Two new species of Rhopalochernes Beier, 1932 (Pseudoscorpiones: Chernetidae) from Colombia

Abstract

The pseudoscorpion genus Rhopalochernes Beier, 1932 is restricted to the Neotropical region and currently includes eight species. Recent field collections in the Caribbean region of Colombia have revealed the presence of two previously undescribed species, which are here described as Rhopalochernes luiscarlosi sp. nov. and Rhopalochernes catalinae sp. nov. They differ from one another by the shape of the carapace, the position of the trichobothria and the length of the nodus ramosus. They differ from other species of the genus by the absence of eye spots, and the number of the cheliceral setae. One of these features, the presence of only four setae on the cheliceral hand, is shared with R. panamensis Heurtault, 1998 and R. chamberlini Heurtault, 1998, with other species possessing a higher number. Additionally, the key for the genus proposed by Beier (1932) is updated for included all the species.