Biologia, Bratislava, 62/1: 84—87, 2007 Section Zoology DOI: 10.2478/s11756-007-0014-7

Roncus travuniensis sp. n. (Neobisiidae, Pseudoscorpiones), a troglobitic false from Bosnia-Herzegovina

Božidar P.M. Curči´ c´ &RajkoN.Dimitrijevic´

Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski Trg 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; e-mail: bcur- [email protected]

Abstract: A new , Roncus travuniensis sp. n. (Neobisiidae, Pseudoscorpiones), was collected in the Arenstorfova Pe´cina Cave, near Trebinje, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The main morphological traits of the specimen studied clearly demonstrate its affinities with Roncus vulcanius Beier, 1938. Additionally, some taxonomic and biogeographical traits of this new pseudoscorpion are also discussed. Key words: ; Neobisiidae; Roncus travuniensis; cave fauna; Bosnia and Herzegovina

Introduction Swan’s fluid (gum chloral medium) and deposited in the collections of the Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Despite the enormous growth of ecological investiga- University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade (IZBF 0101). ´ tions in recent decades (Harvey 1990), pseudoscorpions Setal designations follow Beier (1932) and Curči´c in Bosnia and Herzegovina (and especially in Herzegov- (1977). ina) have seldom received attention (Curči´´ c 1974). This is remarkable because they inhabit strata from leaf- Neobisiidae J.C. Chamberlin, 1930 litter to deep soil and are more or less associated with Roncus L. Koch, 1873 many groups of soil- and cave-living organisms. The rea- son may be their small body size, scattered literature, Roncus travuniensis sp. n. (Figs 1–8, Table 1) and anticipated low population density. Another rea- son, probably responsible for the low number of records Description. Epistome small, knob-like (Figs 4, 6). in biospeleological literature, is that pseudoscorpions The dorsal side of the cephalothorax (carapace) is con- still are unfamiliar to many, ever well-trained soil and siderably longer than wide (Fig. 6; Table 1). The cara- cave biologists. pacalsetationis4+6+7+6 = 23(Fig.6);the It is well known that some species of cave- probable setal formula is either 4 + 6 + 6 + 6 = 22 inhabiting occur in exceedingly low population or 4 + 6 + 8 + 6 = 24 setae. Eyes absent (Fig. 6). densities while others may occur in remarkably high The number of setae on tergites I–X is variable. In numbers. The pseudoscorpions probably belong to the holotype female, tergal formula is 6-8-9-10-10-10-9-9-9- former group and seem to be rare in caves, but there is 8 setae. Twelfth abdominal segment with two pairs of no doubt that a great number of subterranean species small setae. still remain to be discovered. In the female, sternite II bears eight setae, ster- A thorough study of some pseudoscorpions from a nite III – 12 posterior setae and three suprastigmatic small collection, made by Ivo M. Karaman (Novi Sad), setae on either side, sternite IV – 11 posterior setae and has yielded a new species of the Roncus L. Koch, three small setae along each stigma (Fig. 7); sternites 1873; it is ascertained to a new species, Roncus travu- V–X with 15-15-14-14-13-13 setae. Male genital area niensis sp. n. (Neobisiidae). unknown. This paper presents description of the new species The form of the chelicerae is presented in Fig. 8. and compares this taxon with its phenetically close rel- Cheliceral spinneret is a low hyaline convexity. The atives. Furthermore, some taxonomic, ecological, and movable and fixed cheliceral fingers each carry a vari- biogeographical features of these species are briefly dis- able number of teeth – eightontheformerand11or cussed. 12 on the latter finger. Six setae occur on the cheliceral palm, while a single seta is borne on the movable finger. Material and methods Flagellum of eight blades; all blades pinnate anteriorly; seven anterior blades of approximately same size; the The holotype female studied was mounted on slides in proximalmost blade is the smallest (Fig. 5). The mov-

c 2007 Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences New troglobitic pseudoscorpion from Bosnia-Herzegovina 85

