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An observation of phoresy by pseudoscorpions on a scorpion host is recorded for the first time worldwide. Pseudoscorpions of the endemic species Nannowithius wahrmani (Beier, 1963) (Pseudoscorpiones: Withiidae) were observed phoretic on the endemic scorpion species Birulatus israelensis Lourenço, 2002 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) in Israel. Both are myrmecophiles of harvester ants of the genus Messor Forel, 1890. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 102 pseudoscorpion specimens belonging to five species, four genera, and two families were collected in the Curonian Spit National Park (Lithuania). The genus Dinocheirus Chamberlin, 1929 and the species D. panzeri (C. L. Koch, 1836) are newly recorded from Lithuania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 667 specimens of pseudoscorpions, belonging to 15 species and four families were collected during 2014. Samples were taken from leaf litter at five localities in the Western Carpathians in the Slovak Karst National Park, Slovakia. The most abundant families were Neobisiidae (381 specimens) and Chthoniidae (275 specimens). Furthermore ten chernetid specimens and a single cheliferid deutonymph were recorded. Four of the 15 pseudoscorpion species were recorded in the Slovak Karst for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All available Danish Ephippiochthonius Beier, 1930 material was examined in this study to investigate if some specimens conform to E. kewi Gabbutt, 1966, a species previously not reported from Denmark. Specimens were sorted into four groups by number of microsetae (0-3) present along the posterior border of the cephalothorax. The distribution of each group was mapped and related to recorded habitat, chaetotaxy of genital opercula, number of preocular microsetae and colouration of the cephalothorax. It was possible to assign most specimens of the four groups to two taxa conforming to E. kewi and E. tetrachelatus (Preyssler, 1790), thus both species are members of the Danish fauna. The grey-brown and strictly coastal E. kewi inhabits sheltered coasts throughout Denmark, while the yellow-brown E. tetrachelatus shows a distinct south-eastern distribution and is found at both inland and coastal sites. Chaetotaxy of the genital opercula did not differ between females of the two species, but for males it was found that E. tetrachelatus has a statistically significant higher proportion of specimens with 11 rather than 10 setae on the anterior genital operculum compared to E. kewi. The most frequent configuration of preocular microsetae in both species is two on each side, but E. kewi has significantly fewer (average a lower mean of microsetae) compared to E. tetrachelatus. The variation in chaetotaxy of the cephalothorax is limited in each species in those regions where species distributions do not overlap. But in regions with overlapping distributions, like south-eastern Denmark, some populations exhibited a higher variability in chaetotaxy which could be due to local hybridisation events. These assumed hybrids are grey-brown as E. kewi, but possess the habitat preferences of E. tetrachelatus which may explain why they are not strictly coastal, but usually found near the coast. Ephippiochthonius tetrachelatus is frequently introduced from abroad, resulting in establishment of at least temporary populations in garden centres and botanical gardens. A limited number of Ephippiochthonius specimens from Sweden were also examined and it appears that both species are present in this material as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During a study on pseudoscorpions in 2019, a total of 74 individuals from four species and four families was collected in Moldova. The species Ephippiochthonius sarmaticus Kolesnikov, Turbanov & Gongalsky, 2019, Chelifer cancroides (Linnaeus, 1758) and Withius hispanus (L. Koch, 1873), as well as the families Cheliferidae and Withiidae, are reported for the first time in Moldova. The finding of E. sarmaticus represents the second known country for its distribution within Europe. With the present results, the number of Moldavian pseudoscorpions increased to seven species, five genera and five families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An inventory of arachnids was conducted in three tropical greenhouses of Rotterdam Zoo, the Netherlands. This was part of a survey in which pitfall traps, banana baits, litter samples, hand searching and beating were used to map arthropod diversity. A total of twenty spider species, one mite taxon and one pseudoscorpion species were collected. Fourteen specimens were used for COI-barcoding, which yielded two of the listed species. Four spider species were recorded for the first time for the Netherlands: Belisana ambengan Huber, 2005, Heteroonops spinimanus (Simon, 1892), Nesticella mogera (Yaginuma, 1972) and Triaeris stenaspis Simon, 1891, the first of which is also a new record