Hottentotta alticola (Pocock, 1895)

Kovařík, František, 2007, A revision of the genus Hottentotta Birula, 1908, with descriptions of four new species (Scorpiones, Buthidae), Euscorpius 58 (58), pp. 1-107 : 10-12

Hottentotta alticola (Pocock, 1895)

( Figs. 21–22 )

Buthus alticola Pocock, 1895: 302 ; Birula, 1897: 377; Kraepelin, 1899: 21; Pocock, 1900a: 21; Birula, 1905: 136; Kraepelin, 1913: 127; Takashima, 1945: 76;? Mani, 1959: 11.

Buthus (Hottentotta) alticola : Birula, 1917: 214.

Buthotus alticola : Vachon, 1949: 147 (1952: 233); Serfaty & Vachon, 1950: 215; Alexander, 1957: 531; Vachon, 1958: 129; Vachon & Stockmann, 1968: 91; Pérez Minocci, 1974: 21; Francke & Sissom, 1984: 12; Farzanpay, 1988: 37.

Hottentotta alticola : Fet, 1989: 81; Khatoon, 1999: 211.

Hottentotta (Hottentotta) alticola : Kovařík, 1998: 109; Fet & Lowe, 2000: 134.

Buthus alticola forma alpha (typica): Birula, 1897: 382.

Buthus alticola (typicus): Kraepelin, 1899: 21.

Buthus (Hottentotta) alticola alticola : Birula, 1914: 654; Birula, 1917: 240; Fet & Lowe, 2000: 135.

Buthotus alticola alticola : Vachon, 1958: 135.

Buthotus alticola minusalta Vachon, 1958: 138 ; Pérez Minocci, 1974: 21; Vachon & Kinzelbach, 1987: 102.

Hottentotta (Hottentotta) alticola minusalta : Kovařík, 1998: 109; Fet & Lowe, 2000: 135.

Buthus nigrifrons Pocock, 1900a: 22 ; Kraepelin, 1913: 127; Pérez Minocci, 1974: 43.

Buthus (Hottentotta) nigrifrons : Birula, 1914: 654; Birula, 1917: 214, 241.

Buthotus alticola nigrifrons : Vachon, 1958: 134–135.

Hottentotta (Hottentotta) alticola nigrifrons : Kovařík, 1998: 109; Fet & Lowe, 2000: 136.

Hottentotta alticola nigrifrons : Capes & Fet, 2001: 303.

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE REPOSITORY. Chitrāl , now Pakistan ; BMNH.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. Pakistan, Chitrāl , VI.2006, 1♂ ( Figs. 21–22 ), leg. Zubair Ahmed, FKCP ; Kalash valleys, Bumburet valley, Brun vill., 5.VIII.1998, 1♂ 1♀, leg. L. Černý, FKCP .

DIAGNOSIS. Total length 70–90 mm. For habitus see Figs. 21–22 . Trichobothrium db on the fixed finger of pedipalp situated between trichobothria et and est ( Fig. 1 ). Chelicerae yellow to black, reticulate. Male with slightly longer and narrower metasomal segments, width of pedipalp chela same in both sexes. Pectinal teeth number 28–29 in males, 24–26 in females. Pedipalps and metasoma sparsely hirsute. The hairs on patella of pedipalps are long. Carapace and mesosoma black except seventh tergite that may be black. First to third metasomal segments brown, first usually lighter than third, fifth segment and telson entirely black. Pedipalps yellow to brown, chela usually slightly darker than femur. Legs yellow, rarely yellowish brown. Femur of pedipalp with 5 carinae, patella with 8 carinae, chela lacks carinae. Movable fingers of pedipalps with 14–16 rows of granules and 5 terminal granules. Seventh metasomal segment with 4 well marked ventral carinae. First metasomal segment with 10 carinae; second and third segments with 8 or 10 carinae; fourth segment with 8 carinae; fifth segment with 5 carinae, 3 ventral (1 median, 2 lateral) and 2 dorsal. Dorsal carinae on metasomal segments bear larger terminal granules. Spaces between carinae of metasomal segments on ventral and lateral surfaces rugate and usually granulate. Dorsal surface smooth, but metasomal segments usually bear 2 short, inconspicuous carinae (see fig. 19 in Vachon, 1958: 137). First and second metasomal segments of both sexes longer than wide. Second to fourth metasomal segment width ratio less than 1.1.

COMMENTS. Unfortunately, I have not been able to see any specimens of H. alticola minusalta (Vachon, 1958) (type locality and type repository: Afghanistan, Herat, Lashkari-Bazar, Dilaram; MNHN), because MNHN would not lend types (see Kovařík, 2004: 27) and no other specimens are known. Therefore, data in the diagnosis and key below describe only examined specimens of H. alticola alticola from Pakistan. It is possible that a future examination of types of H. alticola minusalta reveals this taxon to be a separate species, not just a subspecies. The black telson links this taxon with H. alticola alticola and at the same time differentiates it from all other taxa of the H. alticola complex, which are here elevated to species.

Regrettably, I have not been able to see any specimens of H. alticola nigrifrons (Pocock, 1900) (type locality and type repository: Pakistan, Northern Baluchistan; BMNH), because its types cannot be found and no other specimens are known. Therefore, the data in the diagnosis and key below describe only examined specimens of H. alticola alticola from Pakistan. It is possible that a future examination of types of H. alticola nigrifrons reveals this taxon to be a separate species or a synonym of H. penjabensis (Birula, 1897) comb. n. Buthus nigrifrons was based on a 58 mm long female (Pocock, 1900a: 22–23) and Pocock distinguished it from H. alticola alticola by color (see Pocock, 1900a: 15).

DISTRIBUTION: Afghanistan (see Vachon, 1958: 138 for H. alticola minusalta ), Pakistan (see Pocock, 1895: 302 for H. alticola alticola and Pocock, 1900a: 23 for H. alticola nigrifrons ). Some records from Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan should be understood only as referring to H. alticola complex. The one record for India ( Mani, 1959: 11) must be considered incorrect.

Figures

Figure 21: Hottentotta alticola, dorsal view, male from Pakistan, Chitrāl, FKCP.

Figure 22: Hottentotta alticola, ventral view, male from Pakistan, Chitrāl, FKCP.

Figures 1–4: 1–3. H. zagrosensis, holotype. 1. chela external, 2. femur dorsal, 3. movable finger. 4. H. socotrensis, chela external.