A new neobisiid pseudoscorpion species from Crete (Greece), with notes on its morphology, distribution, evolution, and phylogeny

• Published in: Journal of natural history Vol. 41; no. 13-16; pp. 751 - 769
• Main Authors: Ćurčić, Božidar P. M., Dimitrijević, Rajko N., Trichas, Apostolos, Tomić, Vladimir T., Ćurčić, Srećko B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis 01.01.2007
• Subjects: Acanthocreagris; Biogeography; Ernstmayria; Evolution; Greece; morphology; new species; phylogeny; pseudoscorpions
• ISSN: 0022-2933; 1464-5262
• DOI: 10.1080/00222930701292666

This study, based on an analysis of some palaeo-Mediterranean pseudoscorpions (Ernstmayria venizelosi n. sp. and E. apostolostrichasi Ćurčić and Dimitrijević from the family Neobisiidae) represents an outstanding improvement of our knowledge of the diversity of relict and distributionally limited false scorpions from the ancient (or proto-) Aegean area. Both E. venizelosi n. sp. and E. apostolostrichasi originated in the proto-Balkan region; their ancestors are to be sought among extinct forms. Since Ernstmayria species presently inhabit the 'peripheral' location of the ancient Aegeis, it is evident that their remote ancestor gave rise to a number of recent genera which presently constitute two generic groups inhabiting the Mediterranean region: Neobisium Chamberlin, Occitanobisium Heurtault, Roncobisium Vachon, Protoneobisium Ćurčić, and Pennobisium Ćurčić, on the one hand, and Acanthocreagris Mahnert, Balkanoroncus Ćurčić, Insulocreagris Ćurčić, and Roncocreagris Mahnert, on the other.