Vaejovis coalcoman Contreras-Félix & Francke, 2014

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 : 31-33

Vaejovis coalcoman Contreras-Félix & Francke, 2014

Figures 4 , 13c , 14b , 15c , 16c , 17c , 18c , 19c , 21

Vaejovis coalcoman Contreras-Félix & Francke, 2014: 25 –30, figs.: 2–10.

Type material. Holotype male. MEXICO: Michoacan, Coalcomán, Las Nieves (N 18.816667°, W 103.033333°, elev. 2246 m) VII-10-2005. Cols: O. Francke, J. Ponce, M. Córdova, A. Jaimes, G. Francke and V. Capovilla. ( CNAN-T0738 ). Examined.

Paratypes: 2 ♂, 2 ♀. Same data as holotype. ( CNAN-T0740 ) ; 3 ♂, 3 ♀. Same data as holotype ( AMNH). MEXICO: Michoacan, Coalcomán , Las Nieves. V-28-1988. Cols.: A. Cadena and L. Cervantes . 1 ♂ (CNAN- T0739).

Other specimens examined. MEXICO: Michoacan, Coalcomán, Las Nieves , (N 18.816667°, W 103.033333°, elev. 2265 m.). VIII-7-2003. Cols.: O. Francke, E. González and S. Reynaud. 4 ♂, 4 ♀ ( CNAN-SC3688 ) . MEXICO: Michoacan, Coalcomán, Km. 27 along the road Coalcomán-Dos Aguas. XI-10-1988. Col.: H. Brailovsky. 2 ♀ ( CNAN-SC3686 ) . MEXICO: Michoacan, Coalcomán-Las Nieves (elev. 2050 m). V-6-1983. Col.: E. Marino. 1 ♂, 1 ♀ ( CNAN-SC3687 ) .

Diagnosis. Adults 20 to 30 mm long (Fig: 21-a, b). Anterior margin of carapace noticeably concave with “U” shaped median notch; carapace (Fig: 13-c) slightly longer than metasomal segment V (Carapace L/MS-V 1.06±0.1 [1.07± 0.07]), longer than femur (Carapace L/Femur L 1.2±0.06 [1.2±0.03]). Mesosomal tergite VII with one pair of carina, at most one-half the segment length, not reaching posterior margin. Pectinal teeth 13–14 [13–14]; sternite V on males with a diffuse, semi-oval whitish patch on posterior margin; sternite VII with one pair of median, granular carinae and 10 setae. Metasomal segment I wider than long (MSI L/ W 0.6 ±0.09 [0.65± 0.04]); intercarinal spaces on segments I–IV smooth; segment V less than two times longer than wide (MS-V L/ W 1.52 ±0.14 [1.69±0.03]), with lateral median carinae developed on basal half of segment. Vesicle slender (L/ W 1.89 ±0.12 [1.86±0.2]) and thin, wider than deep (W/D 1.28±0.22 [1.37±0.04]); ventral surface granular, with some flattened granules; two pale median longitudinal bands; dorsal face with the vesicular patch absent (Fig: 14-c). Pedipalp femur (Fig: 15-c) slightly less than three times longer than wide (L/ W 2.97 ±0.3 [2.75±0.15]), with some pointed granules scattered on anterior face. Patella (Fig: 16-c) less than three times longer than wide (L/ W 2.71 ±0.3 [2.71±0.2]), slightly wider than deep (W/D 1.17±0.13 [1.16 ±0.09]); with dorsointernal carina vestigial, composed by a few short, pointed granules. Pedipalp chela manus swollen (L/ W 1.65 ±0.16 [1.73±0.17]; manus as wide as deep W/D 0.95± 0.05 [0.99±0.12]) (Fig: 17, 18-c); retrolateral median, dorsal retrolateral, dorsal median, dorsal prosubmedian, dorsal internal, prolateral median and ventral retrolateral carinae strong and granular; ventral external carina vestigial (may present some short diffuse granules). Dentate margins of fingers relatively straight with a shallow scalloping.

