Paraliochthonius galapagensis, Mahnert, 2014

Mahnert, Volker, 2014, Pseudoscorpions (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones) from the Galapagos Islands (Ecuador), Revue suisse de Zoologie 121 (2), pp. 135-210 : 138-140

Paraliochthonius galapagensis sp. n. Figs 1-6

HOLOTYPE: MHNG; 3; Fernandina: Cabo Hammond, sea cliff spraying, 24.V.1996, leg. S. Peck (96-207).

PARATYPES: Fernandina: MHNG; 1♀; Cabo Hammond, sea cliff spraying, 24.V.1996, leg. S. Peck (96-207).

ETYMOLOGY: The Latin epithet refers to the Galapagos archipelago.

DIAGNOSIS: The species is characterized by the presence of 4 corneate eyes and 2 spine-like setae on the paraxial margin of the pedipalpal hand; carapace with a long and narrow epistome; pedipalpal femur 6.1 (3)/5.6 (♀) times longer than broad (length 1.02-1.03 mm), hand 2.1 times (length 0.59 mm), chela 5.3 (3♀) times longer than deep (length 1.47 mm), finger 1.5-1.6 times longer than hand and curved (length of fixed finger 0.91-0.92 mm); dorsum of hand with 11-13 chemosensory setae; fixed finger with 41-44 acute teeth, movable finger with 44-45 retrorse teeth.

DESCRIPTION: Colour uniformly yellowish brown. Carapace (Fig. 1) 1.1 times longer than broad, basally narrowed, posterior margin concave, epistome long and narrow, with a few tiny teeth at its base, 4 distinct corneate eyes, posterior ones about one diameter from anterior eyes, 18 setae: 4 (plus one subocular seta on each side)-4- 4-2-2; tergal chaetotaxy uniseriate: I-III 4, IV-IX 6-7, X 4, XI 4 (2 tactile setae); manducatory process acute, with 2 setae, medial seta longer than anterior one, pedipalpal coxa itself with 3 setae (1 discal), coxa I with a long, finger-like lateral corner, 3 setae, II 3 + 5-6 coxal spines in oblique row (Fig. 5), all in the distal two-thirds with incisions on both sides, III-IV 5; intercoxal tubercle absent; genital operculum with 9 (3: 3 medial discal setae) or 10 setae (♀: 4 discal setae), male genital opening slit-like, with 6 marginal/submarginal setae on each side, 4/4 internal glandular setae, female genitalia as in Fig. 6; sternal chaetotaxy: III-IV 6, 3 suprastigmal setae on each side, V-X 10-11/10/10/9-10/9-10/7-9 (2 tactile setae). Pleural membrane papillostriate.

FIGS 1-6

Paraliochthonius galapagensis sp. n., 3 holotype (unless indicated otherwise). (1) Carapace, with epistome enlarged. (2) Left chelicera. (3) Right pedipalp. (4) Pedipalpal chela, lateral view. (5) Left coxae I/II. (6) Genital organ of ♀. Scale units 0.1 mm.

Chelicera (Fig. 2): 5 setae on hand and one in middle of movable finger, fixed finger with about 8 rounded (worn?) teeth, movable finger with about 8 low, rounded (worn?) teeth; no spinneret, serrula exterior with 21-22, serrula interior with 13-14 lamellae, rallum with 7-8 setae, the anterior one long and thin.

Pedipalps (Figs 3-4): trochanter 1.8 times longer than broad, femur 6.1 times (3)/5.6 times (♀), longer than broad, slit sensillum present as in other species, patella 2.6 (3)/2.5 (♀) timeslongerthanbroad, hand 2.1 timeslongerthandeep, chela 5.3 times (3♀) longerthandeep; fixedfinger 1.6 (3)/1.5(♀) timeslongerthanhand, distinctly curved; chaetotaxy of femur 4-5-2-5, paraxial margin of hand with two spine-like setae on tubercles, both between esb and ist, dorsum of hand with 11-13 chemosensory setae between ib / isb and esb; movable finger without modified internal apodeme, fingerhomodentate, fixedfingerwith 41(3)/44(♀) teeth, erect, acuteand slightly separate, a few basal ones smaller; movable finger with 45(3)/44(♀) teeth, 8 or so distal ones acute, others low, broad, retrorse; accessory teeth absent. Trichobothrium ist of fixed finger distinctly distal to esb, on movable finger sb distinctly closer to st than to b; about 4 slightly lanceolate setae near st/t, a single sensillum between sb and st.

LegI: femur 5.9 (3)/6.1(♀) timeslongerthandeep, patella 3.4 (3♀) times, basitarsus 4.2(3)/4.4(♀) times, telotarsus 10.5(3)/9.7(♀) timeslongerthandeep, telotarsus 1.9 (3♀) timeslongerthanbasitarsus; legIV: femur+patella 3.75 (3♀) times, tibia 5.4(3)/5.6(♀) times, basitarsus 2.9(3)/3.0(♀) times, telotarsus 11.8(3)/11.1(♀) times longer than deep, claws slender, longer than undivided arolia; tactile seta on tibia (TS=0.50), basitarsus (TS=0.23) andtelotarsus (TS=0.32).

MEASUREMENTS of 3 (♀ inparentheses): Totallength 1.91 (2.12). Carapace 0.70/0.64 (0.74/0.68). Pedipalps: trochanter 0.35/0.19 (0.32/0.17), femur 1.03/0.17 (1.02/0.18), patella 0.52/0.20 (0.52/0.21), hand 0.59/0.28 (0.59/0.28), lengthoffixed finger 0.92 (0.91), ofmovablefinger 0.86 (0.86), lengthofchela 1.47 (1.47). LegI: femur 0.56/0.09 (3♀), patella 0.28/0.08 (3♀), tibia 0.30/0.07 (3♀), tarsus 0.58/0.06 (0.57/0.06). LegIV: femur+patella 0.87/0.23 (0.86/0.23), tibia 0.62/0.11 (0.60/0.11), basitarsus 0.25/0.09 (0.24/0.08), telotarsus 0.63/0.05 (0.61/0.06).

REMARKS: This species can be separated from the other three members of the genus described from the Galapagos Islands as indicated in the key below. The presence of 4 distinct corneate eyes and only two spine-like setae on the paraxial margin of the hand place the new species near P. hoestlandti Vachon, 1960 (see Harvey, 2009). It is distinguished from the latter by its larger size (length of pedipalpal femur 1.02-1.03 mmvs. 0.83 mm, chelallength 1.47 mmvs. 1.28 mm) andhighernumberof teeth on fixed finger (41-44 vs. 34).