Scorpiops lioneli, Sulakhe & Deshpande & Dandekar & Padhye & Bastawade, 2021

Sulakhe, Shauri, Deshpande, Shubhankar, Dandekar, Nikhil, Padhye, Anand & Bastawade, Deshabhushan, 2021, Four new lithophilic species of Scorpiops Peters 1861 (Scorpiones Scorpiopidae) from peninsular India, Euscorpius 337, pp. 1-49 : 32-41

Scorpiops lioneli sp. n.

( Figures 96–126 , 130, 134, 138 , 142, 152–157 , Tables 4, 5–7) http: //zoobank. org/urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: 936D9A04-

B735-4945-B8ED-5BE9F4FD27E7

TYPE LOCALITY AND AND TYPE REPOSITORY. India, Maharashtra State, Nashik District, Pardhadi Village , 20°16'47"N 74°49' 39"E, 559 m a. s. l. ; BNHS.

TYPE MATERIAL. India, Maharashtra State, Nashik District ,

Pardhadi Village , 20°16'47"N 74°49'39"E, 559 m a. s. l., 1♂ (holotype, BNHS SC 262 ), 1♂ (paratype, INHER-177), 15 September 2019, leg. S. Sulakhe, C. Risbud & M. Ketkar , 1♂ (paratype, BNHS SC 263 ), 3♀ (paratypes, INHER- 323, BNHS SC 264 , 265 ), 16 March 2021, leg. S. Sulakhe, S. Deshpande, A. Date & D. Pangarkar.

ETYMOLOGY. The specific epithet is a patronym honouring Lionel Monod for his remarkable contribution to the world of scorpiology.

DIAGNOSIS (♂ ♀). Total length 41–49 mm. Base color yellowish brown. Pectinal teeth number 7–8 in both sexes, fulcra reduced to absent. Pectine morphology of type P4. Patella of pedipalp with 23–27 (5 eb, 2 esb, 2 em, 8–11 est, 6–7 et) external and 15–18 ventral trichobothria. Chela of pedipalp with 4 ventral trichobothria located on ventral surface. Chelal trichobothrium Eb 3 is located in proximal half of manus between trichobothria Dt and Db. Fingers of pedipalps strongly undulate in male and margins undulate in female. Chela length to width ratio 4.4 in males. Pedipalp movable finger with ca 65–70 IAD, which form second row, parallel with MD (ca 75–80 in number); there are also 3–4 ID and 11–12 OD present. Internal surface of patella with small anterio-ventral tubercle. Carapace with deep U shaped anterior median notch.Tarsomere II of legs with 4–6 stout median ventral spinules. Metasoma I–III with ten, metasoma IV with 8 and metasoma V with 7 carinae. Telson elongate and smooth, length to depth ratio 2.8–3.5; annular ring absent.

Description (♂ holotype, measurements in Table 1).

Coloration (in preservation) ( Figs. 96–98 , 104, 105 ). Overall body color yellowish brown. Legs yellowish brown. Telson brownish yellow on vesicle and dark brown on aculeus. Ventral portion of body yellowish brown. Carapace and fingers of manus dark brown. Pedipalps yellowish brown, darker on carinae. Chelicera basal segment dark brown. Fingers of chelicera brownish black.

Carapace ( Figs. 108–111 ). Anterior margin of carapace strongly granular with deep U shaped anterior median notch. Anterior sub margin coarsely granular. Anterior margin of carapace between lateral eyes and U shaped anterior median notch curved. Entire surface of carapace with coarse and fine granules. Anterio-lateral ocular tubercles granular provided with type 3A lateral ocelli. Two pairs of large major ocelli and one pair of minor ocelli. Median ocular tubercle smooth on dorsal portion with a pair of median ocelli situated in the ratio of 1:2 (ratio of median ocelli to anterior margin and median ocelli to posterior margin).

