Nipponogarypus Morikawa, 1955

Jeong, Kyung-Hoon, Harms, Danilo & Yoo, Jung-Sun, 2024, The pseudoscorpion genus Nipponogarypus (Pseudoscorpiones, Olpiidae) found in seashore habitats in Japan and Korea, Zoosystematics and Evolution 100 (3), pp. 1053-1060 : 1053-1060

Genus Nipponogarypus Morikawa, 1955

Type species.

Nipponogarypus enoshimaensis Morikawa, 1955 , by original designation.

Diagnosis.

Nipponogarypus can be distinguished from other olpiid genera known to occur in East Asia as follows: from Beierolpium Heurtault, 1977 , by trichobothrium st positioned distal to sb in Nipponogarypus and dorsal to sb in Beierolpium ( Harvey 1988; Harvey and Leng 2008); from Euryolpium Redikorzev, 1938 , by trichobothria it, isb, esb, and eb not clustered in Nipponogarypus but clustered in the latter. Nipponogarypus also shows similar characteristics to Olpium Koch, 1873 , and Indolpium Hoff, 1945 . However, Nipponogarypus can be distinguished from Indolpium by the position of trichobothria st and isb. In Indolpium , trichobothrium isb is situated proximally to trichobohtorium st ( Murthy and Ananthakrishnan 1977). However, in Nipponogarypus , trichobothrium isb is situated distally from st. Furthermore, Nipponogarypus an easily be distinguised from Olpium by the length of its venom ducts. Olpium has long venom ducts that extend to trichobothrium t, whereas Nipponogarypus ’ venom ducts only extend to half of trichobothrium t ( Mahnert 1991; Nassirkhani 2015). Nipponogarypus is morphologically most similar to Olpiolum Beier, 1931 , and both have trichobothrium est positioned in the middle of the fixed finger; ist positioned between est and isb; isb, esb, and eb grouped together; and sb positioned closer to b than st. However, Nipponogarypus differs from Olpiolum by tergal chaetotaxy (four to six setae on the middle tergites in Nipponogarypus , always six setae on the middle tergites in Olpiolum ) and the number of pseudotactile seta (two setae present in Nipponogarypus , one seta in Olpiolum ) ( Muchmore 1986).

Remarks.

Subspecies are a rare concept in pseudoscorpion taxonomy since recognizable morphological divergences between populations are usually associated with morphological species. Unfortunately, Morikawa had the habit of designating subspecies (and subgenera) when morphological divergences were seen by him as too minor to warrant species- or genus status for any given taxon (e. g., Morikawa 1960). Pseudoscorpion taxonomy has advanced significantly in the past decades, and we are now aware that minor morphological divergences in cryptic lineages such as pseudoscorpions are generally indicative of species status (e. g., Hlebec et al. 2024; Muster et al. 2024). Following the recent example set by You et al. (2022), who elevated all subterranean subspecies of the genus Spelaeochthonius (family Pseudotyrannochthoniidae ) in Japan and Korea to species status, we also elevate Morikawa’s subspecies of Nipponogarypus enoshimaensis to species rank. Unfortunately, this taxonomic act needs to be done without reexamining the primary types that are held at Ehime University but are difficult to access and in poor condition (slide-mounted specimens in dried and contracted Hoyer’s solution; see You et al. 2022). However, Morikawa’s diagnoses are clear and reiterated here: N. enoshimaensis okinoerabensis is elevated to species rank as N. okinoerabensis stat. nov., and this name refers to specimens from the Ryuku and Satsunan Islands that have relatively short body appendages (pedipalpal femur length 0.48 mm, pedipalpal patella length 0.45 mm) and two pseudotacticle hairs that are equal in size on the palpal femur. The subspecies N. enoshimaensis enoshimaensis sensu Morikawa (1960) actually refers to N. enoshimaensis sensu Morikawa (1955) and is here recognized in its original form, N. enoshimaensis . This is a rather widespread morphospecies with records from Honshu and Shikoku (Fig. 1 ) that has slightly longer body appendages than N. okinoerabensis (pedipalpal femur length 0.52–0.59 mm, pedipalpal patella length 0.57 mm) and unequal pseudotactile hairs (proximal hair smaller than distal hairs). A full description of both species is available in Morikawa (1960). Following this taxonomic act, the genus Nipponogarypus now contains three morphospecies that are found along the coastlines of the Korean Peninsula and Japan.

Figures

Figure 1. Distribution of the genus Nipponogarypus (Olpiidae) in Japan and Korea.