Neobisium (Neobisium) Chamberlin 1930

Key to adults of the Neobisium (Neobisium) species from Corsica, Sardinia and mainland Italy previously attributed to the subgenus Ommatoblothrus, including the described new species.

1 – Chelal fingers with contiguous teeth: those of the fixed finger apically rounded or cuspidate, those of the movable finger mostly low and flattened; fixed chelal finger with more than 100 teeth; chelal hand subcylindrical in shape, gradually widened towards the distal end or with oval profile (dorsal view), and its greatest width in the middle or in the proximal third; trichobothrium ist in the distal third of the chelal fixed finger................................................................. 2

1’ – Chelal fingers, at least in the distal half, with large, pointed, erected and spaced teeth; fixed chelal finger with less than 100 teeth; chelal hand with long oval profile, just widened towards the base and its greatest width in the proximal quarter; trichobothrium ist in the middle of the fixed finger. (Piedmont: Ligurian Alps)......... N. zoiai Gardini & Rizzerio, 1986

2 – Large species: pedipalpal femur 2.99–4.62, patella 2.34–3.39, chela 4.60–6.34 mm length (♂ ♀); chelal hand subcylindrical in shape, gradually widened towards the distal end; chelal fingers almost straight in lateral view and arranged at an obtuse angle (ca 150°) to the axis of the chelal hand.................................................................... 3

2’ – Medium-sized species: pedipalpal femur 1.42–2.60, patella 1.03–2.16, chela 2.50–4.20 mm length (♂ ♀); chelal hand (dorsal view) with oval profile, and its greatest width in the middle or in the proximal third; chelal fingers slightly curved both in dorsal and lateral view....................................................................................... 4

3 – Posterior margin of carapace with 6–8 setae; cheliceral rallum with 8–9 blades; pedipalpal femur 4.23–4.62 mm length (11.0– 12.8 times as long as broad), patella 3.07–3.39 mm length, chela with pedicel 6.07–6.34 mm length (11.0–13.7 times as long as broad) (♂ ♀); ratio between movable finger and hand of chela with pedicel 0.95–1.03 (♂ ♀); ratio between pedipalpal femur and movable chelal finger 1.39–1.44 (♂ ♀). (Sardinia: Monte Albo).......................... N. lulense Gardini, 1982

3’ – Posterior margin of carapace with 4 (rarely 5) setae; cheliceral rallum with 10–13 blades; pedipalpal femur 2.99–3.33 mm length (9.26–10.58 times as long as broad), patella 2.34–2.64 mm length, chela with pedicel 4.60–5.01 mm length (8.10–10.73 times as long as broad) (♂ ♀); ratio between movable finger and hand of chela with pedicel 1.43–1.60 (♂ ♀); ratio between pedipalpal femur and movable chelal finger 1.01–1.10 (♂ ♀). (Latium: Lepini and Ausoni Mountains)... N. leolatellai n. sp .

4 – Species from Corsica and Sardinia....................................................................... 5

4’ – Species from mainland Italy........................................................................... 7

5 – Posterior margin of carapace with 4–5 setae; fixed chelal finger homodentate; fixed and movable chelal fingers with 133–146 and 100–122 teeth, respectively......................................................................... 6

5’ – Posterior margin of carapace with 6–7 setae; fixed chelal finger irregularly heterodentate; fixed and movable chelal fingers with 109–120 and 84–97 teeth, respectively. (Sardinia: Supramonte).............................. N. sardoum Beier, 1956

6 – Preocular seta present; chaetotaxy of tergites I–IV: 5–6:6:6:6–7; manducatory process with 5 setae; chelal hand (dorsal view) with greatest width in the proximal third; pedipalpal femur 1.71–2.00 mm length (6.1–7.0 times as long as broad), patella 1.36– 1.60 mm length (4.0–4.6 times as long as broad), chela with pedicel 3.14–3.23 mm length (5.3–6.0 times as long as broad), movable chelal finger 2.07–2.40 mm length, ratio between femur and movable chelal finger 0.80–0.83 (♂ ♀). (Sardinia: Monte Albo)............................................................................. N. henroti Beier, 1956

6’ – Preocular seta absent; chaetotaxy of tergites I–IV: 4:4:4:4–5; manducatory process with 3–4 setae; chelal hand (dorsal view) with greatest width in the middle; pedipalpal femur 2.40–2.60 mm length (9.3–9.6 times as long as broad), patella 2.06–2.15 mm length (6.6–6.7 times as long as broad), chela with pedicel 3.66–3.75 mm length (8.1 times as long as broad), movable chelal finger 2.45–2.48 mm length, ratio between femur and movable chelal finger 0.98–1.04 (♀). (Corsica: Haute-Corse)....................................................................................... N. corsicum n. sp .

