Reddyanus loebli ( Vachon, 1982 ) Kovařík & Lowe & Ranawana & Hoferek & Š, 2016

Kovařík, František, Lowe, Graeme, Ranawana, Kithsiri B., Hoferek, David & Š, V. A., 2016, Scorpions of Sri Lanka (Scorpiones Buthidae, Chaerilidae, Scorpionidae) with description of four new species of the genera Charmus Karsch, 1879 and Reddyanus Vachon, 1972, stat n, Euscorpius 220, pp. 1-133 : 78-84

Reddyanus loebli ( Vachon, 1982) comb. n.

( Figs. 14 , 207 , 217–218 , 233–234 , 249, 258 , 358–377 , 417–418 , 554, 561, 563, Table 5 )

Isometrus (Reddyanus) acanthurus loebli Vachon, 1982: 98–99 , figs 48, 58–63, 92–93; Fet & Lowe, 2000: 151.

Isometrus (Reddyanus) loebli: Lourenço & Huber, 2002: 267 ; Kovařík, 2003: 10 ; Kovařík & Ojanguren, 2013: 190, 348, figs. 1279–1280 (reference list until 2013).

= Isometrus (Reddyanus) garyi Lourenço & Huber, 2002: 270–273 , figs. 13–18; Kovařík & Ojanguren, 2013: 187–188, 347, 350, figs. 1266, 1304–1307 (reference list until 2013). S yn. n.

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE REPOSITORY. Sri Lanka, Kandy ; MNHN RS 1164 .

TYPE MATERIAL EXAMINED. Sri Lanka, Mannar District, beside an irrigation canal, Madhu Road , 50 ft., 23.III. 1970, leg. Davis et Rowe, 1♀ juv., holotype of Isometrus (Reddyanus) garyi (figs. 1266, 1304–1307 in Kovařík & Ojanguren, 2013: 187–188, 347, 350), MHNG.

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED. Sri Lanka , Central Province , Matale District , Habarana , Wananiwahana Resort , 07°59'25.8"N 080°43'24.6"E, 280 m a.s.l. ( Locality 15CG, Figs. 582–583 ), 23. –24.IV.2015, 1♂ ( Figs. 207 , 2 17 , 233 , 249, 258 , 358–359 , 362, 364 , 366–368 , 417 , 561, 563) 1♀ ( Figs. 218 , 234 , 360–361 , 363, 365 , 369– 371 , 418 ) 1juv, FKCP, leg. Kovařík et al.; Northern Province , Mannar District , Madhu Road, 08°48'26.3"N 080°10'26"E, 90 m a.s.l. (Locality 15 CH, Fig. 584 ), 24. –25.IV.2015, 2♂ ( Figs. 372–375 , 376 , 554 ) 1♀ ( Fig. 377 ), FKCP, leg. Kovařík et al.; Northern Province , Mannar District , Marichchukkaddi env, border of Wilpattu National Park , 08°33'32.3"N 079°56'51"E, 7 m a.s.l. (Locality 15CI, Fig. 585 ), 25. –26.IV.2015, 1♂ 1♀ 1juv., FKCP, leg. Kovařík et al.; North Central Province , Anuradhapura District , Mihintale, 08°20'51.8"N 080°30'27.7"E, 156 m a.s.l. (Locality 15CL, Fig. 589 ), 27. –28.IV.2015, 1♂ 1♀1juv.♀, FKCP, 2♀, UPSL, leg. Kovařík et al.; Central Province , Matale District , Pallegama, 07°32'49.5"N 080°47'50"E, 434 m a.s.l. (Locality 15CM, Fig. 590 ), 28.IV.2015, 1♀, FKCP, leg. Kovařík et al.; North Central Province , Puttalam District , Eluwankulam, 08°12'35.1"N 079°51'32"E, 52 m a.s.l. (Locality 15CN, Fig. 591 ), 28.IV.2015, 1juv., FKCP, leg. Kovařík et al.; Uva Province , Monaragala District , Monaragala, 06°52'30.7"N 081°21'17"E, 288 m a.s.l. (Locality 15CQ, Fig. 595 ), 2.–3.V.2015, 1♂ 1♀, FKCP, 1♂ 4♀, UPSL, leg. Kovařík et al.; Eastern Province , Ampara District , Lahugala Kitulana National Park , 06°52'46"N 081°43'21.8"E, 40 m a.s.l. (Locality 15CR, Fig. 596 ), 3.–4.V.2015, 1♂ 1♀ 1juv., FKCP, 1♂ 4♀ 2juvs, UPSL, leg. Kovařík et al.; Eastern Province , Ampara District , Ampara env., 07°20'01.3"N 081°41'57.1"E, 56 m a.s.l. (Locality 15CS, Fig. 597 ), 4.V.2015, 1♂ 1♀, FKCP, 2♀ 1juv., UPSL, leg. Kovařík et al.; Central Province, Kandy District, Tree Centre, Wildlife Trust Sri Lanka “Rantambe”, 07°12'22.1"N 080°57'20.7"E, 171 m a.s.l. (Locality 15CT, Fig. 598 ), 5.V.2015, 2♀, FKCP, leg. Kovařík et al .