Figs 1–8. Roncus travuniensis sp. n., holotype female, from the Arenstorfova Pe´cina Cave, nr. Trebinje, Bosnia and Herzegovina: 1 – pedipalp; 2 – leg IV; 3 – pedipalpal chela; 4 – epistome; 5 – flagellum; 6 – carapace; 7 – female genital area; 8 – chelicera. Scales 0.25 mm (Figs 4, 5, 7, 8) and 0.50 mm (Figs 1–3, 6). able cheliceral finger is considerably longer than the dle and club-shaped (Fig. 1). The movable chelal finger cheliceral width. Chelicera is almost twice as long as with 73 small and contiguous teeth, while 77 such teeth wide (Table 1). are borne on the fixed chelal finger. Apex of pedipalpal coxa (manducatory process) Four trichobothria are carried on the movable carries four long and acuminate setae. Pedipalpal arti- chelal finger and eight on the fixed chelal finger, char- cles elongated, pedipalpal patella and chelal palm with acteristic of the genus (Fig. 3). The trichobothrium ist interior and lateral granulations; other articles smooth almost equidistant from isb and est (Fig. 3). The tri- (Figs 1, 3). Pedicel of patella shorter than club; finger chobothrium sb closer to b than to st, st closer to t than indistinctly shorter than chelal palm with pedicel (Ta- to sb (Fig. 3). Only three microsetae are found anterior ble 1); femur with distinct pedicel, widest distal of mid- to eb and esb (Fig. 3). 86 B.P.M. Curči´ c&R.N.Dimitrijevi´ c´

Table 1. Linear measurements (in millimeters) and morphomet- Material examined. Holotype: female, Bosnia and ric ratios in female Roncus travuniensis sp. n. from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Arenstorfova Pe´cina Cave, near Trebinje Herzegovina. (18◦20 E, 42◦43 N), 10.VI.2005, leg. I. M. Karaman. Character Etymology. After Travunia, the Latin name for the old settlement of Trebinje. Body Length (1) 2.845 Cephalothorax Differential diagnosis. Only two species of the genus Length (2) 0.92 Roncus are presently known from Bosnia and Herzegov- Width (2a) 0.80 ina (Harvey 1990): Roncus anophthalmus (Ellingsen, Ratio 2/2a 1.15 Abdomen 1910) and Roncus vulcanius vulcanius Beier, 1938, both Length 1.925 from S Herzegovina. Chelicerae From R. anophthalmus,fromnearBihovo,R. travu- Length (3) 0.64 niensis Width (4) 0.33 sp. n. is easily distinguished by the pres- Length of movable finger (5) 0.44 ence/absence of granulations on the pedipalpal femur Ratio 3/5 1.45 (absent vs. present), by the pedipalpal chela length/ Ratio 3/4 1.94 width ratio (3.10 vs. 3.49), in the setation of tergites Pedipalps vs Length with coxa (6) 5.83 I–V (6-10-12-12-12 . 6-8-9-10-10), and in the form of Ratio 6/1 2.03 the pedipalpal articles (Fig. 1 vs. Fig. 195; Beier 1963). Length of coxa 0.75 R. travuniensis sp.n.differsfromR. vulcanius vul- Length of trochanter 0.67 canius Beier, 1938 (from near Trebinje) in the pedi- Length of femur (7) 1.19 vs Width of femur (8) 0.305 palpal femur length (1.19 mm . 0.95–1.10 mm), in Ratio 7/8 3.90 the pedipalpal femur length/width ratio (3.90 vs. 3.70– Ratio 7/2 1.29 3.80), in the chelal length/width ratio (3.49 vs. 3.10– Length of patella (tibia) (9) 1.02 3.33), in the form of the pedipalpal articles (Fig. 1 vs. Width of patella (tibia) (10) 0.41 vs Ratio 9/10 2.49 Fig. 196; Beier 1963), and in the body size (smaller . Length of chela (11) 2.20 larger). Width of chela (12) 0.63 The species R. lubricus L. Koch, 1873, otherwise Ratio 11/12 3.49 mentioned for Bosnia and Herzegovina, has been re- Length of chelal palm (13) 1.11 Ratio 13/12 1.76 vised and is now known only from western Europe and Length of chelal finger (14) 1.09 eastern North America (Curči´´ c 1992). Ratio 14/13 0.98 Leg IV Distribution. The specimen studied has been col- Total length 3.58 Length of coxa 0.41 lected under a stone in the completely dark and humid Length of trochanter (15) 0.45 cave canal. Since the new species has no eyes, it should Width of trochanter (16) 0.17 be considered as a typical troglobitic form. Ratio 15/16 2.65 Length of femur + patella (17) 0.99 Width of femur + patella (18) 0.315 Conclusion Ratio 17/18 3.14 Length of tibia (19) 0.94 It is evident that different representatives of Roncus Width of tibia (20) 0.15 lived or originated in areas and geological epochs with Ratio 19/20 5.875 Length of metatarsus (21) 0.30 a warm and humid climate (Guéorguiev 1977). With Width of metatarsus (22) 0.11 increasing aridity and formation of different niches un- Ratio 21/22 2.73 derground, some species (e.g., Roncus travuniensis sp. Length of tarsus (23) 0.49 n.) evolved as cave inhabitants too. Therefore, adapta- Width of tarsus (24) 0.10 Ratio 23/24 4.90 tion to life in deep soil and in caves is not characteristic TS ratio – tibia IV 0.47 of a particular taxonomic group of , but rather TS ratio – metatarsus IV 0.17 represents an adaptive response of both epigean and hu- TS ratio – tarsus IV 0.35 micolous species, including false , in order to survive in conditions of a typical or modified Mediter- ranean climate (Curči´´ c 1986, 1988). The pedipalpal femur is 3.90 times as long as wide (Table 1). This podomere is considerably longer than carapace. The pedipalpal tibia is 2.49 times as long as References wide, the pedipalpal chelal length to width ratio is 3.49; Beier M. 1932. Pseudoscorpionidea. I. Subordn. Chthoniinea et chelal palm length/width ratio exceeds 1.76 (Table 1). Neobisiinea. Das Tierreich 57: 1–258. Leg IV: tibia, metatarsus, and tarsus each carry a Beier M. 1963. Ordnung Pseudoscorpionidea (Afterskorpione). long tactile seta (Fig. 2; Table 1). Bestimmungsbücher zur Bodenfauna Europas, Lieferung 1, The measurements of different body structures and Akademie-Verlag, Berlin, 313 pp. Curči´´ c B.P.M. 1974. Catalogus Faunae Jugoslaviae, III/4, Arach- morphometric ratios are shown in Table 1, while the noidea. Pseudoscorpiones, Cons. Acad. Sci. Rei Publ. Soc. main diagnostic characters are presented in Figs 1–8. Foed. Jugosl., Acad. Sci. Art. Slov., Ljubljana, 35 pp. New troglobitic pseudoscorpion from Bosnia-Herzegovina 87

