Research Article ISSN 2336-9744 (online) | ISSN 2337-0173 (print) The journal is available on line at www.biotaxa.org/em https://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:170CEC52-1AD8-4086-88D2-8E9069EABE6C Notes on two species of the genus Microcreagris Balzan, 1892 (Pseudoscorpiones: Neobisiidae) from China XIANGBO GUO and FENG ZHANG* The Key Laboratory of Invertebrate Systematics and Application, College of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei 071002, P. R. China; E-mail: [email protected] *Corresponding author: E-mail: [email protected] Received 30 August 2016 │ Accepted 3 October 2016 │ Published online 5 October 2016. Abstract Two Microcreagris species belonging to the family Neobisiidae are described from China: Microcreagris gigas Balzan, 1892 from Fanjing Mountain in Guizhou Province, and Microcreagris xikangensis sp. nov. from the Xikang-Tibet Plateau in Sichuan Province. Detailed diagnosis, descriptions and illustrations of the two species are presented. Key words: taxonomy, pseudoscorpion, Microcreagris, new species, China. Introduction The pseudoscorpion genus Microcreagris was established by Balzan (1892) with the Chinese type species M. gigas Balzan, 1892. Many species were later described and placed in this genus, but Mahnert (1974, 1979) and Ćurčić (2001) emended the diagnosis of Microcreagris and presented modern, detailed redescriptions of M. gigas based on the type specimens. Most of these species have been subsequently transferred to different genera, and 22 species were recorded in Microcreagris by Harvey (2013). However, only two species can be unequivocally placed in the genus Microcreagris: M. gigas from China and M. herculea Beier, 1959 from Afghanistan, according to Ćurčić (2001). During examination of pseudoscorpion specimens collected by sieving leaf litter from the Xikang- Tibet Plateau in Sichuan Province, China, we found a third species which definitely belongs to the genus Microcreagris: M. xikangensis sp. nov. In this paper, we also provide a detailed description of M. gigas, the type species of the genus Microcreagris, based on newly collected material from Guizhou Province, China. Material and Methods All specimens are preserved in 85% alcohol, and were examined and illustrated using a Leica 205A stereomicroscope with a drawing tube, which was also used for the measurements. Detailed examination was carried out with an Olympus BX53 general optical microscope. Temporary slide mounts were made in glycerol. All measurements are given in mm. The specimens are deposited in the Museum of Hebei University (MHBU), Baoding, China. Ecol. Mont., 7, 2016, 394-404 GUO & ZHANG Terminology of trichobothria follows Chamberlin (1931) and Harvey (1992). The term “rallum” (for flagellum) is adopted following Judson (2007). The following abbreviations are used in the text for the trichobothria: b = basal; sb = sub-basal; st = sub-terminal; t = terminal; ib = interior basal; isb = interior sub- basal; ist = interior sub-terminal; it = interior terminal; eb = exterior basal; esb = exterior sub-basal; est = exterior sub-terminal; et = exterior terminal. Systematic Part Microcreagris gigas Balzan, 1892 (Figs. 1–3) (Table 1) Microcreagris Balzan, 1892: 543. For full synonymy see Harvey (2013). Material examined. One male and two females (Ps.-MHBU-GZ13092901–03) from China, Guizhou Province, Tongren City, Fanjing Mountain (27°54′N, 108°42′E), alt. 2214 m, 29.ix.2013, Luyu Wang leg; one male (Ps.-MHBU-GZ14101201), same locality as mentioned above, 12.x.2014, Zhizhong Gao leg; one male and one female (Ps.-MHBU-GZ14101301–02), same locality as mentioned above, 13.x.2014, Zhizhong Gao leg. Diagnosis. Carapace with four well developed eyes; chelicera with 11 setae on the palm; rallum consisting of eight blades of nearly equal size; galea divided into four branches in both male and female; pedipalpal femur, patella and chela with granulations; male pedipalpal femur 3.89–3.93 (length 1.77–1.83), patella 2.38 (length 1.52), chela (with pedicel) 3.27–3.28 (length 2.95–3.01) times longer than broad; female pedipalpal femur 3.96–4.08 (length 1.94–2.00), patella 2.35–2.52 (length 1.64–1.67), chela (with pedicel) 3.06–3.27 (length 3.18–3.24) times longer than broad; the characters of male genital area. Figure 1. Microcreagris gigas, a. male, dorsal view; b, female, dorsal view. Ecol. Mont., 7, 2016, 394-404 395 TWO MICROCREAGRIS SPECIES FROM CHINA