Pseudoscorpions of the family Cheiridiidae (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones) recovered from burial sediments at Pachacamac (500-1,500CE), Peru

Fragmented remains of pseudoscorpions belonging to the family Cheiridiidae (Arachnida, Pseudoscorpiones) were recovered from Ychsma polity (c. AD 1000-1475) burial sediments from Pachacamac, Peru. Sediments from 21 burials were examined following rehydration in 0.5% trisodium phosphate for 48 h and subsequent screening through a 250 mu m mesh. Materials larger than 250 mu m were surveyed for the presence of arthropods. A total of two samples contained pseudoscorpion fragments, which were collected and quantified to determine the minimal number of pseudoscorpions present per gram of each sample. Following quantification, pseudoscorpion specimens were imaged utilizing confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) to assist with identification efforts. Specimens have morphological characteristics consistent with those found in members of the pseudoscorpion family Cheiridiidae. Members of this family have not been previously described from archaeological materials recovered from Peru, and the implications of pseudoscorpions as members of the archaeological corpocenosis have not been fully interpreted. Herein, we report the first recovery of pseudoscorpions from archaeological materials at Pachacamac, and discuss the significance of their roles in the archaeological corpocenosis.