Orthochirus glabrifrons ( Kraepelin, 1903 )

Kovařík, František, Yağmur, Ersen Aydın, Ullrich, Alexander & Buzás, Balázs, 2023, The first record of Orthochirus glabrifrons (Kraepelin, 1903) (Scorpiones: Buthidae) from the United Arab Emirates, Euscorpius 379, pp. 1-11 : 2-10

Orthochirus glabrifrons ( Kraepelin, 1903)

( Figures 1–22 )

Butheolus glabrifrons Kraepelin, 1903: 564–566 .

Orthochirus glabrifrons : Birula, 1917: 215; Vachon, 1949: 136 (1952: 222); Levy & Amitai, 1980: 94; Navidpour et al., 2008: 18.

Pseudorthochirus glabrifrons [sic]: Lourenço & Vachon, 1995: 304.

Paraorthochirus glabrifrons : Lourenço & Vachon, 1995: 305; Lourenço & Huber, 2000: 143; Fet & Lowe, 2000: 212.

= Paraorthochirus kaspareki Lourenço & Huber, 2000: 141– 143 , figs. 10–13 (TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE DEPOSITORY: Oman, Muscat area, Ras Al Hamra , MNHN), syn. n.

= Paraorthochirus kinzelbachi Lourenço & Huber, 2000: 139–140 , figs. 1–9 (TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE DEPOSITORY: Oman, Wadi Tayin , North of Ibra; MNHN), syn. n.

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE DEPOSITORY. Oman, Muscat; ZMUH .

TYPE MATERIAL EXAMINED. Oman, Muscat, 1♀ (lectotype, hereby designated, Figs. 2–3 ) , ZMUH.

