Microananteris inselberg, Lourenço, 2021

Lourenço, Wilson R., 2021, The genus Microananteris Lourenço, 2003 in French Guiana (Scorpiones: Buthidae), Zoosystema 43 (20), pp. 377-386 : 382-383

Microananteris inselberg n. sp.

( Fig. 6 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:CAE403FE-8983-4CBC-B3DB-3EB6A928CB5E

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — French Guiana. Holotype. ♂; Mitaraka Sud ; 2°16’00”N, 54°31’00”W; 22.IX.2001; J.-M. Betsch leg.; 560 m dense humid forest altitude ( Fig. 7 ); in organic soil (extracted by the Berlese method); MNHN-RS-RS9155 .

ETYMOLOGY. — The specific name is placed in apposition to the generic name and refers to the Mitaraka Inselberg where the new species was found.

DIAGNOSIS. — Total length, including telson 13.90 mm (see Table 1). Anterior margin of carapace straight. Large pectines with 10-10 teeth. Spiracles with a semi-oval shape. Telson more elongate without granulations, almost smooth. Dorsal carinae of metasomal segments II-IV with weakly to moderately marked spinoid granules. Trichobothria: Eb 2,3 of chela hand in a proximal position; dt of fixed finger distal in relation to et and est; d 5 trichobothrium of patella very close to the internal face; femur trichobotrium d 5 slightly distal in relation to e 1.

DESCRIPTION BASED ON MALE HOLOTYPE

Coloration

Basically brownish-yellow, symmetrically marbled with dark brown, producing an overall spotted appearance. Prosoma: carapace yellowish, almost totally covered with brown spots; eyes surrounded by black pigment. Mesosoma: brown-yellow with confluent yellow stripes. Metasomal segments I to V yellow with several brownish spots; segment V slightly more spotted. Telson: vesicle yellow without spots laterally or ventrally; aculeus yellowish.Venter pale yellow; coxapophysis slightly marbled with brownish. Chelicerae yellow with variegated spots over the entire surface; more marked anteriorly; fingers yellow slightly spotted; teeth reddish-yellow. Pedipalps: brownish with some paler zones; brownish spots better marked on the femur and patella; chela paler than patella; fingers brownish with the rows of granules slightly reddish.Legs yellow,densely marked with brownish spots.

Morphology

Carapace moderately granular; anterior margin straight. Anterior median superciliary and posterior median carinae weak. All furrows moderate to weak. Median ocular tubercle distinctly anterior to the centre of carapace; median eyes separated by approximately 0.60 of one ocular diameter.Three pairs of lateral eyes. Sternum subpentagonal. Mesosoma: tergites moderately granular; granulation more intense than on carapace. Median carina moderate to weak in all tergites. Tergite VII pentacarinate. Venter: genital operculum divided longitudinally, each plate having a more or less semi-oval shape. Pectines large; pectinal tooth count 10-10; most proximal tooth absent; basal middle lamellae of the pectines not dilated; fulcra absent. Sternites smooth with short semi-oval spiracles; VII with a few granulations and all carinae absent. Metasomal segments I and II with 10 carinae, crenulate; segments III-IV with 8 carinae, crenulate; intermediate carinae incomplete on segment II; dorsal carinae on segments II-IV with some moderate spinoid granules; intercarinal spaces moderately to weakly granular; segment V rounded with only latero-dorsal carinae marked. Telson with a ‘pear-like’ shape, almost smooth with one weak ventral carinae; aculeus very short and moderately curved; subaculear tooth strong and almost rhomboid.Cheliceral dentition characteristic of the family Buthidae ( Vachon 1963) ; fixed finger with two moderate basal teeth; movable finger with two very weak basal teeth; ventral aspect of both finger and manus with dense, long setae. Pedipalps: femur pentacarinate; patella and chela with a few vestigial carinae; internal face of patella with 6-7 vestigial spinoid granules; all faces weakly granular, almost smooth. Movable fingers with 6-6 almost linear rows of granules; two accessory granules present at the base of each row; extremity of movable fingers with three accessory granules. Trichobothriotaxy; orthobothriotaxy A -β ( Vachon 1974, 1975). Legs: tarsus with very numerous fine median setae ventrally. Tibial spurs developed on leg IV but reduced on leg. III.

Figures

FIG. 6. — Microananteris inselberg n. sp., male holotype: A-E, trichobothrial pattern: A, B, chela, dorso-external and ventral aspects; C, D, patella, dorsal and external aspects; E, femur, dorsal aspect; F, sternites V-VII showing spiracles and weak granulation on VII; G, metasomal segments IV-V and telson, lateral aspect. Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIG. 7. — Mitaraka Sud Massif showing dense humid forest of altitude, type locality of M. inselberg n. sp. Photo: Xavier Desmier.