Neobisium (Neobisium) leolatellai Gardini 2023, n. sp.
Creators: name: Gardini, Giulio
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Pseudoscorpiones
Neobisiidae
Neobisium
Neobisium leolatellai

description: Neobisium (Neobisium) leolatellai n. sp.
(Figs 54–63, 119)
Type locality: Italy, Latium, Latina Province, Western Lepini Mountains, Bassiano, southern slope of Mt Acquapuzza, Grotta della Cava 384 La/LT (41°31’00”N 12°59’34”E).
Distribution. Italy: Latium.
Diagnosis (♂ ♀). A subterranean, highly troglomorphic Neobisium from Latium (Lepini and Ausoni Mountains) that differs from other Mediterranean species of the genus in the following combination of characters: posterior margin of carapace with 4 (rarely 5) setae, epistome triangular, anterior eyes with convex (or slightly convex) lens, dark integument between anterior and posterior eyes absent; tergites I–IV: 2–5:4–6:3–6:4–6; cheliceral palm with 6 (rarely 5) setae, rallum with 8–13 blades; fixed chelal finger very weakly heterodentate or homodentate, with contiguous teeth; fixed and movable chelal fingers with 162–182 and 143–166 teeth, respectively; pedipalpal femur 2.99–3.33 mm length (9.26–10.58 ×), patella 2.34–2.64 mm (6.78–7.46 ×), movable finger 2.87–3.17 mm; pedipalpal hand subcylindrical in shape, gradually widened towards the distal end in lateral view or with long elongated oval profile and its greatest width in the distal third in dorsal view; chelal fingers slightly curved in dorsal view, almost straight in lateral view and arranged at an obtuse angle (ca 150°) to the axis of the chelal hand; ratio between movable chelal finger and hand of chela with pedicel 1.43–1.60; ratio between pedipalpal femur and movable chelal finger 1.01–1.10; ratio between pedipalpal femur and carapace 2.29–2.82; trichobothrium ist just proximal to just distal st, closer to the finger tip than to isb.
Type material. ITALY — Latium: Latina Province: 1 ♂ (holotype), Western Lepini Mountains, Bassiano, southern slope of Mt Acquapuzza, Grotta della Cava 384 La /LT (41°31’00”N 12°59’34”E), 30 m a.s.l., 13.VII.1997, L. Latella leg. (MHNG). Paratypes: 1♂ 1♀, same data as for holotype, 16.XI.1997, G. Nardi leg.; 5♂ 5♀ 2 T 2 D, id., 27.VIII.2007, M. Bastianini & P. Magrini leg.; 1♂ 4♀, id., 25.IV.2010, A. Degiovanni leg.; 3♂ 9♀ 3 T 4 D, id., 17.VII.2010, A Petroni leg.; 7♂ 6♀ 13D, id., 25.VII.2019, P. Magrini leg.; 1♂ 1♀, Latina Province, Bassiano, southern slope of Mt Acquapuzza, Grotta di Fiume Coperto 1361 La /LT (41°31’06”N 12°59’38”E), 21 m a.s.l., 9.IV.1998, L. Latella leg.; 1♀, id., 17.X.1998, G. Nardi leg.; 2♀, Latina Province, Bassiano, southern slope of Mt Acquapuzza, Grotta del Laghetto Sulfureo 1538 La /LT, (41°31’10”N 12°59’38”E), 21 m a.s.l., 6.XI.1997, L. Latella leg.
Non-type material examined. ITALY — Latium: Frosinone Province: 1♂ 1 T, Ausoni Mountains, San Giovanni Incarico, Grotta sulla strada per il Santuario Madonna della Guardia n.c. La /FR (41°30’24”N 13°33’14”E), 221 m a.s.l., 24.VII.1994, L. Latella leg.; 1 T, id., 1.XI.1997, L. Latella leg.; 1♂, id., 16.XI.1997, L. Latella leg.; 1♀ 1 T 5 D, id., 5.X.2008, M. Bastianini & P. Magrini leg.; 1 T, id., IX.2017, A. Benelli, A. Degiovanni, P. Magrini & A. Petrioli leg.
Derivatio nominis. Named in honour of Dr Leonardo (Leo, confidentially) Latella, entomologist and biospeleologist of the Museo civico di Storia naturale, Verona, for his contribution to the knowledge of the subterranean fauna of Latium, and to whom we owe the first discovery of this species.
