Barbaracurus somalicus ( Hirst, 1907 ) Kovařík & Lowe & Šťáhlavský, 2018

Kovařík, František, Lowe, Graeme & Šťáhlavský, František, 2018, Review of the genus Babycurus Karsch, 1886 (Arachnida, Scorpiones, Buthidae), with descriptions of Barbaracurus gen. n. and two new species from Oman and Yemen, Euscorpius 267, pp. 1-41 : 25-27

Barbaracurus somalicus ( Hirst, 1907) comb. n.

( Figures 3 , 27, 34 , 54–57 , 74–75 , 83–84 , 113–146 , 263–265 , Table 1 )

Babycurus somalicus Hirst, 1907: 208 ; Lamoral & Reynders, 1975: 498; Kovařík, 1998: 104; Fet & Lowe, 2000: 79; Kovařík, 2000: 255–256, figs. 10, 21, tables 1–3; Kovařík, 2003: 134.

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE DEPOSITORY. Somaliland, Berbera and Durbar; BMNH.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. Somaliland, Berbera and Durbar , 400 ft., leg. G. W. Bury, 1♀ (holotype), BMNH; Borama, campus Amound University , 09°56'49"N 43° 13'23"E, 1394 m a.s.l., 4-5.II.2017 (locality No. 17 SA), 1♀, 9.-13.IX.2017, (locality No. 17SR, Fig. 145 ), 4♂ 3♀ 4juvs. ( Figs. 27, 35 , 113–144 , 260–261 , Nos. 1308, 1309, 1332), leg. F. Kovařík, T. Mazuch & P. Just, FKCP.

DIAGNOSIS. Total length of adult males 32–36 mm, adult female 38–47 mm. Coloration yellowish brown to grey with darker markings, chelicerae yellow without or with traces of reticulation. Pedipalp chela manus much wider in male than female, chela length/width ratio 3.45 in male and 4.15 in female; proximal margins of pedipalp fingers of female almost straight ( Fig. 57 , 135 ), of male strongly undulate so as to leave a gap with fingers closed ( Figs. 55 , 129 ); dentate margin of movable finger armed with 6 rows of granules, and a short apical row of 4 denticles ( Fig. 3 ); most proximal granule row with one external accessory granule. Pectines with 17–20 teeth in both sexes. Hemispermatophore basal lobe a weak carina ( Figs. 27, 35 ). No sexual dimorphism in length and width of metasomal segments ( Figs. 74–75 ); metasoma I with 10 carinae, II–IV with 8 carinae. Telson setose, bearing numerous long macrosetae and short, pointed subaculear tubercle; vesicle smooth, elongate, pyriform, telson length/depth ratio 2.75–2.89 in both sexes; aculeus slender, curved, shorter than vesicle.

NOTE. Until now, only the holotype and paratype females were known. The recent collection of both sexes of B. somalicus by one of us (F.K.) enables us to show photographs of live specimens, especially of the male, for the first time, and to characterize their sexual dimorphism.

COMMENTS ON LOCALITY AND LIFE STRATEGY. The first author (F.K.) visited the locality 17SA on 4–5 February 2017 (winter dry season). At this locality, the author recorded a daytime temperature of 24.7 ºC (4 February, 16:08 h), and nighttime temperatures of 21.4 ºC shortly after sunset, dropping to 19.3 ºC (minimum temperature on 5 February at 19:20 h). The recorded humidity was 41% on 5 February at 19:20 h. The first author (F.K.) again visited the same locality on 9–13 September 2017 (summer minor dry season, 17SR) and recorded maximum daytime temperatures of 29.1 ºC (10th September 2017) and 31.8 ºC (12 September 2017), and a minimum nighttime temperature of 19.6 ºC. The recorded humidity was between 31% (minimum at night) and 79% (maximum at day). All specimens were collected at night by ultraviolet (UV) detection near rocks. At this locality, in addition to B. somalicus , the first author also recorded Neobuthus sp. , Parabuthus abyssinicus Pocock, 1901 (Buthidae) and Pandinurus kmoniceki Kovařík et al., 2017 (type locality) ( Scorpionidae ). Fifty metres from this rocky site is a riverbed of an occasional river (figs. 45–48 in Kovařík et al., 2017: 18) where in addition the author recorded Gint amoudensis Kovařík et al., 2018 (type locality) ( Buthidae ), and Pandinops pugilator (Pocock, 1900) (Scorpionidae) .

