Scorpiops hofereki, Kovařík, 2020

Kovařík, František, 2020, Nine new species of Scorpiops Peters, 1861 (Scorpiones: Scorpiopidae) from China, India, Nepal, and Pakistan, Euscorpius 302, pp. 1-43 : 10-17

Scorpiops hofereki sp. n.

( Figures 69–92 , 240 , Table 1) http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:10A76C0E-

2759-47A0-8063-7DE46ADA205C

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE REPOSITORY. Pakistan, Gilgit- Baltistan Region , Diamer District, Chilas, ca 35°25’N 74°06’E ; FKCP.

TYPE MATERIAL. Pakistan, Gilgit-Baltistan Region, Diamer District, Chilas , ca 35°25’N 74°06’E, 1♀ (holotype), 2005 , FKCP; Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly North-West Frontier) Province, Mansehra District, Kaghan Valley , Thathabaya , 2200 m a. s. l., 34.60°N 73.433°E, 1♀ (paratype), 2005 , FKCP. ETYMOLOGY. The specific epithet honors David Hoferek (Czech Republic) for his contribution to understanding scorpions .

DIAGNOSIS (♀). Total length 48–60 mm. Base color uniformly reddish brown to black, telson and tarsomere II of legs yellowish to reddish brown. Pectinal teeth number 4–6 in females, fulcra absent; marginal lamella I (basal) present, the remaining pectinal surface forming one compact unit. Patella of pedipalp with 17 (5 eb, 2 esb, 2 em, 4 est, 4 et) external and 7 ventral trichobothria. Chela of pedipalp with 4 ventral trichobothria located on ventral surface. Chelal trichobothrium Eb 3 located in lower half of external surface between trichobothria Dt and Db. Fingers of pedipalps undulate in females. Chela length to width ratio 2.9–3.1 in females. Pedipalp movable finger with ca 38 IAD, which form a second row, parallel to MD (62–68 in number); there are also 5 ID and 9–10 OD present. Tarsomere II of legs with 6–9 stout median ventral spines in a row and two other parallel spines. Telson bulbous and finely granulate, length to depth ratio 2.6–3 in females; annular ring present.

DESCRIPTION (♀). Total length 48–60 mm of females, male unknown. The habitus is shown in Figs. 69–70 . For position and distribution of trichobothria of pedipalps see Figs. 74–80 . Fingers of pedipalps are undulate in females ( Fig. 75 ).

Coloration ( Figs. 69–70 ). The base color is uniformly reddish brown (holotype) to black (paratype). The telson and tarsomere II of legs yellowish to reddish brown. Chelicerae are reddish black and reticulate.

Carapace and mesosoma ( Figs. 83–84, 88 ). The entire carapace is covered with large and minute granules; carinae are absent but larger granules form two parallel rows in the anterior part of carapace. The anterior margin of the carapace is markedly depressed, convex in the middle. The carapace bears three lateral eyes, of which one can be reduced. The mesosoma is granulated, with one median carina. Tergite VII is pentacarinate. The sternites are finely granulated with two parallel furrows except sternite VII, which bears four sparsely granulate carinae. Pectinal teeth number 4–6 in females, fulcra are absent. The pectens have marginal lamella I (basal) present, the remainder of the pectinal surface forming one compact unit. Metasoma and telson ( Figs. 71–73 , 87 ). The metasoma is very sparsely hirsute and granulated, with relatively large granules. Metasomal segment I with 10 carinae, II–IV with 8 carinae, and V with 5 carinae. The median lateral carinae of metasoma V are indicated by isolated granules that may coalesce into carinae. The dorsolateral carinae of segments III and IV are granulate with sharp granules, which are not posteriorly terminated with a pronounced tooth. The telson is bulbous and sparsely granulate, with annular ring present.

Pedipalps ( Figs. 74–82 ). The pedipalps are very sparsely hirsute. The patella bears 17 (5 eb, 2 esb, 2 em, 4 est, 4 et) external and 7 ventral trichobothria. The chela bears 4 ventral trichobothria located on ventral surface. The femur and patella are granulated. The femur has 5 granulose carinae and the patella has 5 complete carinae with dorsal and ventral patellar spurs present but reduced. The manus dorsally bears fine, rounded reticulated granules. The external surface of the chela is covered by minute and larger sparse granules, which form another almost complete carina. The movable fingers with 9–10 IAD, parallel with MD (62–68 in number) and there are also 5 ID and 9–10 OD present.

Legs ( Figs. 89–92 ). The tibia and tarsomeres of legs with several setae not arranged into bristlecombs on dorsal surfaces but with rows of spines on dorsolateral and ventrolateral surface. Tarsomere II of legs I–IV with 6–9 stout median ventral spines in a row and two other parallel spines. The femur bears 3–4 and patella, 4–5 incomplete carinae; both femur and patella are finely granulated.

Measurements. See Table 1.

AFFINITIES. The described features distinguish S. hofereki sp. n. from all other species of the genus. The combination of four characters (chelal trichobothrium Eb 3 located in proximal half of external surface between trichobothria Dt and Db; total length over 45 mm; fingers of pedipalps undulate in females; chela length to width ratio 2.9–3.1 in females; and patella of pedipalp with 7 ventral trichobothria) is unique in the entire genus Scorpiops .

DISTRIBUTION. Pakistan ( Fig. 240 ).

Figures

Figure 240. Map of distribution of nine new species described here and Scorpiops vonwicki Birula, 1913.

Figures 69–73. Scorpiops hofereki sp. n., female holotype. Dorsal (69) and ventral (70) views. Metasoma and telson lateral (71), ventral (72), and dorsal (73) views. Scale bars: 10 mm (69–70, 71–73).

Figures 74–82. Scorpiops hofereki sp. n., female holotype, pedipalp segments. Chela dorsal (74), external (75) and ventral (76) views. Patella dorsal (77), external (78) and ventral (79) views. Femur and trochanter dorsal (80) and ventral (81) views. Movable finger dentition (82). Trichobothrial pattern is indicated by white circles.

Figures 83–92. Scorpiops hofereki sp. n., female holotype. Carapace and tergites I–III (83), posterior coxosternal area and sternites III–IV (84). Right chelicera in dorsal (85) and ventral (86) views. Telson lateral (87). Pectine (88). Left legs I–IV, retrolateral aspect (89–92 respectively).