Euscorpiops puerensis, Di, Zhi-Yong, Wu, Ying-Liang, Cao, Zhi-Jian, Xiao, Heng & Li, Wen-Xin, 2010

Di, Zhi-Yong, Wu, Ying-Liang, Cao, Zhi-Jian, Xiao, Heng & Li, Wen-Xin, 2010, A catalogue of the genus Euscorpiops Vachon, 1980 (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae, Scorpiopinae) from China, with description of a new species, Zootaxa 2477, pp. 49-61 : 52-60

Euscorpiops puerensis sp. nov. (Yunnan)

( Figures 1 –34, 39)

Type material: Female holotype, China: Yunnan Province, Puer , Heng Xiao leg, (Ar.- MWHU-YNPE0801 ); 5 male and 4 female paratypes (including 2 male and 1 female immatures) (Ar.- MWHU-YNPE0802–06 , Ar.- MWHU-YNPE0807–10 ), same data as holotype. All the specimens are deposited in the MWHU (the Museum of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China).

Diagnosis: E. puerensis sp. n. differs from all other species in the genus on the basis of the following combination of characters: 18 external trichobothria (5 eb, 2 esb, 2 em, 4 est, 5 et), and 10 or 11 ventral trichobothria in the pedipalp patella; chela with a length/width ratio average of 2.7 on males and females; pedipalp chela fingers on adult females and males scalloped; pectinal teeth count 7–8; pectinal fulcra present.

Relationship: E. puerensis appears to be closely related species of E. vachoni : both are characterized by the presence of 10 or 11 trichobothria on the ventral surface of pedipalp patella, a pronounced lobe on the movable finger and a corresponding notch on fixed finger of adult males, 7–8 pectinal teeth, and medium total length. The most pronounced difference between them: chela manus is flat dorsoventrally on E. puerensis , whereas it is short, stout and robust on the latter. In addition, female pedipalp chela fingers strongly scalloped on E. puerensis , female pedipalp chela fingers slightly scalloped or straight on E. vachoni : lobe and * Measurements of telson belonging to male paratype (Ar.-MWHU-YNPE0803).

*1It is visible that the right patella of pedipalp of this specimen (Ar.-MWHU-YNPE 0807) didn’t developed well, in respect that these trichobothria are not equidistant, leaving a clear gap for the missing trichobothrium. *2The left patella of pedipalp of this specimen (Ar.-MWHU-YNPE 0806) didn’t developed well too, with external trichobothria est 4 absent.

corresponding notch reduced to absent; 18 trichobothria on external surface of pedipalp patella of E. puerensis , whereas there are 17 on E. vachoni ( Qi, Zhu & Lourenço, 2005) .

E. puerensis is distinguished from E. kubani and E. sejnai by chela fingers are distinctly scalloped on adult males and females, whereas on E. kubani chela fingers are scalloped on male and nearly straight on female, and on E. sejnai male chela fingers are slightly scalloped (female unknown); 10–11 trichobothria on ventral surface of patella, whereas there are 9 on E. sejnai , and 9–10 on E. kubani ; chela with a length/width ratio average of 2.7 on males and females, whereas on E. kubani is higher than 3.0, and on E.sejnai is 2.75; 7– 8 pectinal teeth, whereas there are 4–7 on E. sejnai , 7–8 on E.kubani ; total length 48.8 to 60.0 mm, whereas both E. sejnai and E. kubani are smaller than 46 mm ( Kovařík, 2000, 2004, 2005).

Etymology: The specific epithet refers to the locality where the specimen were collected. The prefecture name “Puer” adding “ensis” as suffix.

Description: Coloration: Carapace dark red brown. Median and lateral ocular tubercles black. Tergites and mostly dark red brown to dark brown. Metasoma segments dark red brown to dark brown; vesicle brown with a reddish aculeus. Chelicerae yellow brown with fingers red brown gradually lighter toward the tip. Pedipalp femur and patella dark brown, chela manus and fingers dark red brown. Legs red brown with yellow brown tarsi. Tarsal ungues yellowish brown. Sternum, genital operculum and sternites pale brown. Pectines yellowish.

Morphology: Tegument coarse.

Prosoma: Carapace with sparse, fine granules; lateral furrow broad; anterior median furrow broad and moderately deep; posterior median furrow deep; margin behind lateral eyes with granules, other margins smooth. Median eyes situated anteriorly compared to center of carapace; three pairs of lateral ocelli, posteriormost smallest. Median ocular tubercle coarse with granules and a pair of big median eyes and a median furrow. Lateral ocular tubercle with some granules around eyes.

