Parobisium sanlouense, Feng & Wynne & Zhang, 2020

Feng, Zegang, Wynne, J. Judson & Zhang, Feng, 2020, Cave-dwelling pseudoscorpions of China with descriptions of four new hypogean species of Parobisium (Pseudoscorpiones, Neobisiidae) from Guizhou Province, Subterranean Biology 34, pp. 61-98 : 61

Parobisium sanlouense sp. nov. Figs 10 , 11 , 12 , 13

Type material.

Holotype male (Ps.-MHBU-GZ15050201): China, Guizhou Province, Fuquan County, Sanlou Cave (Figs 1D , 20 ), [26°56'46"N, 107°18'47"E], 1280 m elevation, 02 May 2015, Mingyi Tian leg. Paratypes: 3 males (Ps.-MHBU- GZ19072901, GZ19072902, GZ19072903), 3 females (Ps.-MHBU- GZ19072904, GZ19072905, GZ19072906), same location as holotype, estimated cave deep zone, 29 July 2019, Zegang Feng, Chen Zhang, Zhaoyi Li, Yonghao Li leg.

Etymology.

Latinized adjective derived from the name of the type locality, Sanlou Cave.

Distribution.

This species is known only from the type locality.

Diagnosis.

This new species can be easily distinguished from other members of the genus Parobisium by following combination of characters: carapace with four eye spots on a slightly raised ( P. wangae has four developed eyes, P. tiani with two faint eye spots; P. magangensis , P. xiaowutaicum and P. yuantongi lacks eyes/eye spots); epistome small, rounded (small, triangular in P. wangae ; triangular, with rounded top in P. tiani and P. yuantongi ); pedipalpal femur 6.50-6.59 times longer than wide (8.91-8.97 times in P. magangensis ; 4.66-4.90 times in P. motianense ; 3.89-4.11 times in P. qiangzhuang ; 5.63-5.73 times in P. tiani ; 3.60-3.65 times in P. wangae ; 4.65 times in P. xiaowutaicum ); patella 5.07-5.11 times longer than wide (7.64-7.84 times in P. magangensis ; 3.09-3.39 times in P. motianense ; 2.54-2.60 times in P. qiangzhuang ; 4.52-4.58 times in P. tiani ; 1.89-2.16 times in P. wangae ; 3.14 times in P. xiaowutaicum ; 5.70 times in P. yuantongi ;); pedipalpal hand and inside lateral of femur, which is finely granular (smooth in P. magangensis , P. wangae and P. xiaowutaicum ; with granulation present on chelal hand in P. tiani ; with granulation present on femur, inside lateral of patella and chelal hand in P. yuantongi ); chela (with pedicel) 6.08-6.34 times longer than wide (8.67-8.69 times in P. magangensis ; 3.72-4.06 times in P. motianense ; 3.12-3.25 times in P. qiangzhuang ; 4.97-5.03 times in P. tiani ; 3.13-3.52 times in P. wangae ; 3.14 times in P. xiaowutaicum ; 5.70 times in P. yuantongi ); both chelal finger has 119-130 teeth (146-162 in P. magangensis ; 95-98 in P. motianense ; 69-80 in P. qiangzhuang ; 57-74 in P. wangae ; 73-75 in P. xiaowutaicum ).

Description.

Male (Fig. 11A ). Carapace, chelicerae, and pedipalps reddish brown or yellowish brown; abdomen and legs yellowish.

Carapace (Figs 12A , 13A ): Smooth, 1.21-1.30 times longer than broad, with a total of 29-31 setae, including 4 on anterior margin, 7 on posterior margin, and 1-2 on each side of anterior lateral margin; with 4 eye spots on a slightly raised surface (Fig. 12B ); epistome small, rounded.

Chelicera (Figs 12C , 13B ): Hand with 7 setae, movable finger with 1 submedial seta; fixed finger with 13-14 teeth; movable finger with 13-15 teeth; serrula exterior with 39-40 lamellae; serrula interior with 25-27 lamellae. Galea (Fig. 13F ) replaced by a small rounded transparent sclerotic knob. Rallum (Fig. 13C ) with 8 pinnate blade, distal-most blade with expanded base, proximal one short.

