An annotated checklist and a family key to the pseudoscorpion fauna (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones) of Sri Lanka
Author
Batuwita, Sudesh
Author
Benjamin, Suresh P.
text
Zootaxa
2014
3814
1
37
67
journal article
36838
10.11646/zootaxa.3814.1.2
cfd097cc-dab1-426f-9d0f-b8dd58ef9ae6
1175-5326
286221
956B2058-72D3-4C91-BBC8-ACD664F06F8B
Olpium jacobsoni
Tullgren, 1908
(
Fig.
4
I)
Olpium jacobsoni
Tullgren 1908
: 148
–150, fig 1;
Ellingsen 1913
: 455
.
Distribution.
India
;
Indonesia
(Java;
type
locality);
Sri Lanka
;
Taiwan
;
Thailand
.
Previous record.
No specific locality,
Ceylon
(=
Sri Lanka
), Arthur Willey,
22 October 1906
(
Ellingsen 1913
).
New records.
North Western Province:
Kurunegala District: L 10;
Eastern Province:
Ampara District: L 12;
Sabaragamuwa Provinc:
Kegalle District: L 28.
Remarks.
This species is tentatively identified based on Tullgren’s (1908) original description. The new specimens were collected by tree beating as well as litter sieving. The specimens, all males, have the following length/width ratios: carapace 1.4 (vs.
1.2 in
male
O
. ceylonicum
), pedipalpal femur 2.6–2.9 (vs. 3.6), patella 2.2–2.5 (vs. 2.8) and chela 3.0–3.4 (vs. 3.0). The length/width ratios given by
Tullgren (1908)
were carapace 1.37, pedipalpal femur 3.0 and patella 2.4.
The records of
Olpium ceylonicum
and
O
. jacobsoni
from
Sri Lanka
need further consideration. Ellingsen’s (1913) record of
Olpium jacobsoni
from
Sri Lanka
was based on a single specimen, which was sent to BMNH by Prof. Arthur Willey of the National Museum, Colombo. Unfortunately, as with many old records of the fauna of
Sri Lanka
, the exact locality of the specimen is unknown. Furthermore, Ellingsen’s (1913) record of
O
. jacobsonii
from
Sri Lanka
lacks a detailed description of the specimen. It is possible that Ellingsen’s record might instead pertain to
Olpium ceylonicum
: the descriptions of these two species (
Tullgren, 1908
;
Beier, 1973
) are very similar.