Description of adults (♂ ♀) from type localities. Carapace, chelicerae, pedipalps and palpal coxae red-brown; pedipalps smooth, pleural membrane granular. Carapace 1.22–1.43 (♂ ♀) times as long as broad, with four eyes (Fig. 54), rarely with remain of tapetum (♂ from Grotta della Cava, 25.VII.2019), the anterior ones with lens of variable convexity (from convex to almost flat) (diameter 0.07–0.09 mm), the posterior ones with flat lens; distance from anterior eyes to anterior margin of carapace 0.13–0.15 mm; distance from anterior to posterior eyes about 0.07–0.08 mm; normally pigmented cuticle between the eyes, not darker; anterior margin with prominent triangular epistome (Fig. 54), sometimes apically rounded; carapace with 20 (rarely 21) macrosetae, besides 1 preocular seta on each side; anterior and posterior rows with 4 and 4 (rarely 5) macrosetae, respectively. Chaetotaxy of tergites I–X (♂ ♀): 2–4:4–6:3–6:4–6:4–6:4–7:4–6:6:6–8:6–7 (probable standard chaetotaxy 4:4:4:4:6:6:6:6:6:6). Chaetotaxy of sternites II–X (♂): 15–23:(3)38–50(3):(2–3)12–14(3):11–14:10–13:9–12:10–11:10–12:10–11, genital atrium with 4+4 setae; median genital sac reaching the middle of sternite V; chaetotaxy of sternites II–X (♀): 9–15:(3)23– 30(3):(3)10–12(2–3):10–12:10–12:10–13:10–11:10:10. Chelicera (Fig. 55) 2.02–2.18 (♂ ♀) times as long as broad, palm with 6 (rarely 5) setae; fixed finger with 9– 14 spaced teeth, movable finger with 11–16 teeth, one of which prominent at the level or just proximal gs; gs ratio 0.64–0.71, spinneret broad and not very prominent in both sexes (Figs 55–56), with long hyaline sickle-shaped cap; rallum with 10–13 blades, the distal one laterally serrate-pinnate and isolated on a prominence, the second (rarely also the third) one serrate, the successive ones smooth, the proximal 2–3 very short; serrulae interior and exterior with about 34–36 and 35–40 blades, respectively. Manducatory process with 5 (rarely 4) setae. Coxal setae: pedipalp 8–11, I 5–10, II 6–9, III 5–7, IV 10–16; anterolateral process of coxa I squat, anteromedial process weakly prominent with denticles (Fig. 57). Pedipalp (Figs 58–60): trochanter 2.58–3.0 (♂ ♀) times as long as broad, with 3–4 weak button-like tubercles (with lyrifissure) on antiaxial face; femur 9.26– 10.58 (♂) or 9.45–10.09 (♀) times as long as broad, slightly enlarged distally; patella 6.78–7.45 (♂) or 6.84–7.46 (♀) times as long as broad, club gradually and slightly enlarged distally, ratio between club and pedicel 2.5–3.1 (♂ ♀), ratio X/Y = 0.18–0.21 (♂ ♀), base of pedicel dorsally with 6–14 glandular pores; chela with pedicel 9.32–10.73 (♂) or 9.11–9.78 (♀) times as long as broad; hand of chela with pedicel 3.84–4.40 (♂) or 3.71–4.08 (♀) times as long as broad, subcylindrical in shape, gradually widened towards the distal end in lateral view or with long elongated