A comparative study of the male genitalia of the Cacodemoniini (Pseudoscorpiones: Withiidae)

Abstract

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A new genus and five new species of pseudoscorpions (Arachnida, Pseudoscorpiones, Withiidae) from Colombia

“…As shown by Mahnert (1975) and Romero-Ortiz and Sarmiento (2021) , there is morphological correspondence with genera, and Harvey (2004) suggested that the triangular dorsal apodeme shape found in many withiids likely represented a monophyletic group, the Cacodemoniini . Romero-Ortiz and Sarmiento (2021) were able to define individual Neotropical genera using the morphology of the male genitalia, which is here extended to Oligowithius , which is clearly defined based on its genitalia, among other characters. In future, an assessment of the female genitalia may provide further diagnostic features.…”

“…Terminology and measurements largely follow Chamberlin (1931b) , except for the nomenclature of the pedipalps, legs, and, with some minor modifications, the terminology of the trichobothria where we follow Harvey (1992) , chelicera ( Harvey and Edward 2007 ; Judson 2007 ) and faces of the appendages ( Harvey et al 2012 ). Male genitalia terminology follows Romero-Ortiz and Sarmiento (2021) .…”

“…This new genus is placed within the Cacodemoniini as it has the triangular elongation made by the fusion of the dorsal and the lateral apodemes in the male genitalia that are characteristic of that tribe ( Harvey 2015 ; Romero-Ortiz and Sarmiento 2021 ). The trichobothrial pattern has it and isb separated, and the only other Neotropical cacodemoniine genera with the same pattern are Tropidowithius Beier, 1955, Balanowithius Beier, 1959, and Victorwithius Feio, 1944.…”

“…Genitalia : see Romero-Ortiz and Sarmiento (2021) as “nr. Victorwithius 1”; male with elongated lateral apodemes although other structures not visible.…”

And Yet They Differ: Reconsiderations of Diversity within Dactylochelifer latreillii (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones)

“…Genitalic characters are only infrequently considered in taxonomic studies of Pseudoscorpiones, primarily owing to the internal location that requires preparation and partial destruction of the specimens for examination [103]. Pseudoscorpion genitalia have been considered useful for diagnoses at higher taxonomic levels [103,104], but they have hardly ever been used for delineation at the species level [37,105,106]. For Cheliferidae, and for Dactylochelifer in particular, Vachon [37] proposed that the configuration of the median cribriform plate in female genitalia could be useful for species discrimination.…”