Olpium lindbergi Beier, 1959 (Figs 1a-g)

Olpium lindbergi Beier 1959: 265, fig. 8.

Material examined. IRAN: Lorestan province: 1 ♂, Khorramabad County, Deh-e-pir, 33.4708°N, 48.4469°E, 1320 m a.s.l., soil, 20. Jul. 2017, leg. M. Zamani (IAUA). 2 ♂♂, Doroud, Bastam, 33.6286°N, 48.9005°E, 934 m a.s.l., litters including soil and leaf fragments of Quercus spp., 11. Jul. 2017, leg. M. Zamani (IAUA).

Carapace. Entirely smooth; distinctly longer than broad, L/W 1.10–1.21; with 2 pairs of well-developed corneate eyes, anterior eyes slightly larger and wider than posterior eyes, anterior eyes extending to lateral margin, posterior eyes slightly spaced from lateral margin (Fig. 1a); transverse furrows absent (Fig. 1a); all setae simple; carapace with 22–24 setae, chaetotaxy: 4: 6: 4–6: 2–4: 2–4: 2; with 10 lyrifissures (Fig. 1a).

Tergites. Lightly sclerotized and not granulate; IX with 2 long tactile setae situated laterally; X with 4 long tactile setae situated laterally and medially; XI with two long setae situated sub-medially; chaetotaxy: 2: 4: 4: 4: 4: 4: 4: 4: T1TT1T: T1T T1T: 1T1T1: 2.

Sternites. Poorly sclerotized and smooth; sternites II with 8 simple setae and 7–8 large lyrifissures; lateral genital sacs with very long ducts enlarged terminally, with 3 pairs of internal setae (3+3); setae narrower and longer than tergal setae; IX with 2 median slightly long setae; X with 2 long tactile setae situated medially and 2 slightly long setae situated laterally; XI with four long tactile setae situated laterally and sub-medially; spiracles without setae, with normal enlarged tracheal trunks, posterior trachea thinner than anterior trachea; chaetotaxy: 8: (0)4(0): (0)4(0): 6: 4: 4: 4: 6: 2TT2: TT1TT–T1T1T1T: 2.

Pleural membrane. Longitudinally striate.

Chelicera. Galeal seta present and situated distally; galea with 3 terminal rami; hand with 5 setae (Fig. 1b); rallum with 3 blades, distal blade relatively long and superlative wide with short lateral denticulations (Fig. 1b); serrula exterior with 17 blades; lamina exterior present on fixed finger; fixed finger with 6 teeth, distal teeth small and acute; movable finger with one small curved apical lobe and two small teeth.

Pedipalps. Chela distinctly darker in colour than femur and patella; entirely smooth; all setae simple; femur with 2 long tactile setae without enlarged alveoli situated on retrolateral face (Fig. 1c), first seta situated on basal third and second tactile seta situated distal to middle of femur; femur with distinct pedicel, L/W 3.30–3.69; patella with 5 lyrifissures, 4 lyrifissures situated basally, one lyrifissure located ventromedially, L/W 2.53–2.80; chela with distinct pedicel (Fig. 1d–e); chela (with pedicel) L/W 3.77–3.85; chela (without pedicel) L/W 3.50–3.62; hand (with pedicel) L/W 1.59–1.61; movable finger 1.37–1.44 times longer than hand (with pedicel); fixed finger with 8 and movable finger with 4 trichobothria (Fig. 1e); fixed finger with trichobothrium et situated close to tip of finger, it and est situated in the middle of the finger, it located slightly distal to est, ist situated between est and isb and slightly closer to isb, isb situated on retrolateral side of the finger, ib situated basally; movable finger with trichobothrium st situated closer to sb than to t, sb situated in the middle between st and b; fixed finger with 16–18 sensory setae, 5–7 of them situated close to trichobothrium et and fingertip on the distolateral face; fixed finger with 28–30 teeth, 6–7 basal teeth extremely reduced; movable fingers with 22–28 teeth becoming small at the middle between trichobothria t and st; teeth of the movable chelal finger smaller than those of fixed chelal finger; nodus ramosus situated slightly proximal to trichobothrium et in fixed finger and approximately in the middle between tip of finger and trichobothrium t in movable finger (Fig. 1e); primary venom ducts inconspicuous in both fingers.

