Vaejovis nigrofemoratus Hendrixson and Sissom, 2001

A, Contreras-Félix Gerardo & Oscar, Francke B., 2019, Taxonomic revision of the “ mexicanus ” group of the genus Vaejovis C. L. Koch, 1836 (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae), Zootaxa 4596 (1), pp. 1-100 : 53-58

Vaejovis nigrofemoratus Hendrixson and Sissom, 2001

Figures 4 , 34 , 35a , 36a , 37a , 38a , 39a , 40a , 41a

Vaejovis nigrofemoratus Hendrixson & Sissom, 2001: 217 –220, Fig: 1–8. Vaejovis nigrofemoratus: Graham & Fet, 2006: 10 ; Soleglad & Fet, 2008: 77, 100; Zarate-Galvez & Francke, 2009b: 25; Santibáñez-López & Francke, 2010: 556, 567, 568.

Type material. Holotype female. MEXICO: Oaxaca, 8 miles SW of San Vicente Lachixo, La Cofradía. VII-24- 1966. Cols.: C. M. Bogert et al. ( AMNH). Examined.

Other specimens examined. Vaejovis nigrofemoratus : MEXICO: Oaxaca, La Cofradía, San Pedro el Alto, Zimatlán (N 16.73773°, W 97.10629°, elev. 2774 m.). VII-2-2013. Cols.: C. Santibáñez, J. Mendoza, G. Contreras, J. Cruz and A. Valdez. 6 ♂, 7 ♀ ( CNAN-SC3620 ) .

Diagnosis. Adults 21 to 25 mm long (Fig: 34-a, b). Carapace (Fig: 35-a) slightly longer than metasomal segment V (Carapace L/MS-V 1.04 ±0.08 [1.11 ±0.05], and longer than femur (Carapace L/Femur L (1.3±0.15 [1.33±0.05]); anterior margin of carapace slightly concave, almost straight. Mesosomal tergite VII with a pair of lateral carinae, short, only present on one-fourth of segment. Pectinal combs 11–12 [10–11] teeth; sternite V on adult males with a conspicuous bright whitish patch at posterior margin; sternite VII presents a pair of faint paramedian carinae, and 10–14 (mode = 10) [10–16 (mode = 12)] setae. Metasomal segment I two times wider than long, rectangular in dorsal view (MSI L/ W 0.5 ±0.01 [0.5±0.08]); intercarinal segments I–IV granular on lateral faces, more densely granulose on segment V; segment V feebly swollen (MS-V L/ W 1.29 ±0.07 [1.45±0.1]; W/D 1.26±0.05 [1.3±0.02]). Vesicle (Fig: 36-a) dorsoventrally flattened (L/ W 1.32 ±0.1 [1.48±0.05]; W/D 1.5±0.01 [1.43±0.1]); dorsal surface flat, without any coloration differentiating a vesicular gland. Pedipalp femur (Fig: 37-a) and patella (Fig: 38-a) less than three times longer than wide (Femur L/ W 2.85 ±0.2 [2.7±0.3]; Patella L/ W 2.8 ± 0.3 [2.47±0.2]); patella as wide as deep on males and females (W/D 1±0.12 [1.01±0.1]); with dorsointernal carina faint to smooth, may present a few granules. Chela (Fig: 39, 40-a) relatively swollen on males (CM L/ W 1.55 ±0.1 [1.84±0.1]; W/D 0.97±0.05 [1±0.08]); entire chela manus smooth, without granules and all carinae faint to absent. Pedipalp chela fingers dentate margins on males slightly notched, on females straight.

Hemispermatophore (Fig: 41-a): Lamelliform (TL 2.4; LL 1.3; LW 0.4 mm); lamella simple, without distal crest; the two basal hooks merged, appearing as a single bilobedhook.

Description adult male. Prosoma (Fig: 35-a): yellowish with fusco-piceous pattern. Anterior margin of carapace almost straight, without median notch. Surface shagreened to minutely granular.

Mesosoma: tergites yellowish with underlying fusco-piceus pattern; surface on tergites I–VI shagreened; on VII intercarinal spaces shagreened to minutely granular; paramedian and lateral carina on VII strong, composed of an irregular row of rounded granules, only present on middle half of segment and not reaching posterior margin. Sternites pale yellowish; III–VII with a pale, median longitudinal band; sternite V with a whitish patch at posterior margin; sternite VII with a pair of lateral carinae, which are vestigial; may present a line of faint granules; with 10–12 [14] setae. Pectinal tooth count 12–12.

