Mesobuthus elenae, Fet & Kovařík & Gantenbein & Kaiser & Stewart & Graham, 2018

Fet, Victor, Kovařík, František, Gantenbein, Benjamin, Kaiser, Ronald C., Stewart, Alexander K. & Graham, Matthew R., 2018, Revision of the Mesobuthus caucasicus complex from Central Asia with descriptions of six new species (Scorpiones Buthidae), Euscorpius 255, pp. 1-77 : 12-16

Mesobuthus elenae sp. n.

( Figs. 42–62, 276, 289, 306, 319, Tables 1, 5–6) http: //zoobank. org/urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: A371244

2-855C-4175-9BEE-6745C416DC61

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE REPOSITORY. Uzbekistan, Surxondaryo Province , Angor District, Kattakum Sands, ca. 4 km NE of Uchkyzyl ; FKCP.

R EFERENCES:

Mesobuthus caucasicus parthorum (nec Pocock, 1889): Fet, 198 9: 107 (in part; Jarkurgan; Termez).

Mesobuthus caucasicus (nec Nordmann, 18 40): Gantenbein et al., 2003: 413 (in part; Jarkurgan). ETYMOLOGY. The species is named in honor of Elena Kreuzberg-Mukhina (Ottawa, Canada), a prominent ornithologist and conservationist whose decades of field work were devoted to the Uzbekistan deserts and mountains.

DISTRIBUTION. Tajikistan, Uzbekistan ( Figs. 328, A 3).

TYPE MATERIAL. Tajikistan, Khatlon Province, Haartuz District, Kurjalakum Sands , 37.1352°N 68.1577°E, 2 May 2002, 1♀ 2juvs.(♂ ♀) (paratypes), leg. A. Feodorov ( NMPC) . Uzbekistan, Surxondaryo Province, Angor District, Kattakum Sands , ca. 4 km NE of Uchkyzyl, 37. 3722°N 67.2730°E, 28 April 2002, 2♀ (holotype, Figs. 42–62, 276, 289, 306, and paratype) 2juvs.(♂ ♀, paratypes), leg. VF & AG ( FKCP) .

OTHER MATERIAL STUDIED. Uzbekistan, Surxondaryo Province , Jarkurgan District, ca. 3 km W of Jarkurgan, 37.5055°N 67.3688°E, 365 m a.s.l., 26 April 2002, 1juv., leg. VF & AG ( VFPC).

DIAGNOSIS. Total length of adult females 74–80, adult male unknown. Trichobothrium db on fixed finger of pedipalp situated between trichobothria est and esb, near to est. Female with fingers proximally little twisted. Pedipalp chela length/ width ratio 3.54–4.11 in females. Pectinal teeth number 25–27 in males, 21–22 in females. Chelicerae yellow, without reticulation. Pedipalps and metasoma very sparsely hirsute. Color uniformly white to yellowish brown, black pigmented mainly dorsolateral carinae on pedipalp femur and patella. Femur of pedipalp with 4–5 granulate carinae. Patella with 8 granulate or smooth carinae. Chela with smooth carinae indicated. Movable fingers of pedipalps with 12 cutting rows of denticles and 5 terminal denticles. Seventh sternite bears 4 well marked granulate carinae. First metasomal segment with 10 carinae; second to fourth with 8 carinae, other two carinae on metasomal segment II could be indicated by several denticles posteriorly; fifth with 5 carinae. Dorsal carinae on metasomal segments I–IV composed of consistent small blunt denticles. Length to width ratio of fourth metasomal segment 1.70–1.80 in females. Telotarsus III ventral setation in two rows, each containing more than 16 long setae. Pedal spur of legs densely hirsute.

DESCRIPTION. The total length of adult females 74–80, adult male unknown. Trichobothrium db on fixed finger of pedipalp is situated between trichobothria est and esb, near to est. Female has the fingers proximally a little twisted. Chelicerae yellow, without reticulation, the tips of teeth on cheliceral fingers are black. For the position and distribution of trichobothria see Figs. 53–57, 59–60. For measurements see Tables 1 and 5.

COLORATION ( Figs. 42–43). The color uniformly white to yellowish brown, black pigmented mainly dorsolateral carinae on pedipalp femur and patella. The black pigment indicated also in ventral surface of metasoma and femur of legs.

MESOSOMA AND CARAPACE ( Figs. 48–49). The carapace is carinate and unevenly covered by granules of varying size; much of the granulation is fine, but some granules are larger and distinctly rounded. Tergites I–VI bear three carinae and are granulated, with some intercarinal granules small and others larger and rounded. Tergite VII is pentacarinate. The pectinal tooth count is 25–27 in males, 21–23 in females. The pectinal marginal tips extend to about half of the fourth sternite in females. The pectines have three marginal lamellae and six to eight middle lamellae. The lamellae bear numerous long setae, each fulcrum with three to five setae. All sternites are smooth and sparsely hirsute. The seventh sternite bears four well marked granulate carinae. The other sternites bear two furrows.

PEDIPALPS ( Figs. 53–62). The pedipalps are sparsely hirsute and smooth. The femur bears four to five granulated carinae, the middle carina on internal surface could be incomplete indicated by several strong denticles. The patella bears eight carinae from which internal and dorsal are granulated in females. The chela is smooth but carinae are indicated. The movable fingers of pedipalps bear 12 cutting rows of denticles, every with external and internal denticles present, and five terminal denticles.

LEGS ( Figs. 44–47). The tarsomeres bear two rows of long setae on the ventral surface and numerous macrosetae on the other surfaces. Ventral setation of tarsomere II (telotarsus) in two rows which every contains more than 16 long setae. Pedal spur of legs densely hirsute. Femur bears only several macrosetae. Femur and patella with carinae well developed. Tibial spurs present and moderate on third and fourth legs and absent in the other legs.

METASOMA AND TELSON ( Figs. 50–52). All metasomal segments are only very sparsely hirsute. The metasomal segment I with 10 carinae, II with 8 carinae but other two lateromedian carinae are indicated by incomplete row of denticles, III–IV with 8 carinae, and V with 5 carinae. All carinae granulated, dorsal carinae on metasomal segments I–IV composed from consistent small blunt denticles. The dorsal surface of all segments is smooth in the middle and bumpy on margins. Other surfaces are bumpy with several solitary granules. Ventrolateral carinae of metasomal segment V posteriorly with several large denticles. The telson is only sparsely hirsute, rather elongate, bumpy and smooth.