Chthonius

Gardini, Giulio, 2013, A revision of the species of the pseudoscorpion subgenus Chthonius (Ephippiochthonius) (Arachnida, Pseudoscorpiones, Chthoniidae) from Italy and neighbouring areas, Zootaxa 3655 (1), pp. 1-151 : 99-100

[ Chthonius (E.) remyi Heurtault, 1975 ]

Chthonius (E.) remyi Heurtault 1975: 315 , figs 7–12.

Type locality: France, Corsica, Dept. Corse-du-Sud, Conca, Tavonu di Nuaïa (Trou de Nuaïa) or the Punta Calcina (41°44ʹN 9°24ʹE).

Distribution. France: Corsica.

Diagnosis (3). A microphthalmic hypogean Chthonius (Ephippiochthonius) from Corsica that differs from other species of the C. tetrachelatus group in the following combination of characters: movable cheliceral finger without isolated subapical tooth (di); movable cheliceral finger without spinneret in males; fixed chelal finger with 29 triangular teeth, at level of est-it with 3 teeth occupying 0.1 mm (distance between successive apices 0.050 mm); length of chela 1.8 mm, length of movable chelal finger 1.025 mm; chela 6.5 times as long as deep; ratio of pedipalpal femur/carapace 1.9.

Material examined. None.

Description of adult (3; Ƥ unknown). Carapace 1.1 times as long as broad, posteriorly slightly constricted; anterior margin dentate between median macrosetae, without epistome; anterior and posterior eyes reduced to ocular spots; chaetotaxy mm 4mm:6:4:2:2(18). Chaetotaxy of tergites I–IX 4:4:4:4:6:6:6:6:6. Chaetotaxy of sternites II–X 10:(3)10?(3):(2)7(2):?:6:6:6:7:6. Chelicerae 2.3 times as long as broad, palm with 6 setae and 2 microsetae laterally; fixed finger with 14 teeth proximally reduced in size from the second distal tooth; movable finger without isolated subapical tooth (di); gl ratio 0.6; no spinneret in male; rallum with 10 or 11 blades. Coxal setae: pedipalp 5 (including 2 on manducatory process), I 3 + 3 marginal microsetae, II 4, III 5, IV 6; coxa II with 13 coxal spines, coxa III with 6 coxal spines; intercoxal tubercle bisetose. Pedipalp: femur 8.0 times as long as broad; chela 6.5 times as long as deep; hand of chela 2.7 times as long as deep, elongate with subparallel sides; fixed chelal finger with 29 triangular teeth, the three distal ones smaller, the other decreasing in size proximally; tip of fixed finger with a modified accessory tooth (td) on antiaxial face; fixed chelal finger at level of est-it with 3 teeth occupying 0.1 mm (distance between successive apices 0.050 mm) [estimations from published figure]; movable chelal finger with 13 teeth: distal half of finger with 9 large, upright and sharp teeth, proximal half with 4 teeth with rounded tips, decreasing in size back to trichobothrium sb; trichobothria eb-esb-ist placed in a straight line; ratio of movable finger/hand of chela 1.36; ratio of pedipalpal femur/movable finger 1.3; ratio of pedipalpal femur/carapace 1.9.

Measurements (in mm). Body length 2.2. Carapace 0.675 × 0.625. Pedipalp: femur 1.30 × 0.16; chela 1.80 × 0.275; hand length 0.75; movable finger length 1.025.

Remarks. Among the species of the Chthonius tetrachelatus group, C. remyi is presumably related to the epigean C. tetrachelatus because of the spaced dentition of the fixed chelal finger. It differs from the later by its troglomorphic characters. Gardini (2008) compared the hypogean Sardinian species C. sardous to C. remyi with respect to troglomorphy but C. sardous is presumably related to the epigean C. siculus .

The above description is based on that of Heurtault (1975).