oval profile and its greatest width in the distal third in dorsal view (Figs 59–60); chelal fingers slightly curved in dorsal view, almost straight in lateral view and arranged at an obtuse angle (ca 150°) to the axis of the chelal hand (Fig. 60); fixed chelal finger (irregularly) homodentate (Fig. 60), with 162–182 (♂ ♀) pointed contiguous teeth, nodus ramosus subterminal; movable chelal finger with 143–166 (♂ ♀) low, flattened contiguous teeth, except in the distal third of the finger, where they are cuspidate; all teeth with dental canals; sensillum in variable position between trichobothria sb and st; trichobothria as in figs 59–60, relative position of trichobothria along chelal axis (♂ ♀): it 0.08–0.095/ et 0.9–0.10/ est 0.12 –0.155/ ist 0.28–0.32/ isb 0.79–0.84/ ib 0.92–0.94/ esb 0.92–0.98/ eb 0.95–0.99/ t 0.13–0.15/ st 0.26–0.335/ sb 0.69–0.73/ b 0.90–0.915; trichobothrium est just proximal to just distal t; trichobothrium ist just proximal to just distal st, closer to the finger tip than to isb; trichobothrium isb proximal sb; ratio between movable finger and hand of chela with pedicel 1.43–1.60 (♂ ♀); ratio between pedipalpal femur and movable finger 1.04–1.10 (♂ ♀); ratio between pedipalpal femur and carapace 2.34–2.82 (♂ ♀). Leg IV (Fig. 61): trochanter 2.73– 3.12 (♂) or 2.76–2.96 (♀) times as long as deep, femur + patella 8.26–9.56 (♂) or 8.26–9.06 (♀) times as long as deep, tibia 15.15–16.50 (♂) or 14.16–15.62 (♀) times [TS = 0.30–0.34 (♂) or 0.29–0.44 (♀)], basitarsus 7.93–8.84 (♂) or 7.18–9.15 (♀) times [TS = 0.12–0.14 (♂) or 0.10–0.21 (♀)], telotarsus 12.60–13.56 (♂) or 10.78–15.77 (♀) times as long as deep [TS = 0.35–0.54 (♂) or 0.41–0.53 (♀)], ratio between basitarsus and telotarsus 0.73–0.79 (♂ ♀), subterminal seta furcate, claws with a very small dorsal tooth.
Measurements. Body length 4.0–5.1 (♂) 4.8–5.8 (♀). Carapace 1.16–1.38 × 0.91–0.96 anteriorly (♂) or 1.18– 1.41 × 0.88–1.02 anteriorly (♀). Chelicera 0.89–0.94 × 0.43–0.445 (♂) or 0.90–1.01 × 0.435 –0.485 (♀); movable finger length 0.58–0.61 (♂) or 0.60–0.645 (♀). Pedipalp: trochanter 0.89–1.02 × 0.33–0.355 (♂) or 0.96–1.06 × 0.32–0.385 (♀); femur 3.06–3.29 × 0.305 –0.355 (♂) or 3.12–3.33 × 0.32–0.35 (♀); patella 2.34–2.64 × 0.345–0.37 (♂) or 2.39–2.60 × 0.32–0.38 (♀); chela with pedicel 4.60–4.83 × 0.45–0.515 (depth 0.46–0.49) (♂) or 4.60–5.01 × 0.47–0.54 (depth 0.46–0.54) (♀); hand with pedicel length 1.84–2.07 (♂) or 1.88–2.09 (♀); movable finger length 2.87–3.11 (♂) or 2.87–3.17 (♀). Leg IV: trochanter 0.82–0.89 × 0.28–0.305 (♂) or 0.805–0.94 × 0.28–0.33 (♀); femur + patella 2.67–2.90 × 0.30–0.345 (♂) or 2.66–2.92 × 0.30–0.345 (♀); tibia 2.50–2.73 × 0.16–0.185 (♂) or 2.50–2.71 × 0.16–0.185 (♀); basitarsus 1.15–1.21 × 0.13–0.14 (♂) or 1.05–1.19 × 0.125–0.14 (♀); telotarsus 1.45–1.58 × 0.11–0.125 (♂) or 1.42–1.61 × 0.10–0.125 (♀).
