Pseudoscorpions (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones) living in tree microhabitats in Slovakia

Abstrakt: Pseudoscorpions living in tree microhabitats (dead wood, tree hollows and on or under tree bark) in Slovakia were studied. A total of 504 specimens of 19 taxa from four families were identified from material collected at 63 localities in Slovakia over 11 years. The most numerous species were Mundochthonius carpaticus Rafalski, 1948 and Allochernes wideri (C. L. Koch, 1843), only one specimen of Chthonius heterodactylus Tömösváry, 1882 was present in the studied material. The species Dactylochelifer latreillii (Leach, 1817) and Chernes hahnii (C. L. Koch, 1843) were found in all studied microhabitat types. Altogether 37 specimens of eight species were present in dead wood samples. Low specimen numbers characterised the species in this microhabitat type, the only exception being A. wideri. A total of 32 specimens of nine taxa were collected on or under tree bark. Neobisium sylvaticum (C. L. Koch, 1835) and Neobisium erythrodactylum (L. Koch, 1873) were collected on tree bark using the method of beating branches. The species C. hahnii was found using a tree trunk photoeclector. A total of 435 specimens of 14 taxa were extracted from mould samples from tree hollows. The most numerous species in this habitat type were M. carpaticus and A. wideri, only one specimen was collected each of Chthonius fuscimanus Simon, 1900 and N. erythrodactylum. Pseudoscorpion occurrence in different tree species, height of entry hole and relative humidity is reported.

Klíčová slova: Central Europe, dead wood, faunistics, first record, pseudoscorpion, tree bark, tree hollows