Mesobuthus nenilini, Fet & Kovařík & Gantenbein & Kaiser & Stewart & Graham, 2018

Fet, Victor, Kovařík, František, Gantenbein, Benjamin, Kaiser, Ronald C., Stewart, Alexander K. & Graham, Matthew R., 2018, Revision of the Mesobuthus caucasicus complex from Central Asia with descriptions of six new species (Scorpiones Buthidae), Euscorpius 255, pp. 1-77 : 40-47

Mesobuthus nenilini sp. n.

( Figs. 217–245, 272, 282, 300–301, 312, 315, Tables 3–6) http: //zoobank. org/urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: 65D7A1

F0-D43A-448C-A017-48D652DEEF77

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE REPOSITORY. Uzbekistan, Namangan Province , Mingbulak District, ca. 1.5 km SSW of Novbakhor, 40.72°N 70.07°E, 350–360 m a.s.l. ( FKCP).

ETYMOLOGY. The species is named in honor of Andrei Nenilin (1960–1986), an incredibly talented young zoologist from Uzbekistan whose many contributions were critical for developing arachnology in Central Asia.

DISTRIBUTION. Uzbekistan,? Kyrgyzstan (see Notes) ( Figs. 328, A 10).

TYPE MATERIAL. Uzbekistan, Namangan Province , Mingbulak District, ca. 1.5 km SSW of Novbakhor, 4 0.72°N 70.07°E, 350-360 m a.s.l., 16 May 2002, 1♂ (holotype, Figs. 217–218, 221, 224–231, 237–245, 272, 300, 312, 315) 2♀ 3juvs.(♂ ♀) (paratypes, Figs. 219–220,

222–223, 232–234, 282, 301), leg. VF & AG ( FKCP, NMPC).

OTHER MATERIAL STUDIED. Uzbekistan, Namangan Province , Mingbulak District , ca. 1.5 km SSW of Novbakhor, 40.72°N 70.07°E, 350-360 m a.s.l., 16 May 2002, 5juvs., leg. VF & AG ( VFPC); Namangan Province , Pap District , SE foothills of Kurama Mts. , ca. 14 km NW of Khanabad, Rizaksai Valley , 40.9585°N 7 0.6568°E, 1308 m a.s.l., 15 May 2002, leg. VF & AG, 1♀ ( VFPC); Pap District, SE foothills of Kurama Mts., ca. 5.5 km NW of Khanabad, 40.9083°N, 70.7562°E, 859 m a.s.l., 16 May 2002, leg. VF & AG, 1juv. ( VFPC) .

DIAGNOSIS. Total length of adult male 51.5 mm, 50– 58 females. Trichobothrium db on fixed finger of pedipalp situated between trichobothria est and esb, near to est. Fingers little twisted, identically in both sexes. Pedipalp chela length/ width ratio 4.31 in male and 4.09–4.30 in females. Pectinal teeth number 26–28 in males, 21–24 in females. Chelicerae yellow, without reticulation. Pedipalps and metasoma very sparsely hirsute. Carapace and tergites yellowish black, pigmented; metasoma, telson, pedipalps and legs basicly yellowish brown, black pigmented whole pedipalps dorsal, femur of legs, and metasoma ventrally. Femur of pedipalp with 4–5 granulate carinae. Patella with 8 granulate or smooth carinae. Chela with smooth conspicious carinae. Movable fingers of pedipalps with 13 cutting rows of denticles and 5 terminal denticles. Seventh sternite bears 4 well marked granulate carinae. First metasomal segment with 10 carinae; second to fourth with 8 carinae, other two carinae on metasomal segment II could be indicated by several denticles posteriorly; fifth with 5 carinae. All carinae with consistent small blunt denticles. Length to width ratio of fourth metasomal segment 1.73 in male, 1.62– 1.68 in females. Telotarsus III ventral setation represented by long setae in two rows, each containing not more than 15 setae. Pedal spur of legs with several setae.

