TWO NEW CAVE-DWELLERS FROM MONTENEGRO ( NEOBISIIDAE , PSEUDOSCORPIONES )

— The cave-dwelling forms of the genus Neobisium L. Koch comprise many phyletic lines, some less specialized and others highly adapted to cave life. To trace their origin, biogeography and evolution, it is necessary to compare the evidence about troglobitic species with that of the epigean forms from different European habitats, especially in the Mediterranean or Dinaric regions. In this study, descriptions of Neobisium crucis n. sp. and N. pluzinensis n. sp., both from caves in Montenegro, are presented, with some details on the comparative morphology and morphometric ratios.

Caves represent the "ephemeral" existence of the majority of underground habitats and their scattered and isolated distribution.Caves and other forms of the underground karst relief are therefore transitory incidents in the history of the Earth, spasmodic phenomena in time and space.1) Etymology -According to some explanations, the name Krstac is derived from "krst" (crux in Latin).
Twelfth abdominal segment with two pairs of small setae.Pleural membranes granulostriate.
Manducatory process (apex of pedipalpal coxa) bears four long setae.Trochanter with no tubercle, pedipalpal articles smooth and attenuated, femur and tibia slightly dilated distally (Figs. 1 and 3).Chelal palm ovate.Fixed chelal finger with 107 small and contiguous teeth that are triangular and apically pointed.The teeth of the fixed finger reach the level of trichobothrium ib (Fig. 1).Movable chelal finger with 105 small teeth; distal members are triangular and low; basal to t, the teeth gradually become retroconical, wider and lower, but not reaching the level of b.Chelal fingers longer than chelal palm, pedipalpal femur longer than chelal fingers (Table 1).
Anterior and median rim of coxa I with numerous small chitinous points.Trochanteral foramen elongate and transparent.Tibia IV, basitarsus IV and tarsus IV each with a single sensitive seta (Fig. 4).Subterminal tarsal setae furcated, each branch with few spinules.Morphometric ratios and measurements are presented in Table 1.
Remarks -From its phenetically close congener, Neobisium montdori Ćurčić from middle Dalmatia, N. crucis n. sp. is easily distinguished by the absence/ presence of preocular microsetae, the setation of tergites I -III, number of setae of sternites II and III, number of teeth on fixed and movable chelal fingers, body length, pedipalpal length-to-breadth ratio, leg IV tibia length-to-breadth ratio, and by the leg IV femur length-to-breadth ratio.
Distribution -In caves, Bay of Kotor, Montenegro.This species seems to be endemic and confined to the Montenegrin karst only.
Apex of pedipalpal coxa (manducatory process) carries four acuminate setae.Pedipalpal trochanter elongated, femur, tibia and pedipalpal chela elongated and smooth (Figs. 8 and 13).Fixed chelal finger with 108 small contiguous and asymmetrically pointed teeth.Movable chelal finger with 90 closeset teeth; only a few distal members are asymmetrically pointed and the remainder belong to the square cusped or rounded teeth which do not reach as far as the level of b (Fig. 13).Trichobothriotaxy as in Table 1.Chelal fingers longer than chelal palm and shorter than pedipalpal femur (Table 1).
Coxa I: anterior and median rim with few transparent chitinous points, trochanteral foramen acute.Tibia IV, basitarsus IV, and tarsus IV each with a single tactile seta (Fig. 12).Subterminal tarsal seta furcated, each ramus with a few spinnules.
Morphometric ratios and linear measurements are presented in Table 1.

Differential diagnosis -
The new species is easily distinguished from its phenetically close congener, Neobisium montdori Ćurčić (from middle Dalmatia) in many important aspects, such as the carapacal setation, the tergites I -X setation, sternite IV -X setation, number of teeth on the chelal fingers, the pedipalpal tibia length-to-breadth ratio, leg IV tibia length-to-breadth ratio, and by the leg IV tarsus length-to-breadth ratio (Table 1).
Distribution -This is a cave inhabitant that lives in underground habitats around the village of Bajovo Polje, nr.Nikšić, Montenegro.It is probably endemic to the Balkan Peninsula and relict to the Dinaric karst in Montenegro.