Mesobuthus eupeus eupeus (C. L. Koch, 1839 )

Kovařík, František, ², Ersen Aydın Yağmur, Fet, Victor & Navidpour, Shahrokh, 2011, On two subspecies of Mesobuthus eupeus (C. L. Koch, 1839) in Turkey (Scorpiones: Buthidae), Euscorpius 109 (109), pp. 1-15 : 1-5

Mesobuthus eupeus eupeus (C. L. Koch, 1839)

Figures 1 –11, 16, 19–20, 23.

Androctonus eupeus C. L. Koch, 1839: 127 , fig. 419. Buthus eupeus forma α: Birula, 1896: 239. Buthus eupeus forma β: Birula, 1896: 240 (part). Buthus eupeus eupeus : Birula, 1904: 37. Buthus eupeus eupeus natio eupeus : Birula, 1917: 34. Buthus eupeus eupeus natio armeniaca Birula, 1917: 34. Buthus eupeus eupeus natio talyshensis: Birula, 1917:

34. Mesobuthus eupeus eupeus : Vachon, 1950: 152;

Vachon, 1952: 324; Vachon, 1958: 154; Vachon,

1966: 212; Habibi, 1971: 43; Farzanpay, 1988: 38; Fet, 1989: 86; Fet, 1994: 527; Kovařík, 1997: 49; Fet & Lowe, 2000: 171; Kovařík, 2002: 9; Gantenbein, Fet & Gromov, 2003: 413.

= Androctonus ornatus Nordmann, 1840: 732 (syn. by Birula, 1896: 238)

Androctonus ornatus : Gervais, 1844b: 43

Buthus ornatus : Pocock, 1889b: 116

= Buthus cognatus L. Koch, 1878: 58 (syn. by Birula, 1896: 238)

Buthus eupeus cognatus : Kraepelin, 1899: 24 (part).

= Buthus eupeus philippovitschi Birula, 1905: 127 . Syn. n.

Buthus eupeus phillippowitschi (incorrect subsequent spelling): Birula, 1911: 165.

Mesobuthus eupeus phillipovitschi (incorrect subsequent spelling): Vachon, 1958: 154; Vachon, 1966: 213; Habibi, 1971: 44; Farzanpay, 1988: 38

Mesobuthus eupeus philippovitschi : Fet, 1989: 100; Fet, 1994: 527; Fet & Lowe, 2000: 174.

Mesobuthus eupeus phillippovitschi (incorrect subsequent spelling): Kovařík, 1997: 49; Kovařík, 1998: 114.

Type locality and type repository. Type (s) lost; “Caucasus”; type locality designated by Birula (1917: 35) as Tiflis (now Tbilisi) , Georgia.

