First record of invasive Stenochrus portoricensis Chamberlin, 1922 (Arachnida: Schizomida: Hubbardiidae) from the Southern region of Brazil

Abstract

Herein we report for the first time a schizomid for the Southern region of Brazil, Stenochrus portoricensis Chamberlin, 1922 (Schizomida: Hubbardiidae), found in association with termite nests. This is the southernmost record of any schizomid for the Neotropical region. We hypothesize that the species was recently introduced by the sudden population growth of Florianópolis - along with the intense touristic activity - which might have contributed to the inadvertent transportation of this species.

Keywords:
Schizomida; Hubbardiidae; Southernmost record; Arachnida; Neotropical

INTRODUCTION

The Order Schizomida (Arachnida: Tetrapul-monata) - the shorttailed whipscorpions - currently includes about 345 extant plus 16 fossil species (Monjaraz-Ruedas et al., 2019, 2020; Giribet & Moreno-González, 2021). They have a worldwide distribution mostly in tropical and subtropical areas (Reddell & Cokendolpher, 1995).

In Brazil, approximately 20 schizomid species have been reported so far (Reddell & Cokendolpher, 1995; Adis et al., 1999; Cokendolpher & Reddell, 2000; Peres et al., 2006; Bonaldo & Pinto-da-Rocha, 2007; Santos et al., 2008; Santos & Pinto-da-Rocha, 2009; Santos et al., 2013; Oliveira & Ferreira, 2014; Giupponi et al., 2016; Pinto-da-Rocha et al., 2016; Salvatierra, 2018; Ruiz & Valente, 2017, 2019).

The most widespread and frequently reported species, Stenochrus portoricensisChamberlin, 1922, was previously recorded on Brazilian States belonging to four out of five administrative regions: Northern (Pará: Villarreal et al., 2023; Tocantins: Kury et al., 2010), Northeastern (Bahia: Santos et al., 2008; Rodrigues et al., 2017; Villarreal et al., 2023; Pernambuco: Souza & Lira, 2015; Villarreal et al., 2023), Central-Western (Goiás: Gallão et al., 2015; Bichuette et al., 2019), and Southeastern (Rio de Janeiro: Tourinho & Kury, 1999; Villarreal et al., 2023; São Paulo: Santos et al., 2008; Minas Gerais: Villarreal et al., 2023).

Herein, we report the southernmost record of Schizomida in the Neotropical region, and the first record of a schizomid - Stenochrus portoricensis - in the Southern region of Brazil, in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina State.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Specimens were collected from leaf litter and wood debris colonized by termite Nasutitermes sp. (Blattodea: Termitidae) in an anthropized forest fragment (Fig. 1E) at Santa Catarina Island (Florianópolis, Santa Catarina state, Brazil). The region is located in the Atlantic Forest biome with a moist subtropical climate. The specimens were stored in 80% ethanol, and the adult was put in 30% lactic acid at room temperature for 24 hours for clearing and visualization of the spermatheca. The voucher specimens are deposited at Zoological Collection of Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC). The distribution map was created using SimpleMappr (Shorthouse, 2010).

Figure 1
Stenochrus portoricensisChamberlin, 1922 (Schizomida: Hubbardiidae), female. (A) habitus, dorsal view. (B) dorsal view of prosoma (arrows point to setal locations). (C) pedipalpal spur on trochanter (arrow points to spur). (D) spermatheca, dorsal view, rotated so anterior is to left side); (E) habitat where the specimens were collected from, Campus of the UFSC.

RESULTS

Arachnida Lamarck, 1801

Schizomida Petrunkevitch, 1945

Hubbardiidae Cook, 1899

Stenochrus Chamberlin, 1922

Stenochrus portoricensis Chamberlin, 1922

Figs. 1 - 2

Figure 2
World distribution of Stenochrus portoricensisChamberlin, 1922 (Schizomida: Hubbardiidae). (red star = new record).