Metasoma: Coloration on dorsal face of segments pale yellowish, turning reddish brown on V; on ventral face pale yellowish on I–II, reddish brown on III–V; all metasomal segments with fusco–piceous coloration, but segment V is dark dorsally. Intercarinal spaces on I–IV with surface minutely granular, becoming more granular on lateral faces of each segment and on entire segment V. Dorsal lateral carinae strong, composed of a line of large rounded granules, ending with a larger granule distally. Lateral median carina on I–IV strong, composed of a line of large rounded granules, becoming less differentiated on segment IV. Lateral inframedian carinae on I strong, present on posterior half of segment and composed of a row of large, rounded granules; on II–III, strong, composed of a line of large, rounded granules, present only on posterior fourth; on IV absent. Ventral lateral carinae on I weak, composed of a line of short, rounded granules; on II–IV strong, composed of a line of large rounded granules. Ventral submedian carinae on segment I weak to vestigial, few granules present; on II–IV strong, composed of a line of rounded granules. Segment V conspicuously swollen, with dorsal lateral carinae strong, composed of a line of rounded granules; lateral median carinae strong, composed of an irregular line of rounded granules and present on anterior four fifths of segment; ventral lateral carinae strong, composed of a line of large rounded granules; ventral median carina strong, composed of a line of rounded granules, not reaching posterior margin. Setae counts over carinae of metasomal segments I–IV as follows: dorsal lateral 0-0/1-1/1-1/2-2; lateral median 0-0/1-1/1-2/2-2; lateral inframedian 1-1/0-0/0-0/0-0; ventral lateral 2-2/3-3/3-3/2-2; ventral submedian 2-2/ 3-3/3-3/3-3. Segment V: dorsal lateral 3-3; lateral median 2-2; ventral lateral 3-3 and ventral median 3-3.

Telson (Fig: 36-a): Vesicle rounded (V L/W: 1.3) and broad (V W/D: 1.5), coloration reddish brown with darker coloration surrounding each setal base; flattened dorsoventrally; dorsal surface smooth and flat, without any coloration differentiating a vesicular gland; ventral surface irregular, with some flattened granules.

Pedipalp: pale yellow with underlying fusco-piceous pattern, denser on margins of dorsal face of femur. Orthobothriotaxia type “C”. Femur (Fig: 37-a): wider than deep. Dorsal retrolateral carina strong, composed of a single row of flattened granules; dorsal prolateral carina strong, composed of a row of aggregated and rounded granules; ventral retrolateral carina absent; ventral prolateral carina strong, composed of a single row of granules.

Dorsal face shagreened, internal and external faces shagreened to minutely granular; ventral face with some large pointed granules, minutely granular on basal half, becoming shagreened distally. Patella (Fig: 38-a) as wide as deep (W/D= 1). Dorsal retrolateral carina weak, composed of a row of aggregated small granules; dorsal prolateral carina strong, composed of an irregular row of rounded granules; prolateral median carina weak to vestigial, composed of a few small, rounded granules basally; retrolateral median carina weak to vestigial, present only as an aggregation of small granules; ventral retrosubmedian carina weak, composed of a row of granules separated from each other; ventral median carina weak to vestigial, present only basally and composed of an aggregation of small granules; ventral prolateral carina strong, composed of a row of large rounded granules. Chela (Fig: 39, 40-a) manus conspicuously swollen (CM L/W= 1.55). Retrolateral median, dorsal retrolateral, dorsal median, dorsal prosubmedian and dorsal internal carinae present as elevations of the cuticle and distinctly colored; other carinae inconspicuous. Pedipalp chela fingers dentate margins slightly scalloped basally.

Legs: base color pale yellow, with large areas with dark underlying infuscations. Basitarsi I–III with two subrows of spinules divided by three pairs of asymmetrical, larger setae; IV with three subrows of spinules divided by three pairs of symmetrical, larger setae. Telotarsi I–IV with a single row of spinules ventrally, with two distal spinules on I–IV (Right/left side): 2/2:2/2:2/2:1/2; pi / ri setae count: 1/1:2/2:2/2:2/2.

Hemispermatophore (Fig: 41-a): Lamelliform (TL 2.4; LL 1.3; LW 0.4 mm); Lamella simple, without distal crest; two basal hooks merged, appearing as a single bilobate hook. Capsular ental median lobe present.