Mesosoma: Tergites densely covered with fine granules, posterior part of tergites with bigger granules; tergite II to tergite VI with a median carina; tergite VII with two pairs of lateral carinae. Pectinal teeth count 7/ 8, fulcra small ( Figures 12, 14 ). Genital operculum subtriangular. Sternites smooth and shiny; segment VII with 4 weak ventral carinae with some granules.

Metasoma: Segments II to V longer than wide; segments I to V with respectively 10-8-8-8 -7 carinae, segments II–IV with a pair of vestigial lateral carinae; all dorsal carinae crenulte, slightly stronger distally; with tegument coarse; on segment V carinae with smaller granules dorsally and larger serration ventrally. Vesicle with sparse granules distally, with few setae ( Figures 19, 24 ).

Pedipalps: Femur with external, dorsointernal, dorsoexternal, ventrointernal, ventroexternal and internal carinae granulated; tegument with scattered granules dorsally and smooth ventrally. Patella with dorsointernal, dorsoexternal, ventrointernal, ventroexternal and external carinae with big granules; two large spinoid granules present on the internal aspect ( Figures 16, 21); tegument with smooth granules dorsally and ventrally. Trichobothrial pattern C, neobothriotaxic ( Vachon, 1974); patella with 18 external trichobothria (5 eb, 2 esb, 2 em, 4 est, 5 et), 10 or 11 ventral trichobothria ( Figures 17, 18, 22, 23). Chela with a length/width ratio average of 2.7 on adult males and females. Chela with dorsal marginal, external secondary, and ventrointernal carinae granulated ( Figures 27 –34); ventrointernal carina with some big granules; tegument with granules forming reticulated pattern; fingers scalloped with a pronounced lobe in the movable finger and a corresponding notch in fixed fingers ( Figures 28–30 , 32–34).

Chelicerae: Tegument smooth. Tibiae smooth, with reticulated pattern. Movable finger with 4 teeth on dorsal edge and 7 teeth (not constant) on ventral edge. Fixed finger with 3 teeth on dorsal edge ( Figures 7–8).

Legs: Tegument coarse dorsally except basitarsi and telotarsi, smooth ventrally. Trochanters with few setae. Femora dorsal surfaces with some small granules, internally with 2 granular carinae. Patellae internally with 1 dentate carina. Tibiae with few setae, without spurs. Basitarsi with some spinules and 2 lateral pedal spurs. Tarsi ventrally with row of short and strong spinules. Tarsal ungues curved and hook-like.

Hemispermatophore: Well developed lamina with conspicuous basal constriction, tapered distally (Figures 25–26); trunk curved; capsular lobe complex, well developed; inner distal lobe spinose distally.

Variation: Female and male paratypes: coloration and morphology are very similar to holotype.

Sexual dimorphism: The characters of primary external sexual dimorphism observed in adult males, compared with adult females and juveniles of both sexes: more pronounced lobes on the movable fingers of the chela, and a more pronounced notch in the fixed finger. Measurements in table 1. Feature datasets in table 2.

Habitat: Found under stones in mountain forest.

Known distribution: South China (Yunnan Province). Known only from Puer, Yunnan Province, China.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 5. Habitus of E. puerensis sp. nov. 1 – 2. Female holotype (Ar. - MWHU-YNPE 0801), dorsal and ventral views. 3 – 4. Male paratype (Ar. - MWHU-YNPE 0802), dorsal and ventral views. 5. Male paratype (Ar. - MWHU- YNPE 0803), telson, lateral aspect. Scale bars: 10.0 mm.

FIGURE 14. E. puerensis sp. nov., male paratype, genital operculum and pectines. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 24. E. puerensis sp. nov., male paratype (Ar. - MWHU-YNPE 0803). Telson, lateral aspect. FIGURES 25 – 26. E. puerensis sp. nov., male paratype (Ar. - MWHU-YNPE 0802), right hemispermatophore, ventral and dorsal views, a = anterior, bc = basal constriction, cl = capsular lope complex, cs = crown-like structure, p = posterior, t = trunk. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.

FIGURES 27 – 30. E. puerensis sp. nov., female holotype. Chela dorsoexternal, external, ventral and internal aspects. FIGURES 31 – 34. E. puerensis sp. nov., male paratype. Chela dorsoexternal, external, ventral and internal aspects. FIGURES 28 and 32. a showing shape of notches on fixed fingers and b showing shape of lobes on movable fingers of the chela. Scale bars: 2.0 mm.