Tityus kuryi Lourenço, 1997

De, Claudio Augusto R., Candido, Denise M., Lucas, Sylvia Marlene & Brescovit, Antonio Domingos, 2009, On the Tityus stigmurus complex (Scorpiones, Buthidae), Zootaxa 1987, pp. 1-38 : 5-11

Tityus kuryi Lourenço, 1997

Tityus kuryi Lourenço, 1997: 53 –59, figs. 1–7, 14, table 1. Holotype Ψ from Parque Nacional da Chapada Diamantina, Caeté-Açu, Palmeiras , Bahia, Brazil, (MNRJ 7035, examined). Fet et al, 2000: 248; Lourenço, 2002: 146, 164; Lourenço, 2003: 109; Lourenço, 2006: 61.

Material examined. Brazil, Bahia: Palmeiras (Campos e Vale do Capão), 12º31'44'' S, 41º33'32''W, C. M. Pinto-Leite leg.1Ψ (MZUFBA 1602); Palmeiras (Cachoeira da Fumaça, Capão), 12º31'44''S, 41º33'32''W, 23.II.2007, G. Carvalho leg, 1Ψ (MZUFBA 2166); (Cachoeira da Fumaça, Capão), 12º31'44''S, 41º33'32''W, 30.VIII.2001, T. B. Brazil leg, 3Ψ (MZUFBA 1603–1605); Mucugê, 882m, 13º0’S 41º22’60’’W (Fazenda Mucugê), V.2005, M. Perez leg, 1Ψ ( IBSP 4724)

Comments. This species was not associated with the T. stigmurus complex in the original description ( Lourenço, 1997), but shows characteristics which correspond to the diagnosis of the complex (see below). Therefore T. kuryi is also included in the complex.

Diagnosis. Female. This species differs from the others of the complex by presence of confluent blackish spots on tegites, lateral faces and Vsm carinae of metasomal segments I–IV, except by T. serrulatus and T. melici . Tityus kury can be distinguished from Tityus melici and Tityus serrulatus by a different pattern of pigmentation, with blackish spots on palps, legs, lateral faces and Vsm carinae of all metasomal segments and transversal blackish spots on posterior margin of sternites ( Figs. 4 D–E; 7B) and a general coloration brownish ( Fig. 7 A). It also differ from T. melici by presence of two pairs of strong posterior spinoid granules on the dorsal lateral carinae of metasomal segments III and three pairs on IV ( Fig. 6 ), whereas Tityus melici and Tityus serrulatus has not blackish spots on palps, legs, ventral and lateral faces of all metasomal segments and posterior margin of sternites ( Fig. 19 A–D) and the spinoid granules are absent or reduced on the dorsal lateral carinae of metasomal segments III and IV in T. melici .

Male. Unknown.

