Heterometrus indus (De Geer, 1778)

(Figs. 15, 482–507, 573)

Scorpio indus De Geer, 1778: 341–343 .

Heterometrus indus indus: Couzijn, 1981: 121–123, fig. 35 (in part).

Heterometrus indus: Fet, 2000: 446–448 (complete reference and synonymy list until 1998); Kovařík, 2004: 17–20 (in part) (complete reference and synonymy list until 2004); Kovařík, 2009: 38, 80, 105, figs. 50–56, 249–252.

= Scorpio ceylonicus Herbst, 1800: 83–84, fig. 1, Tab. V (syn. by Kraepelin, 1899: 113).

= Heterometrus (Heterometrus) spinifer solitarius Couzijn, 1981: 93–94, fig. 23. Syn. n.

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE REPOSITORY. " India " (incorrect type locality; see Kovařík, 2004: 20); NHRS.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. Sri Lanka, Kandy, 30.III.1902, 1♂, FKCP; Peradeniya, 3♂ 2♀ (Figs. 502–503) 6juvs., IV.1994, FKCP; leg. P. Senft; Central Province, Kandy District, Hantana (Peradeniya), University land, 07° 14'54.7"N 080°36'54"E, 760 m a.s.l. (Locality 15CA, Fig. 575), 19. –21.IV.2015, 1♂ (Figs. 482–483, 486, 488, 490, 494, 496–499, 505–507) 1♀ (Figs. 484–485, 487, 489, 491–493, 495, 504, 573), FKCP, 4♀ 1juv., UPSL, leg. Kovařík et al.; Central Province, Kandy District, 20 km S Kandy, Meegammana, Wattegama, 07° 20'41.9"N 080°39'30.6"E, 534 m a.s.l. (Locality 15CC, Fig. 577), 21.IV.2015, 1♀, FKCP, leg. Kovařík et al .

DIAGNOSIS. Total length 90–130 mm long. Color of adults uniformly reddish black to greenish black. Pectinal teeth number 10–15 in both sexes. Sexual dimorphism in proportions of pedipalps not noticeable. Pedipalp chela hirsute, lobiform, without carinae on dorsoexternal surface, but may bear rows of granules. Chela length/ width ratio 1.8–2.0 in adults. Entire manus covered by rounded granules that may merge and appear as rows. Pedipalp patella without pronounced internal tubercle. Carapace smooth, glossy, occasionally with granules at margins. Second metasomal segment approximately as long as wide. Fifth segment of metasoma approximately as long as pedipalp femur, fourth segment of metasoma shorter than pedipalp femur. Dorsal and dorsolateral carinae of metasomal segments smooth. Vesicle of telson usually longer than aculeus. Spination formula of tarsomeres II of legs: 3/4: 2-4/3-4: 4/4-5: 4/5.

COMMENTS. Heterometrus (Heterometrus) spinifer solitarius Couzijn, 1981 was described from a female (109 mm long) from Sri Lanka, Peradeniya, where H. indus is very common and H. swammerdami is not very common. The original description of H. spinifer solitarius lacks clear diagnostic characters and any connection to H. spinifer (Ehrenberg, 1828) . The type locality of H. spinifer (Ehrenberg, 1828) 'India' must be regarded as erroneous. The species is known from Malaysia and Thailand, and probably also from Cambodia and Vietnam (Kovařík, 2009: 35, 44).

DISTRIBUTION. Sri Lanka.