On the external morphology of the male Neobisium cavernarum (L. Koch, 1873) (Neobisiidae, Pseudoscorpiones) from France

6 Pages·2001·0.51 MB·English

by  Dimitrijevic, Rajko N

Beaufortia
BULLETIN ZOOLOGICAL MUSEUM
UNIVERSITY OFAMSTERDAM
Vol. 51, no. 6 November 28, 2001
On theexternal morphology of themale Neobisium
cavernarum (L. Koch, 1873)(Neobisiidae,
Pseudoscorpiones) from France
RajkoN. Dimitrijevic
InstituteofZoology, Faculty ofBiology, Studentskitrg 16, 11000Belgrade, Yugoslavia
Abstract
A detailed and amended description oftheexternalmorphology of themale ofthe troglobitic speciesNeobisiumcavernarum
(L. Koch 1873)from the cave Grotted’Aubert, Ariège, France is presented. Taxonomic interrelationships with Neobisium
simoni(L.Koch 1873)arealsoconsidered.
Résumé
La morphologieexterne du male duNeobisium cavernarum (L. Koch 1873),espèce troglobitique trouvé dans le Grotte d’
Aubert, Ariège, France, est decrite etillustrée. Les principauxcaractères diagnostiqueset lesinterrelationstaxonomiques
avecN. simoni(L. Koch 1873)sontcomparéset considerés.
Key words:Pseudoscorpiones,Neobisiidae,Neobisiumcavernarum, morphology, caves, France
INTRODUCTION (1985) and Harvey (1991) this cave-dwelling
species isdistributed inseveral caves andpotholes
Nineteen cave-dwelling representatives of the in southern France and Spain (Grottes de
genus Neobisium Chamberlin 1930 are known to Troumajo, de Lournas, de Lestelas, du Portel, de
inhabit caves and potholes in France (Harvey, Peyournard, gouffre duCoumat).
1991). Among these neobisiid species, Neobisium Since the original description by Koch (1873)
(Neobisium) cavemarum was erected by L. Koch in andtheone givenby Beier(1963) are rathershort
1873and was basedupon the description of the by the present standards, the primary aim of this
specimen collected by E. Simon in a cave in study is to give an additional description of the
Ariège, southern France. According to Beier external morphologyof threestudiedmalesof N.
(1963), Leclerc & Heurtault (1979), Heurtault cavernarum.
103
MATERIALAND METHODS cheliceral finger (nine). Theflagellum eight-blad-
ed, thefirst blade (most proximal one) is separat-
Asample of threecave-dwelling pseudoscorpions ed from the rest of the blades. First two (most
were presented to the authorof this study by Dr proximal blades) are serrated on their anterior
Charles Gers (Laboratoire souterrain du CNRS, side; otherblades diminish in size from the distal
Moulis, France). Specimens were collected in the to theproximal endof the flagellum.
cave Grotte d'Aubert, near Moulis, St. Girons, Themanducatory process bears fourlong setae.
Ariège, southern France, on three occasions: The pedipalpal articles are reddish-brown. The
September 29, 1986, February 20, 1987, andJuly movable pedipalpal finger carries four, whilst the
30, 1987by Dr Charles Gers. Subsequent analy- fixedpedipalpal finger eight trichobothria (Fig. 6,
sis of the pseudoscorpion materialrevealed that Table 2.) Distally, on both pedipalpal fingers
all three specimens were males of N. cavernarum. small and asymmetrical teeth are developed.
They were carefully dissected and mounted in Proximally, on bothfingers, the teeth are round-
Swan's fluid and are presently deposited in the ed and close-set. The movable finger carries 59-
collection of the Institute of Zoology, Faculty of 63 whilst fixedpedipalpal finger has76-80 teeth.
Biology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Pedipalpal trochanter with tiny denticulations
Yugoslavia. (Fig. 7). Pedipalpal femur with granulations that
are developed on 2/3 of the femorallength (Fig.
SYSTEMATICPART 7). All other pedipalpal articles are devoid of
granulations. The chelal finger (1.15 mm)longer
DESCRIPTION. - The description of the external than the chelal palm (0.835 mm) and chelal
morphology of themale is as follows: femur (1.07 mm). The pedipalpal femur (1.07
The carapace longer thanbroadand yellowish- mm)is longer than thecarapace(0.815 mm).The
brown (Table 1, Fig. 1).Epistome triangular and femur is 5.35 times longer than it is broad.
well developed (Fig. 2). Anterior eyes larger than Trichobothriotaxy as in Table2 and Figs. 6-7.
posterior (with flattenedlenses) (Fig. 1). Preocular Tibia IV, basitarsus IV and telotarsus IV each
microsetae absent. Setal formulaof thecarapace: carry a single long tactile seta (Fig. 5). Tactile
4+6+6+6 = 22. setae on tibiaIV and telotarsusIV are withinthe
Tergite I withsix setae, tergite II carries six-seven proximal halfof the article, whilst thetactileseta
setae. Tergite IIIwith 10 setae whilst tergites IV- onbasitarsus IVis situatedin theproximal fifthof
X carry 11-12 setae (tergal setation presented in this podomere. Tactile seta ratios are presented in
Table2). Table 1.
