Rhacochelifer disjunctus ( Pseudoscorpiones : Cheliferidae ) new to the fauna of Slovakia

A total of 35 species and five subspecies are recognized within the genus Rhacochelifer Beier, 1932, distributed in Africa, Asia and chiefly in southern Europe (Harvey 2013). The genus Rhacochelifer is characterized by the presence of a dentate subterminal seta on the tarsi and absence of lateral spurs on the posterior tergite’s margin; by modified and stout tarsi of the anterior legs and the presence of coxal sacs on coxae IV in males; and the presence of one median cribriform plate in females (Beier 1932a, 1963). Rhacochelifer disjunctus was described as Chelifer disjunctus (Koch, 1873) from the Pyrenees, southern France (Koch 1873). Heurtault (1980) indicated as its type locality “Mont Lubéron, Vaucluse”, which was confirmed by Judson (1997) in comments to his designation of a lectotype female of the species. Beier (1963) indicated a distribution in the western Mediterranean region: Italy, southern France and Spain, but Simon (1898) already mentioned a record of the species from Portugal. Daday (1889) published the occurrence of the species from Azerbaijan, but no recent confirmation of this record is available. Beier (1932b) mentioned Morocco as well, which came from Ellingsen`s (1910) misidentification of R. maculatus (L. Koch, 1873). The incorrect presence of R. disjunctus in Morocco appeared later in other publications (Roewer 1937, Vachon 1940a, Marcuzzi et al. 1971, Callaini 1988), as well as in the world pseudoscorpion catalogue (Harvey 2013), despite of the fact that Harvey (2013) pointed out the misidentification by Ellingsen (1910). Until now R. disjunctus was found under the bark of citrus, Platanus and pine trees (Koch 1873, Simon 1879, Navás 1918). Weygoldt (1969, 1971) collected specimens in sand dunes in southern France and described the mating dance and the embryonic development of this species. The aim of this paper is not only to report new localities within the known distribution of R. disjunctus, but also to provide complete morphological data including illustrations of the specimens found in Slovakia. Material and methods All specimens recorded in this paper were found in Slovakia (Fig. 1). One female was found phoretic on Eupithecia sp. (Lepidoptera, Geometridae) (det. M. Kulfan), which was caught immediately after flying into a Malaise trap in Harmónia on 21 May 2014 (48°22'58.69''N, 17°17'02.32''E; leg. E. Stloukal) (Fig. 2). The following specimens are stored in the F. Miller Collection housed in the Natural History Museum (NHM) in Prague, Czech Republic: 3((, Kľak Village, Žarnovica, May 1957 (48°35'00.60''N, 18°38'36.83''E, leg. F. Miller; inventory number P6A 6386); 12)), 8((, 3 tritonymphs, 1 protonymph, Kľak, Muránska planina Mountains, 25 March 1958 (48°46'45.69''N, 19°58'03.43''E, leg. F. Miller; P6A 6387); 5)), 2(( Richnava, 30 July 1959 (48°55'33.78''N, 20°55'28.54''E, leg. F. Miller; P6A 6388); 2)), 1(, Banská Štiavnica, 13 May of an unknown year (48°27'10.76''N, 18°54'40.63''E, leg. F. Miller; P6A 6389). The coordinates of F. Miller’s sampling localities are approximate and indicate a location within the territory of Slovakia. Dr. Miller did not mention the habitat or sampling method of his collected specimens but he noted “pines” on locality labels from the years 1957 and 1959. The specimen found in Harmonia was mounted as a permanent slide mount in Swann’s fluid. For identification, the palp, legs I and leg IV were removed from the specimen from the left side of the body. The specimens from the NHM in Prague are deposited in ethanol. Described individuals were mounted as temporary slide mounts without preparation, using lactic acid for clearing. Specimens were photographed Rhacochelifer disjunctus (Pseudoscorpiones: Cheliferidae) new to the fauna of Slovakia

