Urophonius granulatus Pocock, 1898

Ojanguren-Affilastro, Andrés A., Ochoa, José A., Mattoni, Camilo I. & Prendini, Lorenzo, 2010, Systematic Revision of the granulatus Group of Urophonius Pocock, 1893 (Scorpiones, Bothriuridae), with Description of a New Species from Central Chile, American Museum Novitates 2010 (3695), pp. 1-44 : 6-18

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.1206/3695.2

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C9E22128-9B68-4515-ABCE-BBA5FBD5039A

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/033187C9-FFD4-5113-FE62-FD58C23AF928

treatment provided by

Carolina

scientific name

Urophonius granulatus Pocock, 1898
status

 

Urophonius granulatus Pocock, 1898 View in CoL

Figures 1, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A, 6A, 7A, E, 8A, B, 9–11; table 2

Urophonius granulatus Pocock, 1898: 392–394 View in CoL ; Acosta, 1999: 158, 163; Lowe and Fet, 2000: 45 (complete reference list until 1998); Ojanguren-Affilastro, 2002: 182, 183, 185; Acosta, 2003: 7, 10; Ojanguren-Affilastro, 2005: 80, 126, 133-135, 144, 235; 2007: 48; Ojanguren-Affilastro and Cheli, 2009: 353, 354.

Iophoroxenus exilimanus Mello-Leitão, 1932: 23 , 24, 35, 41 (synonymized by Maury, 1979a: 64).

Urophonius paynensis San Martin and Cekalovic, 1968: 82–90 (synonymized by Maury, 1979a: 65).

TYPE MATERIAL: 1 subad. ♀ holotype ( BMNH), CHILE. Iophoroxenus exilimanus : 1 juv. holotype (MACN-Ar 4855), ARGENTINA: Santa Cruz Province: Lago Argentino [50°13′ S 72°25′W]. Urophonius paynensis : holotype ♂ ( MZUC 50), CHILE: Region XII ( Magallanes ): Magallanes Province: Cerro Castillo [51°16′S 72°21′W].

NEW RECORDS: ARGENTINA: Chubut Province: Río Mayo , 45°40′ 56.4″S 70°16′ 51.1″W, 438 m, 20.i.2005, M. Magnanelli and E.G. López, 16 juv. ( AMNH) GoogleMaps . Santa Cruz Province: Destacamento Policial Las Sierras, SW Pico Truncado, 47°18′ 14.2″S 68°31′ 57.7″W, 232 m, 16.i.2005, M. Magnanelli and E.G. López, 2 ♀, 1 subad. ♀, 4 juv. ( AMNH) GoogleMaps ; Gobernador Gregores , 48°44′31.2″S 70°15′20.2″W, 287 m, 17.i.2005, M. Magnanelli and E.G. López, 1 ♀, 3 juv. GoogleMaps

( AMNH); Los Antiguos , 46°34′ 18.3″S 71°38′ 44.8″W, 324 m, 19.i.2005, M. Magnanelli and E.G. López, 6 ♀, 3 subad. ♂, 1 juv. ( AMNH) GoogleMaps . CHILE: Region XII ( Magallanes ): Última Esperanza Province: Cerro Castillo [51°16′ S 72°21′ W], 22.ii.1991, L.E. Peña, 17 ♀, 7 juv. ( AMNH) GoogleMaps . Parque Nacional Torres del Paine : 150 m, 10.ii.1985, N. Platnick and O.F. Francke, 5 ♀, 4 juv. ( AMNH) ; Lago Sarmiento de Gamboa , 51°02′ 00″S 72°46′ 15″W, 100 m, pitfall, steppe, 6–9.xii.2000, J. Miller and I. Agnarsson, 1 ♀, 1 juv. ( AMNH) GoogleMaps ; Laguna Larga , 51°01′ 30″S 72°52′ 45″W, 300 m, under rocks in steppe, 7.xii.2000, J. Miller and I. Agnarsson, 2 ♀, 1 juv. ( AMNH) GoogleMaps ; near Refugio Chileno , 50°56′ 45″S 72°55′ 00″W, 400–600 m, 8–9.xii.2000, J. Miller and I. Agnarsson, 2 ♂, 1 ♀ ( AMNH) GoogleMaps .

DIAGNOSIS: Urophonius granulatus can be distinguished from all other species of the granulatus group by the presence of an internal laminar extension with a well-developed notch on the internal surface of the hemispermatophore basal lobe ( fig. 8A View FIGURE 8 ), absent in the other species ( fig. 8C, E, G View FIGURE 8 ). It can also be distinguished from the other species of the group based on the position of pedipalp femoral trichobothrium e, which is situated proximal to dorsal macroseta M1; in the other species it is situated distally or in the same axis as M1.