Description of tritonymphs from Grotta della Cava 384 La/LT. Carapace, chelicerae, pedipalps and palpal coxae red-brown pale. Pedipalps smooth, pleural membrane granular. Carapace 1.39–1.47 times as long as broad, anterior eyes with weakly convex lens (diameter 0.05–mm), without tapetum, the posterior ones not visible (Fig. 62), distance from anterior eyes to anterior margin of carapace 0.12–0.13 mm; anterior margin of carapace with a triangular epistome, apically blunt and slightly denticulated (Fig. 62); 18–22 macrosetae, besides 1 preocular seta on each side, anterior and posterior rows with 4 and 4 (rarely 3) macrosetae, respectively. Chaetotaxy of tergites I–X: 3–4:4:4:4–5:4–6:5–6:4–6:5–6:6:6–7. Chaetotaxy of sternites II–X: 2–4:(3)8–10(3):(2–3)8–10(2–3):10–13:11– 13:10–12:10–13:9–10:8–11. Chelicera 2.03–2.11 times as long as broad, palm with 6 setae, fixed finger with 7–10 spaced teeth, movable finger with about 10–12 teeth, one of which prominent at level of gs; gs ratio 0.67–0.70, spinneret prominent, with long hyaline sickle-shaped cap; rallum with 7–9 blades, the distal one laterally serrate-pinnate and isolated on a prominence, the second one serrate, the successive ones smooth, the proximal 1–2 shorter; serrulae interior and exterior with about 27–30 and 28–30 blades, respectively. Manducatory process with 4 setae. Coxal setae: pedipalp 8–10, I 4–6, II 5–7, III 4–7, IV 7–10; anterolateral process of coxa I squat, anteromedial process prominent and rounded with denticles. Pedipalp: trochanter 2.54–2.70 times as long as broad, antiaxial side with two weak tubercles, each with lyrifissure; femur 8.0–8.72 times as long as broad, weakly enlarged distally; patella 5.27–5.85 times as long as broad, weakly and gradually enlarged distally, club 2.24–2.50 times longer than pedicel, ratio X/Y = 0.24–0.26; chela with pedicel 8.21–9.57 times as long as broad; hand of chela with pedicel 3.30–3.60 times as long as broad, cylindrical in shape, gradually widened towards the distal end; fixed chelal finger (irregularly) homodentate, with 132–144 pointed contiguous teeth, nodus ramosus subterminal; movable chelal finger with 117–124 low, flattened contiguous teeth, apart from the distal ones the trichobothrium st, which are cuspidate; all teeth with dental canals; sensillum at level of the 6 th –16 th tooth proximal st; relative position of trichobothria along chelal axis: it 0.10–0.15/ et 0.115 –0.125 / est 0.17 –0.185/ ist 0.35–0.375/ ib 0.89–0.92/ esb 0.92– 0.95/ eb 0.94–0.965/ t 0.165–0.19/ st 0.47–0.53/ b 0.88–0.89; fixed finger of right chela of a tritonymph from Grotta della Cava (17.VII.2010) with trichobothrium it in an abnormal proximal position, close to trichobothrium est (Fig. 63); movable finger of right chela of a tritonymph from the same cave (17.VII.2010) missing trichobothrium st; ratio between movable finger and hand of chela with pedicel 1.56–1.66; ratio between pedipalpal femur and movable finger 0.96–1.0; ratio between pedipalpal femur and carapace 1.95–2.16. Leg IV: trochanter 2.35–2.72 times as long as deep, femur + patella 6.70–7.40 times as long as deep, tibia 11.5–12.7 times (TS = 0.25–0.31), basitarsus 5.63– 6.45 times (TS = 0.12–0.15), telotarsus 8.54–9.60 times as long as deep (TS = 0.41–0.59), ratio between basitarsus and telotarsus 0.65–0.68, subterminal seta furcate, claws with a very small dorsal tooth.
Measurements. Body length 3.3–3.9. Carapace 0.87–1.08 × 0.60–0.735 anteriorly. Chelicera 0.635–0.71 × 0.30–0.35, movable finger length 0.405–0.46. Pedipalp: trochanter 0.615–0.70 × 0.235 –0.275; femur 1.84–2.18 × 0.22–0.265; patella 1.35–1.61 × 0.24–0.295; chela with pedicel 3.08–3.40 × 0.33–0.40 (depth 0.34–0.395); hand with pedicel length 1.15–1.38; movable finger length 1.91–2.18. Leg IV: trochanter 0.50–0.60 × 0.185 –0.255; femur + patella 1.56–1.85 × 0.22–0.275; tibia 1.38–1.61 × 0.115–0.14; basitarsus 0.61–0.71 × 0.105 –0.115; telotarsus 0.89–1.08 × 0.095–0.11.