D IAGNOSIS. Total length 26–45 mm. Male with longer metasomal segments and telson. Pedipalp segments approximately the same length and width in both sexes. Pedipalps and legs yellow with several small brown spots. Base color yellow with black spots. Pedipalp femur and patella spotted, patella mostly black, femur mostly yellow. Posterior terminal tubercle of dorsal carina on second metasomal segment of male markedly enlarged; on third metasomal segment of male partly enlarged; terminal tubercle of dorsal carina on other metasomal segments of male scarcely larger than preceding granules. Subaculear tooth more or less pointed, termination not rounded, dorsally with two pairs of granules and one or two terminal granules. Pectinal teeth number 14–17 in both sexes.

HEMISPERMATOPHORE ( Figs. 372–375 ). Trunk moderately narrow, at least twice as long as capsule region. Capsule region narrow. Flagellum long, slender, laminiform, with broad hyaline fin along internal margin of cylindrical core, distally coiled. Median lobe broad, distally truncate, with thin dorsal lamina near internal margin terminating in distal cusp. Basal lobe enlarged, a narrow, angular, pointed hook-like process arising dorsally, separated from base of median lobe. Translucent structures with a light violet tint.

COMPARISONS. The hemispermatophore of R. loebli comb. n. differs from those of R. basilicus comb. n. and R. ceylonensis sp. n. by having a median lobe terminating distally in a pointed cusp (vs. a rounded margin), and a smaller basal lobe with apex blunt (vs. sharp) in lateral view. R. loebli also differs from all other Sri Lankan Reddyanus species in external characters (c.f. Figs. 217 , 561 , showing the enlarged terminal tubercle of dorsal carina on the second metasomal segment of the male; and Figs. 417–418 , showing the pointed subaculear tooth in both sexes) and in behavior (all other Sri Lankan Reddyanus species forage at ground level among leaf litter, whereas R. loebli usually sits under the scales of bark of standing tree trunks, c.f. Fig. 583 ). Also, first instar juveniles R. loebli are different colored than those of other Sri Lankan Reddyanus species (c.f. Fig. 377 versus Figs. 288 and 332 ).

COMMENTS. Isometrus (Reddyanus) garyi Lourenço et Huber, 2002 was based on two juveniles (the holotype is 28 mm long, the second juvenile is smaller), which the authors compared only to I. (R.) besucheti . They ignored R. loebli , the only species of Sri Lankan Reddyanus with a pointed (spinoid) subaculear tooth ( Figs. 417–418 ) in juveniles. Although R. loebli is characterized by a markedly enlarged terminal tubercle of the dorsal carina on the second metasomal segment of the male ( Fig. 217 ), this character is missing in females ( Fig. 218 ) and juveniles. Thus, we consider Isometrus (Reddyanus) garyi to be a junior synonym of Reddyanus loebli .

DISTRIBUTION. Sri Lanka.

Figures

Figures 12–15: Maps showing the known geographical distribution of the Sri Lankan species.

