Two new cave-dwelling Larca species from the South-East of Spain (Arachnida, Pseudoscorpiones, Larcidae)

Abstract

Larca lucentina sp. n. and Larca fortunata sp. n. are described from the south-eastern Spanish provinces of Alicante and Murcia. These cave-dwelling species are compared with the other species of the genus, particularly the European taxa. The hypothetical descent of cavernicolous European species from populations of a common ancestor similar to the epigean Larca lata (H. J. Hansen) is considered.