Pseudoscorpions (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones) in Estonia: new records and an annotated checklist

Abstract

The current knowledge of pseudoscorpions in Estonia is summarized, based on specimens preserved in various Estonian collections and new material collected from 1993 to 2015. Altogether 474 studied specimens belonged to 14 species, including nine species recorded from Estonia for the first time. Supplemented by Apocheiridium rossicum, listed by literature data only, the number of known Estonian pseudoscorpions is now set at 15. The findings of Mesochelifer ressli are the northernmost known for the species. Some ecological and phenological observations were made on the most common species, along with notes on the habitat preferences of other species and the use of different trapping methods. The composition of the known Estonian fauna is compared with the published records from the neighbouring countries, revealing a highest similarity to the Finnish fauna.The possible occurrence of other species in Estonia and the latitudinal species diversity gradient in the Eastern Baltic region are shortly discussed.

First records of pseudoscorpions (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones) from Lithuania

“…The occurrence of N. carcinoides in the Nordic countries is well known (Weygoldt 1969, Stol 2006, Sammet et al 2016, and in the current research in Lithuania the species was the most numerous one. However, the occurrence of N. crassifemoratum in Lithuania was unexpected.…”

“…The occurrence of C. cimicoides, D. cyrneus, A. wideri and P. scorpioides in the Nordic countries has already been recorded (Stol 2006, Sammet et al 2016 and the presence of C. hahnii in Latvia, neighbouring Lithuania, was recently recorded by Telnov and Salmane (2015). The current findings of these species in Lithuania further improved the knowledge of their distributions.…”

“…In the Nordic countries, 20 species are known from Sweden, 19 from Denmark, 19 from Norway, 17 from Finland, 2 in Iceland and 1 in The Faroe Islands (Stol 2006, Uddström & Rinne 2014, Henriksen & Hilmo 2015, Fjellberg & Lissner 2016. Recently, Sammet et al (2016) published an annotated checklist for Estonia that includes nine species listed for the Estonian pseudoscorpion fauna for the first time. The number of Estonian pseudoscorpion species is now set at 15 species (Sammet et al 2016).…”

“…Recently, Sammet et al (2016) published an annotated checklist for Estonia that includes nine species listed for the Estonian pseudoscorpion fauna for the first time. The number of Estonian pseudoscorpion species is now set at 15 species (Sammet et al 2016). From the neighbouring countries of Lithuania, 12 species have been re-corded from Latvia (Tums 1934, Jansson & Hultengren 2002, Telnov & Salmane 2015, none has been published from Belorussia, but a considerably high number of species (38) has been recorded in Poland (Harvey 2013) where the Carpathian system interferes and the country is located in a different climatic zone.…”

A synopsis of Estonian myriapod fauna (Myriapoda: Chilopoda, Diplopoda, Symphyla and Pauropoda)

“…New material was collected using: (1) pitfall traps, (2) Tullgren funnel and Kempson apparatus, (3) sifting moss, leaf litter and detritus with a standard entomological sieve, (4) manual searching in suitable habitats and daytime retreats, and (5) as by-catch of non-target species with window pane traps (attached to tree trunks) and Malaise traps (for particular description of the trapping projects, see Sammet et al 2016 and Tomasson et al 2014 , respectively).…”