Tityus (Archaeotityus), Lourenco, 2006

Moreno-González, Jairo A., O, Ranulfo González & D, Eduardo Flórez, 2019, Taxonomic revision of the Colombian Tityus (Archaeotityus) (Scorpiones, Buthidae) species: a morphological and morphometric approach, with a description of a new species, Zootaxa 4660 (1), pp. 1-94 : 6-8

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4660.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:DA70C158-7FB0-4B46-9A1D-EA32D24B19B6
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4648574
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03B387E6-3259-1033-FF3E-F940DA9D3C87
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Tityus (Archaeotityus)
status

Treatment

Subgenus Archaeotityus Lourenço, 2006

Archaeotityus Lourenço 2006: 56–58 , 60, figures 1, 2, 16, 17.

Type species. Tityus clathratus Koch, 1844 , designated by Lourenço 2006.

Diagnosis (emended). The members of Tityus (Archaeotityus) can be easily recognized by the following character state combinations: (1) total length between 25–43 mm ( Figures 4 View FIGURE 4 , 21 View FIGURE 21 , 24 View FIGURE 24 , 31 View FIGURE 31 , 41 View FIGURE 41 , Tables 4 View TABLE 4 , 9 View TABLE 9 , 10 View TABLE 10 ); (2) general body coloration with a dark yellow background slightly to densely covered with variegated brown or reddish-brown spots ( Figures 4 View FIGURE 4 , 21 View FIGURE 21 , 24 View FIGURE 24 , 31 View FIGURE 31 , 41 View FIGURE 41 ); (3) metasomal segments I–IV ventral carinae parallel ( Figure 1A View FIGURE 1 ); (4) pectines with 11–20 teeth ( Table 2); (5) females with pectinal basal middle lamellae not dilated; (6) dorsal margins of the movable fingers with 11–15 oblique rows of denticles ( Table 3); and (7) telson with a medium-sized to large-sized pyramidal subaculear tubercle ( Figures 19 View FIGURE 19 , 20 View FIGURE 20 ).

Comparisons. Tityus (Archaeotityus) is more similar to Tityus (Caribetityus) and Tityus (Brazilotityus) , sharing with them a small body size (18–43 mm) and a similar color pattern that is composed of a yellow background covered with brown or reddish-brown spots. Tityus (Archaeotityus) differs from Tityus (Caribetityus) and Tityus (Brazilotityus) by having a medium-sized to large-sized pyramidal subaculear tubercle, while, Tityus (Brazilotityus) has a well-developed acute tubercle, and Tityus (Caribetityus) exhibits an acute tubercle which can be well-developed, vestigial or absent. Also, Tityus (Archaeotityus) can be easily distinguished from Tityus (Brazilotityus) by the presence of well-developed pectinal fulcra, while in Tityus (Brazilotityus) pectinal fulcra are absent or vestigial.

Hemispermatophores of Tityus (Archaeotityus) . The male hemispermatophore of Tityus (Archaeotityus) has only been described for three species: T. paraguayensis ( Ojanguren-Affilastro 2005: figures 43, 44); T. ocelote (Francke & Stockwell 1991: 24, figure 104); and T. wachtelii ( Kovarik et al. 2015: 34, figures 142–145). Here we describe the hemispermatophore for T. bastosi ( Figure 13 View FIGURE 13 ), T. columbianus ( Figure 23 View FIGURE 23 ), T. guane sp. nov. ( Figure 27 View FIGURE 27 ), T. parvulus ( Figure 36 View FIGURE 36 ), and T. tayrona ( Figure 43 View FIGURE 43 ). All mentioned species share the following character states related to hemispermatophore morphology: (1) hemispermatophore thin and sclerotized; (2) stalk flagelliform, folded once over itself ( Figures 13 View FIGURE 13 , 23 View FIGURE 23 , 27 View FIGURE 27 , 37 View FIGURE 37 ); (3) pedicel narrow and flat ( Figures 13 View FIGURE 13 , 23 View FIGURE 23 , 27 View FIGURE 27 , 36 View FIGURE 36 ); (4) pedal flexure inconspicuous ( Figures 13 View FIGURE 13 , 23 View FIGURE 23 , 27 View FIGURE 27 , 37 View FIGURE 37 , 44 View FIGURE 44 ); (5) stem occupying 2/3 of the hemispermatophore total length ( Figures 13 View FIGURE 13 , 23 View FIGURE 23 , 27 View FIGURE 27 , 37 View FIGURE 37 , 44 View FIGURE 44 ); and (6) basal hook curved towards the posterior region ( Figures 13B View FIGURE 13 , 23B View FIGURE 23 , 27B View FIGURE 27 , 37B View FIGURE 37 , 44B View FIGURE 44 ). While, these character states are homogeneous, interspecific variations in the capsule region and intraspecific variations in the shape of the basal hook can occur (see variability). Determination of the diagnostic value of hemispermatophore morphology at the specific level within Tityus (Archaeotityus) requires examination of additional species.