for Europe and appears to be an extremely rare pholcid species. From the species found, thirteen are nonnative to the Netherlands and four of these are considered as expansive, since they have outdoor populations as well. Hand searching yielded the highest number of species, compared to the other four sampling techniques. A species saturation curve shows that in all likelihood not all species present in the surveyed greenhouses have been found during this survey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beierochelifer peloponnesiacus (Beier, 1929) is recorded from Iran for the first time. The species is briefly described and its diagnostic characters are illustrated. Furthermore, a key for recognizing males of the genera of the family Cheliferidae Risso, 1827 reported from Iran is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present catalogue lists data for a total of 176 specimens belonging to 18 species in the pseudoscorpion collection of the Czech arachnologist František Miller (1902-1983), housed in the National Museum in Prague. The material was collected during 1940-1976 in the modern-day Czech Republic and Slovakia. For these two countries, especially noteworthy items are species such as Mesochelifer ressli, Rhacochelifer euboicus, Neobisium brevidigitatum and Neobisium cf. jugorum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Redescriptions of the pseudoscorpion species (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones) Olpium lindbergi Beier, 1959 (Olpiidae) and Geogarypus shulovi Beier, 1963 (Geogarypidae) are provided. Additionally, distribution data for ten species belonging to three families, Olpiidae, Menthidae and Geogarypidae, occurring in Lorestan province (western Iran) are provided. Olpium lindbergi is recorded for the first time in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New cases of phoresy by chernetids (Pseudoscorpiones: Chernetidae) are documented from Slovakia and Austria. Pseudoscorpion phoresy involving Heteroptera as a host is documented for the first time in Slovakia, as well as a case of phoresy by the genus Pselaphochernes Beier, 1932. Three chernetid species were observed for the first time as phoretic in Austria on Mecoptera, Diptera and Hymenoptera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A redescription of males of Neobisium (N.) moreoticum from Georgia is provided. Notes on its morphological variability and geographical distribution in Georgia are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New cases of phoresy of pseudoscorpions (Pseudoscorpiones: Atemnidae, Chernetidae) are recorded from Slovakia. The phoresy of the species Atemnus politus (Simon, 1878) involving owlet moth (Noctuidae) as a host is documented for the first time not only in Slovakia, but also worldwide. One phoretic female of Lamprochernes chyzeri (Tömösváry, 1883) was attached to the leg of a lance fly (Lonchaeidae). It represents the second known phoresy of the species from Slovakia and the record of a new host. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New data on pseudoscorpions associated with animals (birds, mammals, ants and true flies) and human habitats (synanthropic species) are presented. The collecting was carried out at 35 localities in Slovakia and the Czech Republic in different periods between 1989 and 2016. Altogether 149 nests of nine bird species, one mole nest, 14 nests of three rodent species, one lagomorph nest and four combined bird-rodent nests were examined. Five families were found, of which the Chernetidae was ranked first, with eight taxa and 770 specimens. Nine taxa were extracted from bird nests, from them Neobisium carcinoides (Hermann, 1804) and Dendrochernes cyrneus (L. Koch, 1873) were recorded only in this habitat type. Five species were found in mammal nests, Neobisium sylvaticum (C.L. Koch, 1835) and Lasiochernes pilosus (Ellingsen, 1910) were present only in this habitat type. Two species were collected in combined bird-mammal nests and two taxa were phoretic. Cheiridium museorum (Leach, 1817) was recorded only in synanthropic habitats and two quite rare species Microbisium suecicum Lohmander, 1945 and Chernes vicinus (Beier, 1932) were extracted only from anthills of Formica rufibarbis Fabricius, 1793. Five species were found for the first time in anthills in Slovakia. The current paper brings the first concrete faunistic data about the species Chernes vicinus from Slovakia and the second known locality of Microbisium suecicum in Slovakia. The phoresy of Allochernes peregrinus Lohmander, 1939 on true fly was recorded for the first time in Slovakia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Records of two epigean species of Neobisium, N. (N.) alticola Beier, 1973 and N. (N.) validum (L. Koch, 1873) are presented for western Iran. N. (N.) alticola, including all nymphal stages, and males of N. (N.) validum are redescribed and illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An illustrated description of