Vaejovis cashi Graham, 2007

Graham, Matthew R., 2007, Sky island Vaejovis: two new species and a redescription of V. vorhiesi Stahnke (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae), Euscorpius 51 (51), pp. 1-14 : 6-9

Vaejovis cashi Graham , sp. nov.

( Figs. 15–27 )

Diagnosis. This small brownish colored scorpion is heavily mottled on the carapace, legs, tergites, and metasoma. The anterior margin is weakly emarginate. A subaculear tubercule can be conspicuous to almost lacking. This species is a related species of V. vorhiesi and V. feti sp. nov. It can be distinguished from V. vorhiesi by its smaller size, stronger crenulations, more fuscous mottling, and 8–9 MD denticles on row 3 of the movable pedipalp finger, instead of 6–7 MD denticles. It is unique from V. feti sp. nov. by being brownish in color, not reddish brown or mahogany, and has less robust metasoma and pedipalp palms. V. cashi sp. nov. is also unique in morphometrics ratios and pectine counts (see Comparison of Species).

Type Data. The holotype and paratype, both female, were collected from under stones on the northwest flank of the Chiricahua Mountains , Arizona; 31°55'24.36"N, 109°15'42.34"W; 18 June 2001 (D. Vernier), types deposited in the private collection of MRG .

Etymology. The specific name, cashi , is an epithet in honor of Kevin Cash, a passionate scorpion enthusiast who has made gracious contributions to scorpiology.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality in the Chiricahua Mountains of Arizona, USA.

Description

Color ( Figs. 15-16 ). Carapace and tergites yellowbrown with dark dusky patterns. Two stripes of fuscosity running laterally along tergites. Dark-brown to black median eye area. Metasoma yellow-brown with fuscosity of dusky markings increasing posteriorly. Telson yellow-orange with three brown stripes running longitudinally along ventral surface. One median stripe and two dorsolateral stripes. Subaculear tubercle small and black. Legs yellow-orange with slight mottling.

Measurements (in mm). Holotype: total length 21.96; carapace length 2.96; mesosoma length 8.18; metasoma length 8.09; Metasoma: segment I length/ width 1.20/1.67; segment II length/width 1.34/1.62; segment III length/width 1.44/1.53; segment IV length/width 2.05/1.51; segment V length/width 2.96/ 1.44. Telson : length 2.73; vesicle length/width/ depth 1.65/0.96/0.75; aculeus length 1.08. Pedipalps: total length 9.30; femur length width 2.45/0.80; patella length/width 2.52/0.89; chela length 4.33; palm length/ width/depth 1.88/1.01/1.04; movable finger length 2.52; fixed finger length 2.09.

Paratype (female): total length 19.09; carapace length 2.68; mesosoma length 6.12; metasoma length 10.29; Metasoma: segment I length/width 1.03/1.48; segment II length/width 1.20/1.44; segment III length/ width 1.27/1.34; segment IV length/width 1.78/1.29; segment V length/width 2.66/1.22. Telson : length 2.35; vesicle length/width/depth 1.41/0.89/0.71; aculeus length 0.82. Pedipalps: total length 8.02; femur length/ width 2.07/0.71; patella length/width 2.33/0.82; chela length 3.62; palm length/width/depth 1.55/0.85/0.92; movable finger length 2.26; fixed finger length 1.79.

Carapace ( Fig. 24 ). Anterior margin of carapace very slightly emarginate. Carapace finely granular with scattered coarse granules and a shallow posterior median furrow.

Mesosoma. Median carina on tergite I obsolete, very slight on tergite II–III, and weak on IV–VI. Tergite VII with weak to moderate median carina and strong crenulate lateral carina.

Genital Operculum. Sclerites separated on posterior one-fifth.

Chelicerae. Dorsal edge of movable with two subdistal (sd) denticles; ventral edge smooth with conspicuous serrulae on distal half.