Pedipalps (Figs 12D-E , 13H, J-K ): Apex of coxa rounded, with 5 setae on each side, pedipalpal coxa with 8-10 setae. Pedipalp smooth and slender except for hand and inside lateral of femur, which is finely granular. Trochanter 2.86-2.92 times longer than wide, femur 6.50-6.59, patella 5.07-5.11 times longer than wide, pedicel about half the entire length of patella, chela (with pedicel) 6.08-6.34, chela (without pedicel) 5.44-5.62 times longer than wide, movable finger 1.51-1.57 times longer than hand (without pedicel). Fixed chelal finger with 8 trichobothria, movable finger with 4, eb and esb on lateral margin of hand; ib, ist and isb closely grouped at the base of the fixed finger; est slightly distal of finger at middle; it slightly closer to fingertip than et; on movable finger st nearer to t than to sb, the latter slightly nearer b than to st (Figs 12D , 13H, J ). Venom apparatus present only in fixed chelal finger, venom duct short, not extending past half of the distance to et. Fixed chelal finger with 126-130 teeth, movable finger with 119-126 teeth.

Abdomen: Pleural membrane granulated. Tergal chaetotaxy (I-XI): 7/7-9/9-10/10/8-10/11/11/11/11-12/11/7; sternal chaetotaxy (IV-XI): 9-10/13/12/12-13/10-13/13-14/12/3; stigmata with 4-6 setae; anal cone with 2 dorsal and 2 ventral setae. Male genital area (Figs 12F , 13D ): sternite II with 34-36 scattered setae; sternite III with anteromedian groove flanked by one small seta on each side, with 21-30 posterior setae.

Legs: Coxa chaetotaxy (I-IV): 8-9/5-6/5/9. Leg I (Figs 12H , 13L ): femur 5.08-5.73, patella 3.82-4.05, tibia 8.21-8.57, basitarsus 4.00-4.33, telotarsus 6.08-6.58 times longer than deep, femur 1.45-1.48 times longer than patella, telotarsus 1.40-1.52 times longer than basitarsus. Leg IV (Figs 12I , 13M ): femur + patella 5.22-5.97 times longer than deep, femur shorter than patella, tibia 8.95-9.10, basitarsus 4.06-4.19, telotarsus 6.93-6.86 times longer than deep, telotarsus 1.43-1.49 times longer basitarsus; basitarsus with one tactile setae (TS=0.12-0.13), telotarsus with one tactile setae (TS=0.43-0.52); subterminal tarsal seta (Fig. 13I ) bifurcate, both branches dentate; arolium not divided, shorter than the slender and simple claws.

Female (paratypes) (Fig. 11B ): Mostly same as holotype.

Chelicera. Hand with 7 setae, movable finger with 1 submedial seta; fixed finger with 13-16 teeth; movable finger with 14-15 teeth; serrula exterior with 37-41 lamellae; serrula interior with 23-27 lamellae. Galea (Fig. 13G ) replaced by conspicuous semicircular transparent sclerotic knob; rallum of 8-10 blades, similar to that of holotype.

Pedipalps. Pedipalpal coxa with 8-9 setae. Trochanter 2.59-2.89, femur 6.03-6.60, patella 4.52-4.72, chela (with pedicel) 5.07-5.35, chela (without pedicel) 4.52-4.77 times longer than wide, movable finger 2.00-2.02 times longer than hand (without pedicel). Fixed chelal finger with 119-128 teeth, movable finger with 115-125 teeth.

Abdomen. Tergal chaetotaxy (I-XI): 6-9/8-11/10-11/9-11/9-10/10-11/11/10-11/10-11/9-11/7; sternal chaetotaxy (IV-XI): 8-9/12-13/12/12/12-14/12-14/12-13/3-4. Female genital area (Figs 12G , 13E ): sternite II with 4-6 setae on each side; sternite III with a row of 12-15 setae on the posterior margin.

