Scorpiops langxian Zhu, Qi et Lourenço, 2005

Qi, Jian-Xin, Zhu, Ming-Sheng & Lourenço, Wilson R., 2005, Eight new species of the genera Scorpiops Peters, Euscorpiops Vachon, and Chaerilus Simon (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae, Chaerilidae) from Tibet and Yunnan, China, Euscorpius 32 (32), pp. 1-40 : 10-14

Scorpiops langxian Zhu, Qi et Lourenço , sp. n.

( Figs. 32–46 )

Diagnosis: In accordance with the grouping of species proposed by Kovařík (2000a) for the genus Scorpiops , the new species, which has seven trichobothria on the ventral surface of the patella, has to be placed in Scorpiops leptochirus group. The new species differs from other members of the group with seven trichobothria ( Scorpiops braunwalderi Kovařík, 2000 , S. feti Kovařík, 2000 , and S. leptochirus Pocock, 1893 ) in possessing a much less wide manus and in being densely covered with fine compact granules on dorsal surface (see Fig. 33 ). Furthermore, the fingers of pedipalps are flexed in both sexes ( Figs. 33-36 ), whereas in the abovementioned three species they are nearly straight.

Comments. Scorpiops langxian sp. n. can be distinguished from other Scorpiops species, and in particular from S. leptochirus Pocock, 1893 , the most geographically close species of the genus, by the following features: (a) entire carapace is densely covered with fine compact granules; (b) all tergites are finely granular; (c) fingers of pedipalps are flexed in both sexes.

Material. 1♂ holotype male, Tibet, Lang district (29°02' N, 93°08' E), June to August 2004, Ai-Min Shi and Yi-Bin Ba leg. ( MHBU) ; Paratypes 1 ♀, 1 ♂ same data as holotype ( MHBU) ; 1 ♀, Tibet, Nyingchi district (29°34' N, 94.30° E), Baishuwang town , 21 August 2003, Feng Zhang leg. ( MNHN) .

Etymology. The specific name refers to Lang district of Tibet, type locality of the new species.

Description (based on male holotype):

Coloration: Basically dark brown without any diffuse variegated fuscous spots. Carapace is dark brown. Tergites are dark brown. Metasoma segments are black brown with pale stripes; vesicle is brown with the extremity yellowish. Chelicerae is black brown, and its fingers are dark brown with the top pale brown. Pedipalps are yellow with dark brown stripes. Legs bear brown spots; the claws of legs is reddish-brown. Venter and sternites are pale dark brown.

Morphology: Carapace lustrous and acarinate, lateral furrow broad and flat, posterior median furrow shallow slit-shaped; with dense, minute punctation. Median eyes are anterior to the center of the carapace; three pairs of lateral eyes. Sternum is pentagonal, longer than wide. Tergites are almost acarinate, with scattered small punctations; tergite I has almost no carinae, downwards, the median carina gradually becomes distinct to finely granular; tergite VII with a median carina and two pairs of lateral carinae. Pectinal tooth count 8-8, fulcra absent. Sternites are almost smooth and shiny; sternite VII is granular, with four smooth granular carinae. Metasoma segments II to V are longer than wide; segments I to V have 10-10-10-10-7 carinae; only on segment I all the carinae are distinct; segments II-IV with a pair of lateral carinae weakened; segments I-IV only with a pair of dorsal carinae crenulated, other carinae with smooth granules; the tegument is coarsely granular; dorsal carinae of segments V are irregularly granular with small granulation ventrally. Vesicle is smooth and shiny with small punctations.

Pedipalps: femur with dorsointernal, dorsoexternal, ventrointernal and ventroexternal crenulated carinae; tegument with evenly scattered coarse granules dorsally and smooth granules ventrally. Patella with dorsointernal, ventrointernal, ventroexternal and external carinae with smooth granules; two spinoid granules present on the internal aspect, the internal-ventral spinoid granule being much larger than the internal-dorsal one; tegument with coarse granules dorsally and almost everywhere with smooth granules ventrally. Chela with dorsal marginal, external secondary, and ventral internal carinae, all smooth; ventral median carina is strong; other carinae are vestigial or absent; tegument is granulated dorsally and punctated ventrally. Trichobothriotaxy type C (Vachon, 1974). Chela with four ventral trichobothria. Patella with 17 external and seven ventral trichobothria.

Female paratype. Coloration and morphology are very similar to that of the male holotype. Some of the segments are slightly bulkier. Pectinal tooth count 6-6. Manus is narrower than in male.

Measurements (male holotype /female paratype). Total length, 57.52/57.76. Carapace: length, 6.76/7.27; anterior width, 3.70/3.06; posterior width, 7.91/7.65. Metasomal segment I: length, 3.32/3.44; width, 3.70/3.44. Metasomal segment V: length, 8.29/7.65; width, 2.81/2.42; depth, 2.81/2.55. Vesicle: width, 3.70/2.81; depth, 3.57/2.68. Pedipalp: femur length, 5.74/5.23, width, 2.93/2.81; patella length, 5.87/5.87, width, 3.57/3.06; chela length, 7.01/7.27, width, 6.12/5.87, depth, 4. 46/4. 08; movable finger length, 6.89/7.01.

Figures

Figure 32: Scorpiops langxian sp. n., male holotype, habitus. Total length 57.52 mm.

Figures 33–36: Scorpiops langxian sp. n., male holotype. Chela dorsoexternal, internal and external aspects. 36 same as 35, female paratype. Scales = 1 mm.

Figures 37–46: Scorpiops langxian sp. n., male holotype. 37. Femur, dorsal aspect. 38–40. Patella, dorsal, external and ventral aspects. 41–42. Chelicera, dorsal and ventral aspects. 43. Telson, lateral aspect. 44. Dentate margin of the pedipalp chela movable finger. 45. Paraxial organ, external aspect. 46. Genital operculum and pectines. Scales = 1 mm.