38–0.43 (3.03–3.09), chela without pedicel 1.07–1.25 (2.82–2.91), hand without pedicel 0.64–0.73 (1.68–1.70), movable finger length 0.43–0.52 (0.59–0.71 × hand); leg I: femur 0.23–0.25 / 0.15–0.18 (1.39–1.53), patella 0.38–0.40 / 0.14 – 0.18 (2.22–2.71), tibia 0.40 / 0.10–0.11 (3.64– 4.00), tarsus 0.38 – 0.40 / 0.08–0.10 (4.00–4.75); leg IV: femur + patella 0.70–0.80 / 0.23–0.25 (3.04–3.20), tibia 0.53–0.60 / 0.15–0.18 (3.33–3.53), tarsus 0.40– 0.43 / 0.10–0.12 (3.58–4.00).

Female. Body length: 3.38–3.47. Carapace 0.80 / 0.75–0.77 (1.04–1.07); pedipalp: trochanter 0.42– 0.43 / 0.28–0.30 (1.43–1.50), femur 0.80 / 0.28–0.30 (2.67– 2.86), patella 0.73–0.75 / 0.35–0.38 (1.97–2.09), chela with pedicel 1.30–1.35 / 0.47–0.50 (2.70–2.77), chela without pedicel 1.20–1.23 (2.46–2.55), hand without pedicel 0.73–0.75 (1.50–1.55), movable finger length 0.55–0.58 (0.75–0.77 × hand); leg I: femur 0.28–0.35 / 0.15–0.18 (1.87–1.94), patella 0.38–0.40 / 0.15–0.18 (2.22–2.53), tibia 0.38–0.43 / 0.10–0.13 (3.31–3.80), tarsus 0.33–0.40 / 0.08–0.10 (4.00–4.13); leg IV: femur + patella 0.73–0.80 / 0.23–0.25 (3.17–3.20), tibia 0.55–0.60 / 0.15–0.18 (3.33–3.67), tarsus 0.43– 0.45 / 0.10–0.12 (3.75–4.30).

Distribution: China (Shanxi).

Habitat: The specimens of A. politus were collected from leaf litter in a temperate deciduous forest.

Remarks: Atemnus politus was first reported from China by Beier (1967). The male genital structures of the specimens from Shanxi Province fit A. politus illustrated by Klausen (2005). In addition, the dimensions and proportions are rather consistent with those of A. politus given by Beier (1932a, b; 1963) and Dashdamirov & Schawaller (1992). Based on the external morphological characters and male genital characters, we believe the material from Shanxi, China belonging to A. politus .

Figures

Image 1. Atemnus politus: female habitus, dorsal view.

Figure 1. Atemnus politus. A - Male carapace, dorsal view; B - Male galea; C - Female galea; D - Spermatheca; E - Male pedipalp (minus chela), dorsal view; F - Male chela, lateral view; G - Male chelal fingers, lateral view; H - Female genital area; I - Leg IV; J - Male genital area; K - Male genital organ. Scale lines: 1.0mm (Figs. E–F), 0.5mm (Figs. A, I), 0.4 mm (Figs. D, G–H, J–K), 0.05mm (Figs. B–C).

Figure 2. Atemnus limuensis sp. nov. A - Male carapace, dorsal view; B - Male chelicera, dorsal view; C - Male galea; D - Female galea; E - Rallum; F - Leg IV; G - Male genital area; H - Male chelal fingers, lateral view; I - Spermatheca; J - Female genital area; K - Male genital organ; L - Male pedipalp, dorsal view. Scale lines: 1.0mm (Figs. F, L), 0.5mm (Fig. A), 0.4mm (Figs. B, G–K), 0.05mm (Figs. C–E).