Hemispermatophore (Fig: 19-c) (Updated from Contreras-Félix and Francke 2014): Lamelliform (TL 4.5; LL 3; LW 1); lamella with an apical crest present on distal third. Capsular region basally with two pointed hooks, and lamella wider at level of hooks; median lobe present, well sclerotized, with margin dentate.

Full morphometric variation is given in tables 13 and 14. Setae variation is given in tables 9–12.

Distribution. Only known from around Las Nieves, a small settlement on the road from Coalcomán to Dos Aguas, in the Sierra de Coalcomán, Michoacán.

Natural history. This species is fairly common in the pine forest in Sierra de Coalcomán; most specimens were collected at night using black lights and often were found at the base of pine trees or tree stumps.

Figures

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

FIGURE 13. Comparison in shapes on carapace in species within “mexicanus” group: a—V. ceboruco sp. nov.; b—V. chiapas; c—V. coalcoman; d—V. darwini; e—V. dugesi; f—V. dzahui; g—V. franckei; h—V. granulatus; i—V. maculosus; j—V. mcwesti; k—V. mexicanus; l—V. montanus; m—V. monticola; n—V. morelia; o—V. nanchititla sp. nov. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 14. 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. ceboruco sp. nov.; b—V. chiapas; c—V. coalcoman; d—V. darwini; e—V. dugesi; f—V. dzahui; g—V. franckei; h—V. granulatus; i—V. maculosus; j—V. mcwesti; k—V. mexicanus; l—V. montanus; m—V. monticola; n—V. morelia; o—V. nanchititla sp. nov.

FIGURE 15. Comparison in shapes and trichobothrial patterns in the pedipalp femur, in species within “mexicanus” group: a—V. ceboruco sp. nov.; b—V. chiapas; c—V. coalcoman; d—V. darwini; e—V. dugesi; f—V. dzahui; g—V. franckei; h—V. granulatus; i—V. maculosus; j—V. mcwesti; k—V. mexicanus; l—V. montanus; m—V. monticola; n—V. morelia; o—V. nanchititla sp. nov. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 16. Comparison in shapes and trichobothrial patterns in the pedipalp patella, in species within “mexicanus” group: a—V. ceboruco sp. nov.; b—V. chiapas; c—V. coalcoman; d—V. darwini; e—V. dugesi; f—V. dzahui; g—V. franckei; h—V. granulatus; i—V. maculosus; j—V. mcwesti; k—V. mexicanus; l—V. montanus; m—V. monticola; n—V. morelia; o—V. nanchititla sp. nov. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 17. Comparison in shapes and trichobothrial patterns in the pedipalp chela of males in species within “mexicanus” group: a—V. ceboruco sp. nov.; b—V. chiapas; c—V. coalcoman; d—V. darwini; e—V. dugesi; f—V. dzahui; g—V. franckei; h—V. granulatus; i—V. maculosus; j—V. mcwesti; k—V. mexicanus; l—V. montanus; m—V. monticola; n—V. morelia; o—V. nanchititla sp. nov. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 18. Comparison in the different shapes and trichobothrial patterns in the pedipalp chela of females, that selected species within “mexicanus” group present: a—V. ceboruco sp. nov.; b—V. chiapas; c—V. coalcoman; d—V. darwini; e—V. dugesi; f—V. dzahui; g—V. franckei; h—V. granulatus; i—V. maculosus; j—V. mcwesti; k—V. mexicanus; l—V. montanus; m—V. monticola; n—V. morelia; o—V. nanchititla sp. nov. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 19. Comparison on the shapes in the hemispermatophore in species within “mexicanus” group: a—V. ceboruco sp. nov.; b—V. chiapas; c—V. coalcoman; d—V. darwini; e—V. dugesi; f—V. dzahui; g—V. franckei; h—V. granulatus; i—V. maculosus; j—V. mcwesti; k—V. mexicanus; l—V. montanus; m—V. monticola; n—V. morelia; o—V. nanchititla sp. nov. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 21. Habitus of Vaejovis coalcoman holotype (♂): a—dorsal view; b—ventral view. Scale bar = 1 cm.