searchable PDF - Association for Mexican Cave Studies

chela 1.75 mm long), with relatively robust appendages(chela LIB = 3.25), and with poorly developedeyes.Description of female (male unknown).-Bodytan, palps light brown. Carapace longer than broad;with a low, triangular epistome; 4 small, scarcelycomeate eyes; about 30 setae, 4 at anterior and 7 atposterior margin. Coxal area typical; palpal coxaewith 4 apical setae on right and 5 on left.Abdomen long ovate. Tergal chaetotaxy 8: 13: 13:13:13:16:12:16:12:11:3:2. Anterior genital operculumwith 3 or 4 setae on either side of midline, posterioroperculum with 13 marginal setae (Fig. 5);each spiracle with 6 or 7 guard setae; stemites with14-15 marginal setae, and, in addition, stemites 6-8with 2 setae on face near middle.Chelicera 0.65 as long as carapace; hand with 7setae; galea bifurcated near end, each ramus with2-3 terminal branches; flagellum of 8 pinnate setae.Palp rather short and heavy (Fig. 6); femur 1.15and chela 1.67 times as long as carapace. Trochanter2.0, femur 3.8, tibia 2.7, and chela (includingpedicel) 3.25 times as long as broad; hand(including pedicel) 1.55 times as long as deep; depthof hand greater (1.15 times) than breadth; movablefinger 0.93 as long as hand with pedicel. Femur andchelal hand at base of fingers moderately granulate,other parts smooth. Trichobothria as shown in Fig.7. Fixed fmger with 44 and movable finger with 55marginal teeth, only 8-10 at distal end of each fingerwith cusps.Legs normal. Leg IV with entire femur 3.95 andtibia 5.75 times as long as deep. Tibia and each tarsuswith a tactile seta. Subterminal tarsal setaespinous in distal third.Measurements (mm).-Body length 3.51. Carapacelength 0.96. Chelicera length 0.62. Palpal trochanter0.56 by 0.28; femur 1.10 by 0.29; tibia0.97 by 0.36; chela (without pedicel) 1.61 by 0.54;hand (without pedicel) 0.805 by 0.62; pedicel 0.155long; movable finger 0.895 long. Leg IV: entirefemur 0.91 by 0.23; tibia 0.805 by 0.14.Etymology.-The species is named comanche forthe cave in which it is found, New Comanche TrailCave.Remarks.-Tartarocreagris comanche is distinguishedfrom the other known species of the genusby its lesser modification for cave existence; it issmaller and more robust, is darker in color, and has4 (albeit small) eyes. It is almost like an epigeanform, but (in the absence of a non-cave representativeof Tartarocreagris) compared to Cryptocreagrislaudabilis (Hoff) it is much lighter and has poorlydeveloped eyes.In most neobisiid pseudoscorpions the hand ofthe palpal chela is almost round in cross section or alittle flattened in a dorsal-ventral direction, that is,the depth is equal to or less than the breadth. In T.comanche, however, the depth of the hand is greaterthan the breadth, by a significant factor of 1.15. Theimportance of this unusual construction is unknown,but it may be analogous to the situation in some 01­piids (e.g. AldabriJlus aldabrinus Chamberlin) andsome chemetids (e.g. Dinocheirus tenoch Chamberlin)where similar deep chelal hands are developed.FAMILY BOCHICIDAE CHAMBERLINGenus Leucohya ChamberlinLeucohya Chamberlin, 1946:7; Muchmore, 1986:26.This genus is represented by only 3 species, fromNuevo LeOn, Mexico, and Texas. All are troglobites.Leucohya texana MuchmoreLeucohya texana Muchmore, 1986:26, figs. 16-18.The holotype female of this species was found inFrio Queen Cave, Uvalde County, Texas. No otherrepresentative is known.FAMILY SYARINIDAE CHAMBERLINGenus Chitrella BeierChitrella Beier, 1932a: 165; Malcolm and Chamberlin,1960:2; Muchmore, 1973:183; 1982:218,219.Representatives of this genus have been recordedfrom the states of Califomia, Utah, New Mexico,Colorado, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.Three of the 7 known species are troglobitic. Epigeanforms are found in moist litter.Chitrella welbourni, new speciesFigs. 8-10Chitrella sp.: Welboum, 1978:31.Type-data.-Holotype male (WM3757.01001)and paratype male in Berlese of material from134