Figures

Figures 1–23: Pedipalp movable finger, comparison of Barbaracurus gen. n. (1–10) and Babycurus (11–23) species. Figures 1–4: Barbaracurus gen. n., species with 6 non-imbricated almost linear rows of granules. Figure 1. B. ugartei comb. n., female holotype. Figure 2. B. sofomarensis comb. n., male paratype. Figure 3. B. somalicus comb. n., female from Somaliland, locality 17SR. Figure 4. B. subpunctatus comb. n., female from Ethiopia, locality 14EI. Figures 5–10: Barbaracurus gen. n., species with 7 non-imbricated almost linear rows of granules. Figure 5. B. exquisitus comb. n., male holotype. Figures 6–7, 10. B. zambonellii comb. n., female (6 and 10) and male (7) from Eritrea, locality 15EH. Figure 8. B. winklerorum sp. n., female paratype. Figure 9. B. yemenensis sp. n., female holotype. Figures 12–14: Babycurus, species with 6 imbricated rows of movable fingers. Figure 12. B. ansorgei, female, Congo, Bukama env., FKCP. Figure 13. B. centrurimorphus, female lectotype. Figure 14. B. pictus, female, Congo, Sampwe env., FKCP. Figures 11, 15–21: Babycurus, species with 7–8 imbricated rows of movable fingers. Figure 15. B. buettneri, female, MCSN. Figure 11, 16. B. dunlopi, male paratype. Figure 17. B. jacksoni, male, Tanzania, FKCP, No. 1189. Figure 18. B. kirki, female, Cote d’Ivoire, Comoe, FKCP. Figure 19. Babycurus melanicus, female holotype. Figure 20. B. taramassoi, female, Somalia, Belet Amin, MCSN. Figure 21. Babycurus wituensis, female lectotype. Figures 22–23: Babycurus, species with 9 imbricated rows of movable fingers. Figure 22. B. gigas, female lectotype. Figure 23. B. multisubaculeatus, female holotype. Numbers in red indicate number of granule rows in series of fingers on the left of each number (red arrows).

Figures 24–39: Hemispermatophore capsules of Barbaracurus gen. n. and Babycurus species, convex and anterior views. In each figure. left image is convex view with capsule compressed to show shape of lobes, right image anterior view to show profile of basal lobe. Figures 24–31. Color images. Figures 24–28: Barbaracurus gen. n. Figure 24. B. winklerorum sp. n., holotype. Figure 25. B. exquisitus comb. n., Oman, Jabal Akhdar hotel, 23º04'N 57º38'E. Figure 26. B. sofomarensis comb. n., paratype from the type locality. Figure 27. B. somalicus comb. n., Somaliland, Borama, locality 17SR. Figure 28. B. zambonellii comb. n., Eritrea, Filfil, locality 15EH. Figures 29–31: Babycurus. Figure 29: B. jacksoni, Tanzania. Figure 30: B. gigas, Tanzania, Usambara Mts. Figure 31: B. buettneri, Cameroon, Mamba vill., 04°07.311'N 10°11.615'E. Scale bars: 200 µm. Small numbered labels indicate specimen numbers (see lists of Material Examined). Figures 32–39. Gray scale images with basal lobes outlined in red. Figures 32–36: Barbaracurus gen. n.: B. winklerorum sp. n. (32), B. exquisitus comb. n. (33), B. sofomarensis comb. n. (34), B. somalicus comb. n. (35) and B. zambonellii comb. n. (36). Figures 37–39: Babycurus: B. jacksoni (37), B. gigas (38) and B. buettneri (39). Solid red curves indicate either the distal margin of a scoop-like basal lobe (32, 34) or a well developed carina (35–37, 39). Dashed red curves indicate either the line of attachment of a scoop-like basal lobe (32, 34) or a weakly developed carina (35–36, 38).

Figures 50–69: Pedipalp chela dorsal and external views, comparison of Barbaracurus gen. n. species. Figures 50–53: B. sofomarensis comb. n., male (50–51) and female (52–53) paratypes. Figures 54–57: B. somalicus comb. n., male (54–55) and female (56–57) from Somaliland, locality 17SR. Figures 58–61: B. zambonellii comb. n., male (58–59) and female (60–61) from Eritrea, locality 15EH. Figures 62–65: B. exquisitus comb. n., male holotype (62–63) and female (64–65) paratype. Figures 66– 69: B. winklerorum sp. n., male holotype (66–67) and female (68–69) paratype.

