Mesobuthus kaftani, Kovařík & Fet & Gantenbein & Graham & Aydin & Yağmur & Šťáhlavský & Nikita & Poverennyi & Novruzov, 2022

Kovařík, František, Fet, Victor, Gantenbein, Benjamin, Graham, Matthew R., Aydin, Ersen, Yağmur, Šťáhlavský, František, Nikita, Poverennyi & Novruzov, Nizami E., 2022, A revision of the genus Mesobuthus Vachon 1950 with a description of 14 new species (Scorpiones Buthidae), Euscorpius 348, pp. 1-189 : 67-70

Mesobuthus kaftani sp. n.

( Figures 432–454 , 1155, 1157, Table 14) http: //zoobank. org/urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: A1C3DA05-

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TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE REPOSITORY. Iran, Razavi Khorasan Province, Gonabad , 34°26'N 58°40'E (34.43°N 58.66°E), ca. 1000 m a. s. l. ; NMPC.

REFERENCES:

Mesobuthus eupeus afghanus (in part): Mirshamsi et al., 2010: 2867; Mirshamsi et al., 2011a: 8, fig. 6.

TYPE MATERIAL. Iran, Razavi Khorasan Province, Gonabad , 34°26'N 58°40'E (34.43°N 58.66°E), ca. 1000 m a. s. l., 9 May 1997, 1♀ (holotype), leg. M. Kaftan , NMPC; 10 km NE of Baghestan , 34°09'N 58°25'E (34.15°N 58.42°E), 1880-1914 m a. s. l., 9 May 1997, 3♀ 1juv. (paratypes), leg. M. Kaftan , NMPC.

DNA DATA. This new species, in our opinion, was represented among the populations studied by Mirshamsi et al. (2010) in their survey of Iranian Mesobuthus (five DNA sequences from the Razavi Khorasan Province, Gonabad , (34.19°N 58.75°E) ( Table 16).

ETYMOLOGY. The species is named in honor of our colleague Milan Kaftan ( Czech Republic) who collected the type specimens .

DIAGNOSIS. Total length of female 58 mm; male unknown. Trichobothrium db on fixed finger of pedipalp situated between trichobothria est and esb, near to est. Pedipalp chela length/width ratio 4.4 in female. Pectinal teeth number 19–20 in female. Chelicerae yellow, without reticulation. Pedipalps and metasoma sparsely hirsute. Carapace and tergites reddish brown, black pigmentation reduced; metasoma, telson, pedipalps and legs reddish brown, only part of metasomal segment V can be black. Femur of pedipalp with 4–5 granulated carinae. Patella with 8 usually smooth carinae, only dorsal and internal are granulated. Chela lacks carinae. Movable fingers of pedipalps with 11 cutting rows of denticles and 5 terminal denticles. Central lateral and posterior lateral carinae of carapace not joined to form a continuous linear series of granules to posterior margin. Sternite VII smooth, with 4 well marked granulated carinae. Metasomal segment I with 10 carinae; segments II to IV with 8 carinae, other two carinae are indicated by incomplete row of denticles on metasomal segments II and III; segment V with 5 carinae. Metasoma IV with lateromedian carinae granulated in female. Intercarinal surfaces on metasoma I laterally granulated. Length to depth ratio of metasoma III 1.39, metasoma IV 1.89 in female. Telotarsus III ventral setation represented by short and strong spiniform setae. Tarsi hirsute, in adults with 12–16 retroinferior macrosetae on basitarsus III. Telson elongated. Anal lobe divided into three parts.

DESCRIPTION. Total length of adult females 50–58 mm; male unknown. Trichobothrium db on fixed finger of pedipalp situated between trichobothria est and esb, near to est. Female with fingers proximally slightly twisted For measurements, see Table 13.

Coloration ( Figs. 432–433 ). Carapace and tergites are reddish brown with pigmentation reduced. Chelicerae yellow, without reticulation. Metasoma, telson, pedipalps and legs are reddish brown. Metasoma ventral carinae can be black pigmented. Chelicerae yellow, without reticulation, the tips of denticles on cheliceral fingers are black.

Mesosoma and carapace ( Figs. 457–458 ). Carapace carinate, unevenly covered by granules of varying size; much of the granulation is fine but some granules are larger and distinctly rounded. Tergites I–VI with three carinae and are granulated, with some intercarinal granules small and others larger and rounded. Tergite VII is pentacarinate. Pectinal tooth count is 19–20 in females. Pectinal marginal tips extend to about one-fourth of the sternite IV in females. Pectines have three marginal lamellae and seven to eight middle lamellae. Lamellae with numerous long setae, each fulcrum with three to five dark setae. All sternites are smooth and sparsely hirsute. Sternite VII with four well marked granulated carinae. Other sternites have two furrows.

Pedipalps ( Figs. 440–450 ). Pedipalps sparsely hirsute and smooth, only femur is finely granulated dorsally and ventrally. Femur has four to five granulated carinae, the middle carina on internal surface consists of several strong irregular granules. Patella with eight carinae, of which internal and dorsal are always granulated. Chela without carinae. Movable fingers of pedipalps have 11 cutting rows of denticles, each with external and internal denticles present, and five terminal denticles.

Legs ( Figs. 436–439 ). Telotarsus III ventral setation represented by short and strong spiniform setae. Tarsi hirsute, in adults with 12–16 retroinferior macrosetae on basitarsus III. Femur with only several macrosetae. Femur and patella with carinae well developed. Tibial spurs present and moderate to strong on legs III and IV and absent on the other legs.

Metasoma and telson ( Figs. 451–454 ). Metasomal segments are sparsely hirsute. Metasomal segment I with 10 carinae, segments II–III with 8 carinae but other two lateromedian carinae are indicated by incomplete row of granules, segment IV with 8 carinae, and segment V with 5 carinae. Metasoma with all carinae granulated. Intercarinal surfaces on metasoma I granulated with several large granules, other metasomal segments are smooth. Ventrolateral carinae of metasoma V posteriorly and metasoma II–III laterally with several large lobate denticles. Telson is very sparsely hirsute, elongate in female, bumpy and smooth. Anal lobe divided into three parts.

DISTRIBUTION. Iran (Razavi Khorasan Province) (Figs. 1155, 1157).

Figures

Figures 432–439. Mesobuthus kaftani sp. n., female holotype. Dorsal (432) and ventral (433) views. Chelicerae, carapace and tergites I–IV (434), sternopectinal region and sternites (435), and left legs I–IV, retrolateral aspect (436–439).

Figures 440–454: Mesobuthus kaftani sp. n., female holotype. Figures 440–450. Pedipalp chela, dorsal (440), external (441), and ventral (442) views. Patella, dorsal (443), external (444) and ventral (445) views. Femur and trochanter, internal (446), dorsal (447) and ventral (448) views. Movable (449) and fixed (450) fingers. The trichobothrial pattern is indicated in Figures 440–444, 446–447. Figures 451–454. Telson lateral (451), metasoma and telson, lateral (452), dorsal (453), and ventral (454) views. Scale bar: 10 mm (452–454).

Figures 457–466. Mesobuthus kirmanensis, male lectotype. Chelicerae, carapace and tergites I–III, (457), sternopectinal region and sternite III (458), telson lateral (459), pedipalp chela, dorsal (460), and external (461) views. Pedipalp patella dorsal (462), and femur and trochanter dorsal (463), left legs III–IV, retrolateral aspect (464–465). Metasoma and telson lateral (466). Scale bar: 10 mm (466).