Scorpiops pococki Zhu, Qi et Lourenço, 2005

Qi, Jian-Xin, Zhu, Ming-Sheng & Lourenço, Wilson R., 2005, Eight new species of the genera Scorpiops Peters, Euscorpiops Vachon, and Chaerilus Simon (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae, Chaerilidae) from Tibet and Yunnan, China, Euscorpius 32 (32), pp. 1-40 : 14

Scorpiops pococki Zhu, Qi et Lourenço , sp. n.

( Figs. 47–61 )

Diagnosis. The new species has eight trichobothria on the ventral surface of the patella ( Fig. 56 ) and 6 or 8 pectinal teeth ( Fig. 61 ); it also has an oval smooth region behind lateral ocular tubercles ( Figs. 47 and 60 ). Mesosomal tergite VII with a median carina and two pairs of lateral carinae ( Fig. 47 ).

Material. 1♂ holotype, Tibet, Gyaca district (29°08'N, 92°43'E), 22 August 2002, Ming-Sheng Zhu leg. ( MHBU) ; paratypes: 7 ♀ and 4 ♂, same data as holotype (1 ♀ and 1 ♂ in MNHN, the others in MHBU) ; 1 ♀, Tibet, Zayü district, Xia Zayü town (28°30'N, 97°00'E), 7 August 2002, Ming-Sheng Zhu leg. ; 1 ♂, Tibet, Nyingchi district (29°34'N, 94°30'E), 2 August 2002, Ming-Sheng Zhu leg. , 2 ♀, 3 ♂, 17 August 2002, other data same as above; 3 ♀, Tibet, Nêdong district (29°11'N, 91°48'E), 15 August 2002, Ming-Sheng Zhu leg. ; 1 ♂, Tibet, Xigazê (29°16'N, 88°51'E), 7 September 2002, Ming-Sheng Zhu leg. ; 3 ♀, Tibet, Lhasa Shi (29°39'N, 91°08'E), 23 August 2003, Feng Zhang leg. (all others in MHBU).

Etymology: Patronym in honor of Reginald Innes Pocock, who greatly contributed to scorpion science as well as other areas of zoology.

Description (based on male holotype):

Coloration: Basically reddish brown without any diffuse variegated fuscous spots. Carapace is reddish brown, and some black areas near the eyes. Tergites are dark brown. Chelicerae is unevenly dark brown and the fingers are uniformly dark reddish. Pedipalps are dark reddish-brown. Tarsal claws are brown. Venter and sternites are yellow.

Morphology: Carapace is lustrous; anteromedian carinae are large irregularly granules; anteromedian furrow is deep, slit-shaped, lateral furrow is broad and flat; posterior median furrow is shallow, slit-shaped. Median eyes are anterior to the center of the carapace; three pairs of lateral eyes. Sternum is pentagonal and longer than wide. Tergites are almost acarinate and covered with dense finely granular; tergite I is acarinate; downwards, the median carina gradually become distinct minutely granular carinae; segment VI has a pair of marked lateral carinae; segment VII bears a median and two pairs of lateral carinae. Pectinal tooth count 8-7, fulcra absent. Sternites are smooth and shiny; segment VII has four weakly granular carinae. Metasomal segments II to V are longer than wide; segments I to V have 10-10-10-10- 7 carinae; segments II-IV have a pair of weakened lateral carinae, which only occupy the posterior part; all the carinae on segments I-IV with minute serration; segment V bears ventromedian carina, which has strong serration. Vesicle is coarse and densely granular.

Pedipalps: femur with dorsal interior carina serrated; tegument is partly granular. Patella with dorsal internal, ventral internal, ventral external and external carinae, smooth; two spinoid granules present on the internal aspect, the internal-ventral spinoid granule being much larger than the internal-dorsal one; tegument smooth. Chela with dorsal marginal, external secondary, and ventral internal carinae, which are coarsely granular. Ventral median carina is strong; other carinae are vestigial or absent; tegument is granular dorsally and smooth ventrally. Trichobothriotaxy type C (Vachon, 1974). Chela with four ventral trichobothria. Patella with 17 external and eight ventral trichobothria.

Female paratype: compared with male, the finger is less flexed, pectinal tooth count 6/6. Telson is smaller than that of male.

Measurements (in mm) (male holotype /female paratype). Total length, 52.26/62.10. Carapace: length, 6.89/8.16; anterior width, 2.68/2.81; posterior width, 7.10/7.52. Metasomal segment I: length, 3.19/3.32; width, 3.57/3.57. Metasomal segment V: length, 7.65/7.65; width, 2.55/2.42; depth, 2.55/2.55. Vesicle: width, 2.81/2.93; depth, 2.93/3.06. Pedipalp: femur length, 4.97/5.87, width, 2.55/3.93; patella length, 5.10/5.74, width, 2.55/3.93; chela length, 6.76/7.27, width, 3.83/3.95, depth, 5.10/5.23; movable finger length, 5.99/6.50.

Figures

Figure 47: Scorpiops pococki sp. n., male holotype, habitus. Total length 52.26 mm.

Figures 48–52: Scorpiops pococki sp. n., male holotype. Chela, dorsoexternal, external, ventral and internal aspects. 51 same as 52, female paratype. Scale = 1 mm.

Figures 53–61: Scorpiops pococki sp. n., male holotype. 53. Femur, dorsal aspect. 54–56. Patella, dorsal, external and ventral aspects. 57–58. Chelicera, dorsal and ventral aspects. 59. Disposition of granulations on the dentate margin of the pedipalp chela movable finger. 60. Lateral ocular region, in detail, dorsal aspect. 61. Sternum, genital operculum and pectines. Scale = 1 mm.