Mesobuthus zonsteini, Kovařík & Fet & Gantenbein & Graham & Aydin & Yağmur & Šťáhlavský & Nikita & Poverennyi & Novruzov, 2022

Kovařík, František, Fet, Victor, Gantenbein, Benjamin, Graham, Matthew R., Aydin, Ersen, Yağmur, Šťáhlavský, František, Nikita, Poverennyi & Novruzov, Nizami E., 2022, A revision of the genus Mesobuthus Vachon 1950 with a description of 14 new species (Scorpiones Buthidae), Euscorpius 348, pp. 1-189 : 163-169

Mesobuthus zonsteini sp. n.

(Figures 1120–1154, 1155, 1158, Table 13) http: //zoobank. org/urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: 9569037F-

982E-4438-9F0C-FE98B284EF50

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE REPOSITORY. Uzbekistan, Navoi Province, Tamdy District , 1 km NW of Zarafshan, 22 April 1998, 41°36'N 64°11'E (41.60°N 64.18°E) ; NMPC.

REFERENCES:

Mesobuthus eupeus thersites: Fet, 1989: 98 (in part); Gantenbein et al., 2003: 413 (in part; Uzbekistan: Zarafshan).

TYPE MATERIAL. Uzbekistan, Navoi Province, Tamdy District , 1 km NW of Zarafshan, 22 April 1998, 41°36'N 64°11'E (41.60°N 64.18°E), 1♂ (holotype), leg. A. Gromov , NMPC; Tamdy District, 1–2 km from Zarafshan , 18 April 1998, 41°34'N 64°13'E (41.57°N 64.22°E), 1♀ (incomplete; paratype), leg. A. Gromov (DNA-165, 7359) , NMPC.

ETYMOLOGY. The new species is named in honor of our colleague and friend Sergei Zonstein (Tel Aviv, Israel’ originally from Kyrgyzstan) who made great contributions to arachnology over the decades. Among many other things, Sergei was instrumental in re-examining one of the most interesting scorpions known (and possibly extinct), a troglobitic Akrav israchanani Levy, 2007 (Akravidae) (see Fet et al., 2011, 2017).

DNA DATA. Mesobuthus zonsteini sp. n. was represented in our survey by a single DNA sequence from Uzbekistan (Navoi Province) ( Table 16).

DIAGNOSIS. Total length of adult male 41 mm. Trichobothrium db on fixed finger of pedipalp situated between trichobothria est and esb, very near to est. Both sexes with fingers proximally slightly twisted. Pedipalp chela length/width ratio 2.98 in female and 4.28 in male. Pectinal teeth number 28–29 in male, 24–25 in female. Chelicerae yellow, without reticulation. Pedipalps and metasoma very sparsely hirsute. Carapace and tergites yellowish brown, black pigmented; metasoma, telson, pedipalps and legs yellowish brown with spots sparsely and black part of metasoma V. Femur of pedipalp with 4–5 granulated carinae. Patella with 8 carinae. Chela lacks carinae. Movable fingers of pedipalps with 12 cutting rows of denticles and 5 terminal denticles. Central lateral and posterior lateral carinae of carapace not joined to form a continuous linear series of granules to posterior margin. Sternite VII smooth, with 4 well marked granulated carinae. Metasomal segment I with 10 carinae; segments II to IV with 8 carinae, other two carinae are indicated by incomplete row of denticles on metasomal segments II and III; segment V with 5 carinae. Metasoma with all carinae granulated. Intercarinal surfaces on metasoma I laterally smooth. Length to depth ratio of metasoma III 1.3, metasoma IV 1.8 in male. Telotarsus III ventral setation represented by short and strong spiniform setae. Tarsi hirsute, in adults with 10–15 retroinferior macrosetae on basitarsus III. Telson elongated. Anal lobe divided into two parts.

DESCRIPTION.Totallengthofadultmale 41 mm.Trichobothrium db on fixed finger of pedipalp situated between trichobothria est and esb, near to est. Both sexes have fingers proximally slightly twisted. For measurements, see Table 13.

Coloration (Figs. 1120–1121). Carapace and tergites are yellowish brown with dark pigmentation. Telson is yellow. Metasoma, pedipalps and legs are yellowish brown with several dark spots, part of metasomal segment V black. Chelicerae yellow, without reticulation, the tips of denticles on cheliceral fingers are black.

Mesosoma and carapace (Figs. 1147–1150). Carapace carinate, unevenly covered by granules of varying size; much of the granulation is fine but some granules are larger and distinctly rounded. Tergites I–VI with three carinae and are sparsely granulated. Tergite VII is pentacarinate. Pectinal tooth count 28–29 in male, 24–25 in female. Pectinal marginal tips extend to the end of the sternite IV in male and female. Pectines have three marginal lamellae and eight to nine middle lamellae. Lamellae with numerous long setae, each fulcrum with three to five dark setae. All sternites are smooth and sparsely hirsute. Sternite VII with four well marked granulated carinae. Other sternites have two furrows.

Pedipalps (Figs. 1127–1146). Pedipalps hirsute and smooth. Femur has four to five granulated carinae, the middle carina on internal surface consists of strong irregular granules. Patella with eight carinae, of which internal and dorsal are granulated. The chela is smooth. Movable fingers of pedipalps have 11–12 cutting rows of denticles, each with external and internal denticles present, and five terminal denticles.

Legs (Figs. 1151–1154). Telotarsus III ventral setation represented by short and strong spiniform setae. Tarsi hirsute, in adults with 10–15 retroinferior macrosetae on basitarsus III. Femur with only several macrosetae. Femur and patella with carinae well developed. Tibial spurs present and media to strong on legs III and IV and absent on the other legs.

Metasoma and telson (Figs. 1122–1126). All metasomal segments only sparsely hirsute. Metasomal segment I with 10 carinae, II–III with 8 carinae but other two lateromedian carinae are indicated by incomplete row of granules, IV with 8 carinae, and V with 5 carinae. Metasoma with all carinae granulated. Intercarinal surfaces on metasoma smooth. Ventrolateral carinae of metasoma V posteriorly and metasoma II–III laterally with several large lobate denticles. Telson is very sparsely hirsute, elongate and smooth. Anal lobe divided into two parts.

DISTRIBUTION. Uzbekistan (Figs. 1155, 1158).