Orthochirus samrchelsis, Kovařík & 1996, 2004

Kovařík, Baloorthochirus becvari & 1996, 2004, Revision and taxonomic position of genera Afghanorthochirus Lourenço & Vachon, Baloorthochirus Kova ík, Butheolus Simon, Nanobuthus Pocock, Orthochiroides Kova ík, Pakistanorthochirus Lourenço, and Asian Orthochirus Karsch, with descriptions of twelve new species (Scorpiones, Buthidae), Euscorpius 16, pp. 1-33 : 18-19

Orthochirus samrchelsis sp. n.

( Table 1)

Orthochirus scrobiculosus?: Kovařík, 1993: 202 and 203.

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE REPOSITORY. Afghanistan, Prov. Nengrahar, Samrchel ; MMBC. For locality details see Jakeš & Povolný (1967) .

TYPE MATERIAL. Afghanistan, Prov. Nengrahar, Samrchel , 7.II. 1966, 800 m (loc. No. PT 2), 1juv. A (paratype), 15.II. 1966, 800 m, (loc. No. PT 9), 1♀ A (holotype) 1♀ 2im. ♂ 1juv. A (paratypes), leg. D. Povolný & Tenora. Holotype, and three paratypes in MMBC, two paratypes in FKCP.

ETYMOLOGY. Named after the province of Afghanistan.

DIAGNOSIS: Fourth and fifth metasomal segments ventrally without median carinae and punctate. Spaces among punctae smooth (only in one juvenile with scattered granules). Entire metasoma glabrous (short, thin setae may issue from some punctae). Dorsal surface of fourth metasomal segment mesially smooth (several solitary granules may be present). Mesosoma and metasoma black, telson reddish brown, legs and pedipalps yellow to yellowish gray. Movable fingers bear 9–10 rows of granules with internal and external granules and 2 or 3 distal granules. Tarsi of all legs without bristlecombs. Pectinal teeth number 17–19.

DESCRIPTION: The adults are about 35 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.

COLORATION: The mesosoma and metasoma are black, the telson is reddish brown, and the legs and pedipalps are yellow to yellowish gray. The posterior margin of the fifth mesosomal sternite often bears a conspicuous yellow triangle.

MESOSOMA AND CARAPACE: The mesosoma bears a median carina. Both the mesosoma and carapace are densely granulated, only the interocular area is smooth. The seventh sternite is smooth or granulated and bears four granulated carinae. The other sternites are smooth or granulated, with four smooth carinae (two lateral carinae are granulated only on the sixth sternite) and posteriorly with several solitary hairs. Pectinal teeth number 17–19.

METASOMA AND TELSON: The first segment bears 10 granulated carinae, is granulated, and lacks punctae. On the second and third segments the lateral carinae are inconspicuous or absent and punctae are present in adult females but absent in juveniles. The fourth segment has weakly developed dorsolateral carinae, and the fifth segment has two ventrolateral carinae. The fourth and fifth segments are ventrally punctate. Spaces among punctae are smooth in adults, in juveniles they may be partially granulated. The dorsal surface of all segments is mesially smooth, only in juveniles it may bear sparse granules, namely on the first segment. The entire metasoma is glabrous, but short, thin setae may issue from some punctae. The telson is punctate, lacks granules, and has several isolated hairs issuing from the punctae.

PEDIPALPS: The femur of pedipalp has four granulose to crenulate carinae. The patella has seven smooth, dark carinae, and the chela is smooth. The movable fingers bear 9–10 rows of granules with internal and external granules and 2 or 3 distal granules.

LEGS: The femur and patella bear only several solitary hairs and spines. The tibiae bear several spines, namely on the outer side. Tarsomere I of the first to third legs bears on the outer side 5–7 bristles of varying length, which, however, do not form bristlecombs. The inner sides of all legs bear two rows of spines.

AFFINITIES. The described features distinguish Orthochirus samrchelsis sp. n. from all other species of the genus. They are recounted in the key below. O. samrchelsis sp. n. is close to O. jalalabadensis sp. n. Females of these two species are similarly colored; however, O. samrchelsis sp. n. has tarsi of all legs without bristlecombs. Additional differences are given in the diagnoses. O. samrchelsis sp. n. is most similar to O. sobotniki sp. n. from Iran (see under affinities of O. sobotniki sp. n.).