Buthida Soleglad & Fet, 2003

Soleglad, Michael E. & Fet, Victor, 2003, High-level systematics and phylogeny of the extant scorpions (Scorpiones: Orthosterni), Euscorpius 2003 (11), pp. 1-175 : 89

Parvorder Buthida Soleglad & Fet , new parvorder

Composition. This monotypic parvorder, established here, includes the monotypic superfamily Buthoidea . It corresponds to orthobothriotaxy “ Type A” ( Vachon,

1974; Soleglad & Fet, 2001). The geographic range of this parvorder covers both the Old and the New World. The oldest known fossils of Buthida are Tertiary (see below).

Distribution. All continents except Antarctica.

Diagnosis. Scorpions in the parvorder Buthida can be distinguished by the following characters: Synapomorphies. Orthobothriotaxy type A; pedipalp femoral d 3 –d 4 trichobothria configuration points away from dorsoexternal carina (beta); dorsal edge of cheliceral movable finger with two basal denticles; ventral edge of cheliceral movable finger with two large denticles; ventral surface of cheliceral fixed finger with two major denticles; sternum, type 1, exhibits medium to exaggerated horizontal compression; leg coxae IV elongated; hemispermatophore is flagelliform; lateral carinae of metasomal segment V absent; pedipalp patellar DMc carina present; ovariuterus exhibits a reticulate mesh of eight cells; stigma small to long, slit-like in shape. Important Symplesiomorphies. Ventral surface of leg tarsus ventral surface armed with numerous irregularly positioned setae; ventral median carinae of metasomal segment V is single; transverse anterior carinae absent on metasomal segments I–III; venom glands are folded (complex); median denticle row ( MD) of pedipalp chelal finger arranged in oblique groups; pedipalp chela exhibits “8-carinae” configuration; dorsal edge of cheliceral movable finger with single subdistal denticle .