Chelicerae ( Fig. 101 ). Proximal portion with reticulated mosaic design. Fixed finger of chelicera with 3 large triangular retrolateral dorsosubmedian, ventral retrolateral and ventral teeth on inner margin. Ventral fang of movable finger with a prolateral). Internal surface of patella with one large posteriorow of 7 minute teeth on inner margin. Dorsal fang of movable ventral tubercle with one small, thick adjacent bulge and one finger with 4 teeth on inner margin. adjacent small posterio-dorsal tubercle and small anterio- Pedipalp ( Figs. 112–117 , 130, 138 , 152 ). Femur and patella ventral tubercle ( Fig. 138 ). Manus elongated with 5 carinae dorsoventrally flattened. Femur with 6 carinae (dorsal dorsal retrolateral, retrolateral median, ventral retrolateral, retrolateral, dorsal prolateral, retrolateral dorsosubmedian, dorsal prolateral and ventral prolateral). Dorsal retrolateral prolateral ventrosubmedian, ventral retrolateral and ventral and dorsal prolateral carinae running anteriorly up to the tip prolateral). Ventral prolateral carina weak and present only of fixed finger. Intercarinal space finely granular on inner on 1/3rd proximal portion. Intercarinal space with fine and outer surface. Both fingers scalloped deeply at the base. granules. Patella with 5 (dorsal retrolateral, dorsal prolateral, Trichobothrial pattern neobothriotaxic.

Legs ( Figs. 97, 98 , 102–105 , 118–121 ). Femur and patella carinated, intercarinal space with coarse and fine granules. Tarsomere I provided with three to four rows of spinules and tarsomere II with single ventral row of spinules.

Sternum, genital operculum and pectines ( Figs. 99 , 106 ). Broad, pentagonal and finely granular only on anterior middle portion. Genital operculum with a pair of strongly protruding genital papillae. Basal piece without depression on middle portion. Pectine morphology of type P4 with 8/7 pectinal teeth. Mesosoma ( Figs. 97, 98 , 102–105 ).). All tergites finely granular, with median carina absent on segment I. Tergite VII additionally with two pairs of lateral granular carinae present only on half posterior portion. Sternites III-VI entirely smooth. Sternite VII finely granular.

Metasoma ( Figs. 97, 98 , 102–105 , 134 , 142 ). Metasomal segments I with 5 pairs of carinae (dorsal lateral, lateral supramedian, lateral inframedian, ventral lateral and ventral submedian), metasomal segments II, III and IV with 4 pairs of carinae (dorsal lateral, lateral supramedian, ventral lateral and ventral submedian), segment II and III with additional lateral inframedian carina present only on posterior portion and segment V with 3 pairs (dorsal lateral, lateral inframedian and ventral lateral) and 1 single ventral median carinae. Intercarinal space with fine granules. Dorsal lateral carination on segments III and IV ending posteriorly into a short spine. Anal rim of segment V evenly crenulated. A pair of dorsolateral granules of anal rim weakly tuberculate.

Telson ( Figs. 100 , 107 ). Elongated and almost entirely smooth. Hemispermatophore ♂ paratype, BNHS SC 263 ( Figs. 122–124 ). Lamelliform; distal basal carina (bc) with a plate like structure present, sclerotized, crown-like structure (cls) with distal margin with 5–6 denticles whose internal surface is attached to terminal membrane of the sperm duct (tmsd) on the inner concave side of the capsule with numerous spicules; pointed lateral hook (lh); a long, inwardly twisted distal posterior lobe (dpl) close to the distal lamina, with denticulate margin; short and stout trunk; long and slender distal lamina (dl) narrow at the base and sharply bent and tapered apex. Total length 8.0 mm; pedicel 1.14 mm long; trunk 1.66 mm long; capsule 1.12 mm long; dpl length 0.43 mm; dl length 4.08 mm long.

