Arachnologische Mitteilungen 57

Arachnologische Mitteilungen / Arachnology Letters 57: 37-42 Karlsruhe, April 2019 The subgenus Neobisium ( Neobisium ) Chamberlin, 1930 cur- rently contains 15 known species occurring in Georgia (Har- vey 2013): N . ( N .) anatolicum Beier, 1949, N . ( N .) brevidi- gitalum (Beier, 1928), N . ( N .) carcinoides (Hermann, 1804), N . ( N .) cephalonicum (Daday, 1888), N . ( N .) crassifemoratum (Beier, 1929), N . ( N .) doderoi (Simon, 1896), N . ( N .) eryth- rodactylum (L. Koch, 1873), N . ( N .) fuscimanum (C. L. Koch, 1843), N . ( N .) kobakhidzei Beier, 1962, N . ( N .) granulatum Beier, 1937, N . ( N .) labinskyi Beier, 1937, N . ( N .) moreoticum Beier, 1931, N . ( N .) simile (L. Koch, 1873), N . ( N .) sylvaticum (C. L. Koch, 1835) and N . ( N .) validum (L. Koch, 1873). Neobisium ( N .) moreoticum was originally described from Kumani (southern Greece) by Beier (1931), subsequently briefly redescribed by Beier (1963), reported from Gori (cen- tral Georgia) by Rafalski (1949) and from various localities in Bulgaria by Petrov & Šťáhlavský (2007). In addition, Schmal- fuss & Schawaller (1984) recorded N. aff. moreoticum from Santorini (south-eastern Greece). With respect to the lack of modern description of the species, here we redescribe the males of N . ( N .) moreoticum based on the newly collected ma- terial from several localities of Georgia. Additionally, a revised range of size, a distribution map for Georgia and some mor- phological variations of this species are presented. Material and methods Pseudoscorpions were collected from different localities in Georgia during the years 2013 to 2017. Specimens were cle- ared with a 60 % solution of lactic acid, dissected using black enamelled pins, and prepared as temporary and permanent sli- des.The temporary slide mounts were carried out in glycerin, and returned to small microtubes filled by 75 % ethanol after study. A number of specimens were permanently mounted on microscope slides in Hoyer’s medium. Microscopical exami- nation was carried out with an Olympus CH–2 compound microscope, which was also used to illustrate the specimens with an attached drawing tube, and to take measurements of the specimens with an ocular graticule. The specimens were deposited in the Collection of the Acarology Laboratory, Ilia State University, Tbilisi, Georgia (ISUTG). The morpho- logical terminology and measurements follow Chamberlin (1931), Harvey (1992), Harvey et al. (2012), Judson (2007) and Zaragoza (2008). It is important to note that the types of N . ( N .) moreoti- cum should, according to Beier (1931), be lodged in the Na- tural History Museum of Vienna, but unfortunately they are currently unavailable because they may have not been placed back correctly or may be lost (C. Hörweg pers comm. in Dec. 2018). Abbreviations: L = length, W = width, D = depth. Chae- totaxy: Em = external microseta, Im = internal microseta, Mm = medial microseta, T = tactile seta on tergites and sternites X-XI, TS = tactile seta, ISUPS = Ilia State University, Pseu- doscorpion collection. Results Neobisiidae Chamberlin, 1930 Neobisium Chamberlin, 1930 Neobisium ( Neobisium ) moreoticun Beier, 1931 (Figs 1–13) Neobisium ( Neobisium ) moreoticum Beier, 1931: 22–23; Beier 1932: 99–100, fig. 109. Material examined. Georgia: 2 )) , Lagodekhi Natio- nal Park, mixed broadleaf forest, (41.85363°N, 46.30317°E, 710 m a.s.l.), VI.2013 (ISUPS25); 2 )) , Lagodekhi Natio- nal Park, mixed broadleaf forest, (41.85257°N, 46.31721°E, 1010 m a.s.l.),VI.2013 (ISUPS35); 5 )) , village Lashe, mixed secondary forest (42.052206°N, 43.162798°E, 670 m a.s.l.), IX.2014 (ISUPS8); 2 )) , Village Bakhmaro, coniferous ( Abi- es nordmaniana (Steven) Spach, 1841) forest, (41.94630°N, 43.50936°E, 2070 m a.s.l.), VIII.2017 (ISUPS5); 2 )) , North of village Jvari, mixed broadleaf forest, (42.77657°N, 42.05402°E, 790 m a.s.l.), VIII.2010 (ISUPS11); 1 ) , West of village Chkhakoura, mixed broadleaf forest, (41.89922°N, 42.37073°E, 1230 m), IX.2017 (ISUPS14). Redescription (variations within species in square brackets) Carapace. reddish–brown to dark brown, posterior bor- der pale and not sclerotized; entirely smooth; sub-quadrate, 0.71–0.85× wider than length (in flattened specimens); with 2 pairs of corneate eyes, anterior eyes larger than posterior ones, anterior eyes located a little more than/as long as one diameter from anterior margin (distance from anterior mar- gin 0.075–0.087 mm, diameter of anterior eyes 0.070–0.080 mm, separation between eyes 0.025–0.035 mm); with 21–22 Neobisium ( Neobisium ) moreoticum (Pseudoscorpiones: Neobisiidae) from Georgia Mahrad Nassirkhani & Levan Mumladze doi: 10.30963/aramit5707 Abstract . A redescription of males of Neobisium ( N. ) moreoticum from Georgia is provided. Notes on its morphological variability and geographical distribution in Georgia are given. Keywords : Arachnida, Caucasus, pseudoscorpion, taxonomy, variability Zusammenfassung. Neobisium ( Neobisium ) moreoticum (Pseudoscorpiones: Neobisiidae) aus Georgien . EineWiederbeschreibung des Männchens von Neobisium ( N. ) moreoticum aus Georgien wird präsentiert. Die morphologische Variabilität und die Verbreitung in Georgien werden dargestellter Kopulationsorgane beider Geschlechter der Art präsentiert. Ergänzt wird dies durch Fotos nahe ver- wandter anatolischer Arten. Mahrad NASSIRKHANI, Entomology Department, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Islamic Azad University, Arak branch, Arak, Iran; E-mail: greenartificialturfgrass@gmail.com Levan Mumladze, Biodiversity Research Center, Institute of Ecology and Institute of Zoology, Ilia State University, Tbilisi, Georgia; E-mail: levan.mumladze@iliauni.edu.ge submitted 18.12.2018, accepted 7.2.2019, online 20.2.2019