Description of deutonymphs from Grotta della Cava 384 La/LT. Integuments pale. Pedipalps smooth, pleural membrane granular. Carapace 1.33–1.42 times as long as broad, anterior eyes with flat lens (diameter about 0.05 mm), without tapetum, the posterior ones not visible; distance from anterior eyes to anterior margin of carapace about 0.09 mm; anterior margin of carapace with a slightly prominent epistome, broadly rounded and slightly denticulated apically; carapace with 19–21 macrosetae, without preocular setae, chaetotaxy 4–7–4–4 or 4–6–7–4. Chaetotaxy of tergites I–X: 3–4:4:3–5:4–5:5:5:4–5:5:6:6. Chaetotaxy of sternites II–X: 0:(2)2(2):(1–2)4(1–2):7– 8:8:8:8:8:8. Chelicera 1.92–1.96 times as long as broad, palm with 5 setae, fixed finger with 15–16 teeth, pointed and spaced except the distal 5–6, which are small and contiguous; movable finger with 9–13 teeth, 1–3 of which prominent at level of gs; gs ratio 0.66–0.68; spinneret largely prominent, hemispheric; rallum with 7–8 blades, the distal one laterally serrate-pinnate and isolated on a prominence, the second one serrate, the successive ones smooth, the proximal ones gradually shorter; serrulae interior and exterior with 21–24 blades. Manducatory process with 3 setae. Coxal setae: pedipalp 7–8, I 3–5, II 5, III 3–4, IV 5; anterolateral process of coxa I squat, anteromedial process prominent, apically rounded with denticles. Pedipalp: trochanter 2.27–2.40 times as long as broad, antiaxial side with one weak tubercle with lyrifissure; femur 6.66–6.95 times as long as broad; patella 4.19–4.38 times as long as broad, weakly and gradually enlarged distally, club 1.95–1.96 times longer than pedicel, ratio X/Y = 0.33–0.36; chela with pedicel 7.07–8.0 times as long as broad; hand of chela with pedicel 2.86–3.28 times as long as broad, subcylindrical in shape, gradually widened towards the distal end; chelal fingers straight; fixed chelal finger (irregularly) homodentate, with 93–95 pointed contiguous teeth, nodus ramosus subterminal; movable chelal finger with 86–87 low, flattened contiguous teeth, apart from the distal ones the trichobothrium t, which are cuspidate; all teeth with dental canals; sensillum 8–18 teeth distad of trichobothrium b; relative position of trichobothria along chelal axis: it 0.16–0.17/ et 0.195–0.20/ est 0.26 –0.275/ ist 0.41–0.44/ ib 0.90–0.91/ eb 0.93/ t 0.285–0.29/ b 0.83–0.85; ratio between movable finger and hand of chela with pedicel 1.57–1.60; ratio between pedipalpal femur and movable finger 0.90–0.91; ratio between pedipalpal femur and carapace 1.69–1.79. Leg IV: trochanter 2.59–2.89 times as long as deep, femur + patella 6.32–6.54 times as long as deep, tibia 8.09–9.09 times (TS = 0.28), basitarsus 4.38– 4.66 times (TS = 0.13–0.16), telotarsus 8.06–10.0 times as long as deep (TS = 0.38–0.42), ratio between basitarsus and telotarsus 0.60–0.85, subterminal seta furcate, dorsal tooth not seen.
Measurements. Body length 2.1–2.5. Carapace 0.71–0.735 × 0.50–0.55 anteriorly. Chelicera 0.51–0.53 × 0.26–0.275, movable finger length 0.32–0.33. Pedipalp: trochanter 0.42–0.48 × 0.185–0.20; femur 1.20–1.32 × 0.18–0.19; patella 0.88–0.965 × 0.21–0.22; chela with pedicel 2.05–2.24 × 0.28–0.29 (depth 0.28–0.29); hand with pedicel length 0.83–0.92; movable finger length 1.33–1.45. Leg IV: trochanter 0.415–0.42 × 0.145–0.16; femur + patella 1.08–1.17 × 0.165 –0.185; tibia 0.89–1.0 × 0.11; basitarsus 0.395–0.42 × 0.09; telotarsus 0.645–0.70 × 0.07–0.08.
