Vaejovinae Thorell, 1876

Soleglad, Michael E. & Fet, Victor, 2008, Contributions to scorpion systematics. III. Subfamilies Smeringurinae and Syntropinae (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae), Euscorpius 71 (71), pp. 1-115 : 97

Subfamily Vaejovinae Thorell, 1876

Type Genus. Vaejovis C. L. Koch, 1836 .

References:

Vejovoidae: Thorell, 1876: 10 (as family, in part).

Vejovini (as subfamily, in part): Kraepelin, 1894: 7,

181–183; Laurie, 1896: 130.

Vejovinae (in part): Kraepelin, 1905: 340; Birula,

1917a: 162, 163; Birula, 1917b: 57; Werner,

1934: 281–282; Mello-Leitão, 1945: 118;

Stahnke, 1974: 113, 118–120.

Vaejovinae (in part): Nenilin & Fet, 1992: 9.

Composition. This subfamily, as defined here, includes the genera Franckeus , Pseudouroctonus , Uroctonites , and Vaejovis .

Distribution. USA, Mexico.

Diagnosis. Scorpions in the subfamily Vaejovinae can be distinguished by the following characters: Genital operculum sclerites of female separate on posterior one-fifth to two-fifths, operating as a single unit, connected to mesosoma on distal aspect; ib–it positioned basal on finger, considerably proximal of last inner denticle (ID); chelal trichobothria V 2 –V 3 distance approximately same as V 1 –V 2; fixed finger trichobothria dsb and dst positioned distal of esb and est, respectively; hemispermatophore without conspicuous basal constriction; setal combs absent on legs; serrula well developed; dorsal carinal terminus of metasomal segments I–III essentially straight (not rounded) terminating with an enlarged denticle; dorsolateral carinae of metasomal segment IV conspicuously flared at the terminus, not coinciding with the articulation condyle.

Taxonomic history. Vaejovid subfamilies were last defined by Stahnke (1974). Due to further removal of Iurinae, Scorpiopsinae, and Hadrurinae from this family (Francke & Soleglad, 1981; Stockwell, 1992), the only two subfamilies of Vaejovidae that remained were Syntropinae and the nominotypic Vaejovinae . Sissom (2000: 504) listed Syntropinae as synonym of Vaejovidae , noting that “it is not practical at this point to recognize subfamilies.” Soleglad & Fet (2003b) formally synonymized Syntropinae with Vaejovidae . Here, we restored subfamily Syntropinae from synonymy and revised its scope (see above); we also established a new subfamily Smeringurinae . The nominotypic subfamily Vaejovinae is now also valid by default, albeit in dramatically reduced volume. This subfamily, however, so far remains unrevised; at this time, it includes four valid genera: Franckeus , Pseudouroctonus , Uroctonites , and a considerably reduced Vaejovis (see below).

Discussion. Since this subfamily was not revised, we do not provide diagnoses or discussions of its various taxonomic components. However, in the key provided below, the genera are defined with detailed diagnostic characters.