SEXUAL DIMORPHISM. Male genital operculum with pair of genital papillae. In females, the genital operculum medially sutured. Pedipalp manus slender in males and stouter in females ( Figs. 97–100 , 102–111 ).

AFFINITIES. Scorpiops lioneli sp. n. is closely related to S. nagphani sp. n. and S. maharashtraensis . It is separated by a raw genetic divergence of 6.7% from S. nagphani sp. n. and 11% from S. maharashtraensis . The new species also differs from its close congeners based on following set of morphological characters: Trichobothria on patella ventral 15–18 as opposed to 12–14 in S. nagphani sp. n.; chela length to width ratio in males 4.4 as opposed to 3.7–4.1 in S. nagphani sp. n.; body coloration yellowish brown as opposed to blackish brown in S. nagphani sp. n; carapace with deep U shaped anterior median notch as opposed to moderate U shaped anterior median notch in S. maharashtraensis .

It differs from all the remaining species of Scorpiops from the northern Western Ghats and northern Maharashtra ( INDIA) by a raw genetic divergence of 9.4–12.4 % ( Table 5). It is also distinguished from all the species of Scorpiops from peninsular India based on the key of morphological characters (See below).

COMMENTS. S. maharashtraensis , holotype, ♂ ( BNHS SC-62 ) is described from the type locality ‘‘ Shidi Ghat’ ’ near Wadali Village , Tehsil-Sillod , Aurangabad District , Maharashtra, India (20.5321808, 75.879628, elevation 586 m). Paratypes 2♀ ( BNHS SC-63 , 64 ) are also collected from the type locality. 1♂ ( BNHS SC-65 ) and 1♀ ( BNHS SC-66 ) are collected from Chalisgaon Taluka, near Ghodegaon, Jalgaon District , Maharashtra (20.3127998, 74.8622418, elevation 460 m). Type locality of Scorpiops lioneli sp. n. India, Maharashtra State, Nashik District, Pardhadi Village, 20° 16’ 47” N 74° 49’ 39” E, 559 m a. s. l. (locality data is same for all type material) is ca 10 kms from the locality of S. maharashtraensis from where the paratypes BNHS SC-65 and BNHS SC-66 are collected. Our surveys did not yield any success from this locality. Type specimens of S. maharashtraensis are deposited at BNHS without accession numbers assigned to individual specimens and preserved in single preservation jar with more specimens apart from the type series. Sulakhe et al. (2020a) were able to identify only the holotype, BNHS SC-62 and 1 paratype, BNHS SC-63 collected from the type locality based on the photographs published by Mirza et al. (2014). The deteriorating condition of the preserved specimens, ambiguity in assigning accession numbers to individual specimens (type material is collected from one more locality apart from the type locality) and inability of extracting DNA due to preservation in 70% ethanol, the status of paratypes BNHS SC-65 and 66 could not be tested. Considering the geographical proximity these specimens could be S. lioneli sp. n., however this needs to be confirmed with more sampling and genetic data from this locality .

DISTRIBUTION, HABITAT AND ECOLOGY. Presently Scorpiops lioneli sp. n. is known only from its type locality, Pardhadi Village , Nashik District , Maharashtra, India. The type series was collected from rock boulders on a hill side of the road leading from Pardhadi Village to Dheku Village . The type locality is surrounded by scrub forest in deep valleys interspersed with semi-arid grasslands. Any further road widening work may be a direct threat to the species. Locations around the type locality in the deep valleys may have more populations of this species and need to be confirmed with dedicated surveys ( Figs. 125–126 , 153 ) .

Figures

Figure 96. Scorpiops lioneli sp. n., male, paratype BHNS SC 263 in vivo habitus.

Figures 97–101. Scorpiops lioneli sp. n., male, holotype, dorsal (97) and ventral (98) views, sternopectinal area (99), metasomal segment V and telson in lateral view (100) and chelicera in dorsal view (101).