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED. Oman, Dibab , under stones on wooded plain, 23°06'N 59°02'E, 3 m a. s. l., 13 February 1991, 1♀, leg. A. S. Gardner, det. G. Lowe ( FKCP) ; Quryat , 23°13.8'N 58°54.63'E, 20 m a. s. l., 9 October 1993, 19:26, UV detection on sand surface, coastal sand dunes, 3♂ 1♀, leg. G. Lowe & M. D. Gallagher ( FKCP) ; Wadi Bani Kharus , 23°11.32'N 57°34.77'E, 800 m a. s. l., 11 October 1993, 18:42, UV detection, gravelly wadi, rocky slopes, 1♂ 1♀, leg. G. Lowe, A. S. Gardner & S. M. Farook ( FKCP) ; Al Batinah Province, Jabal Nakhl , 12 km NE of Al Lajal, 23°34'44''N 58°00'27''E, 100 m a. s. l., 3 April 2013, 1♂ 1♀ 1juv., leg. René Fouque ( FKCP) ; Az Zahirah Province, Ibri env., 23°12'N 56°31'E, 350 m a. s. l., 5 April 2013, 1♂, leg. René Fouque ( FKCP) ; Al Batinah Province, Al-Lajal , 23°30'N 57°56'E, 177 m a. s. l., 3–18 April 2013, 1♀1♀ juv. 1juv., leg. P. Kučera ( FKCP) ; Az Zahirah Province, N of Buraymi, Mahdah-Wadi Rawdah , 24°21'01''N 55°58'29''E, 430 m a. s. l., 13 October 2013, 1♀, leg. P. Kučera ( FKCP) ; 30 km N of Nizwa, Jabal Akhdar , 22°56.97'N 57°40.36'E, 622 m a. s. l., 28 March 2014, 3♂ 1♀1♀ juv. ( Figs. 1 , 4–9 ), leg. D. Hoferek ( FKCP) ; Ar Rawdah , 23°03'N 57°26'E, ca 600 m a. s. l., 22 March 2017, 2♂ (DNA Nos. 1218, 1219), leg. D. Král ( FKCP) ; Wadi Sumrah , 23°08'N 58°07'E, ca 630 m a. s. l., 7.–8 March 2017, 2♂ 1♀, leg. D. Král ( FKCP) ; Musandam peninsula, Wadi Bih, Saptan vill., 25°48'N 56°13'E, ca 930 m a. s. l., March 2017, 1♀ juv., leg. D. Král ( FKCP) ; E of Sur, S of Shiya , 22°30'50''N 59°36'03''E, 51 m a. s. l., 15 March 2015, 1♀, leg. L. Černý ( FKCP) ; Jabal Bani Jabir , 22.813172°N 59.058884°E, 1734 m a. s. l., 2017, 1♂, leg. M. Stockmann ( FKCP) ; N, Ash Sharqiyah prov., Wahiba sands, 33 km S Jalan Bani Buali, 56 m a. s. l., 21°43'12''N 59°18'3''E, 25–26 January 2018, 2♀ 1juv., leg. P. Kabátek ( FKCP) ; Ad Dakhiliyah gov., 29 km NE Adam, Wadi Halfeen , 22°35'31''N 57°42'5''E, 310 m a. s. l., 27–28 March 2019, 2juvs., leg. D. Frank ( FKCP) ; North Province, Ash Sharqiyah , 10 km SW of Al Jarda, 22°59'13''N 58°5'43''E, 589 m a. s. l., 3 February 2020, 1♂ 2♀ 3juvs., leg. P. Kabátek ( FKCP) . United Arab Emirates, Dhadna District, Fujairah, 25°29'15''N 56°21'28''E, 3 m a. s. l., 18 May 2023, 3♂ 3♀, leg. A. Ullrich ( AZMM /Sco-2023: 01–06, Figs. 10–13 ); Dibba , ca 25.8°N 56.2°E, April 2008, 1♂ 1♀, leg. J. Straszewsky ( FKCP) ; Green Mubazzarah, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, 24.09817° N 55.74158° E, 321 m a. s. l., 1 September 2015, 1♀ ( FKCP) , 13 September 2015, 1 unseXed ( HNHM, scUAE022, Scorp-1450), leg. Cs. Geczy; Near Masafi , Ras al-Khaimah, 25.32606°N 56.15100°E, 509 m a. s. l., 3 November 2017, 1♂, ( FKCP) , leg. B. Farkas; 25.33102°N 56.14643°E, 532 m a. s. l., 24 February 2019, 1♂ ( BLFH,) , leg. B. Buzas; Al Aqah, Fujairah, 25.49479°N 56.35474°E, 60–70 m a. s. l., 18 March 2020, 1♀ ( AMS, scUAE281), 1♂ 1♀ ( FKCP) , leg. B. Buzas et R. Racz; S of Al Khulaybiyah, Masafi area , Fujairah, 25.36570°N 56.17124°E, 605–606 m a. s. l., 27 April 2020, 2♂ ( FKCP) , leg. B. Buzas; Wadi Ghulayyil Khun, near Bidiya , Fujairah, 25.43969°N 56.31955°E, 127- 131 m a. s. l., 28 July 2019, 1♂ 1♀ ( FKCP) , 1♂ ( BLFH) , leg. B. Buzas; Wadi Mai , Fujairah, 25.04391°N E 56.24018°E, 400–435 m a. s. l., 22 July 2019, 2♂ 1♀1♀ juv. ( BLFH) ; Wadi Madhab , Fujairah, 25.14449°N 56.31823°E, 16 m a. s. l., 18 August 2014 1♀ ( BLFH) , 2014, 1♂ ( BLFH) , 25 May 2015, 1unseXed ( HNHM, scUAE012, Scorp-1451), 13 June 2016, 1unseXed ( HNHM, scUAE038), 22 September 2016 1♂ ( HNHM, scUAE041), leg. B. Buzas et J. Nagy; Wadi Saham , Fujairah, 25.13337°N 56.22208°E, 278–402 m a. s. l., 26–29 April 2020, 5♂ 1♀ ( FKCP) , leg. B. Buzas; Wadi Wurrayah NP, Fujairah, N 25.39065° E 56.30980° 88–100 m a. s. l., 24 October 2018, 1♂ 1♀ ( FKCP) , 4♂ ( BLFH) , leg. B. Buzas, 25.39321°N 56.30604°E, 87 m a. s. l., 24 July 2019, 1♂ 1♀ ( FKCP) , leg. B. Buzas et A. Borisov; unnamed wadi N of the Yabsa Bypass Road (E184), 1.5 km W from Jebel Sakamkam , Fujairah, 25.19051°N 56.29519°E, 485 m a. s. l., 26 March 2020, 1♂ ( FKCP) , leg. B. Buzas.

DIAGNOSIS (♂ ♀). Total length 24–32 mm. Trichobothrium d 2 on dorsal surface of pedipalp femur usually present. Pectinal teeth number 18–24 in males, 16–21 in females. Movable finger of pedipalps with 8–9 rows of denticles, 8–9 ID and OD. Dorsal carinae on pedipalp patella developed and smooth. Pedipalp femur granulated. Metasoma I–V dorsal surface mesially finely granulated. Metasoma I with 10 carinae, metasoma II–III with 6–8 carinae, metasoma IV–V with 2 dorsolateral carinae; complete ventrolateral carinae indicated and present in posterior part also on metasoma V. Metasoma IV–V ventrally and laterally with fine punctation reduced, present only in posterior part of metasoma V, spaces among punctae rather smooth; metasoma I laterally granulated and bumpy with punctation reduced. Tergites roughly to finely granulated. Sternite VII granulated, with four irregularly granulated carinae present. Pedipalp, metasoma and telson glabrous. Moderate to strong tibial spurs present on legs III and IV. Tarsomere I of legs I–III with 2–5 long setae.

