Moss scorpions
| Moss scorpions | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Neobisium sp. |
||||||||||
| Systematics | ||||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Scientific name | ||||||||||
| Neobisium | ||||||||||
| JC Chamberlin , 1930 |
The moss scorpions ( Neobisium ) are probably the most common representatives of the pseudoscorpions in Central Europe. There are, however, numerous species that can often only be distinguished microscopically and reliably by specialists. One of the regularly encountered species is Neobisium carcinoides .
features
The tiny moss scorpions are about two to four millimeters long and have the body structure typical of pseudoscorpions. The body is mostly shiny blackish in color and less broad and flattened than the well-known book scorpion ( Chelifer cancroides ). The back plates are also not divided lengthways in the middle. The front body ( prosoma ) has a more rectangular shape. The mouthparts (jaw claws, chelicerae ) are reddish and relatively large, the pedipalp scissor arms , which are also red, are not quite as long as those of the book scorpion. In the front there are two eyes on both sides; however, sensory orientation is primarily achieved through whiskers.
Way of life
Moss scorpions live mainly in the moderately moist litter layer of forests and under stones and pieces of wood. As a rule, they do not create webs of living space. The animals feed in a predatory manner: the prey, especially springtails , is taken directly to the chelicerae with the pedipal scissors, where it is kneaded into a lump and liquefied and finally consumed completely. This differentiates the moss scorpion from the book scorpion, for example, which first paralyzes its victims with an injection of poison, then feeds digestive fluid through a hole in the body shell in order to then suck out the prey.
In contrast to most other pseudoscorpions, reproduction takes place without direct partner contact. In the absence of a female, the male deposits a spermatophore on the ground, which is later found and ingested by a passing female.
The brood care is highly developed. The female spins a dome-shaped nest and camouflages it externally with foreign particles. The eggs are deposited in an incubator bag that has previously been squeezed out at the genital opening and that is carried under the abdomen ( opisthosoma ). In it, the embryos are supplied with a nutrient fluid from the mother. After three moults, the offspring complete their development to moss scorpions within three to four weeks through various nymph stages (proto-, deuto- and tritonymph).
Types (selection)
The species of the genus occurring in Central Europe are listed below.
- Neobisium aelleni Vachon, 1976
- Neobisium aueri Beier , 1962
- Neobisium brevidigitatum Beier, 1928
- Neobisium caporiaccoi Heurtault-Rossi, 1966
- Neobisium carcinoides (Hermann, 1804) (Syn .: N. germanicum, N. muscorum, N. nemorale )
- Neobisium carinthiacum Beier, 1939
- Neobisium carpaticum Beier, 1935
- Neobisium crassifemoratum (Beier, 1928)
- Neobisium doderoi (Simon, 1896)
- Neobisium dolicodactylum (Canestrini, 1874)
- Neobisium dolomiticum Beier, 1952
- Neobisium erythrodactylum (L. Koch, 1873)
- Neobisium fuscimanum (CL Koch, 1843)
- Neobisium galeatum Beier, 1953
- Neobisium gineti Vachon, 1966
- Neobisium helveticum Heurtault, 1971
- Neobisium Hermanni Beier, 1938
- Neobisium jugorum (L. Koch, 1873)
- Neobisium minimum Beier, 1928
- Neobisium noricum Beier, 1939
- Neobisium polonicum Rafalski, 1936
- Neobisium schenkeli (Strand, 1932)
- Neobisium simile (L. Koch, 1873)
- Neobisium simoni (L. Koch, 1873)
- Neobisium strausaki Vachon, 1966
- Neobisium sylvaticum (CL Koch, 1835)
Web links
- P. Appelhans: “Pseudoscorpions” at www.natur-in-nrw.de
- Further information and pictures at www.hydro-kosmos.de
swell
- Heiko Bellmann: Spiders, crabs, millipedes. European arthropods (excluding insects). Steinbach's natural guide, Mosaik-Verlag, Munich 1991. ISBN 3-570-06450-6
Individual evidence
- ↑ Checklist at www.arages.de ( Memento of the original dated November 6, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