Stenochrus portoricensisChamberlin, 1922: 11-12; Reddell & Cokendolpher, 1995: 110-114.

Material examined: BRAZIL: Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Campus UFSC, 27°35′48″S, 48°30′51″W, 1♀, 2 nymphs, 18.VII.2022, L.C. Pinho col., from leaf litter and wood debris (Fig. 1E).

Diagnosis: The main distinguishing features of S. portoricensis include: propeltidium with anterior process bearing one pair of setae medially (longitudinally) aligned and two setal pairs (Fig. 1B); a short spur present on trochanter of pedipalps (Fig. 1C); flagellum short with 3 annuli; metapeltidium entire; spermathecae with two pairs of wrinkled lobes, the outer lobes shorter, and laterals about 4-5 times shorter than the median ones (Fig. 1D).

DISCUSSION

The southernmost occurrences of schizomids were recorded just slightly south of the Tropic of Capricorn. Such records include Megaschizomus zuluanus (Lawrence, 1947), from Zululand, South Africa, around 27°53′S (Reddell & Cokendolpher, 1995), and Brignolizomus woodwardi (Harvey, 1992) and B. walteriHarvey, 2000, from Queensland, Australia, at around 27°34′S (Harvey, 2000). In the Americas, the southernmost record of a schizomid previously published was a single female of Stenochrus portoricensis from Ubatuba, São Paulo State, Brazil, at 23°26′S (Santos et al., 2008). Our record herein is from slightly further south in the Americas at 27°35′48″S in Brazil.

First described in the West Indies, Stenochrus portoricensis has been reported worldwide (Fig. 2), including several localities in Europe, e.g., Canary Islands (Martín & Oromí, 1984; Oromí & Martín, 1992), Spain (Barranco et al., 2014), Czech Republic (Korenko et al., 2009), Germany (Armas & Rehfeldt, 2015; Lauterbach et al., 2020), Slovakia (Christophoryová et al., 2013), England (Cloudsley-Thompson, 1949), Switzerland (Krajcovicova et al., 2021), and Poland (Zawierucha et al., 2013). Most of those records consisted of specimens collected from greenhouses, suggesting that the specimens may have been transported along with soil or cultivated pot plants (Monjaraz-Ruedas et al., 2022). Villarreal et al. (2023) first recorded the species on bromeliads.

According to Reddell & Cokendolpher (1995), S. portoricensis is facultatively parthenogenetic, with males being rare or even absent from numerous populations. Presumably, this reproductive strategy has facilitated the introduction of this species worldwide. It has been previously found in association with ants (Reddell & Cokendolpher, 1995) and termite nests (Santos et al., 2008).

Florianópolis is a popular touristic destination in Brazil, currently attracting thousands of visitors from various parts of the country and around the world each year. Furthermore, over the past 33 years, the city’s population has doubled (DATASUS, 2023). It is possible that S. portoricensis was inadvertently introduced by the recent population growth, in addition to the intense touristic activity, which might have contributed to the casual transportation of this species.

The specific location where these specimens were collected used to function as a composting center for the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC). For many years, this center collected organic waste from gardening activities across the entire campus. Additionally, other factors like agricultural practices, the sale of ornamental plants and soil materials, in addition with the parthenogenetic strategy of the species, might also have contributed to the introduction of Stenochrus portoricensis further south in the neotropics.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:

To Jana Christophoryová (Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Slovakia) and Kátia R. Benati (Universidade Católica do Salvador - UCSAL, Salvador, Brazil) for sharing important information and literature.

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• FUNDING INFORMATION:

  This project did not use any external financial support.
• Published with the financial support of the "Programa de Apoio às Publicações Científicas da Universidade de São Paulo"

Edited by

Edited by:

Carlos José Einicker Lamas

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  05 Jan 2024
• Date of issue
  2023

History

• Received
  14 Oct 2023
• Accepted
  14 Nov 2023