Figure 2. Microcreagris gigas, male (a–e, g, h), female (f): a, carapace, dorsal view; b, right chelicera, dorsal view; c. right chelal, lateral view; d. right pedipalp, dorsal view; e. genital area of male; f. genital area of female; g. right leg I, lateral view; h. right leg IV, lateral view. 396 GUO & ZHANG Figure 3. Microcreagris gigas, male (a–g, i, j), female (h): a. carapace, dorsal view; b. right chelicera, dorsal view; c. rallum; d. galea; e. right chelal, lateral view, showing trichobothriotaxy and teeth; f. right pedipalp, dorsal view (trochanter, femur and patella); g. genital area of male; h. genital area of female; i. right leg I, lateral view; j. right leg IV, lateral view. Scale bars: 0.1mm (c, d), 0.2mm (g, h), 0.5mm (b), 1mm (a, e, f, i, j). Description. Male (Fig. 1a). Carapace, chelicerae and pedipalps dark brown; abdomen and legs yellowish. Carapace (Figs. 2a, 3a). Smooth, 1.13–1.18 times longer than broad, with a total of 47–49 setae, including six on anterior margin and 12 on posterior margin; four eyes, well developed; epistome triangular and apically rounded. Ecol. Mont., 7, 2016, 394-404 397 TWO MICROCREAGRIS SPECIES FROM CHINA Table 1. Linear measurements (in millimeters) and morphometric ratios in M. gigas and M. xikangensis sp. nov. M. gigas M. xikangensis Character three males three females three males four females Body Length (1) 6.11–6.28 4.98–5.94 3.23–3.80 3.29–3.92 Carapace Length (2) 1.49–1.56 1.47–1.70 0.87–0.96 1.01–1.09 Breadth (3) 1.32 1.39–1.52 0.80–0.87 0.85–0.88 Ratio 2/3 1.13–1.18 1.06–1.12 1.09–1.10 1.19–1.24 Pedipalps Length of trochanter (4) 0.98–1.00 1.10 0.59–0.61 0.58–0.60 Breadth of trochanter (5) 0.61 0.65–0.66 0.36–0.37 0.36–0.37 Ratio 4/5 1.61–1.64 1.67–1.69 1.64–1.65 1.61–1.62 Length of femur (6) 1.77–1.83 1.94–2.00 1.08–1.12 1.05–1.17 Breadth of femur (7) 0.45–0.47 0.49 0.30 0.29–0.31 Ratio 6/7 3.89–3.93 3.96–4.08 3.60–3.73 3.62–3.77 Length of patella (8) 1.52 1.64–1.67 0.88–0.94 0.86–0.93 Breadth of patella (9) 0.64 0.65–0.71 0.39–0.40 0.39–0.42 Ratio 8/9 2.38 2.35–2.52 2.26–2.35 2.21 Length of chela with pedicel (10) 2.95–3.01 3.18–3.24 1.79–1.82 1.79–1.97 Length of chela without pedicel (11) 2.75–2.79 2.96–3.02 1.67–1.70 1.66–1.83 Breadth of chela (12) 0.90–0.92 0.99–1.04 0.53–0.54 0.55–0.59 Ratio 10/12 3.27–3.28 3.06–3.27 3.31–3.43 3.25–3.34 Ratio 11/12 3.03–3.06 2.85–3.05 3.09–3.21 3.02–3.10 Length of hand without pedicel (13) 1.20 1.29–1.32 0.75–0.77 0.74–0.82 Length of movable finger (14) 1.55–1.59 1.65–1.74 0.91–0.94 0.93–1.01 Ratio 14/13 1.29–1.33 1.25–1.35 1.21–1.22 1.23–1.26 Leg I Length of trochanter (15) 0.37–0.38 0.42 0.22 0.22–0.25 Breadth of trochanter (16) 0.28 0.28–0.31 0.17 0.16–0.17 Ratio 15/16 1.32–1.36 1.35–1.50 1.29 1.38–1.47 Length of femur (17) 0.90–0.95 0.94–1.01 0.50–0.52 0.46–0.51 Breadth of femur (18) 0.26–0.27 0.28 0.18 0.17–0.18 Ratio 17/18 3.46–3.52 3.36–3.61 2.78–2.89 2.71–2.83 Length of patella (19) 0.61 0.66–0.69 0.34–0.35 0.36–0.38 Breadth of patella (20) 0.23 0.23–0.24 0.15 0.15–0.16 Ratio 19/20 2.65 2.88–2.89 2.27–2.33 2.38–2.40 Length of tibia (21) 0.86–0.90 0.94–0.98 0.45–0.49 0.47–0.50 Breadth of tibia (22) 0.15–0.16 0.18 0.12 0.12 Ratio 21/22 5.63–5.73 5.22–5.44 3.75–4.08 3.92–4.17 Length of basitarsus (23) 0.35–0.37 0.40 0.20–0.22 0.20 Breadth of basitarsus (24) 0.14 0.14 0.09–0.10 0.09 Ratio 23/24 2.50–2.64 2.86 2.20–2.22 2.22 ..continued on the next page 398 GUO & ZHANG Table 1. (Continued) Length of telotarsus (25) 0.62 0.68–0.69 0.38 0.38–0.39 Breadth of telotarsus (26) 0.14 0.14 0.09 0.09 Ratio 25/26 4.43 4.86–4.93 4.22 4.22–4.33 Leg IV Length of trochanter (27) 0.59–0.60 0.64–0.67 0.30–0.31 0.28–0.34 Breadth of trochanter (28) 0.31–0.32 0.33–0.34 0.18–0.22 0.20–0.21 Ratio 27/28 1.88–1.90 1.94–1.97 1.41–1.67 1.40–1.62 Length of femur + patella (29) 1.64–1.67 1.85–1.87 0.96–1.02 0.94–1.02 Breadth of femur + patella (30) 0.40 0.39–0.41 0.28–0.31 0.30 Ratio 29/30 4.10–4.18 4.56–4.74 3.10–3.64 3.13–3.40 Length of tibia (31) 1.55–1.56 1.77–1.78 0.87–0.88 0.84–0.87 Breadth of tibia (32) 0.25 0.25 0.17 0.17 Ratio 31/32 6.20–6.24 7.08–7.12 5.12–5.18 4.94–5.12 Length of basitarsus (33) 0.46 0.50–0.52 0.27–0.28 0.26–0.29 Breadth of basitarsus (34) 0.17 0.18 0.12 0.12–0.13 Ratio 33/34 2.71 2.78–2.89 2.25–2.33 2.17–2.23 Length of telotarsus (35) 0.73–0.76 0.83 0.48–0.49 0.47–0.50 Breadth of telotarsus (36) 0.17 0.17 0.12 0.12 Ratio 35/36 4.29–4.47 4.88 4.00–4.08 3.92–4.17 Chelicera (Figs.