Pectines ( Fig. 27 ). Pectinal tooth count 11/11. Sternites III–VII sparsely setose. Sternite VII with a pair of weak granular carinations.

Metasoma. Ratio of segment I length/width 0.82; of segment II length/width 0.98; of segment III length/width 1.07; of segment IV length/width 1.52; of segment V length/width 2.14. Segments I-IV: dorsolateral carinae strong and granular with distal denticle of II–IV enlarged and spinoid; of segment I slightly enlarged and spinoid. Lateral supramedian carinae I–III strong and granular with enlarged spinoid distal denticle; on IV strong and granular on anterior 1/2 and weak on posterior 1/2, with terminus flared. Lateral inframedian carinae moderately granular on segment I, posterior 2/5 of II, 1/5 of III, and obsolete on IV. Ventrolateral carinae I weak, finely granular; on II–III moderate, granular; on IV–V strong, granular. Ventral submedian carinae granular. Dorsal and lateral intercarinal spaces very finely granular. Segment I–IV setal count: dorsolateral setae 0/0:0/1:0/1:1/1; lateral supramedian setae 0/0:0/0: 0/0:2/1; Lateral inframedian setae 1/1:0/0:0/0:0/0; Ventrolateral setae 2/2:2/2:3/2:3/3; Ventral submedian setae 3/3:3/3:3/3:3/3. Segment V: Dorsolateral carinae moderate, distally crenulate, basally granular. Lateromedian carinae moderate and granular on basal 3/4, obsolete on distal 1/4. Ventrolateral and ventro-median carinae strong, crenulate. Intercarinal spaces finely granular. Segment V setal counts: Dorsolateral setae 3/3; lateromedian setae 3/4; ventrolateral setae 5/5.

Telson ( Fig. 25 ). Smooth with small but conspicuous subaculear tubercle. Five pairs of large setae and many smaller scattered setae. LAS denticles 6/7.

Pedipalps. Trichobothrial pattern type C (see pattern in Figs. 17–23 ). Pedipalpal ratios: chela length/ width 4.99; femur length/width 3.06; patella length/width 2.82; fixed finger length/carapace length 0.73.

Chela. All carinae weak and smooth except dorsolateral, which is slightly crenulate. All vestigial carinae outlined with dark fuscosity. Fixed fingers: Dentate margin with six subrows of MD denticles divided by five enlarged OD denticles; five ID denticles. Movable fingers ( Fig. 26 ): Dentate margin with six subrows of MD denticles divided by five enlarged OD denticles; six ID denticles. No distinct scalloping on chela fingers.

Femur. Carinae strong, granulose; internal surface with moderate carinae on proximal 2/3.

Patella. Internal carinae oblique and granulose; all other carinae strong and crenulate.

Legs. Ventral surface of tarsus with single median row of spinules terminating distally with one spinule pair.

Variation. Only two female specimens were available for examination. The specimens vary only in size and telson shape. The paratype is slightly smaller with telson ratios as follows: telson length/width ratio 1.73; telson length/depth ratio 1.93. Holotype telson ratios are: telson length/width ratio 1.81; telson length/depth ratio 2.37.

Figures

Figures 15–16: Vaejovis cashi sp. nov., holotype. 15. Dorsal view. 16. Ventral view.

Figures 17–23: Trichobothrial patterns of Vaejovis cashi sp. nov., based on holotype. 17. Right pedipalp chela, external. 18. Right pedipalp chela, ventral. 19. Right pedipalp chela, internal. 20. Right pedipalp femur, dorsal. 21. Right pedipalp patella, dorsal. 22. Right pedipalp patella, external. 23. Right pedipalp patella, ventral.

Figures 24–27: Vaejovis cashi, sp. nov., based on holotype. 24. Carapace, dorsal view (mottling not illustrated). 25. Telson, lateral view. 26. Pedipalp chelal finger dentition, right movable finger. 27. Pectines and genital operculum of female.