Mesobuthus mischi, 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 : 37-40

Mesobuthus mischi sp. n.

( Figs. 189–216, 271, 281, 298–299, 311, Tables 3–6) http: //zoobank. org/urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: A9F691

F9-4098-46C8-A43B-8CB472188341

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE REPOSITORY. Afghanistan, Balkh Province, Hazara Toghai village , 37.22°N 67.21°E, 300 m a.s.l. ( FKCP).

ETYMOLOGY. The species is named in honor of Michael Misch, for his contributions to the knowledge of Afghanistan’s scorpiofauna.

DISTRIBUTION. Afghanistan ( Figs. 328, A 9).

TYPE MATERIAL. Afghanistan , Balkh Province, Hazara Toghai village , 37.22°N 67.21°E, 300 m a.s.l., October- December 2012, 1♂ (holotype, Figs. 189–190, 193, 195, 197–204, 210–216, 271, 281, 298, 311) 2♀ (paratypes, Figs. 191–192, 194, 205–209, 299), leg. M. Misch ( FKCP) ; Herat Province, Herat City , 34.34°N 62.20°E, 2013, 1♀ (paratype), leg. M. Misch ( FKCP) ; Kunduz Province, Kunduz City , 36.73°N 68.87°E, 400 m a.s.l., 5 February 1966, 1♀ ( Fig. 196) 4juvs.(♀ ♂) (paratypes, NMPC, ZMUH) , 25 May 1966, 1♂ 1♀ (paratypes), leg. Šimek ( FKCP) ; Kunduz Province, Kunduz, Chahar Dara District , 36.69ºN 68.80ºE, 1♀ (paratype), 2012, leg. M. Misch ( FKCP) . Parwan Province, Jabal Saraj , 35.12ºN 69.24ºE, 1♀ (paratype) ( FKCP) .

DIAGNOSIS. Total length of adult male 71 mm, 64– 71 females. Trichobothrium db on fixed finger of pedipalp situated between trichobothria est and esb, near to est. Male with fingers proximally more twisted than female. Pedipalp chela length/ width ratio 2.95 in males and 3.11–3.62 in females. Pedipalp chela bulby with short manus and elongate fixed finger in male. Pectinal teeth number 25–26 in males, 20–24 in females. Chelicerae yellow, without reticulation. Pedipalps and metasoma very sparsely hirsute. Carapace and tergites yellowish brown, black pigmented; metasoma, telson, pedipalps and legs yellowish brown only anterior part of metasomal segment V black. Femur of pedipalp with 4– 5 granulate carinae. Patella with 8 granulate or smooth carinae. Chela lacks carinae. Movable fingers of pedipalps with 13–14 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 are indicated by incomplete row of denticles on metasomal segments II and III; fourth with 8 carinae; fifth with 5 carinae. Dorsal and lateral carinae granulated, ventral carinae on metasomal segments I–IV smooth, dorsal carinae bear larger terminal denticles. Length to width ratio of fourth metasomal segment 1.54 in males, 1.50–1.65 in females. Telotarsus III ventral setation represented by short and strong spiniform setae. Pedal spur of legs with solitary setae only.

DESCRIPTION. The total length of adult male 71 mm, 64– 71 females. Trichobothrium db on fixed finger of pedipalp is situated between trichobothria est and esb, near to est. Male has the fingers proximally a little more twisted than female. Female has longer and slightly narrower chela of pedipalps. Chelicerae yellow, without reticulation, the tips of teeth on cheliceral fingers are black. For the position and distribution of trichobothria, see Figs. 211–216. For measurements, see tables 3–5.

COLORATION ( Figs. 189–192). The carapace and tergites are yellowish brown, black pigmented. The metasoma, telson, pedipalps and legs are yellowish brown, only anterior part of metasomal segment V is black.

MESOSOMA AND CARAPACE ( Figs. 193–196). 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 25–26 in males, 20–24 in females. The pectinal marginal tips extend to half of the sixth sternite in males and third of the sixth sternite in females. The pectines have three marginal lamellae and 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.

PEDIPALPS ( Figs. 208–216). 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 in both sexes are granulated. The chela is without carinae, bulby with short manus and elongate fixed finger in male. The movable fingers of pedipalps bear 13–14 cutting rows of denticles, every with external and internal denticles present, and five terminal denticles.

LEGS ( Figs. 197–200). The tarsomeres bear two rows of short and strong spiniform setae on the ventral surface and numerous macrosetae on the other surfaces. Pedal spur of legs with solitary setae only. Femur bears only several macrosetae. Femur and patella with carinae well developed. Tibial spurs present and short on third and fourth legs and absent in the other legs.

METASOMA AND TELSON ( Figs. 201–207). All metasomal segments are only very sparsely hirsute.

The metasomal segment I with 10 carinae, II–III with 8 carinae but other two latero median carinae are indicated by incomplete row of denticles, IV with 8 carinae, and V with 5 carinae. Dorsal and lateral carinae are granulated, dorsal carinae bear larger terminal denticles. Ventral carinae on metasomal segments I–IV are smooth. Ventrolateral carinae of metasomal segment V posteriorly with several large lobate 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. The telson is only sparsely hirsute, rather elongate, bumpy and smooth.