7 – Fixed chelal finger homodentate......................................................................... 8

7’ – Fixed chelal finger irregularly heterodentate [rarely homodentate (♀ N. patrizii) or weakly heterodentate (N. cerrutii)]... 10

8 – Posterior margin of carapace with 4 (rarely 5) setae; chelal hand (dorsal view) with greatest width in the proximal third; fixed chelal finger with 130–166 teeth; pedipalpal femur 1.79–2.53 mm length (6.6–8.6 times as long as broad) (♂ ♀); movable chelal finger 2.32–2.85 mm length (♂ ♀); ratio between movable finger and hand of chela with pedicel 1.68–1.95 (♂ ♀); ratio between pedipalpal femur and carapace 1.73–2.34 (♂ ♀)............................................................. 9

8’ – Posterior margin of carapace with 6 setae; chelal hand (dorsal view) with greatest width in the middle; fixed chelal finger with 118 teeth; pedipalpal femur 1.50 mm length (6.0 times as long as broad) (♀); movable chelal finger 1.62 mm length (♀); ratio between movable finger and hand of chela with pedicel 1.51 (♀); ratio between pedipalpal femur and carapace 1.59 (♀). (Abruzzo: Sirente-Velino Mountains)................................................... N. battonii Beier, 1966

9 – Pedipalpal femur 2.43–2.53 mm length (8.1–8.6 times as long as broad), patella 1.84–1.95 mm length (5.7–6.1 times as long as broad), chela with pedicel 3.98–4.20 mm length (7.5–7.8 times as long as broad), movable chelal finger 2.64–2.85 mm length; ratio between pedipalpal femur and carapace 2.01–2.34. (Latium: Aurunci Mountains)................ N. magrinii n. sp.

9’ – Pedipalpal femur 1.79–2.14 mm length (6.6–7.3 times as long as broad), patella 1.33–1.61 mm length (4.3–4.7 times as long as broad), chela with pedicel 3.33–3.60 mm length (5.2–6.3 times as long as broad), movable chelal finger 2.32–2.43 mm length; ratio between pedipalpal femur and carapace 1.73–1.86. (Latium: Ausoni and Aurunci Mountains)........ N. vignai n. sp.

10 – Movable chelal finger with 101–150 teeth; pedipalpal femur 1.61–2.41 mm length (6.5–9.6 times as long as broad), patella 1.16–1.88 mm length (4.2–6.0 times as long as broad); ratio between the diameter of the distal opening of the pedipalpal patella (X) and the length of the inner margin of the patella (Y) = 0.19–0.44........................................... 11

10’ – Movable chelal finger with 83–100 teeth; pedipalpal femur 1.42–1.58 mm length (5.9–6.3 times as long as broad), patella 1.03–1.13 mm length (3.3–3.7 times as long as broad); ratio between the diameter of the distal opening of the pedipalpal patella (X) and the length of the inner margin of the patella (Y) = 0.53–0.60. (Basilicata and Campania: Cilento)............................................................................................ N. oenotricum Callaini, 1987

11 – Chelal hand with oval profile (dorsal view) and its greatest width in the proximal third; pedipalpal patella 1.16–1.61 mm length (4.2–5.0 times as long as broad); ratio between the diameter of the distal opening of the pedipalpal patella (X) and the length of the inner margin of the patella (Y) = 0.33–0.44............................................................ 12

11’ – Chelal hand with long oval profile (dorsal view) and its greatest width in the middle; pedipalpal patella 1.56–1.88 mm length (5.4–6.0 times as long as broad); ratio between the diameter of the distal opening of the pedipalpal patella (X) and the length of the inner margin of the patella (Y) = 0.19–0.30. (Latium: Lepini Mountains)..................... N. patrizii Beier, 1953

12 – Carapace with dark integument between anterior and posterior eyes............................................ 13

12’ – Carapace without dark integument between anterior and posterior eyes (specimens from caves n. 274 La/ RM and n. 648 La/ RM weakly pigmented). (Latium: Lepini Mountains)..................................... N. sp. aff. patrizii Beier, 1953

13 – Anterior eyes with weak flat or slightly convex lens; species from Abruzzo and Latium............................ 14

13’ – Anterior eyes with convex lens; species from Campania (Partenio, Picentini and Matese Mountains).. N. petruzzielloi n. sp .

14 – Posterior margin of carapace with 6 setae; pedipalpal femur 1.63–1.79 mm length (6.52–7.46 times as long as broad) (♂), patella 1.22–1.35 mm length (4.43–4.73 times as long as broad) (♂), movable chelal finger 1.74–1.96 mm length (♂); ratio between pedipalpal femur and movable chelal finger 0.91–0.93 (♂). (Latium: Ernici Mountains)..... N. cerrutii Beier, 1955

14’ – Posterior margin of carapace with 4 or 5 setae; pedipalpal femur 1.99–2.01 mm length (7.65–7.73 times as long as broad) (♂ ♀), patella 1.51–1.53 mm length (4.9–5.0 times as long as broad) (♂ ♀), movable chelal finger 2.27–2.28 mm length (♂ ♀); ratio between pedipalpal femur and movable chelal finger 0.87–0.88 (♂ ♀). (Abruzzo: Majella Mt)..................................................................................................... N. samniticum Mahnert, 1980