Hottentotta hatamtiorum, Amiri & Prendini & Hussen & Aliabadian & Siahsarvie & Mirshamsi, 2024

Amiri, Masoumeh, Prendini, Lorenzo, Hussen, Fenik Sherzad, Aliabadian, Mansour, Siahsarvie, Roohollah & Mirshamsi, Omid, 2024, Integrative systematics of the widespread Middle Eastern buthid scorpion, Hottentotta saulcyi (Simon, 1880), reveals a new species in Iran, Arthropod Systematics & amp; Phylogeny 82, pp. 323-341 : 323

Hottentotta hatamtiorum sp. nov.

Figs 9 , 10 , 11 , 12

Hottentotta saulcyi (misidentifications): Akbari et al. 1997: 112; Kovařík 2007: 65; Navidpour et al. 2008: 8; Gohari 2011: 54; Karataş et al. 2012: 113; Sharifinia et al. 2017: 245.

Type material.

Holotype ♂ (ZMFUM 1977), 6 ♀♀ paratypes (ZMFUM 1948, 1978-1982), IRAN: Ilam Province: Darehshahr, Eramo village, 33°06′10″N 47°28′58″E, 644 m, 16.vi.2019, M. Amiri, UV detection at night.

Diagnosis.

Hottentotta hatamtiorum sp. nov. may be distinguished from H. saulcyi by the wider metasomal segment I (MtIL/W Hsau 1.01 ± 0.06; MtIL/W Hhat 1.17 ± 0.11) and telson (TW Hsau 3.99 ± 0.62; TW Hhat 4.25 ± 0.70); from H. akbarii by the infuscate anterior part of the carapace, metasomal segment V, and telson; from H. lorestanus by the uniformly yellowish-brown base color; and from H. khoozestanus by the shorter fingers of the pedipalp chela (ChL/ML 2.35; MFL/ML 1.36) and the infuscate ventral and ventrolateral surfaces of metasomal segment V and telson.

Hottentotta hatamtiorum sp. nov. may be further separated from other species of the genus by the following combination of characters. Scorpions of medium to large size, adults 72-92 mm (♂) or 63-89 mm (♀) in total length (Figs 9 , 10 ). Base color uniformly yellowish-brown; chelicerae, anterior part of carapace, metasomal segment V, and telson infuscate, black (Fig. 9 ). Median ocular tubercle situated in anterior half of carapace, distance from anterior carapace margin, 0.31-0.44. Median denticle rows of pedipalp chela fixed and movable fingers each comprising 15 oblique subrows of denticles. Pedipalp chela movable finger long relative to chela manus, 1.36-1.94. Pectinal tooth count, 30-33 (♂) or 23-28 (♀). Pedipalps, dorsal surface of mesosomal tergites, legs, lateral and ventral surfaces of metasomal segments, and telson vesicle moderately hirsute. Sternite VII with four prominent ventral carinae. Telson large, narrow, vesicle length to width, 2.29-2.75, and length to height, 2.35-2.97.

Etymology.

The specific epithet refers to Hatamti, an ancient civilization centered in the far west and southwest of modern-day Iran (3200-539 BC), in the lowlands of present-day Khuzestan and Ilam provinces and a small part of southern Iraq.

Description.