Figures 201–208: Distal segments of legs, retroventral view of Sri Lankan Reddyanus. Figures 201–204. R. ceylonensis sp. n., male holotype from locality 15CI, legs I–IV. Figures 205–208. Leg IV. R. besucheti, male from locality 15CD (205), R. jayarathnei sp. n., male paratype (206), R. loebli, male from locality 15CG (207), and R. ranawanai sp. n., male holotype (208).

Figures 209–224: Metasomal segments II–III, lateral view of Sri Lankan Reddyanus and Isometrus species. Figures 209–210. Reddyanus basilicus, male (209) and female (210) from locality 15CR. Figures 211–212. R. besucheti, male holotype (211) and female from locality 15CG (212). Figures 213–214. R. ceylonensis sp. n., male holotype (213) and female paratype from locality 15CI (214). Figures 215–216. R. jayarathnei sp. n., male (215) and female (216) paratypes. Figures 217–218. R. loebli, male (217) and female (218) from locality 15CG. Figures 219–220. R. ranawanai sp. n., male holotype (219) and female paratype (220). Figures 221–222. Isometrus maculatus, male from locality 15CP (221) and female from locality 15CI (222). Figures 223– 224. I. thwaitesi, male from locality 15CH (223) and female from locality 15CO (224).

Figures 225–240: Pedipalp, dorsal view of Sri Lankan Reddyanus and Isometrus species. Figures 225–226. Reddyanus basilicus, male (225) and female (226) from locality 15CR. Figures 227–228. R. besucheti, male from locality 15CD (227) and female from locality 15CG (228). Figures 229–230. R. ceylonensis sp. n., male holotype (229) and female paratype from locality 15CI (230). Figures 231–232. R. jayarathnei sp. n., male (231) and female (232) paratypes. Figures 233–234. R. loebli, male (233) and female (234) from locality 15CG. Figures 235–236. R. ranawanai sp. n., male holotype (235) and female paratype (236). Figures 237–238. Isometrus maculatus, male from locality 15CP (237) and female from locality 15CI (238). Figures 239–240. I. thwaitesi, male from locality 15CH (239) and female from locality 15CO (240).

Figures 241–259: Pedipalp chela dorsal (241), movable finger (242–250), and fixed finger (251–259) of Sri Lankan Isometrus, Lychas, and Reddyanus species. Figures 241–242, 252. Isometrus maculatus, female from locality 15CO (241) and male from locality 15CP (242, 252). Figures 243–244, 253. I. thwaitesi, male from locality 15CH (243) and female from locality 15CO (244, 253). Figures 245, 254. Reddyanus basilicus, male from locality 15CS. Figures 246, 255. R. besucheti, male from locality 15CD. Figures 247, 256. R. ceylonensis sp. n., male holotype. Figures 248, 257. R. jayarathnei sp. n., male paratype. Figures 249, 258. R. loebli, male from locality 15CG. Figures 250, 259. R. ranawanai sp. n., male holotype. Figure 251. Lychas srilankensis, male from locality 15CO.

Figures 358–361: Reddyanus loebli from locality 15CG. Figures 358–359. Male in dorsal (358) and ventral (359) views. Figures 360–361. Female in dorsal (360) and ventral (361) views.

Figures 362–365: Reddyanus loebli from locality 15CG. Figures 362, 364. Male, chelicerae, carapace and tergites I–III (362), sternopectinal region and sternite III (364). Figures 363, 365. Female, chelicerae, carapace and tergites I–III (363), and sternopectinal region (365).

Figures 366–371: Reddyanus loebli from locality 15CG. Figures 366–368. Male, metasoma and telson, lateral (366), ventral (367), and dorsal (368) views. Figures 369–371. Female, metasoma and telson, lateral (369), ventral (370), and dorsal (371) views.

Figures 372–375: Distal trunk, capsule region and flagellum of left hemispermatophore of Reddyanus loebli from locality 15CH. External (372), dorsal (373), internal (374) and ventral (375) views. Extracted after 5th ecdysis. Note: this hemispermatopore was folded along a dorsal line and flattened; dorsal and ventral views show it as unfolded and flat, hence the broad appearance of the trunk. Compare with Figs. 283–286 and 327–330 which show typical Reddyanus hemispermatophores with trunk in natural curved conformation. Scale bar: 500 µm. Abbreviations: bl, basal lobe; f, flagellum; ml, median lobe; mlc, median lobe carina; t, trunk.