Legs. Not granulate; all setae simple; claws symmetrical, stout and short; arolia simple and much longer than claws, not divided; each coxa I with 4, coxa II with 4–5, coxa III with 4–5 and coxa IV with 6–8 setae (Fig. 1f). Leg I: femur L/D 2.71–2.86; patella L/D 2.00; ratios of femur L/patella L 1.36–1.43; tibia L/D 3.80–4.00; metatarsus 2.50–2.75; tarsus 3.67–4.00. Leg IV (Fig. 2g): femur L/D 1.33–1.34; patella L/D 2.31–2.40; femur + patella L/D 2.50–2.94; tibia L/D 3.56–4.00; metatarsus with one long tactile seta situated basally (TS =0.16), chaetotaxy: T + 1/2/4(one pair), L/D 2.80–3.00; tarsus 4.00.

Dimensions (length/width, depth in mm). Body length: 1.55–1.77 mm. Carapace: 0.52–0.54/0.43–0.47. Pedipalp: trochanter 0.25/0.13–0.14; femur 0.43–0.48/0.13; patella 0.38–0.42/0.15; chela (with pedicel) 0.81–0.83/0.21–0.22; chela (without pedicel) L. 0.76–0.77; hand (with pedicel) L.0.34–0.35; movable finger L. 0.48–0.49. Leg I: femur 0.19–0.20/0.07; patella 0.14/0.07; tibia 0.19–0.20/0.05; metatarsus 0.10–0.11/0.04; tarsus 0.11–0.12/0.03. Leg IV: femur 0.12/0.09; patella 0.36–0.37/0.15–0.16; femur + patella 0.44–0.45; tibia 0.32/0.08–0.09; metatarsus 0.14–0.15/0.05; tarsus 0.16/0.04.

Remarks. Olpium lindbergi Beier, 1959 was originally described from Afghanistan and subsequently recorded from India and Kazakhstan (Harvey 2013). It can be easily separated from the most similar species O. omanense Mahnert, 1991 from Oman and Iran and O. intermedium Beier, 1959 from Afghanistan by its chaetotaxy of the carapace and tergite I [the presence of two setae on the posterior margin of the carapace and tergite I (Beier 1959)], the loss of transverse furrows (Beier, 1959), the chelal shape in lateral view (see Beier, 1959: Fig. 8), and the structure of the chelal teeth [in the movable chelal finger, cusped teeth are only present in the distal half of the finger (Mahnert 1991)].

The types of O. lindbergi (Beier, 1959) are slightly stouter than the specimens found in Iran, e.g. the pedipalpal femur proportion is 3.20–3.30× and the chela (with pedicel) is 3.30–3.50× longer than broad in the types. Loss of some fine granules on the mediodistal face of the chelal hand and the presence of greater number of chelal teeth in the types (34 in the fixed and 30 in the movable chelal fingers) (Beier, 1959) are minor small differences between the types and the examined specimens from Iran. These small differences are not sufficient for introducing a different species and can be considered as intraspecific variations within the species.

Geogarypus shulovi Beier, 1963 (Figs. 2a-g)

Geogarypus shulovi Beier, 1963: 193, fig. 7.

Material examined. IRAN: Lorestan province: 3 ♀♀, Boroujerd County, Khorramabad Highway, Dehkord, 33.8388°N, 48.8891°E, 1800 m a.s.l., under stone, 26. Apr. 2017, leg M. Zamani (IAUA).

