Cave-dwelling Neobisiidae in South China Karst, with descriptions of twelve new species of Bisetocreagris (Pseudoscorpiones, Neobisiidae) from Guizhou Province Author Feng, Zegang 0000-0002-5809-5984 Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, P. R. China https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 5809 - 5984 & College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China chenj @ ioz. ac. cn; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 0325 - 2532 & Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Application, Hebei Basic Science Center for Biotic Interaction, College of Life sciences, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei 071002, P. R. China dudu 06042001 @ 163. com; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 3347 - 1031 * Corresponding author chenj@ioz.ac.cn Author Zhang, Feng 0000-0002-3347-1031 Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Application, Hebei Basic Science Center for Biotic Interaction, College of Life sciences, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei 071002, P. R. China dudu 06042001 @ 163. com; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 3347 - 1031 * Corresponding author dudu06042001@163.com Author Chen, Jun 0000-0002-5809-5984 Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, P. R. China https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 5809 - 5984 & College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China chenj @ ioz. ac. cn; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 0325 - 2532 chenj@ioz.ac.cn text Zootaxa 2023 2023-12-28 5395 1 1 77 https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/download/zootaxa.5395.1.1/52550 journal article 10.11646/zootaxa.5395.1.1 1175-5334 10438327 CCA38E8E-26E5-47D4-A27D-305554F6097F Bisetocreagris que sp. nov. (M双ŁÞ伪AE) http://zoobank.org:act: 6620E118-7B25-41A0-9C7A-B8D5AF3B2FA4 Figs 42–46 Type material. Holotype male (Ps.- MHBU-GZ18060701 ): China , Guizhou Province , Sandu County , Sandong Town , Banmen Village , Yanggong Cave ( âṅå三DZ县三ñDzdzḧťữȓñ ), [ 25°42′59.1″N , 107°55′46.78″E ], 804 m a.s.l. , 7 June 2018 , Sunbin Huang leg. Paratypes : 1 male (Ps.- MHBU-GZ19080101 ) , 1 female (Ps.- MHBU-GZ19080102 ), same location as holotype, 1 August 2019 , Zegang Feng , Chen Zhang leg. Etymology. The species name, que , was derived from the Latinized Mandarin phrase for “no and without” quē ( M ), which refers to the absence of setae on antero-lateral margin of carapace. Distribution and habitat. This new species is known only from the type locality Yanggong Cave ( Figs 1B , 42 ), located ~ 2 km southeast of Sandong Town, Sandong County. The nearest farmland is about 40 m from the entrance. The entrance is a man-made rectangular stone wall ( 2 m high and 1.5 m wide) with two round stone gates. Inside the entrance, there is an artificial stone path on the right. After going down for about 80 m , there is a horizontally extending cave hall, where all specimens were collected under the rock in the dark zone. Diagnosis. ( ♂ ♀ ). Troglomorphic habitus; carapace without eyes or eyespots; epistome small and triangular; carapace with 7–8 setae on posterior margin; pedipalp smooth except for the hand and inner side of lateral femur, which is finely granular, both chelal fingers with 99–105 teeth; femur 5.16–5.25 times (length 1.65–1.68), patella 3.55–3.69 times (length 1.42–1.44) longer than wide, pedicel about half the entire length of patella. Hand with pedicel 2.22–2.28 ( ♂ ), 2.06 ( ♀ ) times (length 1.22–1.23 ( ♂ ), 1.28 ( ♀ )), chela with pedicel 4.53–4.63 ( ♂ ), 4.18 ( ♀ ) times (length 2.49–2.50 ( ♂ ), 2.59 ( ♀ )) longer than wide, finger 1.20–1.22 ( ♂ ), 1.19 ( ♀ ) times longer than hand with pedicel. Chelicera: rallum with 8 pinnate setae, distal one with an expanded base. FIGURE 42. Yanggong Cave, type locality of Bisetocreagris que sp. nov. , A. Entrance, stacked by stone walls and stone gates; B. Another stone gate inside the cave; C. The passage inside the cave; D. Area where B. que sp. nov. specimens were collected (under the