Sternite II carries 10 small setae situated medial-
ly. Sternite III with 24 setae of unequal length. DISCUSSIONANDCONCLUSIONS
On theposterior andanteriorborder of this ster-
nite eight i.e. 10 longer setae are developed, Although linearmeasurements and morphomet-
whilst 10 setae are situated in the medianpartof ry ratios of certain (several) body parts of these
this sternite. Six short (microsetae) setae, posi- three analysed males differ slighdy from the val-
tioned in two opposite groups are found in the ues given by L. Koch(1873) and Beier (1963), we
middleof theanteriorsternalborder. Sternite IV are of the opinion that these differences should
carries ninesetae along theposterior sternal bor- bNe attributed to the intraspecific va.riation of
der.Sternites III andIV withtwo suprastigmatic cavernarum.
microsetaeoneachside(Fig. 4,Table 2). Sternites Dimitrijevic (1990, 2000) has studied external
V-X carry 11-14setae (sternal setation presented morphology and postembryonic development of
inTable2). all growth stages and both sexes of Neobisium
Galearoundedand low (Fig. 3). Cheliceralpalm simoni(L. Koch 1873). Theexamined specimens
with seven, movable cheliceral finger with one belonged to an epigean population of N. simoni
seta. (Fig. 3, Table 2). Cheliceral teeth small and collected from humus and leaf-litter in a mixed
of irregular shape. Fixed cheliceral finger with a oakforest inMoulisand Passerole, Ariège, south-
larger number of teeth (14) than the movable ern France.
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Table 1.Linear measurements (inmm) ofcertain body structures and their morphometric ratios in male ofNeobisium cav-
ernarum(L.Koch, 1873)andNeobisiumsimoni (L.Koch, 1873)fromFrance.
CHARACTER N.cavernarum(S N.simoniCf
BODY
length(1) 2.805 - 3.20 2.32 - 2.565
CARAPACE
length(2) 0.70 - 0.815 0.64 - 0.71
breadth(3) 0.60 - 0.64 0.62 - 0.72
ABDOMEN
length(4) 2.26 - 2.90 1.66 - 1.915
CHELICERAE
length(5) 0.51 - 0.53 0.47 - 0.58
breadth (6) 0.24 - 0.25 0.25 - 0.275
mov. fingerlength(7) 0.33 - 0.34 0.33 - 0.37
ratio 5/7 1.50 - 1.61 1.42 - 1.56
ratio 5/6 2.04 - 2.21 1.88 - 2.23
PEDIPALPS
lengthwithcoxa(8) 4.90 - 5.045 3.54 - 4.18
lengthwithout coxa(9) 4.26 - 4.415 2.98 - 3.63
ratio 9/1 1.53 - 1.775 1.43 - 1.72
coxa length(10) 0.62 - 0.63 0.48 - 0.56
trochanterlength(11) 0.49 - 0.53 0.41 - 0.46
femur length(12) 1.04 - 1.07 0.80 - 0.93
femur width(13) 0.20 - 0.21 0.20 - 0.23
ratio 12/13 5.05 - 5.35 3.95 - 4.65
ratio 12/2 1.31 - 1.48 1.23 - 1.45
patellalength(14) 0.825 - 0.85 0.57 - 0.70
patellawidth(15) 0.25 - 0.27 0.23 - 0.285
ratio 14/15 3.15 - 3.74 2.28 - 2.68
chela length(16) 1.895 - 1.975 1.42 - 1.62
chelawidth (17) 0.39 - 0.41 0.37 - 0.45
ratio 16/17 4.83 - 4.97 3.50 - 3.95
chelalpalmlength(18) 0.805 - 0.835 0.63 - 0.75
ratio 18/17 2.01 - 2.14 1.49 - 1.80
fingerlength(19) 1.09 - 1.15 0.78 - 0.89
ratio19/18 1.32 - 1.39 1.05 - 1.28
LEG IV
totallength(20) 3.45 - 3.48 2.765 - 3.155
coxalength(21) 0.43 - 0.45 0.35 - 0.41
trochanterlength(22) 0.40 - 0.42 0.295 - 0.38
trochanterwidth (23) 0.15 - 0.16 0.15 - 0.17
ratio 22/23 2.50 - 2.80 1.79 - 2.31
femorapatellalength(24) 0.90 - 0.94 0.78 - 0.92
femorapatellawidth(25) 0.24 - 0.27 0.23 - 0.26
ratio 24/25 3.46 - 3.79 3.39 - 3.71
tibialength(26) 0.845 - 0.87 0.63 - 0.74
tibiawidth (27) 0.12 - 0.14 0.12 - 0.13
ratio 26/27 6.11 - 7.25 5.08 - 5.69
basitarsuslength(28) 0.315 - 0.35 0.26 - 0.315
basitarsus width(29) 0.08 - 0.09 0.08 - 0.10
ratio 28/29 3.89 - 4.25 2.89 - 3.43
telotarsus length(30) 0.50 - 0.53 0.41 - 0.45
telotarsus width(31) 0.07 - 0.08 0.08 - 0.09
ratio 30/31 6.375 - 7.57 5.00 - 5.625
TSratio -tibia IV 0.40 - 0.43 0.34 - 0.40
TSratio -basitarsus IV 0.15-0.19 0.12-0.16
TSratio -telotarsus IV 0.37 - 0.41 0.265 - 0.44
105
Figs. 1-7.Neobisiumcavernarum(L.Koch 1873),male fromGrotte d’Aubert,Ariège,France. 1,carapace. 2, epistome. 3, che-
licera. 4, genitalarea.5, leg IV. 6, pedipalpal chela. 7,pedipalp (scale linesin mm).
