Integrative Taxonomy Approach Reveals Cryptic Diversity within the Phoretic Pseudoscorpion Genus Lamprochernes (Pseudoscorpiones: Chernetidae) †

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Pseudoscorpions are a wide-spread, but often-overlooked group of animals. They are generally of small body size and rather homogeneous appearance. The genus Lamprochernes is well-defined, but delineating species within the genus can be quite challenging. It comprises several morphologically similar species with wide and overlapping distributions, commonly found under tree bark and in anthropogenic habitats such as composts and manure heaps. In this paper, we implemented an integrative approach combining molecular, cytogenetic and morphological analyses in order to assess species boundaries in European Lamprochernes populations. Our results uncover an existence of a new Lamprochernes species—Lamprochernes abditus sp. nov., which can be distinguished from its closest relative only by molecular and cytogenetic differences, or alternatively, by a complex multivariate morphometric analysis involving other Lamprochernes species. Our results also suggest that the genus Lamprochernes likely uses phoresy (a non-permanent interaction in which one organism (phoront) attaches itself to another (host) for the purpose of travel) very efficiently for its dispersal. ABSTRACT: Pseudoscorpions represent an ancient, but homogeneous group of arachnids. The genus Lamprochernes comprises several morphologically similar species with wide and overlapping distributions. We implemented an integrative approach combining molecular barcoding (cox1), with cytogenetic and morphological analyses in order to assess species boundaries in European Lamprochernes populations. The results suggest ancient origins of Lamprochernes species accompanied by morphological stasis within the genus. Our integrative approach delimited three nominal Lamprochernes species and one cryptic lineage Lamprochernes abditus sp. nov. Despite its Oligocene origin, L. abditus sp. nov. can be distinguished from its closest relative only by molecular and cytogenetic differences, or alternatively, by a complex multivariate morphometric analysis involving other Lamprochernes species. The population structure and common haplotype sharing across geographically distant populations in most Lamprochernes species suggest that a phoretic manner of dispersal is efficient in this group.