On new and little-known pseudoscorpions (Pseudoscorpiones, Arachnida) from the Romanian Carpathians

We studied pseudoscorpions of the genera Roncus L. Koch, 1873 and Acanthocreagris Mahnert, 1976 (Neobisiidae) from some caves in Romania. One new species - Roncus zburatorul n. sp. - is described; supplementary descriptions of the hitherto unknown male of R. ciobanmos Curcic, Poinar, and Sarbu, 1993 and a second female of A. callaticola (Dumitresco and Orghidan, 1964) are also presented. The specimens studied are thoroughly described and illustrated. Taxonomic interrelationships and geographic distribution are briefly discussed.

The form of the chelicera is as shown in Fig. 7; galea a distinct hyaline convexity (Fig. 7).The dentition of both movable and fixed fingers is presented in Fig. 7.The movable cheliceral finger has one large tooth; proximally, its teeth end just below the site of insertion of the galeal seta (Fig. 7).Six setae occur on the cheliceral palm (Fig. 7) and a single seta is present on the movable finger.The flagellum consists of one short proximal blade and seven long blades distally; all blades are pinnate anteriorly (Fig. 6).The movable finger is longer than the cheliceral breadth; each chelicera is almost twice as long as broad (Table 1).
The movable chelal finger carries 71 teeth, the fixed one 79.The teeth of the movable finger are square-topped in the proximal range of the series and similar to those on the fixed chelal finger; the most distal pointed teeth, slightly asymmetrical, give way to teeth with rounded tops, which are gradually replaced proximally by shorter flattened teeth.
Four trichobotria are carried on the movable finger and eight on the fixed finger of the chela (Fig. 1).The et and it trichobotria are in the distal quarter and these together with t, est, st, and ist are all in the distal half.The proximal quarter contains ib, esb, b, and eb.The ist trichobothrium lies above sb and is equidistant from the finger tip and the eb and esb trichobothria.No microsetae are developed proximal to the eb and esb trichobothria (Fig. 1); instead, eight or nine small setae are present distal to these two trichobothria (Fig. 1).
The pedipalpal femur is 4.32 times as long as broad; this podomere is slightly longer than the carapace (Table 1).The pedipalpal patella is 2.485 times longer than its breadth.The pedipalpal chela length to breadth ratio is 3.60 (Table 1).The pedipalpal chelal fingers are 1.07 times as long as broad (Table 1).Tibia IV, metatarsus IV, and tarsus IV each carry a single sensitive seta (Fig. 5); the tactile seta ratio of tibia IV exceeds 0.50 (Table 1).
Measurements of different body structures and morphometric ratios (in mm) are presented in Table 1.
Sternite II carries a cluster of 16 small setae on its median and posterior parts, thinning out anteriorly; of these, 10 setae are found on the posterior sternal margin.Sternite III has six anterior setae, 10 posterior setae, and three suprastigmatic microsetae on either side.Sternite IV carries 12 posterior setae and three small setae along each stigmatic plate.Sternites V-X carry 14-14-14-15-12-12 setae.
Cheliceral form as in Fig. 13; galea almost inconspicuous (Fig. 13).The movable and fixed fingers carry 17 and 18 teeth, of which the proximal and distal members of each series are the smallest.The teeth of the movable finger end below the insertion side of the galeal seta (gl).Six setae occur on the palm of the chelicera (Fig. 13), while a single seta is present on the movable finger (Fig. 13).The cheliceral flagellum carries one short proximal blade and nine longer distal blades.All blades are pinnate on their anterior sides.The movable cheliceral finger is longer than the cheliceral breadth; the chelicera is almost twice as long as broad (Table 1).
The apex of the pedipalpal coxa carries four long setae.The pedipalpal trochanter is smooth and carries a small tubercle and five small closely-set setae.The pedipalpal femur is granulated interiorly and dorsally, the patella is elongated and smooth, and the chelal palm carries distinct interior and dorsal granulations (Fig. 10).The movable chelal finger carries 92 teeth, while 102 teeth are found on the fixed finger.The teeth of the movable finger are squaretopped in the proximal range of the row and similar to those of the fixed finger; the most distal pointed teeth, somewhat asymmetrical, give way to teeth with rounded tops, which are gradually replaced proximally by shorter flattened teeth.
Four trichobothria are present on the movable finger and eight on the fixed finger of the chela (Fig. 8).The et and it trichobothria are in the distal third and these together with t, est, st, and ist are all in the distal half.The proximal third contains ib, esb, b, and eb.The ist trichobothrium is equidistant from the finger tip and the eb and esb trichobothria.No microsetae are developed proximal to eb and esb; instead, four or six microsetae are found distal to these two trichobothria (Fig. 8).
The pedipalpal femur is 5.70 times as long as broad (Table 1).This podomere is considerably longer than the carapace (Table 1).The pedipalpal patella is 3.22 times as long as broad (Table 1).The pedipalpal chelal length to breadth ratio is 4.44.The chelal finger length to chelal palm length ratio is 0.97 (Table 1).
The measurements of different body structures (in mm) and morphometric ratios are shown in Table 1.
Remarks.-This is the first known male specimen of R. ciobanmos, otherwise described on the basis of five females and two tritonymphs (Ć u r č i ć et al., 1993) from the Movile Cave near Mangalia in Southern Dobruja (Romania).The diagnostic characters of this male specimen generally fit the description and diagnosis of R. ciobanmos, presented elsewhere (Ć u r č i ć et al., 1993).
One more item is worth mentioning.In the male studied herein, the pedipalpal trochanter carries five short fine setae (not spines!) (Fig. 10); however, in the holotype and paratype females the trochanter carries 0-3 such long fine setae (Ć u r č i ć et al., 1993).It is quite unusual to find this character state in Roncus, since only a single trochanteral seta is present (interiorly) in all other members of this genus.Such an arrangement of setae resembles the disposition of trochanteral spines in representatives of the genus Acanthocreagris.
Distribution and ecology.-The specimen studied was found 9 m under the surface in soil cavities in the vicinity of the Foraj Peşteră Cave during pedological and geomorphological studies.An artificial shaft of -20 m contained Berlese traps for insects and arachnids at every each two meters.Therefore, the male specimen of R. ciobanmos is not actually from the cave itself, but rather from the surrounding reticulum of soil and carbonate underground passages, otherwise inaccessible for humans.This phenomenon has been noted before in the cases of some pseudoscorpions from Serbia (Ć u r č i ć , 1988).
Sternite II carries a cluster of 12 (6 + 6) setae; sternite III has nine setae arranged uniformly in a single row on the posterior margin and three suprastigmatic setae on either side.Sternite IV has 10 posterior setae and three microsetae along each stigma.Sternite V has two anterior and 11 posterior setae, sternite VI -two anterior and 13 posterior, sternite VII -two anterior and 13 posterior, sternite VIIItwo anterior and 12 posterior setae, while sternites IX and X carry 11 and 12 posterior setae, respectively.
The form of the chelicera is presented in Fig. 18; the cheliceral galea is elongated and apically pointed, but it also carries a small subapical denticle (Fig. 18).The movable and fixed fingers have a variable number of teeth (13, 17, and 18, respectively).Five setae occur on the palm of the chelicera, while only one seta is present on the movable finger.The cheliceral flagellum consists of four pinnate blades distally and five proximal blades, the latter being denticulate anteriorly (Fig. 20).The movable finger is considerably longer than the cheliceral breadth; each chelicera is twice as long as broad (Table 1).
The apex of the pedipalpal coxa carries four long setae.The pedipalpal trochanter is elongated, granulated, and bears three distinct spines.The pedipalpal femur has obvious granulations on its interior lateral face, as well as proximally on its exterior and dorsal sides (Fig. 17); a single distinct exterior tubercle is present in the proximal third of this podomere.The pedipalpal patella is elongated and carries some interior granulations distally (Fig. 17).The chelal palm has both interior and exterior granulations (Fig. 17).
The movable finger of the pedipalpal chela carries 64 teeth, while 71 teeth are present on the fixed chelal finger.The teeth of the movable finger are square-topped proximally and similar to those on the fixed chelal finger; the most distal pointed teeth on the fixed finger, slightly asymmetrical, give way to teeth with rounded tops, which are gradually replaced proximally by shorter flattened teeth.The teeth on both fingers end distal to the b trichobothrium.
Four trichobothria are present on the movable finger and eight on the fixed finger of the chela (Fig. 14).The et, it, t, est, st, and ist trichobothria are all in the distal half.The proximal third contains ib, esb, b, and eb.The ist trichobothrium is distinctly closer to the finger tip than to the eb and esb trichobotria.
The pedipalpal femur is 4.35 times as long as broad (Table 1).This podomere is considerably longer than the carapace (Table 1).The pedipalpal patella is 3.00 times longer than its breadth.The pedipalpal chela length to breadth ratio is 3.36.The chelal finger length to chelal palm ratio is 0.91 (Table 1).Tibia IV, metatarsus IV, and tarsus IV each carry a long tactile seta (Fig. 19).The tactile seta ratio of tibia IV is 0.52 (Table 1).Each tactile seta on both metatarsus IV and tarsus IV is located in the proximal third of the relevant podomere (Fig. 19; Table 1).
Measurements of different body structures (in mm) and morphometric ratios are presented in Table 1.
Distribution and ecology.-The type-locality of this species is the only site of its presence in Romania.Moreover, few species of Acanthocreagris are known from Serbia, Greece, and Turkey; in view of its huge distribution area (from Western Europe to Iran), it would be interesting to study the repartition of this genus in Southeast Europe in greater detail in order to determine whether its scarcity in the Balkans is due to a lack of information or to some other reasons.

