The Status of the Central American Pseudoscorpion Genus Coprochernes Beier, 1976, a New Synonym of Neoallochernes Hoff, 1947 (Pseudoscorpiones: Chernetidae)

Abstract

The pseudoscorpion genus CoprochernesBeier, 1976 currently includes two species from Central America. The type species, C. costaricensisBeier, 1976, was collected from mammal dung in Costa Rica. A restudy of the type specimens reveals that it has all of the salient morphological features of the genus NeoallochernesHoff, 1947, including only four setae on the cheliceral hand and a pair of conical spermathecae with darkened tips. Thus, Coprochernes costaricensis is transferred to Neoallochernes, forming the new combination Neoallochernes costaricensis (Beier, 1976), and rendering CoprochernesBeier, 1976 as a new junior synonym of Neoallochernes. The only other species of Coprochernes, C. quintanarooensisMuchmore, 1991 from Mexico, is also transferred to Neoallochernes, forming the new combination N. quintanarooensis (Muchmore, 1991); but, because it lacks the diagnostic features of Neoallochernes, its generic position is provisional. New illustrations are provided for N. stercoreus (Turk, 1949) based on specimens from the type locality in central Texas.