Vaejovis morelia Miranda-López, Ponce-Saavedra & Francke, 2012

A, Contreras-Félix Gerardo & Oscar, Francke B., 2019, Taxonomic revision of the “ mexicanus ” group of the genus Vaejovis C. L. Koch, 1836 (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae), Zootaxa 4596 (1), pp. 1-100 : 48-49

Vaejovis morelia Miranda-López, Ponce-Saavedra & Francke, 2012

Figures 4 , 13n , 14m , 15n , 16n , 17n , 18n , 19n , 32

Vaejovis morelia Miranda-López, Ponce-Saavedra & Francke, 2012: 966 –975, Fig: 1–14.

Type material. Holotype male. MEXICO: Michoacán, Bosque Lázaro Cárdenas, Morelia (N 19.679444°, W 101.1775°, elev. 2030 m). VIII-10-2010. Cols.: M. Villaseñor, V. Guzmán, and E. Miranda. ( CNAN-T0081 ). Examined.

Paratypes: 1 ♂, 2 ♀ ( CNAN-T0082 ) , examined; 1 ♂, 1 ♀ ( AMNH) , 1 ♂, 1 ♀ ( INDRE) , 1 ♂, 1 ♀ ( CAFBUM) , all with same data as holotype .

Other specimens examined. Vaejovis morelia : MEXICO: Michoacan, Morelia , Filtros Viejos. III-16-2002. Col.: I. Pérez. 1 ♀ ( CNAN-SC02221 ) .

Diagnosis. Adults 23 to 29 mm long (Fig: 32-a, b). Carapace (Fig: 13-n) shorter than metasomal segment V (Carapace L/MS-V 0.75±0.05 [0.90±0.1]), but longer than femur (Carapace L/Femur L 1.13±0.04 [1.25±0.1]); anterior margin of carapace slightly concave. Mesosomal tergite VII with a pair of crenulated carinae, beginning on middle of segment and not reaching posterior edge. Pectinal teeth 12–13 [11–12]; sternite V on males with a conspicuous bright whitish patch on posterior margin; sternite VII with one pair of faint granular carinae and 10–12 (12) [10] setae. Metasomal segment I subquadrate in dorsal view (MSI L/ W 0.86 ±0.05 [0.83±0.07]); intercarinal spaces on segments I–IV smooth; segment V twice longer than wide (MS-V L/ W 2.38 ±0.1 [2.08±0.08]; W/D 1.16± 0.15 [1.18± 0.08]). Vesicle (Fig: 14-n) slender (L/ W 1.98 ±0.1 [1.73±0.3]) and thin (W/D 1.16± 0.15 [1.3±0.2]); dorsal surface flat, without whitish median spot. Pedipalp femur (Fig: 15-n) and patella (Fig: 16-n) three times longer than wide in males, slightly less in females (Femur L/ W 3.06 ±0.06 [2.88±0.1]; Patella L/ W 3.06 ±0.15 [2.78±0.2]); patella with dorsal internal carina crenulated, with a discontinuous line of granules. Chela (Fig: 17, 18- n) swollen (CM L/ W 1.71 ±0.1 [1.75±0.2]; W/D 1.1±0.1 [1.07±0.07]); with dorsal median, dorsal prosubmedian and dorsal internal carinae granulose, other carinae smooth; manus distally granulose on external face near base of movable finger. Pedipalp chela fingers dentate margins on males straight, without scalloping.

Hemispermatophore (Fig: 19-n): Lamelliform (TL 3; LL 1.7; LW 0.4 mm), lamella simple, without distal crest; two hooks located basally, lobe-shaped. Capsular region with mesal median lobe absent or very poorly sclerotized.

Full morphometric variation is given in tables 13 and 14. Setae variation is given in tables 9–12.

Distribution. Mexico: Michoacán; this species is only known from the type locality and other nearby localities in the state’s capital city of Morelia ( Figure 4 ).

Natural history. This species inhabits mixed pine-oak forests; it was collected among fallen leaves and under the bark of decaying logs.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Known distribution of all the species of Vaejovis, included in the “mexicanus” group.

FIGURE 13. Comparison in shapes on carapace in species within “mexicanus” group: a—V. ceboruco sp. nov.; b—V. chiapas; c—V. coalcoman; d—V. darwini; e—V. dugesi; f—V. dzahui; g—V. franckei; h—V. granulatus; i—V. maculosus; j—V. mcwesti; k—V. mexicanus; l—V. montanus; m—V. monticola; n—V. morelia; o—V. nanchititla sp. nov. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 14. Comparison of the different shapes in the caudal gland on species within the “mexicanus” group (each caudal gland, if present, is highlighted in red): a—V. ceboruco sp. nov.; b—V. chiapas; c—V. coalcoman; d—V. darwini; e—V. dugesi; f—V. dzahui; g—V. franckei; h—V. granulatus; i—V. maculosus; j—V. mcwesti; k—V. mexicanus; l—V. montanus; m—V. monticola; n—V. morelia; o—V. nanchititla sp. nov.

FIGURE 15. Comparison in shapes and trichobothrial patterns in the pedipalp femur, in species within “mexicanus” group: a—V. ceboruco sp. nov.; b—V. chiapas; c—V. coalcoman; d—V. darwini; e—V. dugesi; f—V. dzahui; g—V. franckei; h—V. granulatus; i—V. maculosus; j—V. mcwesti; k—V. mexicanus; l—V. montanus; m—V. monticola; n—V. morelia; o—V. nanchititla sp. nov. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 16. Comparison in shapes and trichobothrial patterns in the pedipalp patella, in species within “mexicanus” group: a—V. ceboruco sp. nov.; b—V. chiapas; c—V. coalcoman; d—V. darwini; e—V. dugesi; f—V. dzahui; g—V. franckei; h—V. granulatus; i—V. maculosus; j—V. mcwesti; k—V. mexicanus; l—V. montanus; m—V. monticola; n—V. morelia; o—V. nanchititla sp. nov. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 17. Comparison in shapes and trichobothrial patterns in the pedipalp chela of males in species within “mexicanus” group: a—V. ceboruco sp. nov.; b—V. chiapas; c—V. coalcoman; d—V. darwini; e—V. dugesi; f—V. dzahui; g—V. franckei; h—V. granulatus; i—V. maculosus; j—V. mcwesti; k—V. mexicanus; l—V. montanus; m—V. monticola; n—V. morelia; o—V. nanchititla sp. nov. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 18. Comparison in the different shapes and trichobothrial patterns in the pedipalp chela of females, that selected species within “mexicanus” group present: a—V. ceboruco sp. nov.; b—V. chiapas; c—V. coalcoman; d—V. darwini; e—V. dugesi; f—V. dzahui; g—V. franckei; h—V. granulatus; i—V. maculosus; j—V. mcwesti; k—V. mexicanus; l—V. montanus; m—V. monticola; n—V. morelia; o—V. nanchititla sp. nov. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 19. Comparison on the shapes in the hemispermatophore in species within “mexicanus” group: a—V. ceboruco sp. nov.; b—V. chiapas; c—V. coalcoman; d—V. darwini; e—V. dugesi; f—V. dzahui; g—V. franckei; h—V. granulatus; i—V. maculosus; j—V. mcwesti; k—V. mexicanus; l—V. montanus; m—V. monticola; n—V. morelia; o—V. nanchititla sp. nov. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 32. Habitus of Vaejovis morelia holotype (♂): a—dorsal view; b—ventral view. Scale bar = 1 cm.