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searchable PDF - Association for Mexican Cave Studies

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Distrihution.-Known only from the type-locality.See Fig. 20.Discussion.-This species is known only from asingle female. It appears to be most closely related toV. maya but is less attenuate.Vachonium maya ChamberlinVaehonium maya Chamberlin, 1947:5, 8-9, fig. 24­36; Chamberlin and Malcolm, 1960: 114; Muchmore,1969:32; Reddell, 1971b:28; Muchmore,1972a:261, 267; Muchmore, 1973a:57; Muchmore,1977:72; Reddell, 1977b:230, 239, 240,285.Type-locaIity.-Cueva de Balaam Canche (=Grutasde Balankanche), Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico.Distribution.-Known only from the type-locality.See Fig. 20.Discussion.-This species appears to be mostclosely related to the geographically near species V.kauae. It has recently been collected from beneathrocks at the type-locality.Suborder MonosphyronidaFamily CheiridiidaeThe family Cheiridiidae is known from undeterminedspecimens recently collected from two caves inthe Sierra de Ticul, Yucatan.Family CheliferidaeA single species of the· family Cheliferidae, Mexieheliferreddelli Muchmore, has been collected froma cave in Mexico. It was found in the entrance area ofCueva de las Carnicerias, San Luis Potosi. Althoughits ecological status is uncertain, it is probably a troglophile.Family ChernetidaeThe family Chernetidat is the best represented ofall families of pseudoscorpions in <strong>Mexican</strong> caves, althoughapparently contributing no troglobites to thefauna. J. C. Chamberlin (1938) described two speciesof this family from caves in Yucatan: Lustroehernesminor and Parazaona eavieola. Nicholas (1962) listedthese as troglobites, but they should be considered astroglophiles. Specimens from caves in all parts ofMexico, Guatemala, and Belize that have been visitedare now under study by Dr. W. B. Muchmore. He hastentatively identified the genera Dinoeheirus, Hesperoehernes,Lustroehernes, Neoalloehernes, and Semeioehernesfrom caves in this area. Chernetids are commonlyfound in bat guano, where they may be presentin vast numbers.Order UropygidaFamily ThelyphonidaeThe order Uropygida is primarily tropical in distribution,although one species ranges north into subtropicalregions. A single species of whipscorpion,Mastigoproetus giganteus Lucas, is known from thecaves of Mexico. It has been found on walls near theentrance of eleven caves in the states of Coahuila,Hidalgo, San Luis Potosi, and Tamaulipas.Order SchizomidaThe order Schizomida is an important and, untilrecently, a neglected element of the soil and litterfauna of Mexico and Central America. It is worldwidein distribution but rare in temperate regions. In NorthAmerica schizomids are known from Panama into thesouthern United States. The order in Mexico appearsto be limited to southern Mexico and along the eastternslopes of the Sierra Madre Oriental to Monterrey.Relict populations have been found in caves andother mesic habitats north and east into south Texas.Epigean schizornids are commonly found beneathrocks along hillsides, but they also may be collectedin leaf litter. <strong>Cave</strong>rnicole schizomids are usuallyfound on the underside of rotting wood, in organicdebris, and beneath rocks. Some are found runningover silt banks and in bat guano.All North American schizomids lack true eyes, althoughsome retain small "eyespots." Epigean speciestend to he fairly robust, orange-brown to green, andmost have distinct eyespots. The cavernicole speciesrange from very dark,' robust <strong>for</strong>ms to elongate, pale<strong>for</strong>ms. Ten of the described species appear to be sufficientlypale, delicate, and poorly sclerotized towarrant inclusion in this list as cave-adapted <strong>for</strong>ms.Family ProtoschizomidaeThe family Protoschizomidae contains two genera,each with two described species. Protosehizomuspachypalpus (Rowland) is known only from epigeanlocalities in Tamaulipas, while P. oeeidentalis Rowlandis known only from a single epigean site in Colima.The genus Agastosehizomus contains twodescribed and one undescribed species of troglobite.Agastosehizomus huitzmolotitlensis RowlandSehizomus sp.: Reddell, 1967d: 106; Reddell, 1971b:28 (S6tano de Huitzmolotitla record only).Agastosehizomus huitzmolotitlensis Rowland, 1975b:6,8-10, fig. 3; Rowland, 1975a:28, 44,45,46-47,48-49,50, 167-168, fig. 17; Rowland and Reddell,1977:80, 81-82, fig. I; Rowland and Reddell,1979a:162, 167, 169, 170, fig. 4, 7.124

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