Mesobuthus fomichevi, 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 : 47-52

Mesobuthus fomichevi sp. n.

( Figures 286–325 , 1155, 1158, Table 4) http: //zoobank. org/urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: 1C142653-

99E8-4F9D-ADDE-F7516ADA5E15

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE REPOSITORY. Tajikistan, Khatlon Province, E foothill of Aruktau Mt. Range , between Khumdon and Sambuli Villages, 37°50.210'N 68°35.872'E (37.83°N 68.60°E), 420 m a. s. l. , NMPC.

TYPE MATERIAL. Tajikistan, Khatlon Province, E foothill of Aruktau Mt. Range, between Khumdon and Sambuli Villages , 37°50.210'N 68°35.872'E (37.83°N 68.60°E), 420 m a. s. l., 5 April 2019, 1♂ (holotype), leg. A. A. Fomichev , NMPC; Dzhilantau Mt. Range , 2 km E Kuybulon Village, 37°53.970'N 69°23.155'E (37.90°N 69.38°E), 970–1200 m a. s. l., 14 April 2019, 1♀ (paratype), leg. A. A. Fomichev , NMPC. Uzbekistan, Surxondaryo Province, Uzun District, Babatag Mts , east slope, 7 km W of Okmachit, 38.0275°N 68.2458°E, 734–763 m a. s. l., 4 May 2002, 3 juvs. (paratypes) , leg. V. Fet (NG-009) , NMPC.

ETYMOLOGY. The new species is named in honor of our colleague Alexander A. Fomichev (Barnaul, Russia) whose tireless collecting in Asian deserts and mountains allowed to discover many new spider and scorpion taxa.

DNA DATA. Mesobuthus fomichevi sp. n. was represented in our survey by a single DNA sequence from the Babatag Mts. in Uzbekistan ( Table 16).

DIAGNOSIS. Total length of adults 45 mm (male) to 55 mm (female). Trichobothrium db on fixed finger of pedipalp situated between trichobothria est and esb, near to est. Male with fingers proximally slightly more twisted than female. Pedipalp chela length/width ratio 2.66 in male and 3.14 in female. Pectinal teeth number 21–22 in male, 18–20 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, only part of metasomal segment V black. Femur of pedipalp with 4–5 granulated carinae. Patella with 8 usually smooth 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 with 4 well marked smooth or 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 IV with lateromedian carina smooth in male but present and granulated in female, all other carinae granulated. Length to depth ratio of metasoma III 1.12–1.35, metasoma IV 1.52– 1.60 in both sexes. Telotarsus III ventral setation represented by short and strong spiniform setae. Tarsi hirsute, in adults with 6–9 retroinferior macrosetae on basitarsus III. Telson bulbous. Anal lobe divided into two parts.

DESCRIPTION. Total length of adult male 45 mm, 55 female. Trichobothrium db on fixed finger of pedipalp situated between trichobothria est and esb, near to est. Male with fingers proximally slightly more twisted than female. Female has longer and very slightly narrower chela of pedipalps. For measurements, see Table 4.

Coloration ( Figs. 286–289 ). Carapace and tergites are yellowish brown, strongly black pigmented. Metasoma, telson, pedipalps and legs are yellowish brown. Metasoma ventral, mainly segment V black pigmented. Chelicerae yellow, without reticulation, the tips of denticles on cheliceral fingers are black.

Mesosoma and carapace ( Figs. 318–321 ). 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 granulated, with some intercarinal granules small and others larger and rounded. Tergite VII is pentacarinate. Pectinal tooth count is 21–22 in male, 18–20 in female. Pectinal marginal tips extend to about third of sternite IV in male and end of the third sternite in females. Pectines have three marginal lamellae and sixth to eight 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, usually granulated carinae. Other sternites have two furrows.

Pedipalps ( Figs. 298–317 ). Pedipalps sparsely hirsute and smooth, only femur is sparsely granulated. Femur has four to five granulated carinae, the middle incomplete carina on internal surface consists of several irregular granules. Patella with eight carinae, of which internal are always and dorsal are usually granulated. Chela without carinae. Movable fingers of pedipalps have 11–12 cutting rows of denticles, each with external and internal denticles present, and five terminal denticles.

Legs ( Figs. 322–325 ). Telotarsus III ventral setation represented by short and strong spiniform setae. Tarsi hirsute, in adults with 6–9 retroinferior macrosetae on basitarsus III. Femur with only several macrosetae. Femur and patella with carinae well developed. Tibial spurs present and moderate on third and strong on fourth legs and absent on the other legs.

Metasoma and telson ( Figs. 290–297 ). All metasomal segments only very 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 IV with lateromedian carinae smooth in male and granulated in female, all other carinae granulated. All other carinae with consistent granules. Intercarinal surfacess on metasoma smooth in both sexes. Ventrolateral carinae of metasoma V posteriorly with several large lobate denticles. Telson is only sparsely hirsute, bulbous, bumpy and smooth.

COMMENTS. This species has been collected by V. F. at the eastern slope of the Babatag Mts. in Uzbekistan, very close to the Tajikistan border, where it is sympatric with both Olivierus kreuzbergi ( Fet et al., 2018) (Buthidae) and a remarkable scorpion relict Pseudochactas ovchinnikovi Gromov, 1998 (Pseudochactidae) . Within the Babatag Mts., M. fomichevi is allopatric with M. barszczevskii (Birula, 1904) , which is found at the western slope of this mountain range (see above).

So far this is the only Mesobuthus confirmed for Tajikistan. We do not have matching specimens for a Tajikistan population from Khujand sequenced by Shi et al. (2013), so we did not include it in our analysis.

DISTRIBUTION. Tajikistan, Uzbekistan (Fig. 1155, 1158).

Figures

Figures 286–289: Mesobuthus fomichevi sp. n. Figures 286–287. Male holotype, dorsal (286) and ventral (287) views. Figures 288–289. Female paratype, dorsal (288) and ventral (289) views. Scale bars: 10 mm (286–287, 288–289).

Figures 290–297: Mesobuthus fomichevi sp. n. Figures 290, 292–294. Male holotype, telson lateral (290), metasoma and telson, lateral (292), dorsal (293), and ventral (294) views. Figures 291, 295–297. Female paratype, telson lateral (291), metasoma and telson, lateral (295), dorsal (296), and ventral (297) views. Scale bars: 10 mm (292–294, 295–297).

Figures 298–317: Mesobuthus fomichevi sp. n., pedipalp. Figures 298–307. Male holotype, chela, dorsal (298), external (299), and ventral (300) views. Patella, dorsal (301), external (302) and ventral (303) views. Femur and trochanter, internal (304), dorsal (305), and ventral (306) views. Movable finger (307). Figures 308–317. Female paratype, chela, dorsal (308), external (309), and ventral (310) views. Patella, dorsal (311), external (312) and ventral (313) views. Femur and trochanter, internal (314), dorsal (315), and ventral (316) views. Movable finger (317). The trichobothrial pattern is indicated in Figures 298–302, 304–305.

Figures 318–325: Mesobuthus fomichevi sp. n. Figures 318, 320, 322–325. Male holotype, chelicerae, carapace and tergites I–III (318), sternopectinal region and sternite III (320), and left legs I–IV, retrolateral aspect (322–325). Figures 319, 321. Female paratype, chelicerae, carapace and tergites I–IV (319), sternopectinal region and sternites (321).