Buthacus Occurring

Cain, Shlomo, Gefen, Eran & Prendini, Lorenzo, 2021, Systematic Revision Of The Sand Scorpions, Genus Buthacus Birula, 1908 (Buthidae C. L. Koch, 1837) Of The Levant, With Redescription Of Buthacus Arenicola (Simon, 1885) From Algeria And Tunisia, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2021 (450), pp. 1-137 : 24-25

Key to the Species of Buthacus Occurring in the Levant

1. Metasomal segments IV, V and telson, intercarinal surfaces granular and matte (figs. 27A–C, 29C, E, G)........................................2

– Metasomal segments IV, V and telson, intercarinal surfaces smooth and glabrous (figs. 27D, 28, 29A, B, D, F, H).................................4

2. Pectinal tooth count>22 (♂, ♀; fig. 19C–F); metasomal segments, dorsosubmedian and dorsolateral carinae, and telson, ventral surface densely setose (figs. 23B, C, 25B, C, 29E, G); legs I and II, telotarsal ungues equal in length (fig. 22E, G)......................................3

– Pectinal tooth count ≤22 (♂, 18–22; ♀, 12–14; fig. 19A, B); metasomal segments, dorsosubmedian and dorsolateral carinae, and telson, ventral surface sparsely setose (figs. 23A, 25A, 29C); legs I and II, telotarsal ungues unequal in length (fig. 22C) ……………...................... B. arava , sp. nov.

3. Metasomal segments II and III, ventrosubmedian and ventrolateral carinae, and V, ventrolateral carinae well developed, posterior processes greatly enlarged, lobate (figs. 25B, 27B)................ B. tadmorensis , stat. rev.

– Metasomal segments II and III, ventrosubmedian and ventrolateral carinae, and V, ventrolateral carinae weakly developed, posterior processes slightly enlarged, spiniform (figs. 25C, 27C).......... B. yotvatensis , stat. rev.

4. Pedipalp chela of adult ♂ narrow (fig. 44A, B), manus width:chela length, 19.4% (17.1%– 21.3%), resembling chela of adult ♀ (fig. 44C, D), 17% (15.6%–19.6%); chela movable finger, retrolateral accessory denticles usually absent (fig. 21E, F); metasomal segment V ventrolateral carinae, posterior spiniform granules uniformly small (fig. 26A) ..... ....................................... B. levyi , sp. nov.

– Pedipalp chela of adult ♂ broad (figs. 32A, B, 41A, B, 47A, B), manus width:chela length, 27.1% (25.1%–28.9%) in B. amitaii , sp. nov., 24.2% in B. leptochelys , and 26.3% (22.3%–29.5%) in B. nitzani , stat. nov., unlike chela of adult ♀ (figs. 32C, D, 41C, D, 47C, D), 19.3% (18–20.8), 16.7% (15.9%– 17.3%), 19.9% (18%–24.1%), respectively; chela movable finger, retrolateral accessory denticles usually present (fig. 21A, D, G); metasomal segment V ventrolateral carinae, posterior spiniform granules variable, some large (fig. 26B–D)..................................5

5. Total length> 59 mm; pedipalp chela of adult ♂ long (fig. 41A, B), e.g., manus length:movable finger length, 70.7%; pectinal tooth count>35 (32–39) in ♂,>27 (27–31) in ♀ .............................. B. leptochelys

– Total length <59 mm; pedipalp chela of adult ♂ short (figs. 32A, B, 47A, B), manus length:movable finger length, 81.8% (72.7%– 88.3%) in B. amitaii , sp. nov., and 84.4% (76.8%–92.4%) in B. nitzani , stat. nov.; pectinal tooth count ≤35 (26–35) in ♂, ≤27 (20–27) in ♀ (fig. 20A–D)………………..6

6. Metasomal segments II and III, ventrosubmedian and ventrolateral carinae well developed, posterior granules slightly enlarged, spiniform; segment V ventrolateral carinae, posterior granules enlarged, lobate (figs. 28D, 26D)................... ........................................... B. amitaii , sp. nov.

– Metasomal segments II and III, ventrosubmedian and ventrolateral carinae weakly developed, posterior granules similar to preceding granules; segment V ventrolateral carinae, posterior granules slightly enlarged, spiniform (figs. 28C, 26C).... ....................................... B. nitzani , stat. nov.