CHTHONIUS (GLOBOCHTHONIUS) MONTIS N. SP.: A NEW EPIGEAN PSEUDOSCORPION FROM MONTENEGRO (CHTHONIIDAE, PSEUDOSCORPIONES)

A new endemic epigean pseudoscorpion species from Mt. Orjen, Montenegro, is presented, described, and illustrated. Its main morphometric characters and important diagnostic features are analyzed and compared to its closest congeners.

The orogenic movements that fused eurasia and Africa also raised new mountains in the taurides, the Hellenides, the Dinarides, and eventually, somewhat later in the Middle or early Late Miocene, the Helvetic Alps.This series of movements led to a separation of the Mediterranean and an eastern european inland sea, the Paratethys.
Biologists are only beginning to explore the implications of the Miocene Mediterranean desiccation.The present Mediterranean fauna is similar to that of the Pliocene, but very different from that of the Miocene.The impact of the Messinian salinity crisis and the accompanying climatic changes must have greatly influenced the distribution of land plants.The aridity led to temporary or permanent expansion of savanna vegetation.
In the present study, material from a sample of pseudoscorpions collected in 1997 has been examined.This sample from the epigean habitat of Mt.Orjen, Montenegro, consisted of a single previously undescribed species, Chthonius (Globochthonius) montis n. sp.The new species, described in this paper, is probably an endemic and relict taxon that inhabits underground milieux in the southern part of the Dinaric Belt in Montenegro.Beier (1939Beier ( , 1963)).

Setal designations follow
The type material is deposited in the collections of the Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, university of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia (The Center of Biospeleology of the mentioned institute).
Description -The carapace is as long as it is broad and the anterior border is distinctly wider than the posterior one (Fig. 6, table 1).two pairs of tiny eyes are developed (Fig. 6).The anterior carapacal border is with no epistomal protuberances (Fig. 6); therefore, it has no differentiated epistome, although there exist some inconspicuous denticulations, particularly between the two anterior and median setae.Whatever the case, these denticulations cannot be seen lateral to the anterior setae (Fig. 6).
The carapace has 18 setae arranged in five rows; four anterior, six ocular, four median, two intermedian, and two posterior setae (Fig. 6).In front of the ocular setal row, one small seta is developed in each preocular recess (Fig. 6).
Female genital area: sternite II carries nine setae; the next sternite carries eleven posterior setae and two microsetae along each stigma.Sternite Iv has ten posterior setae and two suprastigmatic microsetae on either side.Sternite v has nine posterior setae, and sternites vI-X have 6 -6 -6 -6 -6 posterior setae.
The galea (cheliceral spinneret) is represented by a low elevation of the finger margin (Fig. 5).There is an isolated tooth distally on the movable finger.The first large tooth is contiguous with a row of smaller teeth that end at the level of insertion of the galeal seta (Fig. 5).On the fixed cheliceral finger, the teeth extend back, diminishing abruptly in size below those on the movable finger (Fig. 5).
The movable cheliceral finger has one large galeal seta and six setae on the palm of the chelicera; additionally, two small accessory setae are carried exterior to vb.The movable finger is slightly longer than the cheliceral breadth and the ratio of cheliceral length to breadth is 2.12 (table 1).The cheliceral flagellum consists of nine blades, one small blade proximally and other blades twice this length, more or less in pairs, distally.The most distal members of the series are curved and pinnate on two sides.
The coxae of the pedipalps each carry five setae: two at the anterior end and manducatory process, and three on the posterior border of the trochantic foramen.The pedipalpal femur is 6.035 times longer than broader and 1.51 times longer than the carapace (table 1).The patella is tulip-like (Fig. 4).The contours of the chelal palm on the dorsal and dorsolateral side are distinctly globular (Figs. 2 and 4).The fixed chelal finger is 1.42 times as long as the chelal palm (table 1).The ratio of the pedipalpal chelal length to breadth is 4.40 (table 1).The teeth of the fixed chelal finger (18) are small, interspaced, and slightly pointed, eventually merging in smaller and lower teeth proximally (Fig. 2 and 4).The movable chelal finger has one apodeme.The movable chelal finger carries 15 dorsally interspaced teeth; distally these teeth merge into a dental lamella (Fig. 2).In  addition, the fixed chelal finger carries an obvious accessory tooth at its extreme distal end.
The pedal coxa II carries six or seven spines medially; coxa III has four or five spines.The intercoxal tubercle carries two small setae (Fig. 3).
The measurements of various podomeres of leg Iv, as well as the tactile seta ratios are presented in table 1. tibia Iv, metatarsus Iv and tarsus Iv each carry a long tactile seta (Fig. 1).On tibia Iv this sensitive seta is found slightly distal to the middle of the podomere (table 1).The claws are slender, smooth and sickle-shaped.