Redescription. Female (IBSP 4724). Coloration: brownish red with numerous dark spots. Carapace dark with some light brown spots ( Fig. 3 A). Ocular tubercle dark. Mesosoma dark to tergite VI, tergite VII with central region darker, lateral region lighter red brownish ( Fig. 7 A); metasomal segments I–IV red brownish with dark spots on the lateral region and Vsm carinae ( Fig. 6 ; 7A–B); a dark stain occupying almost all of segment V ( Fig. 5 H). Vesicle red brownish with two small spots on the base. Aculeus with dark spots on the base, medially light brown and distally reddish ( Fig.5 H). Ventrally yellow with black spots on maxillary lobes I and II ( Fig.7 B); sternites III light brown; the sternites IV–VI darker with medial region light brown; VII darker with medially light brown T-shape. Chelicerae dark with a light brown base. ( Fig. 3 B); apex of the fingers brown. Pedipalps red brownish with dark spots on patella and chela ( Fig. 4 D–E and 5F–G); fingers dark distally light brown. Legs light brown with dark spots on tibia and tarsi. Morphology: Carapace: anterior margin with a weak median concavity ( Fig. 3 A); median ocular tubercle anterior to the centre of the carapace; median eyes separated by more than one ocular diameter. Three pairs of lateral eyes; median ocular carina moderate with medium granules ( Fig. 3 A); anterior median furrow moderately deep; posterior furrow narrow, shallow anteriorly deep posteriorly. Prosoma moderately granular; tergites moderately granular with larger granules on the posterior region; median carinae present on all tergites. On tergites I and II carinae reduced, on III–VII carinae occupy the distal half and begin bifurcated and finish merged; tergite VII pentacarinate; transversal carina present on all tergites. Pectines: pectinal teeth 24–24; basal middle lamellae of pectines not dilated. Sternites weakly granular; a clear triangular zone on the posterior region of sternite III and a reduced smooth and shiny slightly expanded triangular zone of the posterior region of sternite V ( Fig. 7 B). Sternite VI with two small median carinae occupying the distal half. Sternite VII with five carinae, two parallel median occupying almost all the sternite with a small carina between them, and two lateral carinae restricted to the central region. Metasomal segments: I with 10 complete carinae of which Vsm, Vl, Lim, Lsm and Dl have adjacent granules, Dl with one posterior spinoid granule; II with 8 complete carinae of which Vsm, Vl, Lsm and Dl have adjacent granules, Lim is incomplete on anterior third and present sparse granules, Dl with one posterior spinoid granule; III with 8 complete carinae of which Vsm, Vl, Lsm and Dl have adjacent granules, Dl with three posterior spinoid granules ( Fig. 6 ); IV with 8 complete carinae of which Vsm, Vl, Lsm and Dl have adjacent granules, Dl with three posterior spinoid granules ( Fig. 6 );V with 5 complete carinae with uniform and adjacent granules; intercarinal surface moderately granular. Telson: vesicle with five vestigial carinae of which the ventral is well marked; aculeus long and strongly curved ( Fig. 5 H); subaculear tooth strong and rhomboid with two small dorsal teeth. Pedipalp: femur with 5 carinae of which Da, Dp and Mp presents median granules; Va with smaller granules and Ma with bigger granules; patella with 7 carinae of which Ad, Am, Av and Dm have median and adjacent granules; Am with a proximal spinoid granule ( Fig. 4 D); Pd, Pm and Pv with small and continuous granules; chela with 9 carinae, with small and continuous granules; all surfaces moderately to weakly granular. Movable fingers with 17–17 oblique rows of granules. Trichobothriotaxy: ortobothriotaxy A—α ( Vachon, 1974 and 1975).

Variations. The specimen from the southern region of Parque da Chapada Diamantina is pale light brown in color ( Fig. 7 A–B).

Distribution. State of Bahia, Brazil ( Fig. 8 ).

Figures

FIGURE 8. Distribution of T. aba and T. kuryi.

FIGURE 4. T. kuryi (Ψ IBSP 4724). Right pedipalp femur in dorsal view (C); Right pedipalp patella in dorsal view (D) and external view (E); Scale bars = 5 mm

FIGURE 7. T. kuryi (Ψ IBSP 4724). Dorsal (I) and ventral (J) view.

FIGURE 6. T. kuryi (Ψ IBSP 4724). Metasomal segments in lateral view. Scale bars = 5 mm

FIGURE 19. T. melici (♂ and Ψ IBSP 5045; Botumirim, Minas Gerais, Brazil). Male (A) and female (B) in dorsal view; T. melici (holotype and paratype). Male (C) and female (D) in dorsal view.

FIGURE 3. T. kuryi (Ψ IBSP 4724; Mucugê, Bahia, Brazil). Carapace in dorsal view (A); Chelicera in dorsal view (B). Scale bars = 5 mm

FIGURE 5. T. kuryi (Ψ IBSP 4724). Fixed finger of the right pedipalp chela in dorsal-external view (F); Right pedipalp chela in ventral view (G); Segment metasomal V and telson in lateral view (H). Scale bars = 5 mm