Carapace. Hardly sclerotized; heavily granulated with star-like hispid granulation (Fig. 2a); slightly wider than length or approximately as long as length, L/W 0.94–1.01; front margin elongated distally, snout-like (Fig. 2a), with 14 setae; anterior margin with 4 setae, 2 short setae situated medially and 2 long setae situated sub-medially (Fig. 2b), all setae simple; posterior margin extended laterally, with 6–10 setae; with 2 pairs of well-developed corneate eyes situated away from anterior margin on small protruding mound, anterior eyes slightly larger than posterior eyes, one short seta situated between eyes; anterior furrow present and curved basally; posterior furrow present but indistinct; setae simple; with 6–8 distinct lyrifissures, first pair situated distal to anterior eyes (lost in one female), second pair at same level as posterior eyes, third pair situated closer to anterior furrow than posterior margin and fourth pair situated near posterior margin.

Tergites. Less sclerotized and granulated than carapace; without median suture line; tergal setae situated regularly in single row (uniserate); tergite XI with 2 long tactile setae situated sub-laterally; anal plates (tergite XI and sternite XII) situated between tergite XI and sternite XI; setae simple; chaetotaxy: 7–9: 8: 10–12: 10–11: 12: 12–14: 11–12: 11: 8–9: 6–7: 1T4T1: 2.

Sternites. IX and X with 2 long tactile setae situated medially; XI without long tactile setae; anterior trachea larger than posterior trachea; females with 2 elongate lateral cribriform plates situated sparsely and one median circle cribriform plate; anus without circum-anal setae; chaetotaxy: 6–8: (0)2(0): (1)2–3(1): 9–11: 10–11: 11–12: 11–12: 9–10: 4–8: 2: 0.

Pleural membrane. Longitudinally wrinkled-plicate; with 30–32 simple short setae situated in transverse series on each side.

Chelicera. Galeal seta present and situated sub-distally; galea relatively short, simple and apically acuminate (Fig. 2c); hand with 5 simple setae; rallum with one simple blade (Fig. 2c); serrula exterior with 12–16 blades; serrula interior with 10–12 blades; hand with 2 lyrifissures; fixed finger with 4–6 teeth, terminal tooth smallest; movable finger with one curved and acute terminal lobe and 2 small teeth.

Pedipalps. Heavily granulate with star-like hispid granulations, chelal granulation slightly extended to basal margin of fixed finger, distal to trichobothrium est, and lateral margin of movable finger, between trichobothria st and sb (Fig. 2e); femur and patella without wrinkles; all setae simple and most of them short; coxa with 11–13 setae, monducatory process with two setae; trochanter L/W 1.54–1.65; femur without obvious pedicel, L/W 4.50–4.67; patella with curved and short pedicel, with three lyrifissures, third lyrifissure longest (Fig. 2d), L/W 3.13–3.28; chela with distinct pedicel (Figs. 2e-f); chela (with pedicel) L/W 4.28–4.34; chela (without pedicel) L/W 4.14–4.20; hand (with pedicel) L/W 1.94–1.97; movable finger distinctly longer than hand with pedicel; movable finger 1.18–1.20 times longer than hand with pedicel; fixed finger with eight and movable finger with four trichobothria (Fig. 2e); fixed finger with trichobothrium it closer to et than to ist, isb situated slightly distal to middle of the finger, est slightly closer to ib than isb, ib situated in basal third of finger, esb and eb situated distinctly proximal to ib; movable finger with trichobothrium st situated closer to t than to sb; most teeth of chelal fingers acute and prominent; fixed finger with 43–47 triangular-shaped teeth (two teeth situated outside of row), two external and 3–5 internal accessory teeth present; distal half of movable finger with 11–20 cusped teeth becoming faded basally, and two external accessory teeth present; nodus ramosus present in both finger, situated slightly at same level as ib in fixed and midway between sb and st in movable finger (Fig. 2e); venom duct elongate in both fingers.