II, ventral aspect. A. Urophonius granulatus Pocock, 1898 , ♂ (MACN). B. Urophonius somuncura Acosta, 2001 , ♂ (MACN). C. Urophonius tregualemuensis Cekalovic, 1981 ,

♂ ( AMNH). D. Urophonius pizarroi , n. sp., paratype ♂ ( MZUC). Scale bars = 1 mm. group, metasomal segment V, ventral aspect. A. Urophonius granulatus Pocock, 1898 , ♂ ( MACN). B. Urophonius somuncura Acosta, 2001 , ♂ ( MACN) .

C. Urophonius tregualemuensis Cekalovic, 1981 , ♂ (AMNH). D. Urophonius pizarroi , n. sp., paratype ♂ (MZUC).

Scale bars = 1 mm.

Urophonius granulatus is most similar morphologically to U. somuncura , from which it may be separated by the following criteria: The VL and VSM carinae of the ventral surfaces of sternite VII and metasomal segments I and II are well developed in U. granulatus ( figs. 3A View FIGURE 3 , 4A View FIGURE 4 ), compared with U. somuncura , in which the VL carinae are weakly developed, and the VSM carinae absent, or represented only by scattered granules ( figs. 3B View FIGURE 3 , 4B View FIGURE 4 ). The telson of U. granulatus is more globose, with a telson length/height ratio of 2.62–3 (n = 10; mean = 2.83) in ♂ and 2.72–3.07 (n = 10; mean = 2.91) in ♀, than that of U. somuncura , in which the ratio is 3.18–3.37 (n = 10; mean = 3.26) in ♂ and 3.02–3.37 (n = 10; mean = 3.22) in ♀.

group, metasomal segment V, ventral aspect. A. Urophonius granulatus Pocock, 1898 , ♀ (LBRE). B. Urophonius somuncura Acosta, 2001 , ♀ (MACN).

C. Urophonius tregualemuensis Cekalovic, 1981 , ♀ (AMNH). D. Urophonius pizarroi , n. sp., paratype ♀

(MZUC). Scale bars = 1 mm.

DESCRIPTION: Based on a ♂ and ♀ specimens deposited in the MACN.

Total length: 29–37 mm (n = 8; mean = 34.5 mm) in ♂; 34–40 mm (n = 10; mean = 38 mm) in ♀.

Color: Base color yellowish, with dark brown spots ( fig. 9 View FIGURE 9 ). Chelicerae with reticulate pigmentation on external surfaces of fingers and near articulation, in basal part of manus. Carapace, anterior margin with brown spot medially; median ocular tubercle and area around lateral ocelli dark brown ( fig. 2A View FIGURE 2 ); two broad, dark stripes extending from median ocelli to anterior part of posterior longitudinal sulcus (in some specimens connected to anterior spot by reticulate pigmentation across most of anterior half of carapace); two stripes extending from lateral margins to posterior longitudinal sulcus; two dark spots posteriorly. Tergites I–VI each with paired dark spots, laterally and submedially, submedian spots converging at anteromedian margins of segments and in some specimens converging with lateral spots at posterior margins; VII with paired dark spots laterally and submedially, in some specimens converging at anterior margin. Sternum, genital opercula, pectines, and sternites III–VI unpigmented; sternite VII with three dark spots, two submedially and one medially, in posterior third. Metasomal segments I–III, dorsal surfaces each with two dark spots submedially, joining medially in most pigmented specimens, and with two thin stripes along DL carinae, connected to dorsosubmedian spots, and becoming broader at posterior margins, but not connected to lateral stripes; lateral surfaces each with broad, dark stripe below VSM carinae, not connected to VL stripes; ventral surfaces each with three, separate dark stripes (two broader VL and a narrower VSM stripe) along entire length of segment. Metasomal segment IV, similar to I–III but with DSM spots more elongated, joining medially, and with lateral stripes connected to VL stripes by reticulate pigmentation in posterior third. Metasomal segment V, dorsal surface with paired, faint submedian and lateral stripes in anterior half, that are almost indistinguishable in posterior half; lateral surface with reticulate pigmentation joining with VL stripes in posterior half; ventral surfaces as on other segments with three ventral stripes. Telson, vesicle dorsal surface unpigmented medially, pigmented along DL margins; other surfaces densely pigmented, except for paired, narrow VSM and VL unpigmented stripes; aculeus basally unpigmented, apex dark brown. Pedipalps, trochanter with dark spot dorsally; femur with two well-developed stripes along DI and DE margins, and weakly developed stripe along VE margin; chela with seven dark stripes along DI, DM, DS, D, E, V, and VM carinae; area near articulation of fixed and movable fingers, and base of fingers with sparse, reticulate pigmentation. Legs II–IV, trochanter with small spot prolaterally; femur pigmented near articulation with patella and along ventroexternal margin; patella pigmented near articulations and along dorsal and ventral margins; tibia slightly pigmented along dorsal and ventral margins; basitarsus unpigmented in most specimens, but slightly pigmented along ventral margin in some; other segments unpigmented.