Based on holotype ♂ (ZMFUM 1977) and ♀ paratypes (ZMFUM 1948, 1978-1982) (Figs 9 , 10 ). - Measurements (mm). ♂: BL: 92.8; CL: 10.4; CPW: 10.4; CAW: 6.9; CX: 4.4; CY: 6; ChL: 21.2; ML: 9; MFL: 12.3; MtIL: 6.7; MtID: 5; MtIW: 6.5; MtIIL: 8.9; MtIID: 4.8; MtIIW: 6; MtIIIL: 9.6; MtIIID: 4.7; MtIIIW: 5.9; MtIVL: 10.6; MtIVD: 4.6; MtIVW: 5.7; MtVL: 12; MtVD: 3.7; MtVW: 5.3; TL: 12.1; TW: 4.5; TD: 4.1. ♀: BL: 75.3; CL: 9.4; CPW: 10.4; CAW: 6.2; CX: 3.9; CY: 5.5; ChL: 17.2; ML: 6.4; MFL: 10.8; MtIL: 6; MtID: 4.8; MtIW: 6; MtIIL: 6.5; MtIID: 4.6; MtIIW: 5.4; MtIIIL: 7; MtIIID: 4.6; MtIIIW: 5.3; MtIVL: 8; MtIVD: 4.3; MtIVW: 5.2; MtVL: 9.7; MtVD: 3.4; MtVW: 5; TL: 11; TW: 4.3; TD: 4. - Color. Chelicerae, anterior parts of carapace, median and lateral carinae on tergites I-VI, ventral carinae on metasomal segments II-IV, ventral and ventrolateral surfaces of metasomal segment V, and telson reddish-black to black; pedipalp femur, patella and chela, legs, margins of tergites I-VI, tergite VII, sternites, and metasomal segments I-IV yellow to yellowish-green or brown. Leg telotarsi yellow (Fig. 9A ). - Chelicerae. Fixed finger ventral surface with two basal denticles. Prolateral and retrolateral distal denticles of movable finger equal in size. - Carapace. Shape trapezoid, wider than long, CWA/CL 0.66 (♂) or 0.65 (♀), CWP/CL 1.04 (♂) or 1.1 (♀); anterior margin moderately emarginate; median ocular tubercle situated in anterior half of carapace, CX/CL 0.42 (♂) or 0.41 (♀), CX/CY 0.73 (♂) or 0.71 (♀); distance between median ocelli more than twice ocular diameter; three pairs of lateral ocelli (Figs 9A, C , 10A, C ); anteromedian and posteromedian sulci shallow; posterolateral sulci wide, curved; anterior margin with weak median concavity; carinae distinct; anteromedian carinae granular, central median and posteromedian carinae serratocrenulate (♂) or granular (♀), posterolateral carinae indistinct in both sexes; central lateral and posteromedian carinae completely aligned; intercarinal surfaces unevenly finely and coarsely granular. - Pedipalps. Pedipalp segments relatively long. Femur 4.07 (♂) or 3.42 (♀) or times longer than wide; four complete, granular carinae; prodorsal carinae weakly granular; retrodorsal and retroventral carinae serratocrenulate (♂) or granular (♀); proventral carinae weakly to moderately granular, comprising isolated spiniform granules; intercarinal surfaces smooth (Fig. 11A, B ). Patella 3.63 (♂) or 2.94 (♀) times longer than wide; eight complete carinae; dorsomedian carinae moderately granular; prodorsal carinae distinct, granular; retrodorsal, retrolateral, retroventral and ventromedian carinae obsolete, smooth (Fig. 11C, D ); proventral and prolateral carinae each comprising several spiniform granules. Chela acarinate; manus 4.81 (♂) or 4.77 (♀) times longer than wide, wider than patella; movable finger 2.35 (♂) or 2.68 (♀) longer than manus; median denticle subrows, including proximal subrow (sinistral/dextral) of fixed finger, 14/15, and movable finger, 15/15; each subrow except proximal flanked by prolateral and retrolateral accessory denticles; movable finger with five subdistal denticles, two prolateral and three retrolateral (Fig. 11E, F ). Pedipalp orthobothriotaxic type A-β, with following segment totals: femur, 11 (five dorsal, four internal, two external) (Fig. 11A, B ), patella, 13 (five dorsal, one internal, seven external) (Fig. 11C, D ) and chela, 15 (eight manus, seven fixed finger) (Fig. 11E, F ), totaling 39 trichobothria per pedipalp; trichobothria esb (fixed finger), Esb and Eb 3 (manus), d 2 (patella) and d 2 (femur) petite; trichobothrium et situated adjacent to midpoint (♂) or proximal end (♀) of denticle subrow 6; est adjacent to midpoint of denticle subrow 8 (♂) or distal end of denticle subrow 9 (♀) (Fig. 11E, F ). - Sternum. Triangular, longer than wide, with deep median depression. - Genital operculum. Completely divided longitudinally, with fine, short setae (Figs 9B, D , 10B, D ). - Pectines. Distal margin extending to coxa-trochanter articulation (♀) or trochanter-femur articulation (♂) of leg IV; three marginal and eight (♀) or nine (♂) median lamellae; fulcra present; teeth present along entire posterior margin, count (sinistral/dextral), 30/30 (♂) or 25/26 (♀) (Figs 9B, D , 10B, D ). - Mesosoma. Tergites I-VI tricarinate; VII pentacarinate, lateral carinae serratocrenulate, median carinae incomplete, restricted to anterior half, weakly granular; intercarinal surfaces coarsely granular (Figs 9A, C , 10A, C ). Sternites III-VI acarinate; VII with four weakly granular carinae (Figs 9B, D , 10B, D ). - Metasoma. Metasomal segments longer than wide (♂, ♀); moderately (♀) or densely (♂) hirsute. Metasomal segment I decacarinate; II-IV octocarinate; V pentacarinate, with two dorsal and three ventral carinae. All complete carinae weakly (♂) to moderately (♀) granular on segments I-V. Lateral inframedian carinae incomplete, weakly (♂) to moderately (♀) granular, restricted to posterior two-thirds of segment II; vestigial (♂) or reduced to few granules posteriorly (♀) on III (Figs 12A, B ). - Telson. Long, vesicle oblong-ovoid, TH/TL 0.33 (♂) or 0.36 (♀), TW/TL 0.37 (♂) or 0.39 (♀), narrower than metasomal segment V, TW/MtVW 0.84 (♂) or 0.86 (♀) (Fig. 12C, D ); dorsal surface flat, smooth; ventral surface curved, sparsely (♂) or moderately (♀) granular (Figs 12A, B ).

