First record of the genus Megachernes (Pseudoscorpiones: Chernetidae) from an Iranian cave

Abstract

The pseudoscorpion genus Megachernes is recorded for the first time in Iran. Adults and protonymphs of Megachernes pavlovskyi Redikorzev, 1949 were found in a porcupine nest and under stones in the Deh Sheikh (Pataveh) cave, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province, Southwest Iran. A short description of the species is provided, based on the main morphological and morphometric characters of the adults.

Keywords

• cave
• Iran
• new record
• porcupine nest
• pseudoscorpion
• Southern Asia
• taxonomy