Figures 376–377: Reddyanus loebli from locality 15CH, male (376) and female with newborns (377).

Figures 403–429: Telson, lateral view of Sri Lankan Buthidae and Chaerilidae species. Figures 403–404. Isometrus maculatus, male from locality 15CP (403) and female from locality 15CI (404). Figures 405–406. I. thwaitesi, male from locality 15CH (405) and female from locality 15CO (406). Figures 407–408. Lychas srilankensis, male (407) and female (408) from locality 15CJ. Figures 409–410. Reddyanus basilicus, male (409) and female (410) from locality 15CR. Figures 411–412. R. besucheti, male holotype (411) and female from locality 15CG (412). Figures 413–414. R. ceylonensis sp. n., male holotype (413) and female paratype (414) from locality 15CI. Figures 415–416. R. jayarathnei sp. n., male (415) and female (416) paratypes. Figures 417–418. R. loebli, male (417) and female (418) from locality 15CG. Figures 419–420. R. ranawanai sp. n., male holotype (419) and female paratype (420). Figures 421–422: Buthoscorpio sarasinorum, male from locality 15CF (421) and female from locality 15CG (422). Figures 423–424. Charmus laneus, male (423) and female (424) from locality 15CO. Figures 425–426. Charmus saradieli sp. n. male paratype (425) (MHNG) and female holotype (426). Figurs 427. Hottentotta tamulus, male from locality 15CK (427). Figures 428–429. Chaerilus ceylonensis, male (428) and female (429) from locality 15CD.

Figures 582–584: Figures 582–583. Locality 15CG, Sri Lanka, Central Province, Matale District, Habarana, Wananiwahana Resort, 07°59'25.8"N 080°43'24.6"E, 280 m a.s.l. During night collecting on 23.–24.IV.2015 in Wananiwahana resort garden (UV detection) we recorded Buthoscorpio sarasinorum (running on the land among leaves), Reddyanus besucheti (on the land among leaves) and Reddyanus loebli (hidden under scales of barks of standing tree trunks, see the blue arrows on the Fig. 583). On the locality we recorded night temperature 28.4 ºC– 24 ºC (minimum temperature) and night humidity varied between 55% and 87%. Figure 584. Locality 15CH, Sri Lanka, Northern Province, Mannar District, Madhu Road, 08°48'26.3"N 080°10'26"E, 90 m a.s.l. During night collecting on 24.–25.IV.2015 (UV detection) we recorded Isometrus maculatus and Isometrus thwaitesii sympatrically (running on branches and trunks of trees, also siting on leaves one to four metres high), Reddyanus ceylonensis sp. n. (on the land among leaves), Reddyanus loebli (hidden under scales of barks of standing tree trunks).

Figures 1–4: Figure 1. Sri Lankan scorpion expedition 2015 research team, the official photo. Figure 2. Collecting in the locality 15CA, within Peradeniya Univesity land. Figure 3. The main building of the Faculty of Science, Univesity of Peradeniya. Figure 4. F. Kovařík taking photo of Heterometrus swammerdami in the locality 15CB.

Figures 5–11: Figure 5. The reserarch team at a field station in the locality 15CB. Figure 6. Tea time in Girithale Wildlife Training Center close to the locality 15CD. From left P. Devasurendra, F. Kovařík and K. B. Ranawana. Figure 7. P. Rajkumar (Environmental Research, Jaffna), F. Kovařík and local people in the locality 15CK video recording Hottentotta tamulus. Figure 8. S. Jayarathne taking a picture of a dangerous snake Hypnale hypnale in the locality 15CD. Figure 9. Herpetologist S. Goonewardene and F. Kovařík in the locality 15CN. Figure 10. Meeting chief monk, in Monaragala "Sri Sambodhi Viharaya", who has helped to research scorpions in the locality 15CQ. Figure 11. Profesor K. B. Ranawana in his office at University of Peradeniya.

Figures 16–19: Buthoscorpio sarasinorum. Figures 16–17. Male from locality 15CF in dorsal (16) and ventral (17) views. Figures 18–19. Female from locality 15CG in dorsal (18) and ventral (19) views.