N. simoniis primarily an epigean species inhab- grotte".
iting leaf-litter and humus and according to On the basis of" thepresentstudy of the exter-
Heurtault(1985) N.simoniis also troglophilic - itis nal morphology of three males of N. cavernarum
found together withN. cavernarum in several caves and comparison of the equivalent evidence pre-
in southern France. Heurtault (1985) states that sentedelsewhere (Dimitrijevic, 1990, 2000) forN.
"la détérminationentre les deux espèces est par- simoni, a more sound distinction between N. cav-
ticulièrement difficile quand les spécimens sont ernarum andNeobisium simoni can be made. These
racoltes à différentes profondeurs de la même two species can be mutually distinguished upon
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Table2. Numberofsetae andteeth onvariousbodystructuresinN. cavernarum(L.Koch) andN.simoni(L.Koch)fromFrance.
CHARACTER N. cavernarum.<3 N. simonia
CARAPACE
Anteriorrow 4 4
Ocular row 6 6
Median-intermedian row 6 5 - 8
Posteriorrow 6 6 - 8
Total numberofsetae 22 21 - 24
Microsetae 0 0
TERGITES
I 6 6 - 9
II 6 - 7 9 - 11
III 10 9 - 12
IV 11-12 10 - 11
V 11-12 10 - 11
VI 11-12 11-12
VII 10 - 11 9 - 12
VIII 10 - 11 9 - 12
IX 10-11 9 - 11
X 10 - 11 9 - 10
STERNITES
II 10 9 - 16
III 24 21 - 37
(16 (10 - 19
8) 11 - 16)
IV 9 9 - 12
V 13 12 - 17
VI 13 12 - 14
VII 12 - 14 10 - 14
VIII 12 - 14 10 - 13
IX 11-13 9 - 11
X 11-12 9 - 13
III: stigmalmicrosetae 2 2 - 5
IV:stigmalmicrosetae 2 2 - 5
CHELICERAE
Movable linger 1 1
Fixed finger 7 6 - 7
PEDIPALPS
Manducatoryprocess 4 4
Pedipalpalcoxa 6 6 - 7
Trichobothria- movablefinger 4 4
Trichobothria- fixedfinger 8 8
CHELICERAE
Movablefinger:numberofteeth 8 - 10 6 - 10
Fixedfinger:number ofteeth 12 - 15 8 - 16
PEDIPALPS
Movable finger:numberofteeth 59 - 63 54 - 65
Fixed finger:number ofteeth 76 - 80 59 - 70
thebasis of thefollowing differences: thepedipal- some morphometric ratios (Table 1).
pal femurgranulation (more prominent andwell As pointed out earlier by Heurtault(1985) the
developed in N. cavernarum), femur length/ absence of studies devotedto the biometrics and
breadth ratio (5.05-5.35 inN. cavernarum vs. 3.95- morphological variation of pseudoscorpion
4.65 in N. simoni), by the presence/absence of species poses greatproblemsforthesystematics of
small tuberclessituatedon the externalandprox- this arachnid group. Future complex investiga-
imalpart of the pedipalpal femur (present in N. tions of pseudoscorpion populations, and espe-
simoni vs. absent in N. cavernarum), as well as by cially of cave-dwelling species, will give better
107
insight bothof intra-and interspecific variability. DIMITRIJEVIC,R., 2000. Onthepostembryonic develop-
ment and external morphology ofNeobisium simoni (L.
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