Heterometrus rolciki, Kovařík, 2004

Kovařík, František, 2004, A review of the genus Heterometrus Ehrenberg, 1828, with descriptions of seven new species (Scorpiones, Scorpionidae), Euscorpius 15 (15), pp. 1-60 : 35

Heterometrus rolciki sp. n.

( Fig. 24 )

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE REPOSITORY. India, Tamil Nadu state, Nilgiri hills, 15 km SE of Kotagiri, Kunjappanai env., 76°56E 11°22N, ca 900 m ; FKCP.

TYPE MATERIAL. India, Tamil Nadu state, Nilgiri hills, 15 km SE of Kotagiri, Kunjappanai env., 76°56E 11°22N, ca 900 m, 7–22.V.2000, leg. J. Rolčík , 1♂ (holotype) ecdysis 29.I.2001 and 30.V.2001, killed VIII.2004, reared by F. Kovařík, 22–30.V.1999, 1♂ 1im. (paratypes), leg. Z. Kejval & M. Trýzna, FKCP ; Tamil Nadu, near Kotagiri , 27.X.1997, 1♀ 2juvs. (allotype and paratypes), leg. Werner, FKCP .

ETYMOLOGY: Named after Jakub Rolčík, who collected the holotype.

DIAGNOSIS. Adults 80–100 mm long. Base color of adults uniformly reddish brown to black; telson may be lighter colored. Pectinal teeth number 10–12 in both sexes. Sexual dimorphism in proportions of pedipalps not noticeable. Chela slightly lobiform and covered with long setae, its adult length to width ratio 2.3 in both sexes. Dorsal surface of manus of pedipalp smooth and uneven to slightly rugate, without granules and carinae. Patella of pedipalp without conspicuous internal tubercle, but with several small tubercles. Carapace and metasoma with entire surface granulate. Telson hirsute and elongate, vesicle as long as aculeus.

DESCRIPTION: The adult male holotype is 100 mm long. Measurements of the carapace, telson, segments of the metasoma and segments of the pedipalps, and numbers of pectinal teeth are given in Table 1. There is no noticeable sexual dimorphism in the proportions of pedipalps.

COLORATION: The base color of adults is uniformly reddish brown to black, only the telson is reddish brown. Sternites are also reddish brown to black, and the pectens are yellow.

MESOSOMA AND CARAPACE: The mesosoma lacks carinae. Both the carapace and mesosoma have the entire surface granulate, more strongly in the mesosoma. The sternites are smooth, without granules. Pectinal teeth number 10–12 in both sexes.

METASOMA AND TELSON: The metasoma is hirsute and has the entire dorsal surface granulate. The first to fourth segments bear eight carinae of which the ventral are smooth and the dorsal consist of conspicuous but sparse pointed granules. The fifth segment bears five carinae. All carinae on this segment consist of pointed granules. Apart from the just noted carinae, all segments bear two additional carinae present only in the anterior half of the fifth segment and the posterior halves of the first to fourth segments. The telson hirsute and elongate, dorsally without granules and ventrally with four rows of granules; the vesicle is as long as the aculeus.

PEDIPALPS: The femur has four granulose carinae with spaces between them ventrally smooth, but other surfaces bear several granules. The patella is ventrally smooth, dorsally and externally slightly tuberculate or granulate, with four partly granulated carinae and several pointed granules on the internal surface in place of granules, which do not form a conspicuous internal tubercle characteristic of other species. The dorsal surface of the manus is smooth and uneven to slightly rugate, without granules and carinae. The chela is slightly lobiform and strongly hirsute, and its internal surface is tuberculate, with two carinae. The movable fingers bear six straight rows of granules.

LEGS: The legs bear long and short solitary setae. The third and fourth leg spine formula is 4:6.

AFFINITIES. The described features distinguish H. rolciki sp. n. from all other species of the genus. They are recounted in the key below. H. rolciki sp. n. is close to H. scaber , but its smaller size accounts for some morphological differences.

Figures

Figure 24: Heterometrus rolciki, sp. nov., dorsal view, male holotype.