Measurements: (length/breadth or depth in mm; ratios for most characters in parentheses). Male (holotype and paratypes). Body length 4.00-4.79. Carapace 1.21-1.30 (1.32-1.42/1.09-1.09). Pedipalpal trochanter 2.86-2.92 (1.03-1.08/0.36-0.37), femur 6.50-6.59 (2.34-2.44/0.36-0.37), patella 5.07-5.11 (2.23-2.25/0.44), chela (with pedicel) 6.08-6.34 (3.59-3.68/0.58-0.59), chela (without pedicel) 5.44-5.62 (3.21-3.26/0.58-0.59), hand length (without pedicel) 1.34-1.38, movable finger length 2.08-2.11 (1.51-1.57 times longer than hand without pedicel). Leg I: trochanter 1.54-1.57 (0.43-0.44/0.28), femur 5.08-5.73 (1.22-1.26/0.22-1.24), patella 3.82-4.05 (0.84-0.85/0.21-0.22), tibia 8.21-8.57 (1.15-1.20/0.14), basitarsus 4.00-4.33 (0.52/0.12-0.13), telotarsus 6.08-6.58 (0.73-0.79/0.12). Leg IV: trochanter 2.41-2.55 (0.70-0.74/0.29), femur + patella 5.22-5.97 (1.93-2.09/0.35-0.37), tibia 8.95-9.10 (1.88-1.91/0.21), basitarsus 4.06-4.19 (0.65-0.67/0.16), telotarsus 6.93-6.86 (0.96-0.97/0.14).

Female (paratypes). Body length 4.94-6.00. Carapace 1.36-1.39 (1.51-1.54/1.11). Pedipalpal trochanter 2.59-2.89 (1.01-1.07/0.37-0.39), femur 6.03-6.60 (2.17-2.31/0.36-0.35), patella 4.52-4.72 (1.99-2.17/0.44-0.46), chela (with pedicel) 5.07-5.35 (3.40-3.48/0.65-0.67), chela (without pedicel) 4.52-4.77 (3.03-3.10/0.65-0.67), hand length (without pedicel) 1.31-1.34, movable finger length 1.87-2.00 (1.40-1.53 times longer than hand without pedicel). Leg I: trochanter 1.48-1.56 (0.40-0.42/0.27), femur 5.09-5.48 (1.12-1.26/0.22-0.23), patella 3.90-4.05 (0.78-0.81/0.20), tibia 7.20-8.14 (1.08-1.14/0.14-0.15), basitarsus 3.69-4.00 (0.48-0.52/0.13), telotarsus 5.21-6.08 (0.73-0.79/0.13-0.14). Leg IV: trochanter 2.10-2.64 (0.61-0.74/0.28-0.29), femur + patella 4.87-5.72 (1.90-2.06/0.36-0.39), tibia 8.48-9.05 (1.78-1.99/0.21-0.22), basitarsus 3.88-4.19 (0.66-0.67/0.16-0.17), telotarsus 6.50-7.07 (0.91-0.99/0.14).

Figures

Figure 1. Study area, general cave locations, and type locality for each species, Guizhou Province, China. A Biyun Cave, Parobisium tiani sp. nov. B Zharou Cave, Parobisium qiangzhuang sp. nov. C Motian Cave, Parobisium motianense sp. nov. D Sanlou Cave, Parobisium sanlouense sp. nov.

Figure 10. Parobisium sanlouense sp. nov. Male habitus.

Figure 11. Parobisium sanlouense sp. nov. A Holotype male, dorsal view B Paratype female, dorsal view.

Figure 12. Parobisium sanlouense sp. nov., holotype male (A - F, H - I), female (G). A Carapace, dorsal view B Eye area, lateral view C Right chelicera, dorsal view D Right chela, lateral view E Right pedipalp, dorsal view F Male genitalia G Female genitalia H Right leg I, lateral view I Right leg IV, lateral view.

Figure 13. Parobisium sanlouense sp. nov., holotype male (A - D, G - M), female (E - F). A Carapace, dorsal view B Right chelicera, dorsal view C Rallum D Male genitalia E Female genitalia F Movable finger of chelicera (male), showing sclerotic knob G Movable finger of chelicera (female), showing sclerotic knob H Right pedipalp, dorsal view (trochanter, femur, and patella) I Subterminal tarsal seta J Right chelal fingers, lateral view K Right chela, dorsal view L Right leg I, lateral view M Right leg IV, lateral view. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (A - B), 0.1 mm (C, I), 0.25 mm (D - G), 1 mm (H, J - M).

Figure 20. Sanlou Cave, type locality of Parobisium sanlouense sp. nov. A Surrounding surface vegetation with cave entrance (white arrow) and sand mining operations adjacent to the cave B Entrance C Area where P. sanlouense specimens were collected D Terminus of Sanlou Cave with the potable water reservoir; specimens were collected near the reservoir.