Description of adults (♂ ♀) from Ausoni Mountains: Grotta sulla strada per il Santuario Madonna della Guardia n.c. La/FR. (Characters as in type specimens omitted). Carapace 1.36 (♂) or 1.33 (♀) times as long as broad, with four eyes without tapetum, the anterior ones with slightly convex lens (diameter 0.09 mm), the posterior ones with flat lens; distance from anterior eyes to anterior margin of carapace 0.10 mm; anterior margin with prominent equilateral triangular epistome, apically rounded; carapace with 19–20 macrosetae, besides 1 preocular seta on each side; anterior and posterior rows with 4 and 4 macrosetae, respectively. Chaetotaxy of tergites I–X (♂ ♀): 4–5:4:4:4:4:5–?:4–6:4–5:6:6. Chaetotaxy of sternites II–VIII (♂): 15:(3)44(3):(2)13(3):12:10:10:9, genital atrium with 5+5 setae; median genital sac not seen; chaetotaxy of sternites II–X (♀): 9:(3)30(3):(3)10(3):8:10:10:8:8:9. Chelicera 2.12 (♂) or 2.04 (♀) times as long as broad, palm with 6 setae (5 and 6 in ♀); fixed finger with about 10 subequal teeth (worn in ♂), movable finger with about 7 teeth, one of which prominent just distal gs; gs ratio 0.68 (♂ ♀), spinneret broad and not very prominent in both sexes; rallum with 8 blades, the distal one laterally serrate-pinnate and isolated on a prominence, the second one serrate, the successive ones smooth, the proximal 2 short (the fourth blade of the male briefly serrate); serrulae interior and exterior with about 35 blades. Manducatory process with 5 setae. Coxal setae: pedipalp 8–9, I 7, II 6–7, III 6, IV 9–11. Pedipalp: trochanter 2.78 (♂) or 2.80 (♀) times as long as broad, with 4 weak button-like tubercles (with lyrifissure) on antiaxial face; femur 9.96 (♂) or 9.39 (♀) times as long as broad, slightly enlarged distally; patella 6.98 (♂) or 6.58 (♀) times as long as broad, club gradually and slightly enlarged distally, ratio between club and pedicel 2.60 (♂) or 2.66 (♀), ratio X/Y = 0.20 (♂) or 0.22 (♀), base of pedicel dorsally with 10 glandular pores; chela with pedicel 8.75 (♂) or 8.10 (♀) times as long as broad; hand of chela with pedicel 3.64 (♂) or 3.39 (♀) times as long as broad, subcylindrical in shape, gradually widened towards the distal end in lateral view or with long elongated oval profile and its greatest width in the distal third in dorsal view; chelal fingers slightly curved in dorsal view, almost straight in lateral view and arranged at an obtuse angle (ca 150°) to the axis of the chelal hand; fixed chelal finger homodentate, with 167 (♂) or 180 (♀) pointed contiguous teeth, nodus ramosus subterminal; movable chelal finger with 148 (♂) or 150 (♀) low, flattened contiguous teeth, except in the distal third of the finger, where they are cuspidate; sensillum at level of the tenth tooth distally sb; relative position of trichobothria along chelal axis: it 0.105/ et 0.115/ est 0.16 / ist 0.35/ isb 0.84/ ib 0.94/ esb 0.98/ eb 0.99/ t 0.14/ st 0.375/ sb 0.72/ b 0.92 (♂) or it 0.09/ et 0.11/ est 0.15 / ist 0.305/ isb 0.775/ ib 0.92/ esb 0.96/ eb 0.97/ t 0.14/ st 0.365/ sb 0.73/ b 0.91 (♀); trichobothrium est just proximal t; trichobothrium ist just distal st, closer to the finger tip than to isb; trichobothrium isb proximal sb; ratio between movable finger and hand of chela with pedicel 1.53 (♂) or 1.50 (♀); ratio between pedipalpal femur and movable finger 1.01 (♂) or 1.03 (♀); ratio between pedipalpal femur and carapace 2.57 (♂) or 2.29 (♀). Leg IV: trochanter 2.6 (♂) or 2.9 (♀) times as long as deep, femur + patella 8.31 (♂) or 8.25 (♀) times as long as deep, tibia 13.51 (♂) or 14.16 (♀) times [TS = 0.32 (♂ ♀)], basitarsus 8.96 (♂) or 8.35 (♀) times [TS = 0.11 (♂ ♀)], telotarsus 14.20 (♂) or 13.18 (♀) times as long as deep [TS = 0.41 (♂) or 0.47 (♀)], ratio between basitarsus and telotarsus 0.79 (♂) or 0.80 (♀), subterminal seta furcate, claws with a very small dorsal tooth.