rock). Description. Male ( holotype ; paratype male in parentheses; Figs 43A , 44A ). Carapace, chelicerae, and pedipalps reddish brown; abdomen and legs yellowish. Carapace ( Figs 45A , 46A–B ): smooth, 1.21 times longer than wide, with a total of 24 (23) setae, including 4 on anterior margin, 8 (7) on posterior margin; without eyes or eyespots ( Fig. 45B ); epistome small and triangular. Chelicera ( Figs 45C , 46B–C, E ): hand with 7 setae, movable finger with 1 submedial seta; fixed finger with 15–16 (18–20) teeth; movable finger with 14–15 (14–19) teeth; serrula exterior with 37 lamellae; serrula interior with 23–24 lamellae. Galea ( Fig. 46E ) divided into 2 main branches, and each one branch divided two sub-branches. Rallum ( Fig. 46C ) with 8 pinnate blades, distal-most blade with a slightly expanded base, distal-most 2 blades separated from others, proximal one short. Pedipalps ( Figs 45D–E , 46I–K ): apex of coxae rounded, with 5 (4) setae on each side, pedipalpal coxae with 7 setae. Pedipalp smooth except for hand and inside lateral of femur, which is finely granular. Trochanter 2.38 times longer than wide, femur 5.16 (5.25), patella 3.67 (3.55) times longer than wide, pedicel about half the entire length of patella, chela (with pedicel) 4.53 (4.63), chela (without pedicel) 4.16 (4.24) times longer than wide, movable finger 1.41 (1.43) 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 middle; it closer to fingertip than et ; on movable finger st nearer to t than to sb , the distance between b and s b longer than that of st between t , the distance between sb and b is somewhat equal to that of sb and st ( Figs 45D , 46I–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 104 (100) teeth of unequal length, which are blunt and rounded in distal part, flat in the middle, flat and the length is unequal in basal part; movable finger with 105 (104) teeth, which are blunt and retrorse in distal and middle part, flat and the length is unequal in basal part; all teeth contiguous. FIGURE 43. Live individuals of Bisetocreagris que sp. nov. (A: male; B: female) on the ground. Abdomen: pleural membrane granulated. Tergal chaetotaxy (I–XI): 7:9:11:12:12:12:13:14:15:16:10 (9:11:11:12:12:12:15:13:16:13:11); sternal chaetotaxy (V–XI): 10:17:17:18:18:17:14:4 (8:16:18:20:18:15:16:5); stigmata with 5–7 (5–6) setae; anal cone with 2 dorsal and 2 ventral setae. Male genital area ( Figs 45F , 46G ): sternite II with 34 (37) scattered setae; sternite III with anteromedian groove flanked by one small seta on each side, with 21 (18) posterior setae. Legs: coxa chaetotaxy (I–IV): 6–8:6–7:3–4:9 (7:5–6:3–5:8–10). Leg I ( Figs 45H , 46L ): femur 4.61 (4.47), patella 3.63 (3.69), tibia 6.50 (7.27), basitarsus 3.70 (3.89), telotarsus 5.20 (5.10) times longer than wide, femur 1.43 (1.44) times longer than patella, telotarsus 1.41 (1.46) times longer than basitarsus. Leg IV ( Figs 45I , 46D, M ): femur + patella 5.11 (5.32) times longer than wide, femur shorter than patella, tibia 7.76 (7.88), basitarsus 3.46, telotarsus 6.09 (5.42) times longer than wide, telotarsus 1.49 (1.44) times longer than basitarsus; basitarsus with one tactile setae (TS=0.13–0.16), telotarsus with one tactile setae (TS=0.40–0.43); subterminal tarsal seta ( Fig. 46D ) bifurcated, both branches dentated; arolium undivided, shorter than the slender and simple claws. Female ( paratype ; Figs 43B , 44B ): mostly same as holotype and paratype males. Chelicera. Hand with 6–7 setae, movable finger with 1 submedial seta; fixed finger with 16–18 teeth; movable finger with 13–15 teeth; serrula exterior with 34 lamellae; serrula interior with 24 lamellae. Galea divided into 4 branches; rallum of 8 blades, and similar to holotype . Pedipalps. Apex of coxae rounded, with 4–5 setae on each side. Pedipalpal coxae with 5–8 setae. Trochanter 2.42, femur 5.25, patella 3.69, chela (with pedicel) 4.18, chela (without pedicel) 3.82 times longer than wide, movable finger 1.41 times longer than hand (without pedicel). Fixed chelal finger with about 99 teeth, movable finger with about 102 