Heterometrus liophysa ( Thorell, 1888 )

Kovařík, František, 2004, A review of the genus Heterometrus Ehrenberg, 1828, with descriptions of seven new species (Scorpiones, Scorpionidae), Euscorpius 15 (15), pp. 1-60 : 21-23

Heterometrus liophysa ( Thorell, 1888)

( Fig. 17 )

Palamnaeus liophysa Thorell, 1888: 415 .

Scorpio longimanus liophysa : Kraepelin, 1895: 41. Heterometrus liophysa : Kraepelin, 1899: 112; Werner, 1916: 91; Lampe, 1918: 198; Kopstein, 1921: 131; Kopstein, 1923: 184; Takashima, 1945: 91.

Heterometrus (Heterometrus) liophysa : Kovařík, 1998: 137; Fet, 2000: 433; Kovařík, 2002: 17.

Heterometrus liophysa liophysa : Giltay, 1931: 9.

Heterometrus (Heterometrus) liophysa liophysa Couzijn, 1981: 111 ; Fet, 2000: 433

= Heterometrus liophysa madoerensis Kopstein, 1921: 132 ; Giltay, 1931: 9. Syn. n.

Heterometrus (Heterometrus) madoerensis Couzijn, 1981: 116 ; Kovařík, 1998: 137; Fet, 2000: 436.

= Heterometrus laevifrons Roewer, 1943: 228 . Syn. n.

Heterometrus (Heterometrus) liophysa laevifrons : Couzijn, 1981: 114; Kovařík, 1998: 137; Fet, 2000: 433; Kovařík, 2002: 17.

Heterometrus (Heterometrus) liophysa separatus Couzijn, 1981: 115 ; Kovařík, 1998: 137; Fet, 2000: 433. Heterometrus (Heterometrus) liophysa spartanicus Couzijn, 1981: 115 ; Kovařík, 1998: 137; Fet, 2000: 434.

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE REPOSITORY. Indonesia, Sumatra, Ajer Mancior – syntypes MCSN probably lost; neotype from Indonesia, Sumatra, Padang designated by Couzijn (1981: 111); RMNH .

TYPE MATERIAL EXAMINED. Indonesia, Mentawei Islands , Siberut, 2juvs. (♂ holotype and ♀ paratype of Heterometrus laevifrons Roewer, 1943 ), SMFD No. 8883/225 .

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED. Indonesia, Sumatra, Padang, 2♂ (ims.), SMFD No. 5278; Sumatra, Bunga Bondar, 1911, 1♂, 28.X.1911, 2♂, leg. Schütze, SMFD No. 5323 and 18158; Sumatra, Nias , 1♀, leg. P. Beyer, SMFD No. 5322; Padang env., 1♂ 1♀, 1980, FKCP; Mentawai islands , Suberut Island , Muarasiberut , 0–150 m, 15–20.VIII.1995, 2juvs., leg. P. Beron & T. Ivanova, SOFM Nos 180 and 182 .

DIAGNOSIS. Adults 110–140 mm long. Base color of adults uniformly black to reddish black. Pectinal teeth number 13–18 in both sexes. Male with chela, femur and patella of pedipalp narrower and longer than in female. Male fingers of pedipalp very long. Fixed finger longer or at least as long as manus. Chela slightly lobiform, in male widest basally and markedly narrowing toward fingers, its length to width ratio ca. 3.0 in male, ca. 2.2 in female. Much of manus smooth. Patella of pedipalp with pronounced internal tubercle. Carapace granulate. Telson hirsute, elongate, vesicle longer than aculeus.

COMMENTS. H. laevifrons Roewer, 1943 was based on juveniles (examined), which cannot be distinguished from the nominotypical subspecies. Couzijn (1981) described two more subspecies, H. l. separatus from Weh and H. l. spartanicus from Babi. I have not been able to verify the status of these two taxons.

Couzijn (1981: 116) elevated H. l. madoerensis Kopstein, 1921 to species, although it is known only by an immature female from Madura ( Indonesia). I have not been able to study this specimen, but I have seen many females of H. cimrmani sp. n., H. liophysa , H. longimanus , and H. spinifer and have to say that distinguishing these valid taxa on solitary, lest immature, females is very difficult and often impossible. For this reason I place H. madoerensis in synonymy of H. liophysa .

DISTRIBUTION. Indonesia – Sumatra and Mentawei, Nias, Babi, Batu and Weh Islands ( Thorell, 1888: 415; Couzijn, 1981: 111–116; Fet, 2000: 433–434).

Figures

Figure 17: Heterometrus liophysa, dorsal view, male.