Nudochernes pseudotroglobius, Xu & Gao & Zhang, 2022

Xu, Hongru, Gao, Zhizhong & Zhang, Feng, 2022, Two new species of the pseudoscorpion subfamily Lamprochernetinae Beier, 1932 from Guizhou, China (Pseudoscorpiones: Chernetidae), Zootaxa 5105 (4), pp. 581-592 : 582-586

Nudochernes pseudotroglobius sp. nov.

( Figs 1–4 )

http://zoobank.org/NomenclaturalActs/ 20C7BD03-E125-4379-8D91-A3111A273DDF

Type material. Holotype ♀ (Ps.- MHBU-GZXS202401 ): China, Guizhou Province, Xishui County, Daozuo Cave [28.511389°N, 107.153333°E], elev. 1601m a.s.l., 31 August 2020, Zegang Feng & Yanmeng Hou leg. Paratypes: 1♀ (Ps.- SWUC-GZXS202402 ) , 1♂ (Ps.- MHBU-GZXS202403 ), same data as holotype .

Etymology. The name refers to its similar habitat with Nudochernes troglobius Mahnert, 2009 .

Diagnosis. This species can be distinguished from other Nudochernes species by the presence of dentate setae on carapace and pedipalp, spermathecae with a long unpaired tube and two short apical tubules, st situated midway between sb and t, the presence of elongate setae on the posterior corners of coxae IV, and the tarsus IV with a tactile seta in middle of tarsus (TS=0.55 (♂) 0.57 (♀ )).

Description. ( Fig. 2 ). Males smaller than females with 2.77 (♂) 3.11–3.16 (♀), carapace and pedipalps reddish brown, chelicera, sternites, tergites and legs yellowish brown.

Carapace ( Fig. 3A ): evenly granulate; 1.12 (♂) 0.97–0.98 (♀) times longer than broad; eyes or eye-spots absent; with two distinct deep transverse furrows; subbasal transverse furrow situated closer to the posterior margin than to the median furrow; posterior area with a small longitudinal furrow; including 16 (♂) 10 (♀) setae on anterior margin and 15 (♂) 16 (♀) setae on posterior margin.

Abdomen: all tergites and sternites narrowly divided (except the last one). Tergal chaetotaxy (I–XI): ♂, 7–7: 10–8: 8–7: 9–9: 8–8: 9–8: 9–9: 9–7: 7–7: 6–9: 11(2T); ♀, 7–7: 9–10: 9–8: 11–10: 10–10: 9–10: 9–10: 8–9: 7–8: 7–7: 10(2T); all setae clavate. Sternal chaetotaxy (IV–XI): ♂, 7–9: 11–11: 11–10: 9–10: 9–8: 8–8: 8–7: 10; ♀, 4–4: 6–6: 12–13: 13–12: 12–13: 13–13: 9–8: 11; all setae acuminate. Sternite II of ♀ with 18 setae arranged as an inverted “U” pattern ( Figs 3E , 4E ).

Chelicerae ( Figs 3D , 4D ): 5 setae on hand and 1 subdistal seta on movable finger; sbs, bs, es dentate apically, ls, is, gs acuminate; fixed finger with 6 proximad-directed teeth, movable finger with broad tooth-like subapical lobe; galea with 6 long branchlets in distal part; rallum with 3 dentate blades ( Fig. 4C ); serrula exterior with 20 (♂, ♀) blades.

Pedipalp ( Figs 3B , 4A ): pedipalp robust; trochanter, femur, patella and chelal hand coarsely granulate, with dentate setae; chelal fingers with short setae; trochanter 2.24 (♂) 1.50–1.62 (♀), femur 2.24 (♂) 2.33–2.61 (♀), patella 2.30 (♂) 2.12–2.38 (♀), chela (without pedicel) 2.71 (♂) 2.33–2.47 (♀), hand (without pedicel) 1.29 (♂) 1.21–1.26 (♀) times longer than broad, movable finger 1.27 (♂) 1.12–1.28 (♀) times as long as hand (without pedicel). Fixed chelal finger with 8 trichobothria, movable chelal finger with 4 trichobothria ( Figs 3C , 4F ): eb situated basally; est situated midway between esb and et; ib and esb situated sub-basally, it situated closer to tip of finger than to ib; s t situated midway between sb and t, sb situated closer to b than to s t, and t situated midway between tip of finger and st; fixed finger with 49 teeth, plus 5 prolateral accessory teeth and 5 retrolateral accessory teeth; movable finger with 47 teeth, plus 6 prolateral accessory teeth and 5 retrolateral accessory teeth. Venom apparatus only present in movable chelal finger, venom duct slender, nodus ramosus closer to t than to st.

Coxae: with numerous short setae over entire ventral surface, with longer setae on posterior margin of coxae IV.

Genitalia ( Fig. 4B ): ♂: typical of Chernetidae ; ♀: spermathecae with a long unpaired tube and two short apical tubules.

Legs I ( Figs 3F , 4G ): trochanter, femur, patella, tibia with numerous clavate setae; tarsus with numerous acuminate setae; proportions: trochanter 1.09 (♂) 1.20–1.31 (♀), femur 1.46 (♂) 1.51–1.84 (♀), patella 2.07 (♂) 2.09– 2.41 (♀), tibia 3.86 (♂) 3.33–3.70 (♀), tarsus 3.98 (♂) 4.30–5.01 (♀) times longer than wide; claws simple, arolium shorter than claws.