COMMENTS. Lourenço & Huber (2000) did not list any valid characters that could differentiate Paraorthochirus kaspareki and P. kinzelbachi from Orthochirus glabrifrons . These authors mainly compared their two new species with other species from Iran and Pakistan and listed characters, which are inside a range of variation of characters of O. glabrifrons . The type localities of both species were inside the area of distribution of O. glabrifrons . Both new species precisely match O. glabrifrons in the key characters listed in the diagnosis. The obvious conclusion is that Paraorthochirus kaspareki Lourenço & Huber, 2000 and Paraorthochirus kinzelbachi Lourenço & Huber, 2000 are junior synonyms of Orthochirus glabrifrons ( Kraepelin, 1903) , syn. n.

COMMENTS ON LOCALITIES. The type locality of O. glabrifrons

Muscat ( Oman) is located at the seashore, at the low elevation.

Among the new collection localities in the United Arab

Emirates, only the Dhadna District locality in Fujairah is also located in the seashore at low elevation, while all other new records are from higher altitudes, up to 1734 m a. s. l. ( Oman,

Jabal Bani Jabir). Further comments on the localitieas in the

United Arab Emirates are given below.

Al Aqah, Fujairah ( Fig. 15 ). The lower hillsides of the Hajar Mountains close to the shore receive more humidity from the nearby Gulf of Oman, therefore are more vegetated most of the time. The ground is covered with sharp rocks and only loamy under the present plant Neltuma juliflora and all the scorpion specimens were found under those trees.

Green Mubazzarah, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi ( Fig. 16 ). Typical limestone habitat on the lower slopes of the Jebel Hafit, just behind the Green Mubazzarah Chalets. The nearby irrigated areas attract more insects, a good food source for scorpions.

Wadi Madhab, Fujairah ( Fig. 17 ). Typical broad and flat, lower wadi environment northwest of Fujairah City. Vegetation and Acacia tortilis trees covering the lower slopes and the bottom of the wadi.

Environs of Masafi, Ras al-Khaimah ( Fig. 18 ). The remains of an early settlement provide good hiding spots for the species.

Wadi Ghulayyil Khun, near Bidiya, Fujairah ( Fig. 19 ). During the dry, summer months the scorpions occupy dry riverbeds, known as wadis, and nearby slopes.

Wadi Saham, Fujairah ( Fig. 20 ). A typical Hajar Mountains wadi habitat west of Fujairah City. Specimens found at the edge of the dry wadi.

Wadi Wurayah NP, Fujairah ( Fig. 21 ). Specimens of of O. glabrifrons were found in high numbers along with Hottentotta jayakari (Pocock, 1895) and Compsobuthus maindroni (Kraepelin, 1901) near the main entrance of the park. The area is well vegetated and irrigated in most parts.

Figures

Figure 1. Orthochirus glabrifrons, a female from Oman, 30 km N of Nizwa, Jabal Akhdar, in vivo habitus.

Figures 2–3. Orthochirus glabrifrons, lectotype female, dorsal (2) and ventral (3) views. Scale bar: 10 mm.

Figures 4–9: Orthochirus glabrifrons, female from Oman, 30 km N of Nizwa, Jabal Akhdar. Figure 4. Pedipalp chela dorsal. Figures 5–6. Right legs III–IV, retrolateral aspect. Figures 7–9. Metasoma and telson, dorsal (7), ventral (8) and lateral (9).

Figures 10-13. Orthochirus glabrifrons from United Arab Emirates, Fujairah, Dhadna District. Figures 10–11. Male, dorsal (10) and ventral (11) views. Figures 12–13. Female, dorsal (12) and ventral (13) views. Scale bar: 10 mm.

Figures 14. Distribution of Orthochirus glabrifrons in Oman and the United Arab Emirates. Red circles: type locality.Blue squair: new locality records.

Figures 15-18. Localities of Orthochirus glabrifrons in the UnitedArab Emirates.Figure 15.Al Aqah, Fujairah. Figure 16. Green Mubazzarah, Al Ain. Figure 17. Wadi Madhab, Fujairah. Figure 18. Environs of Masafi, Ras al-Khaimah.

Figures 19-20. Localities of Orthochirus glabrifrons in the United Arab Emirates. Figure 19. Wadi Ghulayyil Khun, near Bidiya, Fujairah. Figure 20. Wadi Saham, Fujairah.

Figures 21-22. Orthochirus glabrifrons. Figure 21. United Arab Emirates, Wadi Wurayah NP, Fujairah. Figure 22. Male from the United Arab Emirates, Wadi Saham, Fujairah, in vivo habitus.