Carapace: Surfaces slightly granular, more densely so near lateral margins (♂) or slightly granular near lateral margins, smooth medially (♀). Anterior margin straight, or with weakly developed median projection. Anterior longitudinal, interocular, posterior longitudinal and lateral sulci well developed. Median ocular tubercle pronounced, median ocelli large, almost 2 diameters apart. Three pairs of small lateral ocelli on each side of carapace; anterior and median ocelli situated very close together, in same horizontal axis, posterior ocellus situated slightly dorsal to others, 1 diameter apart.

Tergites: Surfaces, I–VI smooth (♀) or finely granular (♂), more coarsely so near posterior and lateral margins; VII with paired submedian and lateral carinae, comprising medium-sized granules, lateral carinae restricted to posterior half of segment, submedian carinae to posterior third, intercarinal surfaces with scattered granules.

Sternites: Surfaces, III–VI smooth, with small, elliptical spiracles; VII, anterior half smooth, posterior half slightly granular and with well-developed VSM and VL carinae, more developed in ♀ ( figs. 3A View FIGURE 3 , 4A View FIGURE 4 ).

Metasoma: Metasomal segment I, dorsal surface sparsely granular; DL and LSM carinae granular, extending entire length of segment; surface between DL and LSM carinae densely granular; LIM carinae restricted to posterior half of segment; one pair of LIM macrosetae;

(LBRE). A, C. Dorsal aspect. B, D. Ventral aspect. Scale bars = 10 mm.

lateral margins sparsely granular; ventral surface with paired VL and VSM carinae,

more developed in ♀, diverging slightly at anterior margins; surface between VL and

VSM carinae sparsely granular; three pairs of

VL and two pairs of VSM macrosetae, sometimes with additional, intermediate row of

1 or 2 macrosetae. Segment II, similar to I,

except with carinae less developed; LSM

carinae almost smooth medially; one pair of

LSM macrosetae; LIM carinae restricted to posterior margin of segment; VL and VSM

carinae well developed (♀) or weakly developed (♂); three pairs of VSM macrosetae.

Segment III, similar to segment II, except with VL and VSM carinae weakly developed

(♀) or obsolete (♂). Segment IV, DL carinae extending entire length of segment, obsolete

(♂); LSM carinae vestigial, restricted to anterior and posterior margins of segment; LIM carinae absent; one pair of DL, LSM, and

LIM macrosetae; ventral surface smooth;

three to four pairs of VL and VSM macrosetae. Segment V elongated ( figs. 5A View FIGURE 5 , 6A View FIGURE 6 );

length/width ratio 2–2.27 (n = 10; mean =

2.13) in ♂, 1.68–1.97 (n = 10; mean = 1.79)

in ♀; length/height ratio 2.39–2.76 (n = 10; FIGURE 10. Urophonius granulatus Pocock, 1898 , ♂ ( MACN), dextral pedipalp segments. A. Femur, dormean = 2.6) in ♂, 2.12–2.29 (n = 10; mean = sal aspect. B. Patella, dorsal aspect. C. Patella, external 2.22) in ♀; dorsal and lateral surfaces smooth; aspect. D. Patella, ventral aspect. Scale bar = 1 mm. DL carinae reduced to granules at anterior margin of segment; one pair of DL macrosetae; LSM carinae represented only by pair of macrosetae at posterior margin; LIM carinae represented by four or five pairs of macrosetae; ventral surface granular in posterior half (♂) or posterior three-quarters (♀) of segment; VL carinae reduced to posterior three-quarters (♀) or posterior two-thirds (♂) of segment, comprising larger granules near posterior margin; VL and VM carinae equally well developed; VSM carinae subparallel to VL carinae but diverging in posterior third; five pairs of VL macrosetae, three pairs of VSM macrosetae, and two pairs of macrosetae at posterior margin of segment. Telson: Vesicle globose, slightly more so in ♂ than ♀ ( fig. 7A, E View FIGURE 7 ), length/height ratio 2.62–3 (n = 10; mean = 2.83) in ♂, 2.72–3.07 (n = 10; mean = 2.91) in ♀; ventral surface granular (♀) or smooth (♂), except for some anterior granules; dorsal surface smooth, with (♂) or without (♀) elliptical median depression, corresponding to telson gland. Aculeus short, shallowly curved .

Internal aspect. Scale bar = 1 mm.

