Vejovoidus Stahnke, 1974

Soleglad, Michael E. & Fet, Victor, 2008, Contributions to scorpion systematics. III. Subfamilies Smeringurinae and Syntropinae (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae), Euscorpius 71 (71), pp. 1-115 : 82

Genus Vejovoidus Stahnke, 1974

Type Species. Syntropis longiunguis Williams, 1969

[= Vejovoides longiunguis (Williams, 1969) ].

References:

Vejovoidus : Stahnke, 1974: 120–122; Williams,

1980: 112–113, fig. 50, 108A, C, D, 109–111;

Sissom, 1990a: 110, 114; Stockwell, 1992: 409,

416, figs. 5 6, 57; Fet et al., 1998: 613, 614, figs.

1, 8; Kovařík, 1998: 148; Beutelspacher, 2000:

55; Sissom, 2000: 552; Soleglad & Fet, 2003b:

88.

Vaejovoidus : Nenilin & Fet, 1992: 10.

Composition. This monotypic genus includes the single species, V. longiunguis (Williams, 1969) .

Distribution. Mexico (Baja California, Baja California Sur).

This genus, with its sole ultrapsammophile species, is endemic of the Vizcaino Desert including both Baja California on the extreme southern edge and Baja California Sur to Laguna San Ignacio (see map in Fig. 197 ).

Diagnosis. One ventromedian (VM) carina present on metasomal segments I–IV; ungues of legs elongated and asymmetric; ventral aspect of leg tarsus clothed in an exaggerated cluster of elongated curved setae scattered over its entire surface; lamina of hemispermatophore with pointed and hooked distal tip, inner base of lamina with small protuberance; terminus of dorsal carinae (D) of metasomal segments I–III with exaggerated sharp elongated spines; vesicular tabs reduced and rounded, distal granule vestigial to obsolete in adults.

Taxonomic history. Originally, Williams (1969) placed the sole species of this genus in Syntropis , but Stahnke (1974) established a new genus, which remains monotypic. Stahnke (1974), however, placed Vejovoidus in subfamily Syntropinae along with Syntropis , and no changes in this placement were ever published. Here, we place Vejovoidus in subfamily Smeringurinae .

Discussion. This unique monotypic genus has gone through a very interesting taxonomic history during a relatively short time (40 years) since it was originally defined. The single ventromedian (VM) carina occurring on metasomal segments I–IV, somewhat unique in Recent scorpions, was considered important enough by Williams (1969) to place this taxon in genus Syntropis , albeit this taxon and its sister species, S. macrura , appeared structurally quite different. Stahnke (1974), emphasizing the vast differences between the two species, created a new genus Vejovoidus for this species, V. longiunguis . However, Stahnke recognized Kraepelin’s (1905) subfamily Syntropinae and placed both S. macrura and V. longiunguis as its only members, thus endorsing, to some extent, the original grouping of Williams (1969). Not until Stockwell’s (1989) unpublished PhD thesis did the close taxonomic relationships between Vejovoidus and the other members of subfamily Smeringurinae defined herein become apparent. Only at this time was the close taxonomic connection between Vejovoidus and Syntropis dispelled.

We suggest here that many of the derived characters defining this very unique scorpion are the product of its adaptation to a sand-only environment as a true ultrapsammophile ( Fet et al., 1998). The modified leg epitarsus (i.e., the highly asymmetric ungues), the heavy and exaggerated cluster of setae covering the ventral surface of the leg tarsus (see Fig. 101), the very narrow and streamlined telson, all confer possible advantages for moving in the sands of the Vizcaino Desert in Baja California.

The first author has encountered this genus in the sand dune areas of Las Bombas, Baja California Sur, which dominated the scorpion population along with species Hadrurus concolorous Stahnke, 1969 , and Hoffmannius viscainensis . In a similar scenario, a “trio” of similarly related species are also commonly found in the sandy areas of southern California, Smeringurus mesaensis , Hadrurus arizonensis Ewing, 1928 , and Hoffmannius waeringi .

Figures

Figure 197: General distribution of scorpion subfamily Smeringurinae in North America with the ranges of genera Paravaejovis (tribe Paravaejovini) and Smeringurus, Paruroctonus, and Vejovoidus (tribe Smeringurini) delineated.