Variation ( Table 4): Females are larger than males; pedipalp chela manus are swollen on males, whereas on females they are slender; in females the pedipalp chela fixed finger dentate margin is straight, whereas on males it is slightly notched. The vesicle on females appears thinner (Vesicle L/W: 1.48 ± 0.1; V W/D: 1.43 ± 0.1), whereas on males it is rounded (Vesicle L/W: 1.32 ± 0.1; V W/D: 1.5± 0.1). Pectinal tooth counts: Males—5 combs with 11 and 5 combs with 12 teeth; Females—6 combs with 10 teeth and 8 combs with 11 teeth. Full morphometric variation is given in tables 13 and 14. Setae variation is given in tables 9–12.

Distribution. Mexico: Oaxaca. This species is only known from the type locality ( Figure 4 ). Natural history. This species inhabits in pine forest above 2700 m. The specimens examined were exclusively collected under the bark of fallen logs near La Cofradía.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Known distribution of all the species of Vaejovis, included in the “mexicanus” group.

FIGURE 34. Habitus of Vaejovis nigrofemoratus (♂): a—dorsal view; b—ventral view. Scale bar = 1 cm.

FIGURE 35. Comparison in shapes on carapace in species within “mexicanus” group: a—V. nigrofemoratus; b—V. prendinii; c—V. pusillus; d—V. rossmani; e—V. santibagnezi sp. nov.; f—V. setosus; g—V. sierrae; h—V. smithi; i—V. sprousei; j—V. talpa sp. nov.; k—V. tapalpa sp. nov.; l—V. tenamaztlei; m—V. tesselatus; n—V. trespicos; o—V. zapoteca. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 36. Comparison of the different shapes in the caudal gland on species within the “mexicanus” group (each caudal gland, if present, is highlighted in red): a—V. nigrofemoratus; b—V. prendinii; c—V. pusillus; d—V. rossmani; e—V. santibagnezi sp. nov.; f—V. setosus; g—V. sierrae; h—V. smithi; i—V. sprousei; j—V. talpa sp. nov.; k—V. tapalpa sp. nov.; l—V. tenamaztlei; m—V. tesselatus; n—V. trespicos; o—V. zapoteca.

FIGURE 37. Comparison in shapes and trichobothrial patterns in the pedipalp femur, in species within “mexicanus” group: a—V. nigrofemoratus; b—V. prendinii; c—V. pusillus; d—V. rossmani; e—V. santibagnezi sp. nov.; f—V. setosus; g—V. sierrae; h—V. smithi; i—V. sprousei; j—V. talpa sp. nov.; k—V. tapalpa sp. nov.; l—V. tenamaztlei; m—V. tesselatus; n—V. trespicos; o—V. zapoteca. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 38. Comparison in shapes and trichobothrial patterns in the pedipalp patella, in species within “mexicanus” group: a—V. nigrofemoratus; b—V. prendinii; c—V. pusillus; d—V. rossmani; e—V. santibagnezi sp. nov.; f—V. setosus; g—V. sierrae; h—V. smithi; i—V. sprousei; j—V. talpa sp. nov.; k—V. tapalpa sp. nov.; l—V. tenamaztlei; m—V. tesselatus; n—V. trespicos; o—V. zapoteca. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 39. Comparison in shapes and trichobothrial patterns in the pedipalp chela of males in species within “mexicanus” group: a—V. nigrofemoratus; b—V. prendinii; c—V. pusillus; d—V. rossmani; e—V. santibagnezi sp. nov.; f—V. setosus; g—V. sierrae; h—V. smithi; i—V. sprousei; j—V. talpa sp. nov.; k—V. tapalpa sp. nov.; l—V. tenamaztlei; m—V. tesselatus; n—V. trespicos; o—V. zapoteca. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 40. Comparison in the different shapes and trichobothrial patterns in the pedipalp chela of females, that selected species within “mexicanus” group present a—V. nigrofemoratus; b—V. prendinii; c—V. pusillus; d—V. rossmani; e—V. santibagnezi sp. nov.; f—V. setosus; g—V. sierrae; h—V. smithi; i—V. talpa sp. nov; j—V. tapalpa sp. nov; k—V. tenamaztlei; l—V. tesselatus; m—V. trespicos; n—V. zapoteca. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 41. Comparison on the shapes in the hemispermatophore in species within “mexicanus” group: a—V. nigrofemoratus; b—V. prendinii; c—V. pusillus; d—V. rossmani; e—V. santibagnezi sp. nov.; f—V. setosus; g—V. sierrae; h—V. smithi; i—V. sprousei; j—V. talpa sp. nov.; k—V. tapalpa sp. nov.; l—V. tenamaztlei; m—V. tesselatus; n—V. trespicos; o—V. zapoteca. Scale bar = 1 mm.