Figures 547–554: The mitotic metaphases of buthid males from Sri Lanka. Buthoscorpio sarasinorum from locality 15CF (2n=14) (547), Charmus laneus from locality 15CO (2n=9) (548), Isometrus thwaitesi from locality 15CF (2n=8) (549), Lychas srilankensis from locality 15CN (2n=16) (550), Reddyanus basilicus from locality 15CS (2n=16) (551), Reddyanus basilicus from locality 15CR (2n=15) (552), Reddyanus ceylonensis from locality 15CI (2n=16) (553), Reddyanus loebli from locality 15CH (2n=17) (554). Arrowheads indicate extra large odd chromosomes. Scale bar = 5 µm for 547–554.

Figures 585–587: Figure 585. Locality 15CI, Sri Lanka, Northern Province, Mannar District, Marichchukkaddi env, border of Wilpattu National Park, 08°33'32.3"N 079°56'51"E, 7 m a.s.l. During night collecting on 25.–26.IV.2015 (UV detection) we recorded Isometrus maculatus and Isometrus thwaitesii sympatrically (running on branches and trunks of trees, also sitting on leaves one to four metres high), Reddyanus ceylonensis sp. n. (on the land among leaves; the type locality), Reddyanus loebli (hidden under scales of bark of standing tree trunks). Near to the locality we recorded temperature between 37.6 ºC (maximum daytime temperature and 26.2 ºC (minimum nighttime temperature) shortly before sunrise. Humidity varied between 67% and 81%. Figures 586–587. Locality 15CJ, Sri Lanka, Northern Province, Jaffna District, 09°42'51.6"N 080°04'44.8"E, 19 m a.s.l. During night collecting on 26.–27.IV.2015 (UV detection) we recorded Lychas srilankensis (on the land usually under branches, leaves or in their vicinity), Heterometrus swammerdami (inside the termite constructions or inside heaps of garden "waste") and Heterometrus gravimanus inside burrows in open terrain (Fig. 587). The females had 30 to 60 cm long oblique burrows once or twice curved. A female shortly after maturity ecdysis was in the burrow together with a male; another female was in the burrow together with three juveniles which had their own narrow burrows separated under surface from the motherś burrow; a juvenile after the third ecdysis had a proper burrow 30 cm long oblique and once curved. There also lives Isometrus maculatus. On the locality we recorded night temperature 31.6 ºC– 27.2 ºC (minimum temperature) and night humidity varied between 60% and 87%.

Figures 588–589: Figure 588. Locality 15CK, Sri Lanka, Northern Province, Jaffna District, 09°49'15.4"N 080°08'41.6"E, 19 m a.s.l. During day 27.IV.2015 we recorded Hottentotta tamulus under stones or woods and also in vicinity of houses. Figure 589. Locality 15CL, Sri Lanka, North Central Province, Anuradhapura District, Mihintale, 08°20'51.8"N 080°30'27.7"E, 156 m a.s.l. During night collecting on 27.–28.IV.2015 (UV detection) we recorded Isometrus thwaitesii (running on branches and trunks of trees, also sitting on leaves), Reddyanus besucheti (on the ground among leaves), Reddyanus loebli (hidden under scales of bark of standing tree trunks) and Heterometrus swammerdami (inside burrows). On the locality we recorded night temperature 27.4 ºC– 24.5 ºC (minimum temperature) and night humidity varied between 64% and 87%.

Figures 590–591: Figure 590. Locality 15CM, Sri Lanka, Central Province, Matale District, Pallegama, 07°32'49.5"N 080°47'50"E, 434 m a.s.l. During a day 28.IV.2015 we recorded Reddyanus loebli (under bark). Figure 591. Locality 15CN, Sri Lanka, North Central Province, Puttalam District, Eluwankulam, 08°12'35.1"N 079°51'32"E, 52 m a.s.l. During night collecting on 28.IV.2015 (UV detection) between 9.00 and 10.00 p.m. we recorded Charmus laneus (running on the ground among leaves), Lychas srilankensis (on the ground under branches or leaves or in their vicinity), Reddyanus ceylonensis sp. n. (on the ground and inside old moulder stump), Reddyanus loebli (hidden under scales of bark of standing tree trunks) and Heterometrus swammerdami (inside burrows). On the locality we recorded between 9.00 and 10.00 p.m. temperature 28.5 ºC– 25.9 ºC and humidity between 61% and 78%.

