CHTHONIUS (CHTHONIUS) GLOBOCICAE (CHTHONIIDAE, PSEUDOSCORPIONES), A NEW SPECIES OF FALSE SCORPION FROM A CAVE IN MONTENEGRO

A new species of false scorpion belonging to the family Chthoniidae, Chthonius (Chthonius) globocicae n. sp., is described from a cave in the village of Trnovo, near Virpazar in Montenegro. This endemic form is illustrated, diagnosed, and thoroughly compared to its phenetically closest congener [C. (C.) porevidi Ćurčić, Makarov & Lučić, 1998] from the area of Krivošije in Montenegro. Additionally, certain diagnostic and other features, taxonomic traits and biogeographical details are briefly discussed in the light of evolution of the karstification process in Montenegro.


INTRODUCTION
Speciation of the genus Chthonius C. L. Koch in Montenegro has not been studied in great detail (Ć u r č i ć et al., 2004).Only in several cases do we have exact the data on niche preferences that are prerequisites for evolutionary studies (B e i e r , 1939, Ć u r č i ć et al., 1997, 1998).It should be emphasized that a limited number of Montenegrin Chthonius species are known to date (Ć u r č i ć et al., 2004).However, preliminary analysis of material collected in the course of our three-decade work in the field point to high variability of the genus, since at least 20 species new to science still await names and diagnoses.
Galea prominent (Fig. 9; female) or inconspicuous (male).Cheliceral palm with six setae and two additional microsetae (Fig. 9), movable finger with a single seta.Cheliceral dentition as illustrated in Fig. 9. Flagellum consisting of 10 (female) or 11 (male) blades (this organ in male with one small blade and 10 blades twice its length more or less in pairs distally).
Trichobothrial disposition as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 10.
Coxa I bears six, coxa II -four, coxa III -five, and coxa IV -five setae (in both sexes).Coxa II bears seven or eight spines (in both sexes); four or five spines are present on coxa III in the female and four on coxa III in the male (Figs. 5,6,12).Coxal spines are finely pinnate on both sides.Intercoxal Table 1.Linear measurements (in millimeters) and morphometric ratios in Chthonius (Chthonius) globocicae n. sp.from Montenegro.Abbreviations: F = female, M = male.
Linear measurements (in mm) and morphometric ratios are presented in Table 1.

Differential diagnosis.
-In comparison with its morphologically similar congener C. (C.) porevidi Ćurčić, Makarov & Lučić, 1998, the new species differs in many important respects, such as: female body length (2.76 mm vs. 2.06 mm); the presence/ absence of eye-spots (present vs. absent); form of the movable chelal finger (S-shaped, with dental lamella vs. straight, without dental lamella); number and form of teeth on the fixed (24, with no dental lamella vs. 20 or 22, with a proximal dental lamella) and movable (six, with a long dental lamella vs. 17 or 18, with a short proximal dental lamella) chelal fingers; the pedipalpal femur to chelal finger length ratio (femur equals chelal finger vs. femur longer than chelal finger); number of spines on coxa II (16 or 17 vs.seven or eight) and coxa III (eight vs. four or five), the pedipalpal length (4.79 mm vs. 2.825 mm), pedipalpal femur length (1.30 mm vs. 0.95 mm); the pedipalpal femur length to breadth ratio (8.125 vs. 6.785), the chelal length to breadth ratio (5.97 vs. 5.48), the leg IV length (3.625 mm vs. 2.445 mm); and the tibia IV length to breadth ratio (5.25 vs. 4.70).

CONCLUDING REMARKS
The newly-discovered species Chthonius (C.) globocicae n. sp.belongs to the endemic and relict fauna of the Dinaric Karst; this area encompasses a vast part of the Balkan Peninsula, a region rich in limestone sediments, as well as in both superficial and underground karst relief.Since the regions bordering on Montenegro (Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Albania) are extremely rich in pseudoscorpions (Ć u r č i ć et al., 2004), it can be assumed that Montenegro, heretofore neglected as far as the study of false scorpions is concerned, is also rich in species of this faunistic group (Ć u r č i ć , 1988; Ć u r č i ć et al., 2004).