David and Goliath: on the pseudoscorpions of Ascension Island, including the world’s largest, Garypus titanius Beier, 1961, and a new, minute, Neocheiridium Beier, 1932 (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones)

 

David and Goliath: on the pseudoscorpions of Ascension Island, including the world’s largest, Garypus titanius Beier, 1961, and a new, minute, Neocheiridium Beier, 1932 (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones)

Abstract 

An examination of Pseudoscorpiones de Geer, 1778 material, new and old, from Ascension Island – one of the world’s most remote islands – revealed six endemic species. Four are previously known from the island: Apocheiridium cavicola Mahnert, 1993, Garypus titanius Beier, 1961, Stenowithius duffeyi Beier, 1961, and Withius ascensionis (Beier, 1961), we provide new faunistic records of all these species. Garypus titanius is the world’s largest pseudoscorpion. Two new species are described, one of the world’s largest and one of the smallest, respectively: Garypus ellickae Sherwood, Grignet, Harvey, Sharp, Wilkins, M. Ashmole & P. Ashmole sp. nov. and Neocheiridium ashmoleorum Sherwood, Grignet, Harvey, Sharp & Wilkins sp. nov.

Sherwood, Danniella & Grignet, Virginie & Sharp, Adam. (2024). David and Goliath: on the pseudoscorpions of Ascension Island, including the world’s largest, Garypus titanius Beier, 1961, and a new, minute, Neocheiridium Beier, 1932 (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones). Natura Somogyiensis. 42. 131-150. 10.24394/NatSom.2024.42.131.