Figures 70–80: Metasoma and telson ventral views, comparison of Barbaracurus gen. n. species. Figures 70–71: B. exquisitus comb. n., male holotype (70) and female (71) paratype. Figures 72–73: B. sofomarensis comb. n., male (72) and female (73) paratypes. Figures 74–74: B. somalicus comb. n., male (74) and female (75) from Somaliland, locality 17SR. Figures 76–77: B. winklerorum sp. n., male holotype (76) and female (77) paratype. Figures 78: B. yemenensis sp. n., female holotype. Figures 79–80. B. zambonellii comb. n., male (79) and female (80) from Eritrea, locality 15EH.

Figures 81–89: Telson, lateral views of both sexes, comparison of Barbaracurus gen. n. species. Figures 81–82: B. exquisitus comb. n., male holotype (81) and female (82) paratype. Figures 83–84: B. somalicus comb. n., male (83) and female (84) from Somaliland, locality 17SR. Figures 85–86: B. winklerorum sp. n., male holotype (85) and female (86) paratype. Figures 87: B. yemenensis sp. n., female holotype. Figures 88–89. B. zambonellii comb. n., male (88) and female (89) from Eritrea, locality 15EH.

Figures 113–117: Barbaracurus somalicus comb. n. from Somaliland, locality 17SR. Figures 113–114. Male, dorsal (113) and ventral (114) views. Figures 115–116. Female, dorsal (115) and ventral (116) views. Figure 117. Right hemispermatophore, convex aspect. Scale bars: 10 mm (113–116), 1 mm (117).

Figures 118–127: Barbaracurus somalicus comb. n. from Somaliland, locality 17SR. Figures 118, 120, 122–124. Male, chelicerae, carapace and tergites I–III (118), sternopectinal region and sternites III–V (120), metasoma and telson, lateral (122), dorsal (123), and ventral (124) views. Figures 119, 121, 125–127. Female, chelicerae, carapace and tergites I–III (119), sternopectinal region and sternites III–V (121), metasoma and telson, lateral (125), dorsal (126), and ventral (127) views. Scale bar: 10 mm (122–127).

Figures 128–142: Barbaracurus somalicus comb. n. from Somaliland, locality 17SR. Figures 128–133. Male, pedipalp chela, dorsal (128), external (129), and ventral (130) views, pedipalp patella, dorsal (131), external (132) and ventral (133) views. Figures 134–142. Female, pedipalp chela, dorsal (134), external (135), and ventral (136) views, pedipalp patella, dorsal (137), external (138) and ventral (139) views, pedipalp femur and trochanter internal (140) and dorsal (141) views, pedipalp movable finger dentate margin (142). The trichobothrial pattern is indicated in Figures 135–138 and 140–141 (white circles).

Figures 143–144: Barbaracurus somalicus comb. n., in vivo habitus. Male (143) and female (144) from Somaliland, locality 17SR.

Figures 145–146: Figure 145. Locality of Barbaracurus somalicus comb. n., Somaliland, locality 17SR. Figure 146. Yemen, Jabal Bura NEE Al Hudaydah, 14°53'N 43°26'E, 557 m a.s.l., locality of paratype of Barbaracurus yemenensis sp. n.

Figures 255–264: Male postpachytene (255, 257, 261, 263), mitotic metaphase (259), and ideograms (256, 258, 260, 262, 264) (y axis - % of the diploid chromosome length) of Babycurus (255–260) and Barbaracurus gen. n. (261–264) species. Babycurus jacksoni (1189), Tanzania (2n=16) (255, 256), B. buettneri (1190) from Cameroon, Mamba vill., 04°07.311'N 10°11.615'E (2n=28) (257, 258) and B. gigas (914) from Tanzania (2n=30) (259, 260); Barbaracurus zambonelli comb. n. (876) from Eritrea, locality 15EH (2n=26) (261, 262) and B. somalicus comb. n. (1332), Somaliland, locality 17SR (2n=36) (263, 264). Scale bar: 5 µm (255, 257, 259, 261, 263).

Figure 265: Map showing the known distribution of genera Barbaracurus gen. n. and Babycurus in the Arabian Peninsula, Horn of Africa, Kenya and partially in Tanzania. The upper photo inset shows the type locality of Barbaracurus winklerorum sp. n.