A total of 35 species and five subspecies are recognized within the genus Rhacochelifer Beier, 1932, distributed in Africa, Asia and chiefly in southern Europe (Harvey 2013).The genus Rhacochelifer is characterized by the presence of a dentate subterminal seta on the tarsi and absence of lateral spurs on the posterior tergite's margin; by modified and stout tarsi of the anterior legs and the presence of coxal sacs on coxae IV in males; and the presence of one median cribriform plate in females (Beier 1932a(Beier , 1963)).
Rhacochelifer disjunctus was described as Chelifer disjunctus (Koch, 1873) from the Pyrenees, southern France (Koch 1873).Heurtault (1980) indicated as its type locality "Mont Lubéron, Vaucluse", which was confirmed by Judson (1997) in comments to his designation of a lectotype female of the species.Beier (1963) indicated a distribution in the western Mediterranean region: Italy, southern France and Spain, but Simon (1898) already mentioned a record of the species from Portugal.Daday (1889) published the occurrence of the species from Azerbaijan, but no recent confirmation of this record is available.Beier (1932b) mentioned Morocco as well, which came from Ellingsen`s (1910) misidentification of R. maculatus (L.Koch, 1873).The incorrect presence of R. disjunctus in Morocco appeared later in other publications (Roewer 1937, Vachon 1940a, Marcuzzi et al. 1971, Callaini 1988), as well as in the world pseudoscorpion catalogue (Harvey 2013), despite of the fact that Harvey (2013) pointed out the misidentification by Ellingsen (1910).
Until now R. disjunctus was found under the bark of citrus, Platanus and pine trees (Koch 1873, Simon 1879, Navás 1918).Weygoldt (1969Weygoldt ( , 1971) ) collected specimens in sand dunes in southern France and described the mating dance and the embryonic development of this species.
The aim of this paper is not only to report new localities within the known distribution of R. disjunctus, but also to provide complete morphological data including illustrations of the specimens found in Slovakia.
The specimen found in Harmonia was mounted as a permanent slide mount in Swann's fluid.For identification, the palp, legs I and leg IV were removed from the specimen from the left side of the body.The specimens from the NHM in Prague are deposited in ethanol.Described individuals were mounted as temporary slide mounts without preparation, using lactic acid for clearing.Specimens were photographed

Description of males and females
Abdominal tergites and sternites divided.Short clavate setae present on carapace and tergites; acuminate setae presen t on sternites.Two narrow transverse furrows and one pair of eyes present on carapace; carapace densely granulated and without epistome.Chelicerae small, slightly sclerotized (Fig. 3); cheliceral hand with five setae, one seta present on cheliceral movable finger; galea well-developed with six-seven terminal rami; rallum with three setae; serrula exterior with 19 blades.Palps slender, femur extends abruptly from pedicel (Fig. 3); chelal fingers clearly shorter than hand; venom apparatus developed in both chelal fingers (Fig. 4a); 12 trichobothria (eight on fixed and four on movable chelal finger) present on chelal fingers (Fig. 4a).

Remarks
Two Rhacochelifer species, R. peculiaris (L.Koch, 1873) and R. quadrimaculatus (Tömösváry, 1882), were previously reported from Slovakia (Tömösváry 1882, Verner 1960).Tömösváry (1882) found both species under tree bark at the locality of Humenné, whereby it should be mentioned that for R. qua-drimaculatus Humenné represents the type locality (Tömösváry 1882).Later Verner (1960) recorded one specimen of R. quadrimaculatus under oak bark in the Kováčovské kopce hills.Unfortunately, no Rhacochelifer specimens recorded from Slovakia are found in older collections.The building of the Hungarian Natural History Museum, together with the zoological collections, burned down in 1956 and many type specimens were destroyed.The curator of the arachnid collection suspects that part of Tömösváry`s collection was among this lost material (L. Dányi, pers. comm.).Moreover, no Rhacochelifer specimens were found in the collections of Dr. Verner in Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic (F. Šťáhlavský, pers. comm.).These facts lead us to conclude that the occurrence of both species cannot be verified in Slovakia, or even the existence of R. quadrimaculatus at all.According to the published data we suggest a synonymy between R. quadrimaculatus and R. corcyrensis (Beier, 1930), which have similar foretarsi quite different from that of R. disjunctus/pecularis.The original description clearly indicates the shape of the male foretarsus, and also Beier (1963) placed R. quadrimaculatus very close to R. corcyrensis.On the other hand, confusion between R. peculiaris and R. disjunctus cannot be excluded, since the two species are morphologically close and sometimes not easy to distinguish.Beier (1963: 295) separated the two species by the proportions and morphology of the male tarsus I: 2.7 times longer than deep and slightly concave anteriorly in R. disjunctus and 2.3 times and straight (not concave) anteriorly in R. peculiaris.Furthermore, figures 296 and 297 were interchanged during printing, i.e.Fig. 297 (Beier 1963: 294) represents R. disjunctus and vice versa (M.Beier, pers.comm.to VM).The proportions of the male tarsus I measured in our collections lie between the values indicated for the two species, the slightly concave anterior margin of male tarsus I led us to place the specimens as R. disjunctus.But the affinities/ differences between the two species still need to be defined properly, since differences seem to exist in the shape of spermatheca (Mahnert 1977).Problems concerning taxonomy of Mediterranean species of the genus Rhacochelifer are complicated and it would be benefitial if they were subject to revision by taxonomists in the future.
Pseudoscorpions have the ability to attach themselves to a variety of generally more mobile animals, in most cases arthropods (Poinar 1998).In the genus Rhacochelifer only a few records of phoresy were known until now.Vachon (1940b) recorded phoresy of R. similis Beier, 1932 on Lonchaea laticornis Meigen, 1826 (Diptera).Another record was published by Vachon (1953), who observed R. maculatus (L.Koch, 1873) on Sterrha aversata (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera).The current finding of phoretic R. disjunctus could explain the species distribution in Slovakia.The localities listed in the present paper represent the northernmost known occurrence of R. disjunctus.