DESCRIPTION. The total length of adult 51.5 mm, 50– 58 females. Trichobothrium db on fixed finger of pedipalp is situated between trichobothria est and esb, near to est. The fingers are little twisted identically in both sexes. Chelicerae yellow, without reticulation, the tips of teeth on cheliceral fingers are black. For the position and distribution of trichobothria, see Figs. 237–241, 243–244. For measurements see tables 3–5.

COLORATION ( Figs. 217–220). The carapace and tergites yellowish black, strongly pigmented. The metasoma, telson, pedipalps and legs are basicly yellowish brown. Black pigmented are whole pedipalps dorsal, femur of legs, and metasoma ventrally.

MESOSOMA AND CARAPACE ( Figs. 221–224). The carapace is carinate and unevenly covered by granules of varying size; much of the granulation is fine, but some granules are larger and distinctly rounded. Tergites I–VI bear three carinae and are granulated, with some intercarinal granules small and others larger and rounded. Tergite VII is pentacarinate. The pectinal tooth count is 26–28 in males, 21–24 in females. The pectinal marginal tips extend to about half of the sixth sternite in male and third of the sixth sternite in females. The pectines have three marginal lamellae and eight to nine middle lamellae. The lamellae bear numerous long setae, each fulcrum with three to five setae. All sternites are smooth and sparsely hirsute. The seventh sternite bears four well marked granulate carinae. The other sternites bear two furrows.

P EDIPALPS ( Figs. 235–245). The pedipalps are sparsely hirsute and smooth. The femur bears four to five granulated carinae, the middle carina on internal surface could be incomplete indicated by several strong granules. The patella bears eight carinae from which internal and dorsal are granulated and other are smooth in both sexes. The chela is with smooth conspicious carinae. The movable fingers of pedipalps bear 13 cutting rows of denticles, every with external and internal denticles present, and five terminal denticles.

LEGS ( Figs. 225–228). The tarsomeres bear two rows of setae on the ventral surface and numerous macrosetae on the other surfaces. Telotarsus III ventral setation in two rows which every contains not more than 15 setae. Pedal spur of legs obviously with solitary setae only. Femur bears only several macrosetae. Femur and patella with carinae well developed. Tibial spurs present and long on third and fourth legs and absent in the other legs.

METASOMA AND TELSON ( Figs. 229–234). All metasomal segments are only very sparsely hirsute.

The metasomal segment I with 10 carinae, II with 8 carinae but other two lateromedian carinae are indicated by incomplete row of denticles, III–IV with 8 carinae, and V with 5 carinae. All carinae are with consistent small blunt denticles. The dorsal surface of all segments is smooth in the middle and bumpy on margins. Other surfaces are bumpy or smooth with several solitary granules. Ventrolateral carinae of metasomal segment V posteriorly with several large denticles. The telson is only sparsely hirsute, elongate, bumpy and smooth.

NOTES.

This distinct new species is known currently only from the foothills of the Kurama Mts. in Uzbekistan, reaching a maximum altitude of 859 m a.s.l. Mesobuthus nenilini sp. n. is a biogeographically important faunal element since it is so far the only “ caucasicus complex” representative identified in the great Western Tien Shan mountain system. The Kurama (or Kuraminsky) mountain range is a spur of the larger Chatkal (or Chatkalsky) range. The Chatkal Mountains limit the Ferghana Valley from the northeast, forming the most western extension of the Tien Shan at the political boundary of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.

The other five species identified in our revision from the mountains of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan ( M. elenae sp. n., M. fuscus , M. intermedius, M. Kaznakovi , and M. kreuzbergi sp. n.) are found within the western part of the Pamiro-Alai mountain system, usually addressed as Gissaro-Darvaz (or Gissaro- Alai). The Gissaro-Darvaz, which houses very high biodiversity, is geographically well separated from the Western Tien Shan (that lies mainly within Kyrgyzstan borders). We did not study any material from Kyrgyzstan but there are a number of specimens that might belong to M. nenilini sp. n. that should be further analyzed. These include the ZISP collections from Kyrgyzstan listed as “ M. caucasicus intermedius ” by Fet (1989: 108).