Pseudoscorpions

British Pseudoscorpion Recording Scheme

Gerald Legg

To date over 6600 records plot the current distribution of the British species of pseudoscorpion, as of january 2006. Originally the scheme was set up, administered and run by the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, Monks Wood [now Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, who employed P.E. Jones to work on the group. In 1980 he produced a Provisional Atlas of the distribution of pseudoscorpions. Around 1982 I took over as recorder and over a period of time data-based all the Monks Wood Records concurrent with starting up a recording scheme and adding new records. 

In 1988 the Linnean Society of London with the Estuarine and Brackish-Water Sciences Association published Synopses of the British Fauna (New Series) No. 40, edited by Doris M. Kermack and R.S.K. Barnes: Pseudoscorpions. Written and technically illustrated by Gerald Legg it was also illustrated with superb pen and ink drawings of the then known British species by Richard E. Jones (Dick). 

Dick can has an avid interest in, amongst other things, 'creepy crawlies' and has a web site devoted to Norfolk's fauna:

Norfolk Creepy Crawlies

 

Since 1988 further records have been and continue to be added. In addition two new species to Britain have been discovered and included on the British List. One of these, Larca lata, had been mistakenly identified as Chelifer cancroides and the specimen used as reference for producing the drawing that appeared in the Synopsis. A revised Synopsis is in preparation.

An attempt at producing a regular News Letter in 1984 failed to take off. The scheme continued to function but it was not until 1998 that a revitalized News Letter, Galea, appeared. This is amalgamated with the News Letter of the British Arachnological Society, although a separate edition will be produced for those who are not BAS members and are available here to download as pdf files.

Articles and records are most welcome and should be sent to [email protected].

Check list of British Species currently recorded.

Galea: Newsletters

Galea 1
Galea 2
Galea 3
Galea 4
Galea 5
Galea 6

Pseudoscorpion Structure - drawings of the external morphology (not yet available - to be added)

Notes on the British Species with distribution maps


Distribution of Records of all species in the UK and Images of Species (to be added - not yet available)
Very few species have been photographed to date. Those that have may be either of preserved specimens and/or live ones.
If anyone has any images that they can provide to add to the image library, fully acknowledged of course, then please contact me.
Thank you.

Species distribution maps updated November 2009. My thanks to all those who have submitted records and specimens.

Distribution maps prepared using DMAP by Alan Morton and then enhanced.

Select the BLUE text to view these.
Select the RED text to view the image files.

Kewochthonius halberti images
Chthonius tetrachelatus images
Chthonius kewi image
Chthonius ischnocheles images
Chthonius orthodactylus images
Chthonius tenuis images
Neobisium carcinoides images
Neobisium carpenteri images
Neobisium maritimum images
Microbisium brevifemoratum images
Roncus lubricus images
Roncocreagris cambridgei images
Cheiridium museorum images
Chernes cimicoides images
Dendrochernes cyrneus images
Allochernes wideri images
Allochernes powelli images
Pselaphochernes dubius images
Pselaphochernes scorpioides images
Dinochierus panzeri images
Lamprochernes nodosus images
Lamprochernes savignyi images
Lamprochernes chyzeri images
Chelifer cancroides images
Dactylochelifer latreillei images
Withius piger images
Larca lata images