Legs. Granulate; all setae simple; distal margin of retrolateral face of coxae I–II granulate (Fig. 2g); claws symmetrical, stout and short; arolium simple and slightly longer than claws; leg I: each coxa with 4–5 simple setae; femur L/D 3.07–3.33; patella L/D 2.00–2.08; tibia L/D 3.87–4.12; metatarsus L/D 3.33–3.67; tarsus L/D 4.75; leg IV: each coxa of leg IV with 40–43; femur joined widely; femur L/D 1.58–1.73; patella L/D 3.00–3.15; femur + patella L/D 3.60–3.89; tibia L/D 4.64–5.10; metatarsus L/D 3.25–3.57; tarsus L/D 3.67–4.80.

Dimensions (length/width, depth in mm). Body length: 2.10–2.57 mm. Carapace: 0.80–0.81/0.80–0.85. Pedipalp: trochanter 0.33–0.34/0.20–0.22; femur 0.96–0.99/0.21–0.22; patella 0.69–0.72/0.21–0.22; chela (with pedicel) 1.50–1.52/0.35; chela (without pedicel) L. 1.45–1.47; hand (with pedicel) L.0.68–0.69; movable finger L. 0.80–0.83. Leg I: femur 0.40/0.12–0.13; patella 0.22–0.25/0.11–0.12; tibia 0.31–0.33/0.08; metatarsus 0.20–0.22/0.06; tarsus 0.19/0.04. Leg IV: femur 0.19/0.11–0.12; patella 0.6/0.19–0.2; femur + patella 0.72–0.74; tibia 0.51/0.10–0.11; metatarsus 0.25–0.26/0.07–0.08; tarsus 0.22–0.24/0.05–0.06.

Remarks. The newly discovered females of Geogarypus shulovi in western Iran are morphometrically more or less similar to the types from Israel (Beier, 1963) and the previously examined specimens from Greece and Turkey (Gardini et al. 2017), e.g. the length of the pedipalpal femur is 0.85–1.00 mm, patella 0.62–0.78 mm, chelal hand (with pedicel) 0.68–0.78 mm, and the movable chelal finger 0.74–0.90 mm (♀). The chela of the females from Iran is slightly longer than that of G. shulovi, e.g. in the newly collected specimens from Iran, the chelal (with pedicel) length is 1.50–1.52 mm (♀), while it is 1.40–1.41 mm in G. shulovi (♀) (see Gardini et al. 2017). It is significant to note that the pedipalp of the specimens from western Iran is also slightly larger than that of the types from Israel, e.g. in the female type, the pedipalpal femur proportion is 4.80× (0.91/0.19 mm), patella 3.70× (0.68/0.195 mm), and chela (with pedicel) 4.70× (Beier, 1963).

Despite this minor morphometric variation, the only other obvious difference is the position of trichobothrium ib which is located at the same level as est in the female type (see Beier, 1963: fig. 7, below), and slightly proximal to est in the male type (see Beier, 1963: fig. 7, upper), whereas it is situated distinctly proximal to est in the females from western Iran. Unfortunately, there are no published descriptions about setal shape located on the anterior margin of the carapace and the intensity of granulation on the fixed chelal finger, so these characters cannot be compared in this contribution.

These small differences are not strong evidence for a different species. On the basis of the carapace colouration (bicoloured, different coloured area less contrasted), the absence of wrinkles on the pedipalpal femur and patella, the pedipalpal shape, and the acuminate shape of the galea in females, the newly collected specimens from western Iran are attributed to Geogarypus shulovi which was previously reported from Israel, Iran, Turkey and Turkmenistan (Harvey 2013). Beier (1971) reported this species for the first time from Maku, West Azerbaijan province, north-western Iran (without giving morphometric data), and the presence of G. shulovi in Lorestan province (western Iran) is a new provincial record for the species.

Geogarypus shulovi can be easily separated from G. harveyi Nassirkhani, 2014, the only other species of the genus reported from southern Iran, by the colouration of the carapace (in G. harveyi it is uniformly dark coloured or the posterior half of the carapace uniformly lighter in colour than the anterior half) and the morphometric data [in G. harveyi, the pedipalpal femur length is 0.69–0.84 mm and the chelal (with pedicel) length is 1.07–1.32 mm (♀)] (Nassirkhani 2014, 2016c).