Figures 595–596: Figure 595. Locality 15CQ, Sri Lanka, Uva Province, Monaragala District, Monaragala, 06°52'30.7"N 081°21'17"E, 288 m a.s.l. During night collecting on 2.–3.V.2015 (UV detection) we recorded Reddyanus loebli (under scales of bark and under bark) and Heterometrus serratus (females with juveniles inside oblique burrows). On the locality we recorded a temperature of 33.1 ºC at 5.00 p.m., which gradually dropped to 24.6 ºC (minimum temperature) before sunrise. Humidity during the night varied between 61% and 84%. Figure 596. Locality 15CR, Sri Lanka, Eastern Province, Ampara District, Lahugala Kitulana National Park, 06°52'46"N 081°43'21.8"E, 40 m a.s.l. During night collecting on 3.–4.V.2015 (10.00 p.m. to 01.00 a.m.) we recorded Isometrus maculatus (running on branches, also sitting on leaves on trees), Reddyanus basilicus (on the ground among leaves) and Reddyanus loebli (hidden under scales of bark of standing tree trunks). On the locality we recorded between 10.00 p.m. on 3.V. and 01.00 a.m. on 4.V.2015 temperature 28 ºC, which gradually dropped to 26.9 ºC and humidity 73%.

Figures 597–598: Figure 597. Locality 15CS, Sri Lanka, Eastern Province, Ampara District, Ampara env., 07°20'01.3"N 081°41'57.1"E, 56 m a.s.l. During night collecting on 4.V.2015 (between 10.00 and 11.30 p.m.) we recorded Buthoscorpio sarasinorum (running on the ground among leaves and escaping to borrows), Reddyanus basilicus (on the ground among leaves), and Reddyanus loebli (hidden under scales of bark of standing tree trunks). Near to the locality we recorded maximum day temperature 39 ºC and 27 ºC night temperature at 10.00 p.m.; humidity 68%. Figure 598. Locality 15CT, Sri Lanka, Central Province, Kandy District, Tree centre Wildlif Trust Sri Lanka “Rantambe”, 07°12'22.1"N 080°57'20.7"E, 171 m a.s.l. During night collecting on 5.V.2015 (between 11.00 and 12.00 p.m.) during rain we recorded Buthoscorpio sarasinorum (running during rain on the ground among leaves) and Reddyanus loebli (hidden under scales of bark of standing tree trunks). On the locality we recorded night temperature 28.4 ºC– 24.8 ºC (minimum temperature) and night humidity varied between 61% and 83%.

Figures 555–570: Key characters for distinguishing males of Sri Lankan Isometrus and Reddyanus. Figures 555–556, 565– 566. Pedipalp chela dorsal view, I. maculatus from locality 15CP (555), I. thwaitesi from locality 15CH (556), R. basilicus, holotype (565), and R. besucheti, holotype (566). Figures 557–558. Sternopectinal area, I. maculatus from locality 15CP (557), and I. thwaitesi from locality 15CH (558). Figures 559–560, 567–570. Sternite V, I. maculatus from locality 15CP (559), I. thwaitesi from locality 15CH (560), R. besucheti, from locality 15CF (567), R. ceylonensis sp. n., holotype (568), R. jayarathnei sp. n., paratype (569), and R. ranawanai sp. n., paratype (570). Figures 561–564. Metasomal segment II lateral (561–562) and pedipalp patella dorsal (563–564), R. loebli from locality 15CG (561, 563) and R. besucheti, from locality 15CF (562, 564).

Figures 287–290: Reddyanus basilicus from locality 15CS, female (287), female with newborns before first ecdysis (288), female with juveniles after first ecdysis (289), and male (290).

Figures 331–333: Reddyanus ceylonensis sp. n., female from locality 15CH (331), female from locality 15CI with newborns before first ecdysis (332), and male from locality 15CI (333).