Paranemastoma bacurianum (Mkheidze, 1959), comb. nov. et, 2023

Modebadze, Naia, Martens, Jochen, Snegovaya, Nataly & Barjadze, Shalva, 2023, An annotated list of the Georgian harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones), Caucasiana 2, pp. 211-230 : 211

20. Paranemastoma bacurianum (Mkheidze, 1959), comb. nov. et stat. nov.

Nemastoma (Paranemastoma) superbum subsp. bacuriana Mkheidze, 1959: 111 (fig. 1, original description)

Nemastoma superbum subsp. Nemastoma superbum bacuriana - Mkheidze, 1964: 119 (mention)

Paranemastoma superbum - Martens, 2006: 200 (redescription, mention)

Type locality.

Georgia, Samtskhe-Javakheti region, Borjomi municipality, Bakuriani.

Occurrence data in Georgia.

Guria • Lanchkhuti; leg. T. Mkheidze, 21 July 1946 ( Mkheidze 1959). Samtskhe-Javakheti • Bakuriani, Borjomi Municipality; leg. T. Mkheidze, 28 June 1940 ( Mkheidze 1959). • Timotesubani monastery, Borjomi Municipality; 1200 m a.s.l.; leg. J. and B. Martens, 15 July 2019; mixed forest along a stream (CJM). Shida Kartli • Kvishketi, Khashuri Municipality; 830 m a.s.l.; leg. J. and B. Martens, 16 July 2019; mixed forest, mainly Picea orientalis , on stream banks (CJM).

Global distribution.

Endemic to Georgia.

Remarks.

Martens (2006) put the local form Nemastoma superbum bacuriana , described as a subspecies of the widely distributed P. superbum by Mkheidze (1959) with synonymy of the latter. New collections around the type locality, Bakuriani, revealed marked differences from P. superbum in body size, the form of male chelicerae, length of legs and pedipalp, and in addition, the dorsal silvery makings of the body (Martens unpublished data). Thus, the taxon Nemastoma bacuriana is resurrected here along with its newly affiliated species rank (stat. nov.).

Altitudinal records are sparse, up to now found at 750 - 1200 m a.s.l. (CJM).