Material examined: Armenia, Solak-Sevan , 17 June 1981, 3♀, FKCP, leg. Soukup ; Little Caucasus, Gocht near Gechard , 35 km SE of Yerevan, Azat River valley , 12 June 1988, 2♂ 2♀ 1juv., FKCP, leg. Z. Jindra ; Lusashog , 1850 m a.s.l., 21 May 2005, 1♀ im., FKCP, leg. S. Snäll ; Gorovan sands, 39°53'N 44°44'E, 970 m a.s.l., 23 May 2007, 1♂ 2♀ 4juvs., FKCP, leg. S. Snäll. Azerbaijan ( Nagornyi Karabakh Region ) , “ Kaukasus ”, 1890, 2♂ 7♀ 1im., SMFD No. 5253 and 5256, leg. Valentin. Georgia, Džvari , 15 km near Tbilisi, 1juv., FKCP, 7 August 1988, leg. T. Peš ; Tbilisi, 7 June 1959, 1♂, FKCP, leg. J. Niedl ; 2005, 1♂ 1♀ im., FKCP . Iran, Ardabil Province, 3 km E of Sorkheh Dizaj (Zanján), 38°49'N 48°58'E, 580 m a.s.l., 17 May 1997, 1♂ 1juv., FKCP, leg. M. Kaftan ; Khorāsan Province, Chalus-Karaj, Marzan Abad , 1 June 1997, 3♀, FKCP, leg. M. Kafka ; Golestan Forest , 55 km NE Minudast, 37°20'N 56°00'E, 840 m a.s.l., 19 June 2000, 1♂, FKCP, leg. P. Kabátek ; 37º28'N 56º47'E, 909 m a.s.l., 17–18 May 2003, 1♂ 2♀ 4ims. 1juv., FKCP, leg. P. Kabátek ; 10 km E of Teng Ráh , 37°23'N 55°50'E, 13 May 1997, 400–660 m a.s.l., 1♀, FKCP, leg. M. Kaftan ; 36º34'N 59º10'E, 1237 m a.s.l., 15 May 2003, 1♂ 2juvs., FKCP, leg. P. Kabátek ; Mazandran Province, Damavand Polur , 1♀ im., FKCP, 7 April 1995, leg. M. Kafka ; N slopes of Alborz Mtns., Vali Abad Village env., ca. 1800–2500 m a.s.l., 8–10 May 1996, 3♂ 6♀ 5juvs., FKCP, leg. D. Král , 4♀ 1juv., FKCP, leg. V. Šejna. Turkey, Adana Province ( Antakya ?), Locality No. 1 in Fig. 27 , May 1991, 1♀ 1juv., FKCP, leg. Nosek ; Ağrı Province, Central District, 8 km W of Ağrı Town, 39°44'25"N, 42°56' 11"E, 1640 m a.s.l., No. 2, 23 April 1996, 1♂, FKCP, leg. D. Král ; Doğubeyazıt District, Suluçam Village ( Sujucam env.), Zor Mountain , 39°42'05"N 43°51'00"E, 1860 m a.s.l., No. 3, 25 June 1993, 1♂ 1♀, FKCP, leg. V. Malý ; Aksaray Province, Güzelyurt District, Ihlara Town, 38°16'N 34°22'E, 1500 m a.s.l., No. 4, 23 August 1990, 1♀, FKCP, leg. M. Kaftan , 23 June 1993, 1♀, FKCP, leg. P. Bílek ; Artvin Province, Central District, Taşlıca Village, 41°13'40"N 41°45'29"E, 912 m a.s.l., No. 5, 7 June 2008, 2♂ 1♀, MTAS, leg. A. Avcı ; Yusufeli District, Alanbaşı Village, 40°41'26"N 41°24' 38"E, 1206 m a.s.l., No. 6, 1 July 2008, 1♂ 1♀, FKCP 1♂ 1♀, MTAS, leg. A. Avcı ; Yusufeli District, Kömürlü Village, 40°54.036'N 41°39.645'E, 1381 m a.s.l., No. 7, 3 June 2008, 1♀, MTAS, leg. A. Avcı ; Yusufeli District, Mutlugün Village, 40°52.521'N 41°35.780'E, 1508 m a.s.l., No. 8, 5 June 2008, 1♂ im. 3♀ 3juvs., MTAS, leg. A. Avcı ; Yusufeli District, Öğdem Village, 40°55.366'N 41°38.523'E, 1685 m a.s.l., No. 9, 3 June 2008, 1♂ 2♀ ims., MTAS, leg. A. Avcı ; Yusufeli District, Yaylalar Village, 40°52'11"N 41°16'04"E, 1939 m a.s.l., No. 10, 3 July 2008, 1♀, MTAS, leg. A. Avcı ; Bayburt Province, Central District, 5 km N of Bayburt Town, 40°18.023'N 40°13.946'E, 1527 m a.s.l., No. 11, 24 June 2007, 1♀, MTAS, leg. A. Avcı ; Bingöl Province, Tatvan District, 38°31'54"N 42°16'19"E, 1765 m a.s.l., No. 12, 20 June 2007, 1♂ 1♀ 3juvs., MTAS, leg. H. Koç ; Erzincan Province, Kemaliye District, Kemaliye Town, Zincirli Kaya area , 39°15'37"N 38°29'41"E, 1000 m a.s.l., No. 13, 11 July 2008, 1♂, MTAS, leg. E. A. Yağmur ; Erzurum Province, Central District, Erzurum, forest nursery, 39°54'N 41°16'E, 1867 m a.s.l., No. 14, 1 June 2006, 1♂, MTAS, leg. M. Kesdek ; Horasan District, Saç Pass, 39°52'42"N 42°23'01"E, 2130 m a.s.l., No. 15, 9 May 2002, 1♀ 1im., FKCP, leg. P. Kabátek ; Oltu District, Başbağlar Village, Yayla Geçidi , 40°27'41"N 41°40'47"E, 1905 m a.s.l., No. 16, 17 May 2004, 1 ♀, MTAS, leg. M. Kesdek ; Iğdır Province, Aralık District, Yenidoğan Village, 39°47'12"N 44°23' 36"E, 1563 m a.s.l., No. 17, 16 June 2007, 1♂ 1♀, FKCP, 1♂ 1♀ MTAS, leg. H. Koç , 1717 m a.s.l., 17 June 2007, 23♂ 34♀ 15juvs., MTAS, leg. H. Koç & A. V. Gromov ; Central District, Suveren Village, 5 km SE, 39°47'29"N 44°07'21"E, 1274 m a.s.l., No. 18, 4 June 2004, 2♀ 2juvs., MTAS, leg. M. Kesdek ; Karakoyunlu District, Gürgen Village, 39°53'59"N 44°18'12"E, 880 m a.s.l., No. 19, 15 June 2007, 6♂ 6♀ 12juvs., MTAS, leg. H. Koç ; Tuzluca District, Çalpala Village, 40°09′50″E 42°58′21″N, 894 m a.s.l., No. 20, 18 June 2007, 1♂ MTAS, leg. H. Koç ; Tuzluca District, Yukarı Katırcı Village, 39°52'26"N 43°42'03"E, 1807 m a.s.l., No. 21, 5 October 2005, 1♂ im. 1♀1♀ im. 1 juv., MTAS, leg. A. E. Baltacıoğlu ; 5 km SE Tuzluca Town (near border with Armenia), 39°59'44"N 43°42'42"E, 1200 m a.s.l., No. 22, 28 May 2005, 1♂ 4♀ 1im., FKCP, leg. V. Gvoždík ; Kahramanmaraş Province, Elbistan District, Evcihöyük Village, 2 km SW, 38°19'59"N 37°11'36"E, 1207 m a.s.l., No. 23, 4 July 2007, 1♀, MTAS, leg. A. Avcı ; Göksun District, Büyük Kızılcık Village, 38°12' 39"N 36°42'25"E, 1718 m a.s.l., No. 24, 15 June 2007, 1♂ 3juvs., MTAS, leg. E. A. Yağmur & M. S. Kılıç ; Kars Province, Digor District, Yeniköy Village, 40°18'15"N 43°34'30"E, 1422 m a.s.l., No. 25, 4 June 2004, 1♀, MTAS, leg. M. Kesdek ; Kağızman District, Ani Ruins, 40°30'42"N 43°33'58"E, 1440 m a.s.l., No. 26, 20 May 1997, 2♂ 1♀, FKCP, leg. M. Kaftan ; Kağızman District, Aydınkavak Village, 40°11'05"N 43°19'28"E, 1405 m a.s.l., No. 27, 3 June 2004, 1♀, MTAS, leg. M. Kesdek ; Sarıkamış District, 20 km West of Karakurt Village, 40°07'35"N 42°25'21"E, 1610 m a.s.l., No. 28, 14 May 1996, 1juv., FKCP, leg. D. Král , 1♀ 1juv., FKCP, leg. J. Pitulová ; Kayseri Province, Develi District, Develi Plain, 38°20'N 35°20'E, 1070 m a.s.l., No. 29, 20 September 1998, 1♀ 1im., FKCP, leg. A. Bezděk ; Konya Province, Karapınar District, Meke Tuzlası ( Meketuzlag ), 37°41'36"N 33°38'21"E, 1032 m a.s.l., No. 30, 10 April 1992, 2juvs., FKCP ; June 1992, 2♂ 3♀, FKCP, leg. M. Kaftan ; Malatya Province, Hekiman District, Koşar Village, 38°42'05.9"N 38°10'33.64"E, 921 m a.s.l., No. 31, 15 September 2007, 3♀, MTAS, leg. E. A. Yağmur & S. Anlaş ; Hekimhan District, Near Botanic Garden, 38°49.250'N 37°57. 343'E, 1231 m a.s.l., No. 32, 5 June 2007, 1♀, MTAS, leg. A. Avcı ; Muş Province, 1500 m a.s.l., No. 33, 1♀, FKCP, 18 June 1991, leg. M. Janata ; Niğde Province, Central District, Gümüşler Village, 38°01'55.0"N 34° 50'35.4"E, 1485 m a.s.l., No. 34, 4.07.2007, 1♂ 1juv. MTAS, E. A. Yağmur & A. V. Gromov ; Şanlıurfa Province, Siverek District, Karacadağ Mountain, road of skiing center, 37°44'45"N 39°49'50"E, 1752 m a.s.l., No. 35, 5 August 2006, 1♂ 1♀, FKCP, 2♂ 1♀, MTAS, leg. E. A. Yağmur & M. Yalçın ; Tunceli Province, Pertek District, 1 km SW of Mercimek Village, 38°51'15.0"N 39°23'46.8"E, 1330 m a.s.l., No. 36, 2♂ 1♀, FKCP, 12 September 2007, leg. E. A. Yağmur & S. Anlaş ; Pertek District, Geçityaka Village, 38°53'29"N 39°12'33"E, 940 m a.s.l., No. 37, 23 July 2007, 6♂ 2♀ ims., MTAS, leg. B. Koç & H. Koç ; Van Province, Başkale District, Çamlık Village, 37°57'10"N 44°05'38"E, 1889 m a.s.l., No. 38, 22 June 2007, 2♂ ims. 3♀ ims., MTAS, leg. H. Koç & A. V. Gromov ; Başkale District, next to Gedikbaşı Village, 38°10'52"N 43°56'12"E, 2553 m a.s.l., No. 39, 22 June 2007, 1♀ 2 juvs. MTAS, leg. H. Koç ; Erciş District, 11 km SW of Erciş Town, 38°56′49″E 43°09′59″N, 1706 m a.s.l., No. 40, 20 June 2007, 1 juv., MTAS, leg. H. Koç & A. V. Gromov ; Gevaş District, Uysal Village, 38°19'41"N 42°57'19"E, 1689 m a.s.l., No. 41, 22 June 2007, 1♀ im., MTAS, leg. H. Koç ; Muradiye District, 38°39′26″E 43°44′33″N, 1680 m a.s.l., No. 42, 20 June 2007, 1♀ 1juv., MTAS, leg. H. Koç.

