Euscorpiops shidian 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 : 18-25

Euscorpiops shidian Zhu, Qi et Lourenço , sp. n.

( Figs. 78–93 )

Diagnosis. The new species has 11 trichobothria on the ventral surface of the patella ( Fig. 87 ). It has a pair of small median eyes, which are almost as large as lateral eyes. It has 7-8 pectinal teeth ( Figs. 92 and 93 ). Each of the dorsal carinae on metasomal segments ends in a pair of small pointed spines ( Fig. 78 ).

Comments. Euscorpiops shidian sp. n., can be distinguished from other Euscorpiops species by the following features: (a) 11 ventral trichobothria on the patella; (b) pectinal tooth count 7; (c) body basically brown; (d) all dorsal carinae of each segment end in a pair of small pointed spines.

Material. Holotype male, Yunnan Province, Shidian district (24.43°N, E. 99.09°E), Jiucheng town , 15 June 2004, Ying-Da Zhang and Zi-Zhong Yang leg. ( MHBU); paratypes: 3 females, same data as holotype (one in MNHN, the others in MHBU).

Etymology. The specific name refers to Shidian district of Yunnan Province, type locality of the new species.

Description (based on male holotype):

Coloration: Basically brown without any diffuse variegated fuscous spots. Carapace is brown, with some black area near the eyes. Tergites are dark brown. Metasomal segments are black brown; vesicle is reddish-brown, with the end of the aculeus dark reddish. Chelicerae is yellow and its fingers uniformly dark reddish.. Pedipalps are dark reddish-brown. The claws of legs are light reddish-brown. Venter and sternites are yellow.

Morphology: Carapace is lustrous; lateral furrow broad and flat; posterior median furrow shallow, slit-shaped; dorsal surface is finely granular; anteromedian carinae are irregularly granular; three pairs of lateral eyes. Median ocular tubercle is smooth and forms an obvious promontory with a pair of small median eyes, located anterior to the center of the carapace. Sternum is pentagonal and longer than wide. Tergites are almost acarinate, with sparse small punctations except for tergite VII which has a median and two pair of lateral carinae. Pectinal tooth count 7. Sternites are smooth, sternite VII has four coarsely granular, weak carinae. Metasomal segments II to V are longer than wide; segments I to V have 10-8-8-8-7 carinae; the dorsal carinae on segments I to IV is a single spinoid posterior granule; the tegument punctated; dorsal carinae of segment V are minutely granular. Vesicle surface is coarse.

Pedipalps: each segment is flat. Femur with dorsal internal and dorsal external carinae coarsely granular, ventral internal and ventral external carinae, which are crenulate; tegument bears pale stripes. Patella with dorsal internal, ventral internal, ventral external and external carinae, which are smooth; two spinoid granules present on the internal aspect, the internal-ventral spinoid granule being much larger than the internal-dorsal one; tegument is coarsely granular dorsally and smooth ventrally. Chela with dorsal marginal, external secondary, and ventral internal carinae, which are coarsely granular; ventral median carina is strong; other carinae are vestigial or absent; tegument is granulated dorsally and punctated ventrally, with pale reticulation stripes.

Trichobothriotaxy type C (Vachon, 1974). Chela with 4 ventral trichobothria. Patella with 17 external and 11 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 7-7. Telson is smaller than that of the male.

Measurements (male holotype /female paratype). Total length, 48.85/59.81. Carapace: length, 7.40/7.78; anterior width, 3.32/3.44; posterior width, 7.40/8.29. Metasomal segment I: length, 2.30/2.42; width, 2.81/3.06. Metasomal segment V: length, 9.56/6.38; width, 2.68/1.91; depth, 2.81/2.17. Vesicle: width, 3.95/2.30; depth, 3.83/2.17. Pedipalp: femur length, 8.93/7.65, width, 3.70/3.19; patella length, 8.296.38/6.38, width, 4.08/3.70; chela length, 10.20/9.05, width, 6.38/3.83, depth, 4.59/3.95; movable finger length, 9.82/7.91.

Figures

Figure 78: Euscorpiops shidian sp. n., male holotype, habitus. Total length 48.85 mm.

Figures 79–83: Euscorpiops shidian sp. n., male holotype. Chela, dorsoexternal, external, ventral and internal aspects. 83 same as 82, female paratype. Scales = 1 mm.

Figures 84–93: Euscorpiops shidian sp. n., male holotype. 84. Femur, dorsal aspect. 85–87. Patella, dorsal, external and ventral aspects. 88–89. Chelicera, dorsal and ventral aspects. 90. Telson, lateral aspect. 91. Dentate margin of the pedipalp chela movable finger. 92. Sternum, genital operculum and pectines. 93 same as 92, female paratype. Scales = 1 mm.