Pedipalps: Femur with DI, DE, and VI carinae granular, slightly more developed in ♂, extending entire length of segment (fig. 10A); trichobothrium e situated distal to dorsal macroseta M1. Patella with DI and DE carinae obsolete, visible only as slight curvature of surface, along entire length of segment; VI carina distinct, granular extending distal three-quarters of segment (fig. 10B–D). Chela manus slender (more robust in ♂), acarinate ( fig. 11 View FIGURE 11 ), internal surface with pronounced, subtriangular projection and shallow depression, with group of 3 or 4 granules and 1 or more additional granules between this group of granules and median denticle row of fixed finger, near base of fixed finger (♂; fig. 11E View FIGURE 11 ); fingers elongated, median denticle row medially uneven (but not forming a clear double row), with five pairs of accessory granules.

Legs: Surfaces smooth. Basitarsi each with two well-developed, equal-length pedal spurs. Telotarsi elongated (more so in ♂), shallow, each with well-developed ventromedian row of hyaline setae, and paired rows of ventrosubmedian spiniform setae, with following counts on each telotarsus: I: 1/1, II: 2/2, III: 4–5/5–6 (mode = 5/5), IV: 5–6/5–6 (mode = 5/6); the only pair of setae on I and first pair on II are setiform, whereas the rest are stout and spiniform. Ungues strongly curved, equal in length.

Pectines: Tooth count: 15–20 (n = 8; mode = 18) in ♂; 15–18 (n = 15; mode = 17) in ♀.

Hemispermatophore: Basal portion well developed. Distal lamina well developed, ca. 30% shorter than basal portion; distal crest oriented in same direction as principal axis of hemispermatophore, with basal part diverging from posterior margin; frontal crest (distal posterior flexure) present; internal lobe with two well-developed denticles, disconnected from distal lamina ( fig. 8B View FIGURE 8 ), external denticle ca. 50% larger than internal denticle. Lobe region weakly developed ( fig. 8A View FIGURE 8 ); basal lobe well developed, barely protruding, with internal laminar extension, anterior surface straight, with internal notch. We examined the hemispermatophores of more than 15 specimens, and observed variation only in the development of the internal notch of the internal lobe, which is more developed in some specimens than others. However, the internal notch is present and conspicuous in all specimens examined. We did not observe any structure that could be assigned to the genital plug in this species (cf. the description of the hemispermatophore of U. tregualemuensis ), but we had access only to adult male specimens collected more than 20 years ago. This structure is almost impossible to recover after clearing the hemispermatophore of old or poorly preserved specimens.

DISTRIBUTION: This species is endemic to the southern part of South America, in southern Patagonia. It has been recorded from the Chubut and Santa Cruz provinces of southern Argentina and the Magallanes Region of southern Chile (fig. 1) .

ECOLOGY: All records of U. granulatus occur in the Patagonian phytogeographic province ( Cabrera and Willink, 1980), a shrub steppe habitat. Records of this species from La Carlota (51°50′14.17″S; 70°23′33.14″W) and Río Gallegos (51°38′23.5″S; 69°17′9.94″W) are probably the world’s southernmost records of any species of scorpion. Records of Bothriurus sanctaecrucis Mattoni, 2007 , and Urophonius eugenicus ( Mello-Leitão, 1932) are located slightly to the north in Santa Cruz Province ( Mattoni, 2007; Ojanguren-Affilastro and Cheli, 2009), while records of Bothriurus burmeisteri Kraepelin, 1894 , from Tierra de Fuego ( Ringuelet, 1953; Maury, 1968b) are dubious ( Mattoni, 2007; Maury, 1979b; Ojanguren-Affilastro, 2005).

MZUC

Museo de Zoologia, Universidad de Concepcion

NEW

University of Newcastle

AMNH

American Museum of Natural History

V

Royal British Columbia Museum - Herbarium

MACN

Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales Bernardino Rivadavia

LIM

Severoceské muzeum

VSM

Det Kgl. Norske Videnskabers Selskab Museet

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Arachnida

Order

Scorpiones

Family

Bothriuridae

Genus

Urophonius

Loc

Urophonius granulatus Pocock, 1898

Ojanguren-Affilastro, Andrés A., Ochoa, José A., Mattoni, Camilo I. & Prendini, Lorenzo 2010
2010
Loc

Urophonius paynensis

Maury, E. A. 1979: 65
San Martin, P. R. & T. Cekalovic 1968: 82
1968
Loc

Iophoroxenus exilimanus Mello-Leitão, 1932: 23

Maury, E. A. 1979: 64
Mello-Leitao, C. de 1932: 23
1932
Loc

Urophonius granulatus

Ojanguren-Affilastro, A. A. & G. Cheli 2009: 353
Ojanguren-Affilastro, A. A. 2005: 80
Acosta, L. E. 2003: 7
Ojanguren-Affilastro, A. A. 2002: 182
Lowe, G. & V. Fet 2000: 45
Pocock, R. I. 1898: 394
1898
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