Diagnosis. Total length 35 to 55 (rarely 60) mm. Dorsal trichobothria of femur arranged in beta -configuration. Trichobothrium eb located on fixed finger of chela. Trichobothrium db on pedipalp fixed finger always located between est and esb (plate E, fig. 1 in Kovařík, 2009: 22). Color pattern usually dark, especially in forest populations. Pectines with fulcra. Legs III and IV with tibial spurs. Tarsomeres of legs I and II with paired ventral spines. Cheliceral fixed finger with two ventral denticles. Movable fingers of pedipalps with 10 to 12 (very rarely 13) diagonal rows of denticles. Rows of denticles with one internal and two posterior external denticles. Dentate margin of pedipalp chela movable finger with 5 terminal denticles (4 terminal and one basal terminal). Metasomal segment I with ten, and metasomal segment IV, with eight carinae. Carapace in lateral view with entire dorsal surface horizontal or nearly so (possibly with a slight anterior decline). Central lateral and posterior lateral carinae of carapace not joined to form a continuous linear series of granules to posterior margin. Carinae of carapace forming a lyreshaped configuration. Mesosomal tergites I–VI with 3 carinae. Carinae of tergites do not project beyond posterior margin as distinct spiniform processes. Mesosomal tergites VI and VII granulated, usually densely. All metasomal segments similar in width. Ventral carinae of metasomal segments without very strong teeth. Metasomal segment V with a single ventral carina. Ventrolateral carinae on the metasomal segment V with irregular granules. Telson elongate in both sexes.

