A revision of the species of the pseudoscorpion subgenus Chthonius (Ephippiochthonius) (Arachnida, Pseudoscorpiones, Chthoniidae) from Italy and neighbouring areas
Author
Gardini, Giulio
text
Zootaxa
2013
3655
1
1
151
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.3655.1.1
a6990774-66c7-4586-b14e-354b42d0857b
1175-5326
223358
FC302AA5-49CC-41B0-9A66-23C11AB4EBAE
[
Chthonius
(E.)
corsicus
Callaini, 1981
]
(
Figs 50–53
)
Chthonius corsicus
Callaini 1981: 315
, figs IIIa–f, IV.
Type
locality:
France
,
Corsica
, Dept. Haute-Corse, Bastia, San-Martino-di-Lota (42°43ʹ26ʺN 9°27ʹ21ʺE).
Distribution.
Corsica
.
Diagnosis (
3
).
An oculated epigean
Chthonius (Ephippiochthonius)
from
Corsica
that differs from other species of the
C. fuscimanus
group in the following combination of characters: movable cheliceral finger without isolated subapical tooth (
di
); fixed chelal finger at level of
est-it
with 4 teeth occupying
0.1 mm
(distance between successive apices
0.026 mm
); length of chela 0.655–0.67 (3), length of pedipalpal movable finger 0.38–0.39 (3); ratio of pedipalpal femur/carapace 1.35–1.4 (3).
Material examined.
FRANCE
—
Corsica
:
1 3, Bastia, near Erbalunga,
22.V.1982
, S. Zoia & A. Torchia leg.,
Quercus ilex
wood on limestone.
Description of adult (
3; Ƥ
unknown).
Integument with weak pigmentation, carapace, tergites, chelicerae and pedipalps pale brown; evident hispid granulation on lateral surface of carapace, on cheliceral palm and on base of movable chelal finger. Carapace 1.05–1.1 times as long as broad, subquadrate, posteriorly weakly constricted; anterior margin (fig. 50) between median macrosetae with spaced out denticles, without epistome; ocular area as in fig. 51, anterior eyes with fairly convex lens (diameter
0.028 mm
), posterior eyes reduced to a smooth cuticular area; distance from anterior eyes to anterior margin of carapace
0.03 mm
; chaetotaxy mm
4mm
:6:4:2:2 (18), macrosetae fine; length of anteromedian macrosetae
0.08 mm
. Chaetotaxy of tergites
I–X 4
:4:4:4:6:6:6:6:6:4. Chaetotaxy of sternites
II–X 10
:(3)8(3):(2)7(2):7o8:6:6:6:6:7; genital opening of males flanked by 6–8 setae on each side. Chelicerae (figs 52) 2.1–2.4 times as long as broad, palm with 6 setae and 1 or 2 microsetae laterally; fixed finger with 6–7 subequal teeth and 5–6 proximal microtubercles; movable finger with 5 teeth proximally reduced in size and 3–4 proximal microtubercles, isolated subapical tooth (
di
) absent;
gl
ratio 0.59; spinneret weakly raised; rallum with 11 blades; serrulae interior and exterior respectively with 12 and 14 blades. Coxal setae: pedipalp 5 (including 2 on manducatory process),
I 3
+ 3 marginal microsetae,
II 4
,
III 5
,
IV 6
; coxa II with 7–9 coxal spines, coxa III with 4–5 coxal spines; intercoxal tubercle bisetose. Pedipalp (fig. 53): femur 5.6–6.0 times as long as broad, with hispid granulation basally; chela 5.5–5.8 times as long as deep; hand of chela 2.4–2.5 times as long as deep, weakly depressed at level of
ib-isb
, without hump distad of
ib-isb
; fixed chelal finger with 12–13 triangular teeth with dental canals, the two distal teeth smaller, the first proximal tooth smaller and with tip rounded; base of fixed finger with 6–7 microtubercles; tip of fixed finger with a modified accessory tooth (
td
) on antiaxial face; fixed chelal finger at level of
est-it
with 4 teeth occupying
0.1 mm
(distance between successive apices
0.026 mm
); distal half of movable chelal finger with 7 upright, triangular teeth, the proximal one smaller, with dental canals; proximal half of movable finger with thick marginal lamina weakly undulated, with vestiges of 3 teeth back to
sb
; coupled sensilla
pc
at level with
sb
; trichobothria as in fig. 53,
ist
a little distad of the line
eb-esb
; basal apodeme of movable finger strongly sclerotized, squat, apically truncate; ratio of movable finger/hand of chela 1.3–1.35; ratio of pedipalpal femur/movable finger 1.2–1.3; ratio of pedipalpal femur/carapace 1.35–1.4.
FIGURES 50–53
.
Chthonius
(E.)
corsicus
Callaini, 1981
, male (Corsica, Bastia, near Erbalunga). 50, anterior margin of carapace; 51, anterolateral portion of carapace; 52, right chelicera; 53, right chela, lateral view.
Measurements (in mm). Body length 1.20–1.26. Carapace 0.35 × 0.32–0.33 (0.29 anteriorly). Chelicerae 0.27– 0.28 × 0.11–0.137, movable finger length 0.14–0.15. Pedipalp: femur 0.47–0.48 × 0.08–0.084; chela 0.655–0.67 × 0.115–0.12; hand length 0.29; movable finger length 0.38–0.39.
Remarks.
Among the species of the
Chthonius fuscimanus
group,
C. corsicus
is related to
C. giustii
and
C. siscoensis
, both from
Corsica
. It differs from the epigean
C. giustii
in its larger size [length of chela
0.655–0.67 mm
(3) in
C. corsicus
,
0.33–0.36 mm
(3) in
C. giustii
], the shape of pedipalpal hand (weakly depressed at level of
ibisb
with a rectangular profile in
C. corsicus
, depressed at level of
ib-isb
with a square profile in
C. giustii
) and the pedipalps being more slender [chela 5.5–5.8 (3) times as long as deep in
C. corsicus
, 4.8–5.15 (3) in
C. giustii
].
C. corsicus
differs from the hypogean
C. siscoensis
in many troglomorphic characters.
The above redescription of
C. corsicus
incorporates the original one of Callaini (1981).