Centruroides rodolfoi, Santibáñez-López, Carlos E. & Contreras-Félix, Gerardo A., 2013

Santibáñez-López, Carlos E. & Contreras-Félix, Gerardo A., 2013, Two new species of Centruroides Marx 1890 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) from Oaxaca, Mexico, Zootaxa 3734 (2), pp. 130-140 : 136-139

Centruroides rodolfoi n. sp.

( Figs. 1 C–D, 2C–D, 3C–D, 4C–D, G–H, 6, 7)

TYPE MATERIAL. MEXICO. OAXACA. DISTRITO DE TLAXIACO. Holotype ♂ (CNAN-T0785), 2 km NE Guadalupe Hidalgo, federal road 125, N Tlaxiaco 17°21.0804’N 97°37.7826’W, 2399 m, 13.September.2010, O. Francke, D. Barrales, J. Cruz and A. Valdez. Paratypes: 3 ♂, 2♀ (CNAN-T0786) and 2 ♂, 2♀ (AMNH), same data as holotype.

ETYMOLOGY. The specific epithet is dedicated to Rodolfo (Spanish word for Rudolph, the red-nose reindeer), which brings hope, peace and joy in holidays.

DIAGNOSIS. The following character combination is diagnostic for C. rodolfoi , n. sp. Total length (adults) 45– 52 mm. Base coloration (adults) yellow to yellowish brown. Pedipalp yellow to yellowish brown, with dense dusky markings on dorsal and external intercarinal surfaces. Pectinal tooth count 18–20 (♂, n=6, mode= 19) or 17–18 (♀, n=4, mode 17), pedipalp movable finger inner accessory denticles count 25–28 (mode= 27, +/– std= 0.9), movable finger outer accessory denticles count 25–29 (mode= 28, +/– std= 1.1). Subaculear tooth absent. Metasomal segment V length:width ratio, mean= 2.18 (♂), segment V width:height ratio, mean= 1.16 (♂). Vesicle width: metasomal segment V width ratio, mean= 0.69 (♂).

Centruroides rodolfoi , n. sp., is most similar to Centruroides serrano Santibáñez-López & Ponce-Saavedra 2009 on the basis of similar vesicle shape (♂), and similar metasomal segment V width:height ratio (♂); to Centruroides orizaba Armas & Martín-Frías, 2003 on similar pectinal tooth counts and adult size, and to Centruroides baergi Hoffmann, 1932 on the basis of the development of the subaculear tooth (obsolete in both species). But it can be distinguished from them as follows. C. rodolfoi , n. sp., is a relatively medium-sized species (adults 43–48 mm), while adults of C. serrano are bigger (51–59 mm). Pectinal tooth count in C. rodolfoi , n. sp., is lower (♂, 18–20, mode= 19) than in C. serrano (♂, 23–27, mode= 24). Pedipalp movable finger inner accessory denticles count is higher in C. serrano (34–44, mode= 37, +/– std= 4.2) than in C. rodolfoi , n. sp. (25–28, mode= 28, +/ – std= 1.1). The subaculear tooth is present and strongly developed, conical in C. serrano , weakly developed in adults, and strongly developed in juveniles of C. orizaba (see Martín-Frías et al., 2007), and it is absent in C. rodolfoi , n. sp.

Metasomal segment V is longer and slender in C. baergi (Segment V length:width ratio mean= 3.43, ♂; Segment V width:height ratio mean= 0.93, ♂), and wider and higher in C. rodolfoi , n. sp. (Segment V length:width ratio mean= 2.18, ♂; Segment V width:height ratio mean= 1.16, ♂). Pectinal tooth count is slightly higher in C. baergi (21–23, mode= 23, ♂) than in C. rodolfoi , n. sp. (18–20, mode= 19, ♂). Pedipalp movable finger outer denticles count is higher in C. baergi (31–38, mode= 36, +/– std= 2.5) than in C. rodolfoi , n. sp. (25–29, mode= 28, +/– std= 1.1).

DESCRIPTION. Based on holotype ♂ and paratype ♀ ( Fig. 6 A–B) with differences in paratype ♀ ( Fig. 6 C–D) noted. Measurements in table 2.

Coloration. Carapace yellow to brown with dense dusky markings. Coxosternum pale yellow. Pedipalps yellow to yellowish brown, with dense dusky markings on the dorsal and external intercarinal surfaces, without them on ventral intercarinal surfaces. Legs pale yellow, uniformly infuscate. Mesosoma yellow, with two longitudinal bands on the tergites formed by dark marks on the pre- and post- tergites ( Fig. 6 ). Metasoma pale yellow to orange; carinae weakly infuscate, dusky markings present only on ventral intercarinal surfaces of all segments. Telson yellow to orange.

Carapace. Anterior margin minutely granular, straight to weakly emarginated. Carapacial anterior median and central median carinae conspicuous, indicated by small granules, superciliary carina moderate, indicated by small to large granules ( Fig. 1 C–D).

Pedipalps. Orthobothriotaxic Type A, femur with alpha configuration of dorsal trichobothria.

Femur. Intercarinal surfaces smooth. Dorsointernal, dorsoexternal and ventroexternal carinae strongly developed, serrate to granular; ventrointernal carina moderate to weak, sparsely granular.