Figures 102–103. Scorpiops lioneli sp. n., male, holotype in dorsal (102) and ventral (103) views under UV light.

Figures 104–107. Scorpiops lioneli sp. n., female, paratype, BNHS SC 264, in dorsal (104) ventral (105) views, sternopectinal area (106) and metasomal segment V and telson in lateral view (107).

Figures 108–111: Scorpiops lioneli sp. n. Figures 108–109. Male, holotype, carapace under white light (108) and UV fluorescence (109). Figures 110–111. Female, paratype, BHNS SC 264, carapace under white light (110) and UV fluorescence (111).

Figures 112–117. Scorpiops lioneli sp. n., male, holotype. Figures 112–117. Pedipalp chela dorsal (112), ventral (113) and dorsoexternal (114), patella external (115), dorsal (116) and ventral (117) views under UV fluorescence. Trichobothrial pattern indicated by yellow circles.

Figures 118–124. Scorpiops lioneli sp. n. Figures 118–121. Scorpiops lioneli sp. n., male, holotype, left legs I-IV, retrolateral aspect. Figures 122–124. Male, paratype, BNHS SC 263, hemispermatophore internal (122), external (123) views and capsular region in internal view (124). Abbrevations: distal lamina (dl), capsule (c), trunk (t), pedicel (p), distal posterior lobe (dpl), lateral hook (lh), terminal membrane of the sperm duct (tmsd) and basal carina (bc).

Figures 125–126. Type locality of Scorpiops lioneli sp. n., view of mountains with semi-arid habitat and rocky out-crops at the type locality (125, 126).

Figure 153. Distribution of Scorpiops species from Peninsular India. Localities with a star indicate new species described in this study.

Figures 127–138: Figures 127–130: Comparison of left pedipalps. Figures 131–134: Comparison of metasomal segments II-IV in lateral view. Figures 135–138: Comparison of pedipalp patella dorsal view with internal aspect tubercles. Figures 127, 131, 135. Scorpiops vrushchik sp. n., male, holotype. Figures 128, 132, 136. Scorpiops nagphani sp. n., male, holotype. Figures 129, 133, 137. Scorpiops neera sp. n., male, holotype. Figures 130, 134, 138. Scorpiops lioneli sp. n., male, holotype.

Figures 139–152: Figures 139–142: Comparison of dorsolateral granules on anal rim of metasomal segment V in dorsal view. Figures 143–152: Comparison of dentition on movable finger of chela with field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) images in dorsal view. Figures 139, 149. Scorpiops vrushchik sp. n., male, holotype. Figures 140, 150. Scorpiops nagphani sp. n., male, holotype. Figures 141, 151. Scorpiops neera sp. n., male, holotype. Figures 142, 152. Scorpiops lioneli sp. n., male, holotype. Figure 143. S. tenuicauda, male, INHER-214. Figure 144. S. satarensis, male, INHER-213. Figure 145. S. deccanensis, male, INHER-86. Figure 146. S. maharashtraensis, male, INHER-179. Figure 147. S. phaltanensis, male, paratype, INHER-64. Figure 148. S. telbaila, male, paratype, INHER-123.

Figure 154. Boxplots showing variations in ratios of pedipalp chela length to width in males for all Scorpiops species from Peninsular India (except S. pachmarhicus due to unavailability of sufficient males).

Figure 155. Projection of first two Principal Component factors explaining 81.89% variation among the nine species of the genus Scorpiops from Peninsular India (except S. pachmarhicus and S. satarensis due to unavailability of sufficient males).

Figure 156. Maximum Likelihood phylogenetic tree (ML) for Scorpiops. Values along the nodes are bootstraps for 1000 iterations.

Figure 157. Bayesian phylogenetic tree for Scorpiops. Values along the nodes are Bayesian posterior probabilities for Bayesian Inference and Bayesian Poisson Tree Process (bPTP) respectively. Vertical bars represent delimitation analyses results.