Distribution.

Hottentotta hatamtiorum sp. nov. is endemic to Iran and recorded from Ilam and Khuzestan provinces.

Additional material examined.

IRAN: Khuzestan Province: Andimeshk, Mohammad Khan Village, 32°34′09″N 48°24′57″E, 551 m, 2.viii.2018, M. Amiri, 1 ♂ (ZMFUM 1930), 9.ix.2020, M. Amiri, 1 ♂, (ZMFUM 2069); Masjedsoleiman, Shalal Village , 32°17′23″N 49°34′11″E, 1051 m, 2.iv.2017, M. Amiri, 1 ♂ (ZMFUM 1906), 22.vi.2019, Bahrani, 2 ♂♂ (ZMFUM 2040, 2042); Masjedsoleiman, Lali District , Kushk Village , 32°06′17.6″N 49°34′06.3″E, 713 m, 17.ii.2020, M. Amiri, 1 ♀ (ZMFUM 2045) .

Figures

Figure 9. Hottentotta hatamtiorum sp. nov., habitus, dorsal aspect (A, C), ventral aspect (B, D). A, B Holotype ♂ (ZMFUM 1977). C, D Paratype ♀ (ZMFUM 1981). Scale bars = 10 mm.

Figure 10. Hottentotta hatamtiorum sp. nov., habitus (UV fluorescence), dorsal aspect (A, C), ventral aspect (B, D). A, B Holotype ♂ (ZMFUM 1977); C, D Paratype ♀ (ZMFUM 1981). Scale bars = 10 mm.

Figure 11. Hottentotta hatamtiorum sp. nov., pedipalp segments (UV fluorescence): femur, dorsal aspect (A, B), patella, dorsal aspect (C, D) and chela, lateral aspect (E, F). A, C, E Holotype ♂ (ZMFUM 1977); B, D, F, paratype ♂ (ZMFUM 1981). Scale bars = 2.5 mm.

Figure 12. Hottentotta hatamtiorum sp. nov., metasomal segments (UV fluorescence), lateral aspect (A, B), ventral aspect (C, D). A, C Holotype ♂ (ZMFUM 1977); B, D Paratype ♀ (ZMFUM 1981). Scale bars = 10 mm.