Curči´´ c B.P.M. 1977. Uporedno-morfološka obeležja – njihov Curči´´ c B.P.M. 1992. On the taxonomic position of Roncus lu- značaj i primena u klasifikaciji taksona porodice Neobisiidae bricus pannonius Curči´´ c, Dimitrijevi´c and Karamata, 1992 (Pseudoscorpiones, Arachnida). PhD. Thesis, Fac. Sci., Univ. (Neobisiidae, Pseudoscorpiones, Arachnida). Arch. Biol. Sci., Belgrade, Belgrade, 186 pp. Belgrade 44 (3–4): 25P–26P. Curči´´ c B.P.M. 1986. On the origin and biogeography of some Guéorguiev V.B. 1977. La faune troglobie terrestre de la péninsule pseudoscorpions of the Balkan Peninsula. Biologia Gallo- Balkanique. Origine, formation et zoogéographie. Académie Hellenica 12: 85–92. Bulgare des Sciences, Sofia, 182 pp. Curči´´ c B.P.M. 1988. Cave-Dwelling Pseudoscorpions of the Di- Harvey M.S. 1990. Catalogue of the Pseudoscorpionida. Manch- naric Karst. Acad. Sci. Art. Slov., Cl. IV, Hist. Nat., Opera ester University Press, Manchester and New York, 726 pp. 26, Inst. Biol. Ioannis Hadži, 8, Ljubljana, 192 pp. Received February 8, 2006 Accepted May 9, 2006