Patella. Internal intercarinal surface with large conical granules; dorsal, external and ventral intercarinal surfaces smooth. Dorsointernal carina moderately developed, sparsely serrate; dorsomedial and dorsoexternal carinae moderately to weakly developed, weakly crenulate to smooth; ventroexternal carina moderately developed, granular; ventrointernal carina weakly developed, minutely granular.

Chela manus ( Fig. 2 C–D). Slender; intercarinal surfaces minutely granular; dorsomarginal carina weak to moderately developed, minutely granular; dorsal secondary carina weakly to moderately developed, granular; digital carina weakly developed, granular; ventroexternal carina weakly to moderately developed, granular; other carinae weakly developed to obsolete. Pedipalp fixed fingers with eight oblique rows of denticles (with one short row at the tip), flanked by 22/23 (right/left, ♂), 23/24 (right/left, ♀) internal accessory denticles, and 25/27 (right/ left, ♂), 26/27 (right/left, ♀) external accessory denticles; pedipalp movable finger with eight oblique rows of denticles (with one short row at the tip), flanked by 28/27 (right/left, ♂), 26/28 (right/left, ♀) internal accessory denticles, and 28/28 (right/left, ♂), 28/30 (right/left, ♀) external accessory denticles.

Pectines. Pectinal basal piece 2.14 wider than long, 2.8 (♀); posterior margin straight (♂, ♀). Pectinal tooth count 20–20 (♂), 17–17 (♀) ( Fig. 3 C–D).

Centruroides rodolfoi n. sp.

Holotype Paratype Paratype Paratype Paratype Paratype Paratype Paratype Paratype Paratype Mesosoma . Tergites I–IV, pre-tergites smooth to minutely granular, post-tergites granular. Tergite VII granular; median carina moderately developed, granular; submedian carinae moderately developed, granular; lateral carinae moderately developed, granular to slightly serrate. Sternites smooth; VII with submedian carinae weakly developed, slightly granular; lateral carinae moderately developed, granular to slightly serrate.

Metasoma. All intercarinal surfaces smooth to shagreened. Segments I–IV, dorsolateral carinae moderately developed, granular; lateral supramedian carinae moderately developed, granular to slightly serrate; lateral inframedian carinae moderately developed, granular on I, weakly developed to faint, smooth on II–IV; ventrolateral carinae moderately developed, granular to slightly serrate; ventrosubmedian carinae moderately developed, granular to crenulate. Segment V length:width ratio, 1.93 (♂), 1.88 (♀); dorsolateral carina weakly developed, sparsely granular; ventrolateral carina moderately developed, granular; ventromedian carina weakly developed to vestigial, slightly granular to serrated ( Fig. 4 C–D. G–H).

Telson . Vesicle oval; subaculear tooth obsolete, all surfaces smooth ( Fig. 4 C–D, G–H).

Legs. Very long and slender; telotarsi with ventral surface covered by fine setae.

DISTRIBUTION. Centruorides rodolfoi , n. sp. is recorded only from the type locality ( Fig. 7 ).

ECOLOGY. This species was collected with the aid of UV light at night, and turning rocks and logs during the day. The dominant vegetation where the species was collected is pine forest. The habitat and the habitus of Centruroides rodolfoi , n. sp. are consistent with the lapidicolous ecomorphotype (Prendini, 2001).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Carapace dorsal aspect. A. Centruroides franckei, n. sp., Holotype ♂. B. Paratype ♀. C. Centruroides rodolfoi, n. sp., Holotype ♂. D. Paratype ♀. Scale bars = 2 mm.

FIGURE 2. Dextral pedipalp chela, dorsoexternal aspect. A. Centruroides franckei, n. sp., Holotype ♂. B. Paratype ♀. C. Centruroides rodolfoi, n. sp., Holotype ♂. D. Paratype ♀. Scale bars = 3 mm.

FIGURE 3. Sternum, genital operculum and pectines, ventral aspect. A. Centruroides franckei, n. sp., Holotype ♂. B. Paratype ♀. C. Centruroides rodolfoi, n. sp., Holotype ♂. D. Paratype ♀. Scale bars = 1 mm.

FIGURE 4. Metasomal segment V and telson, dorsal (A, B, C, D) and lateral (E, F, G, H) aspect. A, D Centruroides franckei, n. sp., Holotype ♂. B, F. Paratype ♀. C, G. Centruroides rodolfoi, n. sp., Holotype ♂. D, H. Paratype ♀. Scale bars = 5 mm.

FIGURE 6. Centruroides rodolfoi, n. sp., habitus dorsal (A) and ventral (B) aspect. Holotype ♂. C, D Paratype ♀. Scale bars = 5 mm.

FIGURE 7. Species of the “ striped ” group (infamatus-nigrovariatus subgroup), known records in Oaxaca. Centruroides baergi Hoffmann, 1932 (circles); Centruroides hoffmanni Armas, 1996 (squares); Centruroides nigrovariatus (Pocock, 1898) (triangles); Centruroides serrano Santibáñez-López & Ponce-Saavedra, 2009 (stars); Centruroides franckei, n. sp. (cross); Centruroides rodolfoi, n. sp. (asterisks).