Withius hispanus (L. Koch, 1873) new to the fauna of Iran: with an identification key of Withius Kew, 1911 in the Palaearctic (Pseudoscorpione; Withiidae)

Document Type : Research articles

Authors

1 Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

2 Research Department of Zoological Innovations, Institute of Applied Zoology, Faculty of Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

Abstract

Withius Kew, 1911 (Pseudoscorpionida: Withiidae) is a poorly known taxon comprising 46 described species that are cosmopolitan and found in most parts of the world. The diversity of Withius in Iran is not well understood. So far, only two species have been recorded from Iran: W. leggi from Mazandaran Province and W. nanus from Khorasan-e-Razavi Province, located in the north and northeast of Iran, respectively. In this study, Withius hispanus (L. Koch, 1873) is recorded for the first time from Iran. Six adult specimens of W. hispanus were collected under tree bark in Gilan Province, northern Iran. Moreover, a detailed description and illustrations of W. hispanus are provided. Additionally, we present a detailed description of the male genitalia of W. hispanus and compare it with other congeners in the Palaearctic region. The study also presents an updated identification key for the Withius species in the Palaearctic, developed based on various numeric and multistate characters using DELTA software.

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