Legs IV ( Figs 3H , 4H ): femur, patella, tibia with numerous clavate setae; trochanter and tarsus with numerous acuminate setae; proportions: trochanter 1.69 (♂) 1.65–1.77 (♀), femur + patella 5.50 (♂) 5.46–5.50 (♀), tibia 4.24 (♂) 4.58–5.10 (♀), tarsus 4.32 (♂) 4.20–4.87 (♀) times longer than deep, a tactile seta near middle of tarsus ( Figs 3I , 4I ) (TS=0.55 (♂) 0.57 (♀ )); claws simple, arolium shorter than claws.

Dimensions (length/breadth or depth, in mm). ♀: Total length 3.11–3.16. Carapace 0.70–0.76/0.71–0.78. Pedipalps: trochanter 0.41–0.42/0.25–0.31, femur 0.64–0.68/0.25–0.27, patella 0.64–0.68/0.25–0.29, chela (with pedicel) 1.14–1.31/0.36–0.42, chela (without pedicel) length 1.02–1.18, hand (without pedicel) length 0.48–0.53, movable finger length 0.54–0.68. Leg I: trochanter 0.17–0.18/0.13–0.15, femur 0.21–0.24/0.13–0.14, patella 0.23– 0.29/0.11–0.12, tibia 0.30–0.37/0.09–0.10, tarsus 0.30–0.35/0.07. Leg IV: trochanter 0.28–0.32/0.17–0.18, femur + patella 0.71/0.13–0.15, tibia 0.51–0.55/0.10–0.12, tarsus 0.39–0.42/0.08–0.10, TS=0.57.

♂: Total length 2.77. Carapace 0.72/0.64. Pedipalps: trochanter 0.40/0.22, femur 0.63/0.28, patella 0.65/0.28, chela (with pedicel) 1.15/0.37, chela (without pedicel) length 1.01, hand (without pedicel) length 0.48, movable finger length 0.61. Leg I: trochanter 0.15/0.14, femur 0.21/0.14, patella 0.25/0.12, tibia 0.33/0.09, tarsus 0.30/0.08. Leg IV: trochanter 0.26/0.15, femur + patella 0.59/0.11, tibia 0.42/0.10, tarsus 0.38/0.09, TS=0.55.

Remarks. This new species is close related to N. troglobius Mahnert, 2009 (Hubei, China), but can be distinguished by the stouter pedipalp (chela (with pedicel) 3.10 (♂) 2.62–2.68 (♀) times longer than board versus 3.40–3.80 (♂, ♀) in N. troglobius ) and the position of trichobothrium (s t situated midway between sb and t in N. pseudotroglobius sp. nov.; st closer to t than to sb in N. troglobius ) ( Mahnert 2009).

This new species can be distinguished from N. lipsae Mahnert, 2003 (Yunnan, China) by the stouter legs I (patella 2.07 (♂) 2.09–2.41 (♀) times longer than deep vs 3.50 (♀) in N. lipsae ; tibia 3.86 (♂) 3.33–3.70 (♀) times longer than deep vs 5.00 (♀) in N. lipsae ), and by the position of trichobothrium (s t situated midway between sb and t in N. pseudotroglobius sp. nov., whereas s t closer to t than to sb in N. lipsae ) ( Mahnert 2003).

Geographically, only one species, N. spalacis Beier, 1955 , is described in Asia ( Israel). The new species can be distinguished from N. spalacis by having slender legs IV (femur + patella 5.50 (♂) 5.46–5.50 (♀) times longer than deep versus 3.70 (♂) in N. spalacis ) and the different position of trichobothrium (est situated midway between et and esb in N. pseudotroglobius sp. nov., whereas est closer to et than to esb in N. spalacis ) ( Beier 1955).

Distribution. Known only from the type locality in Guizhou, China.

Habitat. All specimens were collected under a rock within the dark zone of the cave.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Entrance of Daozuo Cave (A); Inside of Daozuo Cave (B); The adult female of N. pseudotroglobius sp. nov. (C, D).

FIGURE 2. Nudochernes pseudotroglobius sp. nov., A, Female habitus, dorsal view; B, Male habitus, dorsal view.

FIGURE 3. Nudochernes pseudotroglobius sp. nov., holotype female (A–F, H–I), paratype male (G):A, Carapace, dorsal view; B, Left pedipalp, dorsal view; C, Left chelal fingers, lateral view; D, Left chelicerae, dorsal view; E, Genital area of female, ventral view; F, Left leg I, lateral view; G, Genital area of male, ventral view; H, Left leg IV, lateral view; I, Tarsus of left leg IV, lateral view.

FIGURE 4. Nudochernes pseudotroglobius sp. nov., holotype female: A, Left pedipalp, dorsal view; B, Spermathecae; C, Rallum; D, Left chelicerae, dorsal view; E, Genital area of female; F, Left chelal fingers, lateral view; G, Left leg I, lateral view; H, Left leg IV, lateral view; I, Tarsus of left leg IV, lateral view. Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A, D–I); 0.1 mm (B, C).