Chaerilus conchiformus, Zhu & Lourenço, 2008

Zhu, Ming-Sheng & Lourenço, Guang-Xin Han And Wilson R., 2008, The chaerilid scorpions of China (Scorpiones: Chaerilidae), Zootaxa 1943, pp. 37-52 : 38-42

Chaerilus conchiformus sp. nov.

Figs. 1-29, 60, Table 1

Chaerilus pictus: Qi, Zhu & Lourenço, 2005: 34–8 , figs. 126–143.13 Material examined: Female holotype, CHINA: Xizang, Nyingchi County, Bayi Town, 2941'N, 9421'E, 17 Aug. 2002, Ming-Sheng Zhu leg.(Ar.–MHU–XZ0201); 1 juv. female paratype, Xizang, Nyingchi County, Bayi town , 6 Aug. 2003, Feng Zhang leg.(Ar.–MHU–XZ0202) ; 6 females paratypes, Xizang, Nyingchi County, Baishuwang Town , 2934'N, 9430'E, July 2006, Ming-Sheng Zhu, Xiao-Feng Yang and Long Liu leg.(Ar.–MHU–XZ0601-0606) ; 1 male paratype, Xizang, Mainling County, Pai Town , 2912'N,9406' E, 30 July 2006, Zhu Ming-Sheng, Yang Xiao-Feng and Liu Long leg. (Ar.–MHU–XZ0102)(All are deposited in MHBU, examined) .

Diagnosis. The species is of moderate size with total length 32 to 41.04 in females, 43.47 in male. Female: metasoma is short and about four times as long as carapace, aculeus of telson is very short and it about is two fifths of vesicular length. Male: pedipalp chela is conch-shaped in dorsal view. The new species can be distinguished from other Chaerilus species , and in particular from C. pictus (Pocock, 1890) , by the following features: (1) movable finger of pedipalps chela with 8 oblique rows of granules, whereas in C. pictus , that are 13–14; (2) telson about 2.6 times longer than wide in male and 2.4 times in female, whereas in C. pictus , it is 4.7 times in male and 2.6 times in female; (3) aculeus long in male and longer in females, curved, whereas in C. pictus , they are rather short and less curved; (4) in female, ventral inner edges of movable finger of chelicera with six minute teeth and fixed finger with six serrations; in male movable finger with five minute teeth and fixed finger with five serrations, whereas in C. pictus the female has eight and four, the male with eight and five, respectively. C. conchiformus sp. nov. differ from C. triznai Kovak, 2000 in Table 1.

Etymology. This species name derived from the Latin conchi + form, meaning conch and form, referring to the shape of male pedipalp chela manus.

Description. Based on female holotype. (Ar.–MHU–XZ0201).

Coloration. Basically dark brown to black in alcohol. Carapace blackish brown with variegated reddish brown areas and dark pigmentation following carinae, with a yellow spot behind each lateral ocular tubercle. Mesosomal tergites are blackish brown with variegated reddish brown stripes. Metasoma: all segments are reddish brown except for the vesicle, with some dark pigment under carinae, carinae are black to dark brown.. Chelicerae are light brown with brownish reticular pattern on dorsal surface of basal segment and with reddish brown fingers. Pedipalps are dark brown with darker carinae. Legs light brown to brown.

Morphology. Carapace is covered with sparse, coarse granules of unequal size, coarser and denser near the lateral margins of lateral carinae. Lateral furrow is not marked but posterior lateral furrow is deep and distinct. Lateral carinae are well developed. Median ocular tubercle is granular, slightly elevated, and located anterior to the center of the carapace; lateral ocular tubercles are small, with a pair of lateral eyes smaller than median eyes. The lateral margins of carapace are finely granular. Mesosomal tergites have sparse, coarse granulations; tergites I-VI without distinct carinae, tergite VII with two pairs of granular lateral carinae, inner pair very short and developed only on median portion. Sternum is pentagonal and slightly longer than wide. Pectinae with 3/4 weakly developed pectinal teeth, fulcra are weakly developed, middle and marginal lamellae are poorly developed. Sternites smooth except for sternite VII, which is weakly granular, especially on posterior half, with two pairs of lateral carinae, the inner pair short and developed only on median portion, external pair developed only on posterior portion. Spiracles small and circular. Metasoma comparatively short, about four times longer than carapace; segment I wider than long; all segments with few granules on dorsal surface and on lateral and ventral surfaces with sparse granules. Segments I to V with 10–10–8–8–7 carinae, all carinae of segment I dentated, but ventrolateral and ventral carinae more developed; segment II with dorsal and dorsolateral carinae dentate, other carinae moderately granular, lateral carinae reach about to one half of the segment length; all carinae of segments III and IV are moderately granular; the ventromedian and ventrolateral carinae of segment V composed of strong and large granules, rounded at the top. Vesicle of telson almost smooth; aculeus very short, only reaching two fifths of vesicular length and slightly curved. Chelicerae small with elongated fingers, basal segment smooth; thickly covered with numerous short, silky hairs, extending on ventral and dorsal portions of both fingers; their dentition characteristic for family and genus; ventral inner edges of movable finger with six minute teeth and fixed finger with six serrations. Pedipalps are short, stout and with robust manus. Femur with dorsal internal and dorsal external carinae strongly to moderately granular; ventral internal and ventral external carinae smooth; dorsal and ventral surfaces covered with sparse, weak granules. Patella with dorsal internal, dorsal external and median carinae composed of sparse, larger granules; tegument surfaces with few granules. Chela is wide, the length/width ratio 1.8, with digital, dorsal secondary, dorsal marginal, dorsal internal, ventrointernal and ventroexternal carinae composed of sparse granules of unequal size; interomedian and external secondary carinae obsolete or vestigial; tegument of chela manus covered with sparse, minute granules which form reticular pattern; fingers straight, denticular margin of movable finger with eight oblique rows of granules. Trichobothriotaxy of type B (Vachon, 1974); femur bears nine trichobothria, patella with 14, and chela with 14. Legs with a pair of pedal spurs moderately developed. Tarsi with two series of thin bristles and a median row of spinules on ventral surfaces.

lus tessellatus , and of Chaerilus triznai .

The chela length to width ratio may measure slightly different from this data due to angle of illustrations.

Male paratype. (Ar.–MHU–XZ0102). Coloration and morphology are very similar to that of the female holotype. But coloration slightly darker; the granules weaker on carapace and mesosomal tergites; pectinae with 5/5 well developed teeth; aculeus of telson about two fifths of vesicular length; ventral inner edges of movable and fixed finger of chelicera with five minute teeth and five serrations; pedipalp of chela conchshaped at dorsal view with length/width ratio 1.8.

Distribution. China (Xizang).