Measurements. Body length 4.5 (♂) 4.6 (♀). Carapace 1.16 × 0.85 anteriorly (♂) or 1.35 × 1.01 anteriorly (♀). Chelicera 0.87 × 0.41 (♂) or 0.96 × 0.47 (♀); movable finger length 0.54 (♂) or 0.61 (♀). Pedipalp: trochanter 0.96 × 0.345 (♂) or 1.01 × 0.36 (♀); femur 2.99 × 0.30 (♂) or 3.10 × 0.33 (♀); patella 2.41 × 0.345 (♂) or 2.50 × 0.38 (♀); chela with pedicel 4.64 × 0.53 (♂) or 4.78 × 0.59 (♀); hand with pedicel length 1.93 (♂) or 2.0 (♀); movable finger length 2.96 (♂) or 3.01 (♀). Leg IV: trochanter 0.78 × 0.30 (♂) or 0.87 × 0.30 (♀); femur + patella 2.66 × 0.32 (♂) or 2.64 × 0.32 (♀); tibia 2.50 × 0.185 (♂) or 2.55 × 0.18 (♀); basitarsus 1.12 × 0.125 (♂) or 1.17 × 0.14 (♀); telotarsus 1.42 × 0.10 (♂) or 1.45 × 0.11 (♀).
Remarks. Neobisium leolatellai n. sp. shows the highest degree of morphological modifications in relation to the subterranean environment among all of the known Neobisium species from central and southern Italy. It is probably related, and certainly similar, to N. patrizii and related also to the complex of populations of Monti Lepini provisionally attributed to N. sp. aff. patrizii, but very different from the latter due to its high troglomorphism.
Neobisium leolatellai n. sp. differs from N. patrizii in a higher degree of troglomorphy, evidenced by larger size, by greater elongation of the appendages and by the shape of chelal hand: pedipalpal patella length 2.34–2.64 mm, 6.58–7.46 times as long as broad in N. leolatellai, 1.56–1.88 mm, 5.38–6.06 times as long as broad in N. patrizii; pedipalpal chela length 4.60–5.01 mm, 8.10–10.73 times as long as broad in N. leolatellai, 3.55–3.75 mm, 6.82–7.95 times as long as broad in N. patrizii; pedipalpal hand length 1.84–2.09 mm, 3.39–4.40 times as long as broad in N. leolatellai, 1.32–1.49 mm, 2.54–3.08 times as long as broad in N. patrizii; pedipalpal hand mainly subcylindrical in lateral view in N. leolatellai, with long oval profile in N. patrizii; ratio between movable finger and hand of chela with pedicel 1.43–1.60 in N. leolatellai, 1.66–1.82 in N. patrizii.
The disjunct population from the cave near San Giovanni Incarico in the Ausoni Mountains―of which only three adults were examined―is attributed to N. leolatellai n. sp. as there is no relevant morphological evidence that distinguishes it at a specific level with certainty from the populations of the caves in Mt Acquapuzza in the Lepini Mountains: the only differences found concern the number of blades on rallum (8 in the former, 10–13 in the latter), the lengthening of the pedipalpal chela with pedicel (8.10–8.75 × versus 9.11–10.73 ×), the lengthening of the pedipalpal hand with pedicel (3.39–3.64 × versus 3.71–4.40 ×) and the pattern of dentition of fixed chelal finger (homodentate versus very weakly heterodentate).
The three karst areas of Lepini, Ausoni and Aurunci Mountains are characterized by having populations of specialized troglobites of the genera Duvalius Delarouzée, 1859 (Coleoptera, Carabidae) and Bathysciola Jeannel, 1910 (Coleoptera, Leiodidae) that mutually distinct from each other (Vigna Taglianti & Magrini 2008, Magrini & Sbordoni 2020, Latella et al. 2017). The morphological characters of the populations of N. leolatellai n. sp. from Monti Lepini and Monti Ausoni lack species-level divergences, and it may be possible that homoplasy events, such as convergence, have acted in allopatric species that have colonized the same type of environment, as found in species of the genus Bathysciola (Latella et al. 2017). The taxonomic status of the population of the Monti Ausoni cave can be better defined by examining further specimens.
In the Western Lepini Mountains, N. leolatellai n. sp. lives in the karst complex of Mt Acquapuzza, in hydrologically active caves characterized by the presence of hydrogen sulphide (Latella et al. 1999; Mecchia et al. 2003), in which is also present Ephippiochthonius latellai (Gardini, 2013), a pseudoscorpion species with high degree of troglomorphy (Gardini 2013).
description: Published as part of Gardini, Giulio, 2023, The troglomorphic pseudoscorpions of the genus Neobisium from Corsica, Sardinia and mainland Italy, with description of new species (Pseudoscorpiones: Neobisiidae), pp. 1-67 in Zootaxa 5381 (1) on pages 29-35, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5381.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/10275930