teeth. Abdomen. Tergal chaetotaxy (I–XI): 7:11:12:12:12:12:14:15:16:15:10;sternal chaetotaxy (IV–XI): 9:16:18:18:19:20:17:4. Female genital area ( Figs 45G , 46H ): sternite II with 4–6 setae on each side; sternite III with a row of 13 setae on the posterior margin. FIGURE 44. Bisetocreagris que sp. nov. , A. Holotype male, dorsal view; B. Paratype female, dorsal view. Measurements: (length/breadth or depth in mm; ratios for most characters in parentheses). Holotype male ( paratype male in square brackets). Body length 3.53 [3.68]. Carapace 1.05/0.87 (1.21) [1.08/0.89 (1.21)]. Pedipalpal trochanter 0.76/0.32 (2.38) [0.76/0.32 (2.38)], femur 1.65/0.32 (5.16) [1.68/0.32 (5.25)], patella 1.43/0.39 (3.67) [1.42/0.40 (3.55)], chela (with pedicel) 2.49/0.55 (4.53) [2.50/0.54 (4.63)], chela (without pedicel) 2.29/0.55 (4.16) [2.29/0.54 (4.24)], hand length (without pedicel) 1.04 [1.05], movable finger length 1.47 (1.41 times longer than hand without pedicel) [1.50 (1.43 times longer than hand without pedicel)]. Leg I: trochanter 0.28/0.21 (1.33) [0.27/0.22 (1.23)], femur 0.83/0.18 (4.61) [0.85/0.19 (4.47)], patella 0.58/0.16 (3.63) [0.59/0.16 (3.69)], tibia 0.78/0.12 (6.50) [0.80/0.11 (7.27)], basitarsus 0.37/0.10 (3.70) [0.35/0.09 (3.89)], telotarsus 0.52/0.10 (5.20) [0.51/0.10 (5.10)]. Leg IV: trochanter 0.51/0.23 (2.22) [0.54/0.22 (2.45)], femur + patella 1.43/0.28 (5.11) [1.49/0.28 (5.32)], tibia 1.32/0.17 (7.76) [1.34/0.17 (7.88)], basitarsus 0.45/0.13 (3.46) [0.45/0.13 (3.46)], telotarsus 0.67/0.11 (6.09) [0.65/0.12 (5.42)]. Female ( paratypes ). Body length 3.69. Carapace 1.06/0.91 (1.16). Pedipalpal trochanter 0.80/0.33 (2.42), femur 1.68/0.32 (5.25), patella 1.44/0.39 (3.69), chela (with pedicel) 2.59/0.62 (4.18), chela (without pedicel) 2.37/0.62 (3.82), hand length (without pedicel) 1.08, movable finger length 1.52 (1.41 times longer than hand without pedicel). Leg I: trochanter 0.28/0.20 (1.40), femur 0.85/0.20 (4.25), patella 0.59/0.16 (3.69), tibia 0.74/0.12 (6.17), basitarsus 0.38/0.10 (3.80), telotarsus 0.49/0.10 (4.90). Leg IV: trochanter 0.53/0.22 (2.41), femur + patella 1.45/0.31 (4.68), tibia 1.34/0.16 (8.38), basitarsus 0.44/0.13 (3.38), telotarsus 0.66/0.12 (5.50). Remarks. Bisetocreagris que sp. nov. can be distinguished from B. chuanensis Mahnert et Li, 2016 by the absence of eyes or eyespots ( vs. B. chuanensis with 2 anterior eyes with indistinct lenses), the pedipalpal femur 5.16‒5.25 ( ♂ ), 5.25 ( ♀ ) times longer than wide ( vs. 4.4‒4.6 ( ♂ ), 4.8 ( ♀ ) times in B. chuanensis ), and the presence of fine granulations on pedipalp chelal hand and inner side of lateral femur ( vs. dorsodistal part of hand with fine granulation in B. chuanensis ). FIGURE 45. Bisetocreagris que 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 46. Bisetocreagris que sp. nov. , holotype male (A–G, I–M), female (H). A. Carapace, dorsal view; B. Right chelicera, dorsal view; C. Rallum; D. Subterminal tarsal seta; E. Galea; F. Movable finger of chelicera, showing galea; G. Male genitalia, ventral view; H. Female genitalia, ventral view; I. Right chela, dorsal view; J. Right chelal fingers, retrolateral view; K. Right pedipalp, minus chela, dorsal view; L. Right leg I, lateral view; M. Right leg IV, lateral view. Scale bars: 0.1 mm (C–D, F), 0.25 mm (B, G–H), 0.5 mm (A, I–J, M), 1 mm (K–L). The new species can be distinguished from B. martii ( Mahnert, 2003 ) by the absence of eyes or eyespots ( vs. B. martii with 4 small distinct eyes); the female pedipalpal femur 5.25 times longer than wide ( vs. 4.25 times in B. martii ), the patella 3.69 times longer than wide ( vs. 2.7 times in B. martii ), the chela (with pedicel) 4.18 times longer than wide ( vs. 3.45 times in B. martii ), and the presence of fine granulations on the chelal hand and inner side of lateral femur ( vs. femur with indistinctly granulate medially and hand with finely granulate mediodistally in B. martii ). Bisetocreagris que sp. nov. is similar to B. ampla sp. nov. in having a similar pedipalps. Their differences can be referred to the Remarks of B. ampla sp. nov. .