Rhacochelifer disjunctus (L. Koch, 1873) collected in Slovakia is presented. One female was found phoretic on Lepidoptera in a Malaise trap. Another 37 specimens, including both sexes, tritonymphs and a protonymph, collected in the 1950s were deposited in the Natural History Museum in Prague, Czech Republic and identified as well. The discoveries of R. disjunctus specimens at five localities within Slovakia represent the first records of the species for this country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1990 the Federal State of Hesse (Germany) started a long-term faunistic research programme in selected Strict Forest Reserves. Here we report the results of the inventory of pseudoscorpions from seven reserves: Goldbachs- und Ziebachsrück, Hasenblick, Hohestein, Kinzigaue, Niddahänge east of Rudingshain, Schönbuche and Stirnberg. A total of 4567 specimens (315-1314 per site) belonging to 13 species (4-9 per site) were recorded using a broad spectrum of methods. The bulk of material comes from pitfall traps (83 %), followed by various types of stem eclectors (16 %). The structure and quality of the species assemblage in the oak-dominated flood plain forest of the Kinzigaue differs strongly from those of the remaining reserves, which are all dominated by beech. In the Kinzigaue a species-rich community (9 species) with balanced dominance structure (Shannon-Index 1.67) has been recorded. At this site, rare or moderately common species reach abundance proportions of more than 50 %. Most importantly, two species with strong affinities to pristine forests, Dendrochernes cyrneus and Chernes cimicoides, were exclusively recorded from this reserve. In contrast, the beech-dominated reserves were strongly dominated by a single species, Neobisium carcinoides (59-91 % of the specimens, Shannon-Index < 1), and the abundance proportion of the very common species exceeded 90 % in each of these areas. Temperature and altitude determine the composition of the species communities significantly. Of the recorded species, two will be categorized in the forthcoming Red Lists of pseudoscorpions of Germany and Hesse. Dendrochernes cyrneus (cat. 3 "vulnerable") reached an abundance proportion of 20 % in the reserve Kinzigaue. Dinocheirus panzeri (cat. G "indeterminate risk") has been recorded in single specimens from the reserves Hasenblick, Stirnberg and Niddahänge. The preferred habitat for most of the species is the forest. Species with strong affinities to forests make up more than 95 % of the specimens in all reserves except for Kinzigaue, where this proportion was 89 %. Species richness and abundances were not different between the Strict Forest Reserves (management was stopped at the end of the 1980's) and the reference areas with continued forestry. However, the proportions of rare and moderately common species were higher in the Strict Reserves as compared to the reference areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent collections of pseudoscorpions resulted in a first record and a new species from Iran. Olpium omanense Mahnert, 1991 originally described from Oman is recorded for the first time from Iran. Three congeneric species with similar morphometric characters and trichobothrial patterns, Olpium intermedium Beier, 1959, O. lindbergi, Beier, 1959 and O. omanense can be separated by the setal numbers on the posterior margin of the carapace and tergite I. Also, specimens reported as Olpium lindbergi Beier, 1951 from Pakistan were probably misidentified and belong to O. omanense. The new species Cardiolpium bisetosum sp. nov. is described based on males from Markazi province, western Iran. Morphometric data are given in comparison to related species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The species of the genus Pseudoblothrus Beier, 1931 from Italy are revised. Two species are present in this area: P. peyerimhoffi (Simon, 1905) (Piedmont) and P. regalini Inzaghi, 1983 (Lombardy).The following synonymy is proposed: Pseudoblothrus ellingseni (Beier, 1929) is a junior subjective synonym of P. peyerimhoffi (Simon, 1905) (syn. nov.). A key to all species of the genus Pseudoblothrus is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pseudoscorpion genus Megachernes is recorded for the first time in Iran. Adults and protonymphs of Megachernes pavlovskyi Redikorzev, 1949 were found in a porcupine nest and under stones in the Deh Sheikh (Pataveh) cave, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province, Southwest Iran. A short description of the species is provided, based on the main morphological and morphometric characters of the adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amblyolpium goldastehae spec. nov., is described and illustrated on the basis of two males collected from western Iran. Its ability to live in a dry and xerotherme habitat is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction to an article on genus Megachernes (Pseudoscorpiones: Chernetidae) from Iran is presented.