Distribution: Armenia; Azerbaijan (including Nagornyi Karabakh Region); Georgia; Turkey (Birula, 1896: 239; Birula, 1917: 34-35; Fet & Lowe, 2000: 171); Iran: Ardabil Province (first report), Golestan Province ( Birula, 1905: 127, as Buthus eupeus philippovitschi ), Khorāsan Province (first report), Mazandran Province (first report); Turkmenistan (west; Birula, 1911: 165, as B. e. phillippowitschi, incorrect subsequent spelling).

Comments: Buthus eupeus philippovitschi Birula, 1905 was described from the southeast side of the Caspian Sea (Golestan Province in Iran), its geographic range allegedly being separate from that of M. e. eupeus on the western side of the sea (Vachon, 1958). However, we could find no consistent morphological differences between these two taxa, and a study by the first author has revealed no differences also in populations on the southern side of the sea in the Iranian provinces of Khorāsan (37°20'N 56°00'E, 37º28'N 56º47'E, 37°23'N 55°50'E, 36º34'N 59º10'E), Mazandran (N slopes of Alborz Mountains, Vali Abad Village env., ca. 1800– 2500 m a.s.l.), and Ardabil (38°49'N 48°58'E). It is therefore clear that Buthus eupeus philippovitschi Birula, 1905 is a synonym of M. eupeus eupeus (C. L. Koch, 1839) , which occurs around the southern shores of the Caspian Sea on all three sides. The western boundary of this subspecies in Turkmenistan remains to be determined.

Figures

Figure 1: Armenia, Gorovan sands, 39°53'N 44°44'E, 970 m a.s.l. Recorded occurence of Mesobuthus eupeus eupeus (C. L. Koch, 1839).

Figure 27: Distribution of Mesobuthus eupeus eupeus (C. L. Koch, 1839) and M. eupeus phillipsii (Pocock, 1889) in Turkey. Red squares, localities of M. e. eupeus; green circles, localities of M. e. phillipsii. See Material Examined for numbers of localities.