CONCLUSIONS
The karstic areas of the Carpathian Arc in Romania are inhabited by a great number of endemic and relict cave arachnids (including pseudoscorpions) that belong to the Paleo-Mediterranean, Laurasian, Paleo-Aegean, and South-or North-Aegean (or Proto-Balkan) phyletic series of species and higher taxa (Ć u r č i ć and J o v a n o v i ć , 2004).The major causes of the variety exhibited by the troglobitic fauna of false scorpions inhabiting the area studied include: i. the presence of a varied epigean fauna in the Proto-Balkans and adjoining regions in the remote past; ii.continuity of continental phases in different areas of the Balkan Peninsula; iii. the presence of mighty limestone beds and the subsequent evolution of underground karst relief; iv. the succession of suitable climatic conditions favoring the colonization of subterranean habitats; and v. divergent differentiation of different lower and higher taxa in numerous isolated niches underground.

Table 1 )
n. sp.differs considerably from R. dragobete in the presence/absence of granulations on pedipalpal chelal patella (absent vs. present); the presence/absence of eye-spots (absent vs. present); the number of teeth on the movable (71 vs. 52) and fixed (79 vs. 54) chelal fingers; body length (4.00 Material examined.-One male from a borehole in the vicinity of the Foraj Peşteră (-9 m depth), 24 May 1998, near Mangalia, Constanţa County, Romania (without name of the collector).